Lawrence School Newsletter - May 2023

LAWRENCE

Term: 2020-2023

785-330-1704

skimball@usd497.org

Paula Vann Vice President

Term: 2020-2023

785-330-1707

psmith@usd497.org

Erica Hill Past President

Term: 2020-2023

785-330-1709 ehill@usd497.org

Carole Cadue-Blackwood

Term: 2020-2023

785-330-1712 ccaduebl@usd497.org

Kay Emerson

Term: 2022-2025

785-330-1721 kay.emerson@usd497.org

GR Gordon-Ross

Term: 2022-2024

785-330-1464 gr.gordon-ross@usd497.org

Kelly Jones

Term: 2022-2025

785-330-1711

kelly.jones@usd497.org

As graduation season approaches, we get ready to celebrate the culmination of 13 years (or more if a scholar joined us in preschool) of academic, social, emotional, and behavioral knowledge and skill development and preparation for college, careers, and life. Let me take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation to the school board members, administrators, educators, support staff, school families, and community partners – past and present – for helping to guide each of our scholars across the finish line. Our community of learners has shown tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to these scholars along their journey. As we celebrate their achievements, just imagine where they may go and what they might accomplish next!

This school year presented some obstacles, from staffing issues and funding challenges to school closures, boundary changes, and budget cuts. The school board used a Futures Planning Community Engagement Process to bring together a representative group to study, ask, listen, discuss, and recommend what’s most important to the success of our school system.

The results echoed the community’s input five years ago during the Listening and Learning Tour held upon my arrival in Lawrence.

Back then, we set the community’s plan for school progress in motion with a five-year strategic plan focused on five areas: cohesive curriculum, student-centered learning, safe and supportive schools, effective employees, and data-informed decisions. Our work since has ensured that our schools remained safe, welcoming, inclusive, and conducive to learning. Through flexibility and adaptation, we responded and began to recover from a global pandemic. We worked to align foundational structures of continuous school improvement, from the state to the district to the individual school levels. We can be proud of the progress made toward achieving our goals, as highlighted in this newsletter. Future growth will continue to require identification, support, and monitoring of the individual needs of our scholars.

All Students. One Team.

Sincerely,

Anthony S. Lewis, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools

Table of Contents

Board Meeting Calendar

The Lawrence Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, unless otherwise announced, at 110 McDonald Drive.

Upcoming Meetings:

May 22 • June 12 & 26

• Review agendas at usd497.org/SchoolBoard.

• Write to the board at SchoolBoard@usd497.org.

• Sign up to speak at PublicComment@usd497.org before 6 p.m. on the date of the meeting.

• Watch meetings on Midco channel 26 or at usd497.org/Webstream.

Find

• New Student Registration

• Job Openings

• 2023-2024 School Calendar

• New Elementary Boundary Map

• Successful Transitions Support

Lawrence Public Schools 110 McDonald Drive Lawrence, KS 66044-1063 785-832-5000 www.usd497.org Facebook.com/LawrencePublicSchools

Anthony Lewis, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools

This newsletter produced by USD 497 Executive Director of Communications Julie Boyle and former Multimedia Communications Specialist Emma Fotovich in partnership with the Lawrence Journal-World.

Lawrence Public Schools USD 497 is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate in its employment practices and policies. Discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is prohibited by Lawrence Board of Education policy.

Shannon Kimball President

STRATEGIC PLAN

COHESIVE CURRICULUM

STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING

SAFE & SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS

EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEES

DATA-INFORMED DECISIONS

Lawrence Public Schools will ensure that students of all races, backgrounds, and abilities achieve at high levels, demonstrate proficiency in reading by third grade and in math by eighth grade, and graduate on time prepared for success in college and careers.

District Celebrates School Improvement Progress

Lawrence Public Schools achieved its highest graduation rate (89.6% in 2022) since the state of Kansas began using the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate in 2010. All identified racial and ethnic subgroups of students (African American 89.8%, American Indian/Alaskan Native 89.3%, Asian 100%, Hispanic 83.7%, Multi-Racial 85.4%, and White 90.4%) showed improvement.

At the conclusion of the district’s five-year Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation (KESA) cycle, the district received high praise from the Kansas State Department of Education’s Outside Visiting Team (OVT). The team lauded the district’s work to align foundational structures of continuous school improvement and it’s progress toward achieving its goals. (With a pause of the KESA process in 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this accreditation cycle actually represented six years.)

