Years of chilling school violence dictate that security be an important theme of the Lawrence public school district's facilities study, Supt. Randy Weseman said Monday.
"That needs to be at the top," he told school board members, district administrators and DLR Group consultants.
The group met at district headquarters to compile a list of educational issues driving development of a master plan for renovating, building or closing schools.
"I want a map out of this puppy," Board Member Mary Loveland said.
The board needs that map to create a priority list of projects that would be contained in a bond issue possibly the largest in district history that would go before voters this year.
In addition to security, the group identified as key factors early-childhood development, all-day kindergarten, alternative high school or junior high, computer technology, special education, after-school programs, vocational education, distance learning, student transfer policy, district service consolidation, secondary-school class offerings and dedicated art and music classrooms.
This list of academically relevant issues to be studied by DLR will expand as the consultants gather input from school staff and community members, said Jim French, a DLR executive.
Sue Morgan, board president, said the board wouldn't be able to address all shortcomings in schools as rapidly as some people would prefer. Bond issue projects will likely be phased in during several years.
"We can develop an ideal for every school, but we're not going to be there for a long time," she said.
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