Fifteen-year-old Aaron Kraemer couldn’t wait Tuesday to exit the driving class lecture at Lawrence High School.

He wanted to slide behind the wheel of a white, four-door Pontiac Grand Am, or any other drivers’ education vehicle, and put pedal to metal.

Twins Catherine, left, and Emma Norwood, 8, show their drawings of a vase with flowers after a morning discussion on painter Vincent Van Gogh. The Norwood sisters were participating in a summer school art class Tuesday at Schwegler School. Summer classes began Monday in Lawrence public schools.

“It’s boring in there, but once you’re out driving it’s pretty neat,” said Kraemer, a Free State High School sophomore.

He’s among 240 students enrolled this month in driver’s education, part of what’s offered during summer school in the Lawrence public school district. The 2002 session started Monday.

Fees for all students increased, but it apparently didn’t undermine enrollment. The drivers’ ed classes one at LHS now, one at Free State in July are full, said Bob Eales, who administers secondary programs at summer school.

He said enrollment in a dozen classes for junior high and high school students was about 290 in courses ranging from basic English to the SAT exam workshop.

One of the most popular is a keyboarding class all students must complete by eighth grade. In the summer, many incoming seventh graders enroll in the class so they can take one extra fine arts course in junior high.

Eales said one big change in the program has been generally appreciated. Class periods are 2 1/2 hours long, instead of two hours. It means summer term will end June 28 instead of mid-July. That should allow district staff more time to prepare LHS for the next school year and give teachers a longer break before August classes start.

Judith Lacey supervises elementary summer school courses, which are based at Schwegler School. She said students filled all 400 available slots in eight subject areas reading, math, French, Spanish, German, drama, art and creative writing.

“Spanish has always been popular,” she said.

And for good reason, she said, because the summer is the only opportunity Lawrence elementary students have to study foreign language in school.

Lacey said overall enrollment remained solid despite loss of fee waivers for poor students and the tuition increase. The cost of elementary classes went to $75 from $65. Students living outside district boundaries pay $95 instead of $75.

Private donations and federal funding were pulled together to help needy children.

“Somehow we’ve managed to bring in kids who need it the most,” she said.