Among some highlights from the KESA report, the district noted a significant increase in the number of students taking at least one Jayhawk Blueprint course for dual high school and college credit. That number climbed from 89 students in 2017-2018 to 617 students in 2022-2023. In addition, during this same period of time, students earned 239 business and industry certifications.

Chief Academic Officer Patrick Kelly said that Individual Plans of Study are another area of growth. “These didn’t exist in the district in 2018. Today, 31% are complete and 44% are in progress,” he said. The district’s goal this year: 80% completion and 20% in progress.

Postsecondary success positions district graduates to meet workforce demands of the Kansas economy with the tools they need to successfully transition into their postsecondary studies and careers.

The OVT cited among district strengths: vision, alignment, and processes; equity and inclusion; leadership; commitment to continuous improvement; and data-driven decisions.

“You have an outstanding school district for the students in your community. There is much to celebrate,” said Jill Lachenmayr, a member of the OVT. “Your equity and inclusion work is simply outstanding. All that you have accomplished in this area is impressive. Lawrence has made tremendous progress over the accreditation cycle.”

The OVT’s report listed the following areas for growth: determining goals for the next KESA cycle,

the purchase of social emotional learning curriculum following a pilot program, use of data to inform and guide instruction toward kindergarten readiness, and continued implementation and refinement of the process supporting Individual Plans of Study.

The school board approved the purchase of Character Strong, a PreK-12 social emotional learning curriculum, in April. Read more about it on Page 6.

The Very Model of a Modern Secretary-General

The Secretary-General of the United Nations makes appointments to UN posts, oversees peacekeeping missions, and mediates conflict. What’s the Secretary-General’s role in Model UN? Ask Free State High School senior Mei Gordon-Washington. Honored this year with the Jenay Weekly Outstanding Officer Award during the Topeka Model United Nations (TMUN) Conference, she is a two-time champion delegate, a multiple-year officer, and this year, served as the 59th Secretary-General of the Conference.

Q&A with Mei

Q: How would you describe Model UN?

Mei: “Model UN is an academic simulation of the real United Nations… (It’s) a program where students have the opportunity to research and represent a country at a conference with hundreds—sometimes thousands—of other delegates… At TMUN, much of the delegates’ preparation, speech writing, and research occurs prior to the conference… (Model UN) introduces students to critical skills in writing, public speaking, diplomacy, and collaboration. Its ability to get students involved and interested in international affairs is incomparable.”

Q: When did you first get involved with it, and why?

Mei: “I first got involved in Model UN as a seventh grader at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School. Although I was then extremely hesitant about public speaking, I was convinced by my gifted facilitator, Devin Heath, to try it for a year. I have since been involved… for six years in a variety of roles at the TMUN Conference and as a delegate for one year at the Model UN of the University of Chicago.”

Q: What were your responsibilities as Secretary-General?

Mei: “My primary responsibilities as SecretaryGeneral were to offer the conference organizer and administrator, Tracie Lamb, assistance with preparing for the conference (i.e., updating

and formatting materials, communicating with officers, assisting with all of the virtual officer meetings). At the conference, I was responsible for coordinating delegates and officers, communicating with sponsors and parents, resolving conflicts that came up in councils, and conducting credit-checks—deliberations that occur when one delegate has filed a complaint against another for violating decorum or misrepresenting their country.“

Q: Of the topics debated, about which ones were you especially passionate?

Mei: “I always think that the most exciting topics that are discussed at conferences are those that

address peacekeeping in ongoing international conflict. Although I cannot understate the valuable debate we see about perennial topics like climate change, education inequality, and sanitation, our resolutions that pull from current events are some of the most engaging for delegates and officers alike. At this year’s conference, we had a number of resolutions about the war in Ukraine, and it was great to see delegates discuss and process an issue that is so much a global source of daily tension and concern.”

Q: What have you learned from your experiences in Model UN, and how have these skills benefited you in other areas?

Mei: Model UN has taught me so much about communication and conflict resolution. As both an officer and former delegate, I really value the opportunities I had to debate and collaborate with peers, become more comfortable with public speaking, and gain aptitude in writing and research. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by how much teaching has been involved in being an officer. I’ve chaired middle school councils every year that I’ve been involved, and it has been extremely rewarding to help new delegates make the most out of their Model UN experience. All of these lessons have served me well within my academic life, especially in my work as a member of the marketing department and CEO of the district-wide robotics team, Team STEAM.”

Q: What are your plans after graduating from Free State?

Mei: “I plan to attend Bryn Mawr College to study mathematics, statistics, and Mandarin Chinese. I hope to eventually go into data science and am particularly interested in the issue of data literacy in public health.”

