001you know, uh, members and community, such a great time the end of May as we celebrate the culmination of our school year graduations and it also is the culmination of our PK-12 experience. And it was a delight to greet personally a little over 900 members of the class of 2025 and to wish them well. This past week, we were delighted to join uh also with our community transition and project search program graduates at over at Pinkney. Uh we were out at Lawrence Virtual School, Lawrence High School, and Lawrence Free State High School graduates. Now, on this Thursday, uh just two nights from now, we'll be with um over at College and Career Center with our uh adults who are earning uh high school diplomas and also GEDs during this year. That event begins at 700
002p.m. It is always inspiring. Among many highlights of this graduation season, several of our I'll be your clicker for this one. Okay. Can you get it in presentation mode? Is that possible? Um, okay. Very good. Among many highlights of this graduation season, several of our elementary schools also hosted grad walks, inviting graduating high school and in some cases also college graduating from college uh students to walk their halls. It's just an inspiring moment for younger peers um who uh then can see the model of their older uh classmates. So um teachers and staff are also delighted to see what a transformation has occurred since the time when they um had students at the at at their level at their elementary level. um our Lawrence public schools podcast. Uh we were delighted to get to meet
003in conversation out at our high schools with members of the class of 2025. I appreciated that Andrew has put those uh conversations together in kind of an interesting format. So I love that you can hear directly the voices of the class of 2025 on uh this podcast. This is undoubtedly the best podcast so far uh because it really is centering the voices of students. Uh Lawrence Public Schools uh joins along with Morgan Hunter, our recruiter and manager of substitute teachers. We are celebrating Dana Taperman, Lawrence substitute teacher of the year. She's pictured here with Free State School Administrative Assistant Julie uh Plarts. Uh we are so proud and thankful to all of our substitute teachers for serving a critical role in ensuring students continue to receive instruction and support when our teachers who are absent
004from the classroom. This year we honor each of these substitute teachers of the year designated by our own campuses uh that are all shown here on the website. Thank you for all your work teachers uh substitutes who stand in the gap to support our students. We're really proud to congratulate all 19 of our retiring teachers and staff. We've been out in the community, members of my team, uh to greet those retirees. Um we have one administrator retiring from our own team this year, uh executive director of communications, Julie Bole, after 27 and a half years in this role. Uh Julie has added immense value to the organization over her years of service. She literally has birthed um and developed all of our communication uh during those 27 and a half years. her consistent support of
005students, teachers, staff, and school leaders, and her commitment to diligently and accurately tell the story of our neighborhood public schools has ensured uh that the stories of our students, teachers, and classrooms shine brightly as a celebration of learning and the excellence of Lawrence Public Schools. You may not know this, but prior to joining USD497, Julie was the education reporter for KLWN, KLZR radio, where she discovered the Lawrence Public School News. She covered that uh in her prior position. So, we did some math and across both of the positions, Julie has worked with approximately 47 board members and attended more than 748 board meetings, keeping our community informed of board discussions and actions. This includes in her district role, helping us share information as a part of four successful school bond issue elections totaling $259 million
006that funded improvements to all our school buildings. Uh we'll honor her more properly at a subsequent June meeting, but congratulations, Julie, on your retirement. We're extreme extremely grateful for your exemplary service in the district. We should probably pause and give her a [Applause] hand. Julie, I've already heard from students who fear uh that the snow days will never be the same uh without your morning call. Uh, we had so much fun on the last day of school, the last morning accompanying the Lauren Schools Foundation and our own GR Gordon Ross joined us over at Woodlon Elementary and we were there to present a $10,000 excellence in teaching award to Gina Carter. You can see her pictured here with her family. Woodlon Elementary learning coach colleagues nominated her for her devotion and mastering the science of
007teaching reading and the meaningful relationships she builds with all students. This is the 28th year for this special award thanks to the generosity of the Bobs, a group of community members who all share the first name Bob. That group includes a few uh female Bobs who also participate. Um, President Kelly and I were able to join them at a dinner a few months back and it was really inspiring to be in the room and see uh teachers who've won this award over 28 years and we're delighted and proud to have Gina Carter Woodlon teacher join that tradition of excellence in Lawrence public schools. Again, we want to thank the Lauren Schools Foundation. Kindness is key. a service organization led by Free State staff member D. Camp and the Habitat Restore for helping to make our
