Our Focus: Your Student's Success



The Kansas Standard of Excellence recognizes schools for exemplary achievement on the 2007-08 state assessments.

Congratulations, 2008 Kansas Standard of Excellence Schools!
Broken Arrow: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3-6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 3, 5 & 6.
Cordley: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3-6; Math schoolwide & Grades 3, 4 & 6.
Deerfield: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 4 & 6; Math Grades 5 & 6.
Hillcrest: Reading & Math Grade 6.
Langston Hughes: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 5-6; Math Grades 5 & 6; & Science Grade 4.
New York: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3, 4 & 6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 3 & 4; & Science Grade 4.
Pinckney: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3, 5 & 6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 3 & 5.
Prairie Park: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3 & 4.
Quail Run: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 4-6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 4-6; and Science Grade 4.
Schwegler: Reading Schoolwide & Grade 4; Math Grades 3 & 4.
Sunflower: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3-6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 3 & 6.
Sunset Hill: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3-6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 3, 5 & 6.
Wakarusa Valley: Reading & Math Schoolwide & Grades 4-6.
Woodlawn: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 3, 5 & 6; Math Schoolwide & Grades 3 & 4.
Central: Reading Schoolwide.
South: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 7 & 8; Math Schoolwide and Grade 7.
Southwest: Reading & Math Schoolwide & Grades 7 & 8; Science Grade 7; & History/Government Grade 8.
West: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 7 & 8.
Free State High: Reading Schoolwide.
Lawrence High: Math Schoolwide.
Lawrence Virtual School: Reading Schoolwide & Grades 7 & 8.

Lawrence Public Schools celebrate achievement growth and focus on continuous improvement with the district's 2008 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report. "We're seeing some remarkable achievement gains and students performing at high levels," said Superintendent Randy Weseman. "We have more than 90% of students meeting state assessment standards in eight of our elementary schools in reading and in six elementary schools in math. Three of our junior high schools met or exceeded AYP targets in both reading and math, and Central Junior High met the AYP target in reading. Both high schools continue to make great progress. At the same time, we continue to work to address the academic needs of each and every student, and to improve all students' performance on state assessments."

Kansas Education Commissioner Alexa Posny is nominating Lawrence's Broken Arrow Elementary for the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools award program. Nominations will be sent to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.

The College Board has named Free State High School's Rodolfo Torres-Gavosto a 2008-09 National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar. The NHRP identifies outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students who perform well on the PSAT/NMSQT exam. Approximately 5,000 students are selected for this recognition from a pool of more than 200,000 students nationwide.

The National Council of Teachers of English has honored Nash Riggins, Free State High senior, and Ursula Rothrock, Lawrence High senior, as outstanding writers in the 2008 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing. This program encourages high school students in their writing and recognizes publicly some of the best student writers in the nation.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation announces the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 54th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, including Molly Albrecht, Lydia Belcher, Katherine Burk, Ruth Byers, Christopher Carter, Timothy Clark, Elizabeth Murray and Rodolfo Torres-Gavosto, of Free State High; and JoAnn Doll of Lawrence High. 

The American Institute of Architects recognized Gould Evans with its Central States Design Excellence Award for the South Junior High School facility, which opened to Lawrence students and staff in fall of 2007.

Lawrence Public Schools congratulate the Lawrence High boys' cross country team, winner of the KSHSAA Class 6A State Cross Country Championship, and the Lawrence Free State High girls' cross country team, the third-place finisher at State!  

Schwegler Elementary Principal Jared Comfort earned the Governor's Energy Achievement Recognition Award for Energy Leadership at the 2008 Kansas Wind and Renewable Energy Conference. Schwegler staff and parents involved students in a year-long environmental learning experience and celebration in 2007-08 as part of the school's 50th anniversary. 

The Kansas Music Educators' Association honored Michele Bergman as Outstanding Elementary Music Educator for KMEA's Northeast District. Bergman teaches music at Broken Arrow, Cordley, Hillcrest, Pinckney, New York and Wakarusa Valley Elementary Schools and assists with music instruction at Lawrence High.

Lawrence high school students shine on national tests: ACT composite scores and SAT scores. 

Expansion Management magazine's 2007 Education Quotient ranks Lawrence Public Schools among the Top Ten of the "Best Metro School Districts" in the United States and a "Five-Star Public Schools Metro."

What's New?

Science Fair "How To" Night
Want to know how to develop a science fair project? We'll offer parents and teachers suggestions, past examples and information about how science fair projects are evaluated. Join us for "How To" Night from 4:30-5:30 pm on November 20 at the school district's office, 110 McDonald Drive.

Fall Recess
 Lawrence schools will be closed November 26-28 for Fall Recess. The school district's office also will be closed November 27-28.

Skyward Family Access
Is my student arriving to class on time? Is he getting assignments turned in? Did she get an "A" on last month's test? Visit the Parents and Students page via the link above to read more about Skyward Family Access.

Inclement Weather Procedures
If weather conditions or forecasts indicate inclement weather, tune to area radio and television stations or check media Web sites for school closing announcements. The school district also announces school closings on its Web site and via a recorded message at 832-5000. Media generally do not announce if schools are open. If no school closing announcement is made by 6 am, it is likely school is in session.

Preschool Openings Available
East Heights Early Childhood Center is accepting applications for its half-day, tuition-based preschool program. The program will be offered from noon-3 pm four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday), beginning November 10. Tuition is $150/month. Call 832-5680 or visit East Heights, 15th and Haskell Ave., for information.

District Honors Exemplary New Teachers
Lawrence Public Schools presented Lawrence Horizon Awards to Prairie Park Elementary second-grade teacher Amanda Vail and Central Junior High social studies teacher Cat Monroe, and will nominate both for the Kansas Horizon Award sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education. 

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Parents may submit digital photos of their students involved in school activities for possible inclusion on this Web site. By submitting photos, parents grant Lawrence Public Schools permission to use them on the Internet. If other students appear in your photos, a signed permission form from each student's parent must accompany the submission. Email your school photos to Julie Boyle, director of communications.

Job Opportunities
Lawrence Public Schools are hiring now for the 2008-09 school year. We're scheduling interviews for teaching, paraeducator, custodial, clerical and food services positions. Full and part-time openings. Excellent benefits. Vacancies include Special Education Autism Resource Teacher. For job listings and to apply, click the "Employment" tab at the top of this page. (EOE) 

Outdoor Athletic Field Improvements
The Board of Education is planning to address safety, equity and quality issues with high school outdoor athletic fields. Read more about the improvement plan and review site plans for Free State High, Lawrence High and the Lawrence Virtual School campus (former Centennial school campus).

     


     
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