Congratulations to Mei Gordon-Washington and best wishes for her continued success at Bryn Mawr (a distinguished women’s college near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and in all her future endeavors.

Mei Gordon-Washington

Improving Student Attendance & Behaviors

Lawrence Public Schools continues to focus on student attendance as an important driver of student achievement. According to AttendanceWorks.org, chronic absenteeism or missing 10% or more of school days due to absence for any reason can translate into students having difficulty in learning to read by the third grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school.

The district’s rate of chronic absenteeism increased from 24.7% in Quarter 1, 30.4% in Quarter 2, to 33.1% in Quarter 3. By comparison, the district’s rate of chronic absenteeism for the previous two school years was 23.62% in 2020-2021 and 34.11% in 2021-2022.

The district’s Average Daily Attendance dropped last year, from 92.3% in 2020-2021 to 90.2% in 2021-2022. It has increased slightly from last year across Quarters 1-3 of this year. It was 92.5% in Quarter 1, 91.0% in Quarter 2, and 90.8% in Quarter 3.

According to AttendanceWorks.org, absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. By sixth

grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and provide mentors for chronically absent students.

In addition to absenteeism, student behaviors can become a barrier to learning. The district has made progress in keeping students in class and in school with the use of restorative practices.

During the first quarter of the school year, restorative practices were used in 612 of 1,018 behavior events in the elementary, middle, and high schools. In 38.2% of these behavior events, restorative practices kept students in class and in school, where they can continue to develop socialemotional skills.

During the third quarter of the school year, restorative practices were used in 782 of 949 behavior events across all school levels. In 55.3% of these behavior events, restorative practices were used instead of traditional disciplinary actions, such as in-school or out-of-school suspensions or both.

Becoming Young People Full of Purpose

From Pre-K “PurposeFull People” to middle and high school leadership, Character Strong has something for everyone. Following the curriculum review process and a pilot program involving 150 teachers and 1,500 students, the school board approved the purchase of the social emotional learning curriculum for districtwide use.

Dr. Cynthia Johnson, executive director inclusion, engagement, and belonging, told the school board that teachers said that the curriculum should be all encompassing, not something only taught during the school day. “It should be part of everything we do,” she said.

The foundation of Character Strong is “Be kind. Be strong. Be Well.” The research-based curriculum and professional learning services cover coping, regulation, relationships, and self-management strategies, among others. Teachers will use it to support students in learning life skills, such as conflict-resolution, focusing, organizing, goal setting, emotional self-regulation, and wellness strategies. Schools look forward to sharing the resources and strategies with school families, caregivers, and community partners so all the caring adults in children’s lives can model and help to reinforce strong character development.

Classified Staff Early Childhood Benefit Classroom

Challenged by a nationwide workforce shortage and limited funding available to compete in attracting and retaining employees, Lawrence Public Schools used federal COVID-relief dollars to offer a new benefit to classified support staff -- a full-day early childhood educational readiness program for their three- and four-year-old children.

Jeremy Bloom, a network analyst in the district’s Technology Department, and his wife, Sarah, estimate that this benefit has saved their family $800 per month in expenses. Their daughter, Mira, attends preschool and receives meals, educational enrichment, and speech services at Kennedy Early Childhood Community Center while her parents work.

*Mira has thrived at preschool. She has awesome teachers and supports in the classroom. They genuinely care about her and her well-being. She comes home singing different songs and talking about things she’s learned during the day,” said the Blooms.

The Blooms added that this benefit has greatly reduced the amount of time and travel taken out of their workdays and created a smoother transition for their daughter. *One of the best parts has been watching Mira grow and seeing her excitement for school. It’s helped us feel more confident in sending her off to kindergarten,” they said.

The Classified Staff Early Childhood Benefit Classroom served 13 children this year and will be available to support staff employees again next year. The district is hiring classified staff. Apply at usd497. org/Apply and ask about this benefit.

THE DISTRICT IS HIRING CLASSIFIED STAFF APPLY AT USD497.ORG Apply

Jeremy, Mira, Hunter, and Sarah Bloom

Measuring Educator Engagement and Satisfaction to Inform Improvement

The school district’s Human Resources Department has a couple of new tools to measure educator and classified staff engagement and satisfaction and determine factors driving the retention of staff. District and school administration will use the data to plan improvement.

“Retention is the new recruitment,” said Kristen Ryan, executive director of human resources, referring to the national teacher shortage and diminished candidate pool from which to recruit teachers and classified staff.

The district surveyed 72% of certified staff in the Fall of 2021, when the COVID pandemic continued to impact education delivery models and masking and other safety requirements.

