The Lawrence school board on Monday will consider a tax incentive for developments at the former Reuter buildings.
The project is to redevelop the former Reuter Organ Company buildings, at 612 and 614 New Hampshire St., which are listed on historic registers.
The applicant plans to develop 10 residential units and four commercial units in the larger of the two buildings, and three commercial units in the smaller building, according to recent Lawrence City Commission agenda materials.
The Reuter project developers have asked the district to participate in a Neighborhood Revitalization Area. The request is for a 15-year, 95% tax rebate on the increased property value resulting from the project, according to the agenda item.
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No related documents were attached to the school board’s agenda item as of Friday afternoon, but the agenda says Patrick Watkins, of Watkins Law Office; Tom Kaleko, principal at Baker Tilly Municipal Advisor; and Brandon McGuire, Lawrence’s assistant city manager, will present information to the board.
Tentative calendar approvals
The board on Monday will also consider approving the district’s 2026-27 and 2027-28 calendars, drafted by the calendar committee.
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According to the agenda item, a significant difference from the current calendar would be to place inclement weather days on the superintendent’s report, which Superintendent Jeanice Swift gives at the beginning of each board meeting and shares on the district’s website. Meant to expand the buffer for weather-related school closures, the change would allow more instructional days to be scheduled during the school year.
Annually, the board has typically approved only the subsequent academic year’s calendar. But at the meeting last year to approve the 2025-26 calendar, board and district members had expressed interest in switching to the multiyear model to better plan for the future.
No related documents were attached to the agenda item as of Friday afternoon.
In other business:
• No general public comment: Monday marks the third consecutive meeting in which no general public comment period was included on the meeting agenda. Although the board has typically held public comment in the past, it is not legally required to do so.
• Engineering services for Choice Campus at Centennial: The board will look to hire Lankford | Fendler & Associates, a Kansas City-based engineering consultant firm, for services at the building where the district’s new nontraditional high school program will be held.
Choice Campus at Centennial is set to open in August at the former Centennial School, 2145 Louisiana St., and offer a flexible learning environment for high schoolers.
According to the agenda item, Lankford | Fendler & Associates would conduct “comprehensive design and construction-phase support for HVAC systems; interior and exterior electrical systems; emergency and egress lighting; fire alarm systems (if required) utilizing performance-type specifications; and sanitary waste, storm, vent, gas, and domestic hot and cold water plumbing systems.”
The services would cost $143,875 to be paid from the facilities and operations department within the capital outlay fund.
The item is on the consent agenda, a list of business routinely approved in one motion unless a board member or the superintendent pulls an item for discussion.
• Increased preschool tuition: The board will look to approve a $30 increase to the annual tuition for 3- and 4-year-olds to attend preschool in the district.
Preschool classes in 2026-27 will be offered at Kennedy Early Childhood Center and New York Montessori School as well as Sunflower, Woodlawn, Deerfield and Prairie Park elementary schools. The tentative cost for the nine-month tuition would increase to $690 from the current $660, or 4.5%, if approved Monday.
According to the agenda item, tuition is calculated annually based on the average district cost for a certified educator and preschool instructional aide. Tuition is free of cost for students who qualify for state at-risk funding.
The item is also on the consent agenda.
• Executive session: The board will conclude the meeting Monday with an hourlong executive session, or closed-door meeting, to evaluate Swift as superintendent, according to the agenda item. No action is set to follow.
The school board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive.
Meetings are open to the public, livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/@USD497, and broadcast on Midco channel 26. Full meeting agendas are available on BoardDocs at this link.
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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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