5 takeaways from Lawrence USD 497 school board meeting
October 20, 2025
Langston Hughes Elementary expansion delayed to 2027
District plans new round of community meetings to update strategic plan
Parents asked to weigh in on Safe Routes to School survey
Support staff to receive retroactive pay ahead of schedule
District bakery program highlighted at state Board of Education meeting
Langston Hughes Elementary expansion delayed to 2027
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Lawrence Public Schools district is delaying the planned classroom expansion at the overcrowded Langston Hughes Elementary School until the summer of 2027, Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift announced Monday. The original timeline was pushed back to allow for more extensive engagement with parents, neighbors and the City of Lawrence to develop an integrated plan. Swift said the extended timeline will allow the district to better address not only classroom needs but also infrastructure issues and “traffic patterns in that immediate neighborhood that do require attention.” The district will announce dates for community feedback sessions in the coming weeks.
District plans new round of community meetings to update strategic plan
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lawrence Public Schools will host a series of community engagement sessions this fall and winter to present a draft of its updated strategic plan and gather public feedback. Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift said Monday that the meetings will build on major themes identified during last year’s sessions. District leaders will provide updates on progress made since then and solicit input from students, parents, staff and community members on the district’s strengths and opportunities for growth. The district will offer both in-person and online options for participation, with dates to be announced soon.
Parents asked to weigh in on Safe Routes to School survey
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Lawrence school district is encouraging families to provide feedback on student safety through the Safe Routes to School survey, open now through Nov. 10. The program, which the district has participated in since 2014, aims to improve safety for students who walk and bike to school. Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift said Monday that the survey is a collaborative effort with the City of Lawrence, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization. A link to the survey was sent to parents and can also be found on the city’s website.
Support staff to receive retroactive pay ahead of schedule
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Educational support professionals in the Lawrence school district will receive their negotiated retroactive pay on their Oct. 29 paycheck, nearly a month earlier than expected. Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift announced at Monday’s board meeting that the human resources and finance teams expedited the process, which was previously scheduled for the week of Nov. 24. The pay is retroactive to July 1, fulfilling the terms of the recently approved negotiated agreement. Swift thanked the teams for their “extra effort” and the board for its support.
District bakery program highlighted at state Board of Education meeting
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A Lawrence Public Schools program that established a district-run bakery at Community Connections at Pinckney (in the former Pinckney Elementary building) received praise at the state level this month, board member GR Gordon-Ross reported Monday. Julie Henry, the district’s director of nutrition and wellness, presented the project to the Kansas State Board of Education, highlighting how the bakery allows the district to use Kansas-sourced wheat and provide students with baked goods containing significantly fewer additives and preservatives. According to Gordon-Ross, State Education Commissioner Randy Watson and other board members expressed interest in visiting the Pinckney facility to see the program in action.
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