Results found Lawrence educators expressing high satisfaction with relationships with their colleagues and principal, the opportunity to work with a diverse student population, and the level of safety staff and students feel at school. Educators expressed low satisfaction with the district’s attention to supporting staff’s mental and emotional health, the quality of professional development days and opportunities, current salary, the ability to request and secure a substitute teacher, and salary growth potential in the future.

This survey tool, Epic, also enables the district to compare its findings with survey data from the state and a group of six identified benchmark school districts.

• District’s attention and approach to supporting staff’s mental and emotional health

• Quality of professional development days/ opportunities

• Current salary

• Ability to request and secure a substitute teacher

• Salary growth potential in the future

• Parent support and involvement at school

• Access to necessary resources and instructional materials

• Principal’s instructional leadership

• Reputation of the district

• Supports the school/ district has in place to meet student socialemotional needs

• Relationship with colleagues within school

• Relationship with their principal

• Opportunity to work with a diverse student population

• Level of safety staff and students feel at school

Significant Drivers for Teacher Engagement and/or Retention organized by satisfaction (perceived experience):

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Project SEARCH Provides Opportunities for Everyone

Since its inception, Project SEARCH has been a program with one main objective - to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities. The program has been a mainstay in the community for more than a decade, helping to provide interns with occupational skills, personal growth opportunities, and job placements.

“Project SEARCH is all about training our students, also known as interns, to achieve competitive and integrated employment,” said Becky Armstrong, USD 497’s LMH Health Project SEARCH coordinator.

The district brought Project SEARCH to the community in 2011 as part of a collaborative process to pilot the program in Kansas. The current program maintains a partnership with LMH Health and the University of Kansas.

“A lot of our former and future interns are hands-on learners. They really

grow in an environment where they explore and practice trades,” said Tracey Norris, USD 497’s KU Project SEARCH coordinator.

Once candidates enter the program, they complete three internships over the course of 10 weeks. This allows them to try to different things that they are interested in and learn an array of skills. Current Project SEARCH

interns at LMH Health work in these departments: materials management, central supply, education, facilities, admissions, therapy, food and nutrition, environmental services and on patient floors.

Kelsey Leonard and Chris Tomei were a part of the first class of interns at LMH Health in 2012 and are currently employed with LMH Health. Leonard’s journey started after she graduated high school. She wanted to do more, so after completing another USD 497 transition program called “C-Tran,” she applied for and was selected to participate in the Project SEARCH program. She split time between three rotations at LMH Health, working on the fourth and second floor, as well as with therapy services and environmental services. After completing her internship, Leonard was hired as an environmental services technician. She has worked at LMH

Health for over 10 years and looks forward to continuing to grow her career.

Chris Tomei is a no-nonsense type of guy when it comes to work. He is often found livening up the halls of LMH Health as he delivers boxes from materials management. He completed two rotations in the cafeteria and calls his favorite the one he completed in materials management with his mentor and family friend, supply clerk Bob Lagerstrom.

Project SEARCH has not only opened doors for former interns like Leonard and Tomei, but for countless other interns who have worked at LMH Health and KU.

(Excerpt reprinted with permission from LMH Health from https://www.lmh.org/ news/2023-news/project-search-providesopportunities-for-everyone/, story and photo by Kade Han, April 10, 2023.)

Tomei and Lagerstrom, LMH Health photo.

Points of Pride: Student and Staff Success Stories

STAFF HONORS

National Grand Prize Winners! In its third year, the Lawrence College and Career Academy continues to support the graduation and personal success and well-being of students that struggled to find their way in a traditional high school setting. The National School Boards Association selected the Academy for its Magna Award Grand Prize, a feature in the American School Board Journal, and recognition at the NSBA National Conference.

Lawrence Board of Education President Shannon Kimball and board member Kelly Jones presented an NSBA session about the board’s progressive Dress Code Policy.

Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis and Past President Erica Hill shared information with other board and district leaders from across the country about the LMH Health Summer Leadership Academy. An innovative career mentoring program, it targets the leadership development of students from marginalized populations.

teaches — that they are the heart of her work,” said Billy Mills Middle School Principal Dr. Andrew Taylor of Lori Byers, gifted education teacher. Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis named Byers the 2023 Lawrence Secondary Teacher of the Year and the district’s secondary school nominee to the Kansas Teacher of the Year program. Truity Credit Union sponsors the district staff recognition program and presented Byers with a check for $1,000.

“He builds and treasures relationships with his students, making sure each and every one of them feels valued and safe to make educational risks,” wrote a colleague about Brandon Daley, Woodlawn fourth and fifth grade teacher. The Lawrence Schools Foundation honored Daley with its $5,000 Dedication to Education Award.

