The Lawrence school district will hold two public input sessions to get the community’s feedback on how to best prepare graduates for what comes next.
During its “Portrait of a Graduate” public input sessions, district leaders hope to learn the experiences and skills that community members think students should possess when they graduate.
Patrick Kelly, chief academic officer, said the input will help the district “identify the postsecondary assets our community values and would expect upon graduation.”
“In today’s world, the demands for students are tremendous as they move on to college, career, and adult life,” Kelly said via email from district spokesperson Julie Boyle. “It’s no longer enough to just graduate on time with the right academic credentials. The Kansas State Board of Education’s new graduation requirements include postsecondary assets aligned with the student’s individual plan of study (IPS).”
Brad Neuenswander, founding director of KU’s Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL), and KU graduate student Sophie Robic will facilitate the input sessions. Afterward, they will provide the district with a report on the input they gathered, and administrators will share that information with the school board, Boyle said.
Kelly said he and district leaders will create a graphic representation that students, families, teachers and community members can access and learn about the top skills. The information will also be used in discussions about graduation requirements and new high school course requests.
The “Portrait of a Graduate” public input sessions are scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Free State High School and 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9 at Lawrence High School. They will be located in each high school’s cafeteria or common areas.
The district would encourage community members to attend either or both sessions. Boyle said the district asks attendees to bring their smartphones or technology devices, if possible, to make comments electronically during the sessions. Some district iPads will be available for use, too.
Folks who have language interpretation or translation needs should email the district at USD497Info@usd497.org ahead of the sessions.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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