Rau named School Nurse Administrator of the Year

Lincoln Public Schools Supervisor of Health Services Wendy Rau has been named the state’s School Nurse Administrator of the Year.

The Nebraska School Nurses Association announced the honor Thursday. Rau has been with LPS since 2007, first as a school nurse before moving into a supervisor role during the 2016-17 year.

"I am humbled to receive this award,” Rau said. “I am honored to work with an amazing team of school nurses, whom I am grateful for everyday. We have a shared mission to make LPS Health Services better and always maintain a student-centered focus - which is what school nursing is all about!"

Members of the LPS Health Services Leadership Team wrote the following about Rau in their nomination letter: “Wendy beyond emulates the role of today’s school health nurse leader. She holistically and intelligently approaches school health with a mission to provide the best possible care to keep our students safe, healthy, and ready to learn, while along the way always looking for opportunities to make it better. Wendy makes LPS Health Services better! We are grateful for her continued drive to show us the ‘why’ in what we do, for her unwavering leadership, and for her love for our students.”

Rau supervises a staff 146 in a school district with more than 42,000 students, many with chronic health conditions. With 15 schools that require a nurse in the building during school hours, Rau helps navigate the daily complexities of staffing to ensure student safety.  

“Wendy is very innovative and a forward-thinker as far as how she can support students and families by connecting with community resources and offering professional development for her staff,” said LPS Director of Student Services Russ Uhing.  

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