Prairie Park students nearly blew the roof off the gym with cheers and applause when the district presented its spring Class Act

Award to administrative assistant Lisa Jones. Colleagues describe Jones as the “glue” that holds the school together. Truity Credit Union gave Jones a $500 reward for her outstanding work.

“It is clear in every interaction I have with our students — all of them, not just the ones she

After receiving the Lawrence Elementary Horizon Award as an exemplary novice educator in her second year of teaching, Julia Ferguson, Quail Run fourth and fifth grade teacher, earned the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Kansas Horizon Award.

Educators paraded into the ballroom under a mirror ball and to a standing ovation at the Kansas Teacher of the Year Region 2 Recognition Banquet. KSDE recognized 2022 Lawrence Teachers of the Year Monica Dutcher, Pinckney fifth grade teacher, and Zach Saltz, LHS video/digital media teacher, among other teacher leaders from the area.

The Lawrence Schools Foundation surprised Anastacio Romero, Cordley custodian, with its spring Acknowledging Classified Employees (A.C.E.) Award and $500. Every student decorated a heart to share with Romero and his family. The Foundation also stopped by FSHS to thank paraeducator Melody Barclay for her service with an A.C.E. Award and $500. One of her students called Barclay an A+ teacher, mentor, and human.

Langston Hughes school staff appreciate Erik Haden’s positive and friendly demeanor, strong work ethic, and can-do attitude. He knows all students by name and greets them with high-fives and fist bumps. The district presented Haden with its fall Class Act Award and $500 from community partner Truity Credit Union.

For creating a seamless approach to supporting students, the West Middle School Student Support Team earned the district’s 2022 Rick Doll Teamwork Award, and $1,000 from Truity Credit Union. "Each member of the team cares deeply for all students and strives to help them thrive. It is a privilege to work with every one of them, and our school is better because they are here doing everything they can for students," wrote school administrators of school registrar Scott Forkenbrock, student support facilitator Jennifer Georgie, counselors Tiffany Fike and Kristen Kircher, and WRAP social worker Maritza Rodriguez, as well as social worker Julie Ohse and psychologist Jenny Stork (not pictured).

Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis appointed Broken Arrow Interim Principal Amanda Green to coordinator of systems of support and Pinckney Interim Principal Dr. Jennifer Schmitt to interim principal of LMCMS. He also promoted Prairie Park Interim Principal Jason Townsend to principal. Congratulations to these school leaders.

The Northeast District Kansas Music Educators Association (NEKMEA) recognized Joshua East, FSHS, as its Choir Teacher of the Year, and Heather Madgwick, WMS, as its Outstanding Educator for MiddleLevel Orchestra. In addition, the NEKMEA commended FSHS Assistant Principal Matt Renk as an Honor Administrator for developing, improving, and supporting music education.

A Hall of Famer! The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) inducted Pat Grzenda, retired adaptive physical education teacher and coach, into its Hall of Fame Class of 2023. A Lawrence and Kansas Master Teacher, Grzenda taught and coached girls and boys swimming and diving at LHS and FSHS for 34 years, including to eight state championships.

Since the district’s last newsletter, Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis recognized these outstanding school leaders as Principals of the Month: Amy McAnarney, FSHS; Amanda Green, Broken Arrow; Jackie Mickel, Langston Hughes; Dr. Carissa Miles, SWMS; and Therese Edgecomb, WMS. Nominate a principal, teacher, or support staff member for honors at usd497.org/Recognition

KU will present one of three Wolfe Teaching Excellence Awards to Matt Ellis, LHS math teacher and department chair. Three LHS alumni, now Jayhawks, nominated their former math teacher to receive the $3,000 cash award and recognition during KU’s Commencement weekend. LHS also receives $1,000.

Congratulations to Julie Schwarting, FSHS biology teacher, named the Konza Prairie Teacher of the Year.

Lori Greenfield, Prairie Park second grade teacher, earned the Cosmosphere’s 2023 LaunchLearning Fellowship. Fellows receive training to bring space science and exploration to their classrooms and funds for classroom supplies.

Jeff Dickson, LHS girls basketball coach, earned the Eddie Ryan Award as the top girls basketball coach in the Greater Kansas City area.