008first year of geometry and construction a success. You can see here a greenhouse uh Free State students Amanda Torbett and Laura O'Neal learned by building green houses and other structures for grateful clients. Congratulations. wanted to just share a little bit about the Langston Library project. Langston Hughes Elementary Library media specialist Jenny Williams shares that at the end of last year, staff reorganized and restructured the entire non-fiction section of the school library. This involved changing how every single non-fiction book in the library was cataloged, labeled, and shelved. Miss Williams ran a report last week and found that this hard work on this non-fiction initiative paid off. Student checkouts of non-fiction books increased by 79% this school year. We appreciate the efforts of all our library staff to ensure children continue to read. And just as a
009side note, members, it was my great honor to get to sit with our with our elementary district librarian team last week face to face. I appreciated them giving of their time during that final week of school. And we have set next year is a year of focus and enhancement on our libraries and on perpetuating a culture of the love of reading. We're going to do that right alongside the reduction of the use of technology at elementary schools. It's going to be a beautiful, beautiful thing. So, I had to tease that uh just a little bit. The librarians inspire me uh for this work. Wanted to just touch on our West Middle School Service Project. Look at these animals at the Lawrence Humane Society enjoying the warm and cozy blankets made by students in the Good
010Vibe Warhawks Club at West Middle School. We appreciate teachers and staff supporting students and learning about the importance of giving and performing acts of community service. Just a highlight of May. Uh, and several board members either were there this year or you've been there in other years. Our students participating in the adaptive PE program uh swam, biked, and ran to much applause and fanfare led by their peers, staff, and families during the 2025 Pat Gresenda adaptive PE triathlon at Lawrence High. teachers Tiffany Russell and Rodney Hes organized the annual event supported by our wonderful middle and high school special education staff. As you know, a highlight of the event is really all of those beautiful interactions um that our students have with each other and with our staff and the community. Uh right here a
011national champion Free State High School celebrates on when Williams national championship in extemporary Amy is speaking and Bri Briana Randall an octo finalist in the top 60 in original oratory. Both are members of free states champion speech and debate team. Williams also finished as an octo finalist in informative speaking at the national individual events tournament of champions in Liberty, Missouri. Um, Free State placed 13th in the nation in its division. Congratulations to these students and their coaches. Uh we often uh have uh folks I'll come back to free meals. If you'll uh scroll on to the next item, please keep going. Um okay, keep going. Okay. I uh trustees or members, you have the chart. That is not the latest version of that deck, but it's okay. uh the members have the chart and we'll
012make sure the correct version is posted to board docs. But I just wanted to share as an update this evening the current number of employee exits so far during this 2024 25 year members. You can see that on your individual screens. As you can see, the number of exits to date, we're here at May 27th, is 73. And that is approximately 50% of the prior 5-year average number of exits of 146.4. So, uh really excited to see that stability in our team. And you know, one of our top goals has been to ensure a top quality team that includes consistency and stability uh in the team uh when that is possible. So, we're very grateful to see that change coming. Let's talk a little bit about some work our nutrition and wellness team is on.
013They have families covered with free summer meals for children ages 1 through 18. Families may stop by the Woodline Elementary from 11:30 to 12:30 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in June for lunch. Adults may purchase a meal for $5 while there if they would like. Families must pre-register for the free weekly summer meal kits. This is a separate endeavor uh from the um lunches that are served at Woodlon. Um, these meal kits contain five breakfast and five lunches ready to prepare right at home. So, after registering, families will drive through uh to pick up their summer meal kits from 6:45 to 8:45 in the morning on Tuesdays in June through July 22nd at the Youth Sports Complex. If there are meal kits that are not picked up, uh there will be a window between 8:45
014and 9:15 for same day registration and then just swing right by and pick up because we want every bit of the food to be distributed to those uh who can use it uh to help our students. So, just go to our website, USD497, to register and to find the menus, meal kit preparation instructions, and all the information about summer meals free for all children and youth. Uh, just a reminder about voting and our elections coming up. Uh, as we all know, the deadline to file as a candidate for schoolboard election is coming up very soon on June 2nd. Additionally, the deadline to register to vote in the August primary election is June 15th. Make sure your voter registration information is current and make a plan now to vote. We invite everyone uh to celebrate Lawrence
