Federal Programs employees make world of difference with wide range of services

September 29, 2025

Lincoln residents learned how school employees are making a world of difference to students and families from across the world.
 
Lincoln Public Schools hosted two events on Sept. 17 that showcased the life-changing work that LPS Federal Programs staff members are doing for the community. The department presented a lunch-and-learn information session at the Steve Joel District Leadership Center and an open house at the expanded LPS Welcome Center. Both programs took place during the city’s annual Lincoln Welcoming Week.
 
Federal Programs representatives Laura Salem, Oscar Rios Pohirieth, Monica Asher and Raya Al Zuhair spoke about the department’s efforts to help immigrants, refugees and other new Lincoln residents. They said their top goal is to improve the well-being of both students and families through engaging and thoughtful classes, activities and services.
 
“The mission of the Federal Programs department is to empower students and families, embrace diversity and to connect home, school and community,” Salem said. “All of the programs within our department feel strongly about this mission, and that’s what we do together as a team.”
 
“Our goal is to connect the families to the resources and opportunities within LPS and the Lincoln community,” Al Zuhair said. “This builds the connection with all non-profit organizations that are all working together to help immigrants and refugees.”
 
LPS classrooms include students from 123 countries who speak 133 languages. The school district has 3,484 students who are currently receiving English Learners (EL) services, and there are 30 bilingual liaisons who assist thousands of people with educational needs. After English, the ten most widely spoken languages at LPS are Spanish, Arabic, Kurdish, Vietnamese, Karen, Pashto, Ukrainian, Kurmanji, Nuer and Dari.
 
Al Zuhair said the LPS Welcome Center is busy throughout the year because families view Lincoln as a good place to live. Federal Programs employees want to give them the best possible opportunity to thrive in their new home.
 
“Everybody knows the importance of family engagement in any education system,” Al Zuhair said. “Add to it the language barrier, the new community, the culture shock that families go through when they first come here. Some of the families have never been in schools before, and some of them are comparing their schools in their homeland with the new system, so they need to know more so they can be good advocates for their kids.”
 
Salem supervises the EL program, which helps students at elementary, middle and high school levels. LPS employs 139 EL teachers and is working to hire 39 EL paraeducators across Lincoln. There are also five EL teacher leaders who support classrooms with curriculum and professional learning.
 
Rios Pohirieth coordinates the LPS bilingual liaison program, which serves people from dozens of countries. They conduct in-person, phone and Zoom visits with immigrants, refugees and newcomers throughout the year to ensure families will receive support.
 
“This is an important piece to have in an education system, and let me tell you, there are only a few districts in this nation that have the bilingual liaison support as we do within Lincoln Public Schools, and I’m so proud to say that,” Rios Pohirieth said.
 
Rios Pohirieth and Al Zuhair both talked about the many reasons people arrive in Lincoln. Al Zuhair is a new American family engagement specialist and meets them at the LPS Welcome Center. She also coordinates with social workers, school counselors, EL teachers and bilingual liaisons to help families.
 
Rios Pohirieth said refugees come to the United States because of natural disasters, famine, pandemics, war, genocide and social turmoil in their home countries. They also settle here for educational advancement, improved living conditions and family reunification.
 
LPS currently serves 1,173 refugee students from more than two dozen countries. More than 350 refugees are from Afghanistan, nearly 250 are from Syria and more than 150 are from Ukraine. Other students come from nations such as Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Malaysia, Kenya, Guatemala and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
 
Asher, the LPS family engagement supervisor, spoke about the school district’s family literacy and migrant education programs. LPS began offering family literacy services in 2009 with a four-part model of adult education, children’s education, parent and child time (PACT) and parent time. There are currently 116 parents enrolled at 11 elementary schools, and two afternoon programs have recently been extended to middle school parents.
 
“It’s really great to see that growth in the families, and to see the families really become part of the school,” Asher said. “They let us know what they don’t like and what they like, and they have such great communication with the principal and teachers. They’re just a part of those schools.”
 
Asher is coordinating migrant education services for 42 school districts in 14 counties this year under Educational Service Unit 18. Students are receiving resources such as summer classes, school supplies, backpacks and extra support for reading and math.
 
Migrant services help families who move often for temporary jobs such as cultivating soil or detasseling. There are 196 eligible children ages 3-21 in the ESU 18 region this year and approximately 80 at LPS.
 
Rios Pohirieth encouraged the audience to share news about Federal Programs to everyone they speak with. He said that would benefit everyone involved with the important educational services.
 
“Many times our community members are not aware of what Lincoln Public Schools, or any other service provider out there, does for the families, for our communities, for the people with whom we work,” Rios Pohirieth said. “It’s simply understanding and being that voice when you are out there with your own communities and saying, ‘Umm, I think you have that wrong. This is what I know, and this is what I have seen.’ I think your word of mouth in terms of what we do will serve us well.”
 
Learn more about LPS Federal Programs and how the department helps area residents at home.lps.org/federal. The website features links to many educational services and programs that are available for LPS students and families.
 
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