Morgan Hunter Education honored Jennifer Stogsdill, Prairie Park Elementary substitute teacher, as the 2022-2023 District Substitute Teacher of the Year. Other Substitutes of the Year by school include: Jo Cobb, Broken Arrow, Bev Hyde, Cordley, Catherine Egan, Deerfield, Heather Seratte, Hillcrest, Sue Messerly, Kennedy, Staci Prawl, Langston Hughes, Kim Gamble, New York, Sherry Tamerius, Pinckney, Kylee Bremer, Quail Run, Dora Gonzalez, Schwegler, Melinda Tyler, Sunflower, Paulette Breithaupt, Sunset Hill, Daya Ehret, Woodlawn, Ja'Relle Dye, Billy Mills MS, Emily Bjorlin, Liberty Memorial Central MS, Jennifer Horan, Southwest MS, Tracey Kastens, West MS, Steve Grant, FSHS, Megan O'Brien, LHS, Diane Spicer, LCCC/JDC, and Llara Baska, East Heights.

STUDENT & OTHER HONORS

to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. FSHS senior Jake Chun accepted his appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

FSHS’s Improvisation Team claimed the state championship at the Kansas Thespian Festival. Student Cella Allison received a perfect score for her monologue and the opportunity to perform in the Thespy Showcase. The Firebirds also earned the status of Gold Honor Troupe.

FSHS student Gillian Sellet earned Gold Key first place awards for her poetry and science fiction/fantasy story in the Missouri Writing Region of this year's Scholastic Writing Contest, qualifying her for national award consideration.

Future Military Officers. LHS seniors Jack Elsten and Jonathan Spoula received service academy appointments

Lawrence Chess Domination

Continues. FSHS won the state championship in the K-12 section at the Kansas Scholastic Chess Championships and placed first in 6A. Firebird Arthur Benson placed second individually. LHS finished third in 6A and fourth overall.

LHS students earned 6 Gold Keys and 7 Silver Keys in the Midwest Region Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including a Silver Key Portfolio Award for Owen Musser and an Honorable Mention Portfolio Award for Luke Havener. Congratulations to Maya Amen, Davon Davis, Anna Erisman, Adele Erickson, Oliver Ewell, Olive Harrington, Havener, Emmy Hurd, Natalie Kennedy, Lin Kohler, Musser, and Allie White.

FSHS won its fourth consecutive KSHSAA 6A State Speech Championship, defeating 26 other schools. Individual state champions include Lily Otter, poetry, Ava Ayala, prose, and Cici Hunter, program of oral interpretation.

LHS student artists and photographers dominated area competitions, including the statewide "Kansans, As Talented as you Think!" art contest. Todd Poteet's Portfolio and AP Drawing students won first and second place in the Painting and second place in the Pastel categories. Angelia Perkins' photography students won Best of Show as well as first place in the Black & White Photography, Color Photography, Mixed Media, and Portrait categories!Congratulations, Olive Harrington, Natalie Kennedy, Luke Havener, Adele Erickson, Davon Davis, and Allie White (first place mixed media pictured here).

A Two-Time Youth of the Year! Named the 2022-2023 Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence Youth of the Year, LHS sophomore Arabella Gill once again represented the club at the state level, after having been celebrated as the Kansas Youth of the Year last year. (BGC Photo)

The young adults in the Community Transition Program earned third place and 13 top-three individual awards at Johnson County Community College’s Job Olympics. They competed in hostess, job application, mock interview, laundry sorting, and mail organization categories and brought home individual medals and a team trophy.

At the East Kansas National Speech and Debate Association District Tournament, FSHS won first place in Debate Team, Speech Team, and Overall District Sweeps. Kelly Thompson and Brenda Alvarez earned Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year honors. LHS finished third overall. Eleven FSHS and six LHS students qualified for nationals. LHS qualifiers: Caitlin Sand, Jack Stutler, Thomas Lushington, Channing Morse, Devyn Ridings, and Rose Kennedy. FSHS qualifiers and finalists include Cella Allison, Kady Bischmann, Connor Brown, Emma Stammeyer, Gilly Falin, Cooper Hefty, Emma Hefty, Cici Hunter, Sophie Racy, Anwen Williams, Liz Wyle, Ava Ayala and Nathan Peltier.

The FSHS Dance Team earned third place at the KSHSAA 6A State Championships. Members are Kara Alexander, Alexa Beaty, Jacie Butler, Lacey Farrar, Marina Kimzey, Kacia Kite, Claire Krannawitter, Lola Martin, Londyn Miller, Peighton Stewart, Serenity Stewart, Gemma Waldron, Angel Waller, and Alyx Wood. Coaches are Dena Johnston and Claire Johnston.