015Junth. That's coming up on Saturday, June 14th in South Park. I appreciate um member Franklin kind of leading the charge to help us get organized. I look forward to being a part of that event. The event includes an underground railroad tour beginning at 8:00 a.m., the parade kickoff at 11:00 a.m., and a community celebration from noon to 8:00 p.m. with the kids zone, live music, food, and craft vendors. Kids eat free at the event. You can find more information at lawrencejunth.org. Just a reminder that we will be observing summer hours uh at all of our district offices June 2nd to July 25th at all school buildings, I should say it that way. Uh the buildings are closed to the public on Fridays. Uh this allows folks to not have an extra day off, but to
016take their earned leave. Um, our 12-month staff will work with their supervisors to confirm their weekly schedules. Um, but we just want to make sure folks remember that Fridays are a little different uh during these two months of the year. Also, we have two holidays that fall. Uh, one in June and that's on June 19th, our federal Juneenth holiday. And then in July, Independence Day on July 4th. We are excited to share uh just a a little bit of other news. Um and the I want to begin this section uh by sharing uh members, you've been briefed today, but we are delighted to bring Denise Johnson as interim principal forward to the board and the community this evening uh for Prairie Park Elementary. In selecting Denise Johnson, we have selected a leader who is well
017known in the Prairie Park community, an individual who is hardworking, respected, and a long-erving member of the Lawrence Public Schools community. She is someone who has built relationships over time. Miss Johnson will join in to work alongside the Prairie Park team, parents, and community. And what I love about Denise is she always keeps students at the center of her work. I was delighted recently along with um Kylie Luckett and JC Robersonson to be out visiting with the Prairie Park staff last week. I appreciated that conversation. appreciated hearing directly from them their consensus and desire for someone who would prioritize relationships, confidence, consistency, and trust. Someone who would serve uh their word that I loved was someone who would serve as a bridge to the next chapter of Prairie Park. All these priorities are achieved in
018the naming of Denise Johnson to this interim leadership role. Denise will also partner I brought the book along uh the book uh partly by Darcy Krauss and Jerry Parcal. Um the uh she will partner with well-known leader in our community, Miss Darcy Krauss around next steps to ensure traumainformed leadership moving forward at Prairie Park. We need trauma-informed leadership in every school in the district and I'm especially proud uh for this work uh to go on at Prairie Park. We look forward uh in the fall to working together through a robust principal search. We will engage with all members of the Prairie Park staff, parents, and community and students beginning next fall in order to take the time that's needed uh to name an incoming long-term leader for Prairie Park. I do want to touch on
019some other transitions that are also occurring now. Uh June is typically a transition month uh in all school districts and it is here this year as usual. Um we uh the board, you've been uh thoroughly briefed on this work, but I just wanted to say it out loud uh publicly, a reminder that our current leaders in teaching and learning are on duty here with us throughout the coming month. Their their tenure extends through June 30th. Um, further, as we indicated at the prior board meeting uh, weeks ago, the assistant superintendent teaching and learning position is currently posted. I'm proud to share that there are a robust pool of applicants gathering uh for uh for review in that position. In addition, uh, several from across my and our team will be working to support this critical
020transition on the teaching and learning team during the coming weeks of June and July this summer. In other updates, we want to share a very special public thank you to Miss Janice Dunn, board clerk and executive assistant extraordinaire. Janice, as you all know, has stepped up, leaned in, pitched in throughout this school year. She has worked tirelessly to support the board and superintendent. I'm not telling you anything you don't know, uh, board and team. Janice is a shining star and we are so fortunate, I am so fortunate that she answered the call last summer and we will forever be grateful for her support bridging us through this school year. Thank you, Miss Janice Stunn. And I think there are some folks scurrying about to bring you some sweet treats. So don't decline them when they
021come to you. Uh next to Janice, I think members that you've already met. Uh but we are delighted to share and we will share more information in the June board meetings. We're delighted to welcome Miss Nikki Nommen, incoming board clerk and executive assistant to the superintendent who joins us for her first board meeting this evening. Welcome Nikki Nommen. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Okay, we want to just share our deepest appreciation and gratitude to the students, teachers, staff, and dis school and district leaders, board members, school families, and to everyone in our community. All of the diligent contributions that everyone has made to make this a successful 2020 202425 school year. We just wish everyone a safe and peaceful summer. Thank you uh members for the opportunity to share this report and for the honor of serving
022the Lawrence public schools. Thank you. Thank you Dr. It.