The Lawrence Public Schools superintendent is set to update the public on the district’s highs and lows of late.
Lawrence community members are invited to Superintendent Anthony Lewis’ “State of Schools” address next week. He will speak about recent accomplishments the district has made as well as struggles it’s facing.
This is the first event of its kind for Lewis, but he said he hopes to give an annual State of Schools address going forward. Because Fall Convocation, a districtwide event to kick off the new academic year, doesn’t include the community at large, he said he wanted to find a way for more folks to hear directly from him. That’s what prompted him to organize his address.
“There are many amazing things going on in the district, and more often than not, the community does not always get to hear about those things,” Lewis said via email. “So, I plan to share some of the many successes as well as some of the challenges.”
There will not be time for questions during the address as its purpose is for Lewis to “present the clear and accurate condition of our school district,” he said.
Currently in his sixth year with the district, Lewis served as superintendent through COVID-19 pandemic woes and budget crises. Last year, the school board voted to close Pinckney and Broken Arrow elementary schools in addition to other cuts in his budget recommendation. The district is currently working on plans to repurpose Liberty Memorial Central Middle School.
“Over the past few years, our community has faced significant challenges, from the impact of COVID to budget constraints,” Lewis said. “We may not see eye to eye on every decision, and that is okay, but I guarantee we have the same goals in mind, and that is to create a world-class school system where every scholar thrives and leaves us prepared for success in college, careers and life.”
Students will also share music during the address. Liberty Memorial Central Middle School choral group Excalibur, Free State High School orchestra, and West Middle School student Harrison Leiszler are set to perform.
The State of Schools address is scheduled for 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the Liberty Memorial Central Middle School auditorium, 1400 Massachusetts St. Lewis said the event will not be livestreamed, but it will be recorded by the Lawrence High Media Team and posted later on the district’s YouTube channel.
Soon, Lewis will invite parents, caregivers, and community and business partners to participate in community input sessions. During the sessions, community members will be asked to share skills and experiences they believe all students should possess when they graduate from the district. Those are to be led by Brad Neuenswander, founding director of KU’s Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL), and they’re set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Free State High School and 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9 at Lawrence High School.
“Our school district is the bedrock of this community. The success of this school district obviously begins with me, our dedicated school board, and the entire LPS staff; however, the community’s involvement and continued support of its schools are incredibly vital to our success as well,” Lewis said.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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