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A SWMS Future City Team made the school’s eighth appearance in the national competition. The school has placed in the top five at regionals 14 times. Team Taipei placed 11th in the nation for its design of a sustainable city of the future. Danielle LottonBarker is their teacher and Christopher Storm is their mentor.

At the Head of the Class. The 2023 Kansas Governor's Scholars Award Program will honor seniors in the academic top 1%: Felix Guo, Campbell Leitch, Thomas Lushington, and Shruti Mallik, of LHS; and Firebirds May Gao, Casey Kong, Steven Tao, and Keaton Xu.

The Thomas John Giffin Foundation presented a $5,000 check to tiny-k Early Intervention Services. The Foundation raised the funds through its TJ5K & Family Fun Run in November. This was the 10th and last year of the event, which has raised nearly $50,000 for tiny-k.

FSHS teams earned first and second in the 2nd Annual Kansas Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge and qualified for nationals. Each team had $500,000 to invest in a stock market simulation with the goal to produce the highest return on investment. Team members include Spencer Doan, Suyash Kumar, Ming Da Zhang, Ari Mattes, and Somjai Sengchan. Social studies teacher Blake Swenson sponsors the teams.

FSHS’s combined Philharmonic and Symphonic Orchestras received a prestigious invitation to perform at the Kauffman Center in the 4th Annual Kansas City Classic Orchestra and Band Festival. Judy Erpelding directs the orchestras.

Making History. Three WMS students -- John Hindman, Sonam King, and Cameron Dozier -- placed in the top spots at regionals to advance to the Kansas History Day competition.

A National Champ! Congratulations to National High School Coaches Association Tournament Champion and All-American Matthew Marcum on his undefeated 54-0 senior season in wrestling. Firebirds Marcum and Eric Streeter both finished as KSHSAA 6A State Champions. They are pictured with teammates Grayson Hagen, fifth; Nolan Bradley, third; and Drew Streeter, sixth; at state.

LHS and FSHS students won multiple awards at the eMagine Media Fest. With more than 30 high schools competing, top finishers included Henry Adams, Morgan Salisbury, Arlo Paden, Logan Daniels, Hayden Houts, Jonas Lord, Cortland Miller, and Jun Brewer, LHS; and Angelo Tamayo, Sonder Murphy, Flora Smith, and Emma Liu, FSHS.

Wendo Kimori, FSHS senior, won the Princeton Prize in Race Relations for Kansas. The United Way of Douglas County also presented her with its Wallace Galluzzi Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. Kimori founded the NAACP Youth Council.

Get your Gus Peters’ original design before Juneteenth. FSHS student Gus Peters won the Lawrence Juneteenth Organization’s T-shirt design contest and $500.

More than 60 student musicians performed at the Lawrence Middle School Solo Festival and earned ratings in woodwind, bassoon, brass, and percussion categories.

Directors

Melissa Smith and Paul Morgenroth praised the students for choosing to do something hard, staying committed, improving skills, facing fears, and presenting themselves professionally. Pictured: Sam Emert and Mira Edie.

LHS students Jooseok Oh, Marcus Souders, Brandon Parnell, Felix Guo, Shruti Mallik, Ben Willems, Thomas Lushington, Eli VandeVoort, David Bell, Frances Parker, and Luci MacMillan earned top individual and team finishes in the Pittsburg State Math Relays.

These young chefs can cook! Lawrence College and Career Center

Chef Camille Eichorn celebrates the acceptance of two of her seniors, Jacob Newman and Deklan May, into Culinary School at Johnson County Community College.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Services staff shared equipment, techniques, and guidance with FSHS students interested in medical career fields. Gabriel Dalton teaches science and

The Lawrence Police Department, Lawrence Public Schools, and DCCC launched a “Handle with Care” Program in September that has identified and helped more than 60 vulnerable children affected by trauma. When law enforcement officers encounter a child at the scene of a traumatic event, they notify designated school staff to “Handle with Care.” This simple message triggers school support services as needed.

What does career and technical education look like at LHS? The Chesty Lions hosted their first annual Innovation Expo showcasing CTE programs. Attendees sampled culinary delights and watched live drawing, painting, and medical diagnostic demonstrations. They also perused financial ethics, video, animation, computer, photography, graphic design, woodworking, journalism, and agriculture exhibits.

The Art Effect/Trolley Barn Gallery in New York City selected photos by LHS students Luke Havener, Tanner Bewley, and Olive Harrington for its REEL Exposure competition and exhibition. Havener photo pictured.

Hazel Beeson, LHS, won first place in the jewelry category at Washburn Art Day for her locket that incorporates advanced metalsmithing. Levi Jones also placed first with his photography.

