Two Lawrence public schools will be closed today while officials assess possible damage from a tornado and strong winds that whipped through the area Thursday night.

Sunflower School and Southwest Junior High School, both in the hardest-hit area of town, will be closed, said Lawrence school district spokeswoman Julie Boyle.

“We haven’t been able to assess damages, and this will give us the morning to check things out,” she said.

The tornado also damaged Raintree Montessori School, which recently was rebuilt after an August 2000 fire that destroyed it.

Raintree’s co-owner and director Lleanna McReynolds was in Chicago on a class trip with the school’s sixth-graders Thursday.

“Of course, you can imagine how they feel,” McReynolds said of the students. “They’re all worried about their families and then the school, too. Our job here right now with the students is just making sure they all feel safe and connect with their families.

One of a Kind Daycare Center, 4640 W. 27th St., will be closed today because the center was in use as a Red Cross command post.

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