Supporters of Centennial School appealed Monday to the men and women who soon may close the school.

“It is clear that when it comes to measurable education results, the community school of Centennial works well,” Brent Lamb told the Lawrence school board.

DLR Group, an Overland Park consulting firm, will deliver to the board at 3 p.m. Thursday detailed options for closing four of 18 elementary schools in the district. Centennial, East Heights, Riverside and New York are targeted, but others could be added to the mix.

Lamb, representing the Centennial parent-teacher group, said the school would thrive under boundary changes that increased enrollment. It also would reduce the need for construction of new schools in west Lawrence, he said.

“We request that the board consider an option that adjusts boundaries to more fully utilize the available school building resources,” he said.

Board President Scott Morgan said the boundary option had limited appeal to the board. One member, Jack Davidson, has openly endorsed the approach.

“The majority of the board has not expressed much interest in taking kids out of one neighborhood school to fill another,” Morgan said.

DLR Group is preparing a facilities master plan. It will guide decisions about school closings and renovations. Funding for construction will likely be sought in a bond issue submitted to voters in April. DLR Group works on a contingency basis and won’t earn a substantial paycheck unless the bond issue passes.

In other business, the board:

l voted 5-1 to spend $12,500 on training for administrators that took place in September. Davidson said the deal should have come up for prior review. “I vote no,” he said.

l approved adding four courses and deleting three courses at secondary schools for 2003-2004.

l gave tentative support to district policy on administrative handbooks, worker compensation and disability benefits.