How can we work together to make Lawrence a better place? BMMS, SWMS, and WMS students participated in the first Middle School Equity Symposium. They discussed equity in their own schools and ways that they might improve the community. Dr. Carissa Miles and educators Tori Mitchell, ChaChi Rodriguez, and Kim Fuller sponsored the gathering.

biomedicine.

Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills, Oglala Lakota (Sioux), visited with students at the middle school that bears his name while in Lawrence for the Kansas Relays.

The Nutrition and Wellness Team invited students and staff to participate in a taste test and rate potential cafeteria items on their appearance, taste, and whether they would eat them for lunch. The results revealed top ratings for bone-in wings, chicken drumsticks, and bone-out wings.

LHS Pre-Med 2 students organized a spring blood drive with students and staff donating 55 units of blood. Anitha Subramanian teaches LHS Intro to Health Science and Pre-Med and supported students’ life-saving efforts.

Prior to her public appearance at Liberty Hall, author Jacqueline Woodson answered questions from LMCMS students about what she was like in middle school, how writing has changed her life, and about her favorite books and authors. Woodson told students she loved writing from what she called her "bad poetry" in middle school to her New York Times best sellers. She said she started writing only about "white kids living in the country," because that's what she was reading. "Books didn't have kids that looked like me,” she said. In high school, she began writing more about herself. Students read her memoir, “Brown Girl Dreaming."

Jessica Brown's first grade AVID scholars at Sunflower learned about aspects of running a business from planning a menu, creating a logo, developing marketing strategies, and practicing good customer service. They opened their own Eagle Bean coffee shop.

To celebrate National Library Week, the Langston Hughes school library engaged students with some of their favorite book characters by turning the library into a literary-themed, nine-hole mini-golf course. Library media staff Jennifer Williams and Debi Holloway designed the course.

The NEKMEA chose the following FSHS student orchestra members to perform in the District Honor High School Orhestra: Aidan Ayala, Sofia Lefort, Terry Mechem, Morgan Kimuri, Julie Kong, Nathaniel Slemmer, Kianna Ayala, Amaya Gab, Mei Gordon Washington, Marlena Zuo, Angela Chen, Annah Steele, Lois Xie, Drew Harrison, Wendo Kimori, Lily Ye, Dawson Bonnell, Mason Toevs, Kathryn Hale, Milo Ovsak, Claudia Davis, Dylan Eldridge, and Lizzy Wood. Judy Erpelding is their orchestra director.

The district presented ONE DREAM Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Illuminator Awards to students and staff. Here are honorees making a difference in

their schools: Baden Masenthin and Kim Fuller, BMMS; Kayk WilsonLeonard and Jordan Walton, Broken Arrow; Justin Moten and Shannon

Bond, East Heights; Devin Cool and Chrystal Hunter, Cordley; Davilyn Hinojosa and Carolina Pierce, Deerfield; Jayden Shackleford and Annette

Dabney, Hillcrest; Gabriela Raney and Frances Berghout, Langston Hughes; James LaFleur and Sarah Mahoney, LCCC; Lolly Hindman and Brittany Cummings, FSHS; Jackson Green and Cassidy Rubisoff, LHS; Zane Okoya and Julie Lange, LVS; Honor Smith and Jake Davis, LMCMS; Henny Brubacher and Summer Frantz, New York; Veda Moore and Lori Kemme, Pinckney; Kobe White and Katie Bastemeyer, Prairie Park; Hazel Walker and Hayleigh Howe, Quail Run; Avalynn Johnson and Sarah Kelly, Schwegler; Bodhi Williams and Berenice Weisel, SWMS; Dylan Riley and Kori Alvarado, Sunflower; Traeh Freeland and Courtney Otter, Sunset Hill; Harper Finck and Tori Mitchell, WMS; and Solo Sengchan and Genevieve Busby, Woodlawn. The Community Illuminator Award honored LMH Health for changing lives through its Summer Leadership Academy.

The Lawrence Arts Center hosted its annual USD 497 Student Art Exhibition and Vanguard Awards, showcasing and honoring student artists and art educators. Photo by Angelia Perkins, LHS photography teacher.

USD 497’s Nutrition and Wellness Team announced its Farm2School partners for the 2023-2024 school year: Little Bluestem Farm, Table View Farms, and Juniper Hill Farms, all of Lawrence; South Baldwin Farms, Baldwin City; Trails West Farms, Eudora; and Jirak Family Produce, Cummings, KS. They will provide more than 13,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to school cafeterias, speak in classrooms, host field trips, and support nutritional education.

Congratulations to all 2023 Graduates!