Some might guess that Kennedy School was named after former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

But the eastern Lawrence school, located near the Douglas County Fairgrounds at 1605 Davis Road, was actually named in honor of a long-time Lawrence educator.

When Kennedy was first being built in 1960, it was originally named Southeast Elementary School.

But in 1961, the Lawrence school board voted unanimously to rename the school in honor of Opal Jayne Kennedy, who retired that year after 50 years of teaching in Lawrence and Douglas County.

Enrollment and socioeconomic mix

The school, which had an enrollment of 331 on Nov. 30, 2004, has a large number of students from low-income families.

The Kansas State Board of Education Report Card, which reports socioeconomic information about each school in the state, shows that at Kennedy, 68.66 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged.

Here is the building’s ethnicity breakdown: white, 57.49 percent; African American, 17.71 percent; Hispanic, 6.27 percent; other, 18.53 percent.

Reading and math

Kennedy Elementary School1605 Davis Rd.Lawrence, KS 66046-3233Phone number: 785-832-5760School Web site:schools.usd497.org/kennedyFind homes in this school district

• 360 Photo: Fourth-grade classroom

According to the state’s latest Report Card for Kennedy, fifth grade students showed an increase in reading and fourth-graders declined in math scores over the previous year. Kennedy students scored lower than their peers in the district and across the state in both reading and math.

The number of the school’s fifth-graders who were “proficient,” “advanced,” or “exemplary” in reading went from 46.7 percent to 47.2 percent on the state test.

The Lawrence district’s overall reading score for fifth-graders showed that 74.8 percent were either proficent, advanced or exemplary in reading. The overall state score was 72.1 percent for those categories.

Kennedy’s fourth-graders tested in math showed a decline from 65.1 percent to 63.0 percent between 2003 and 2004 for students scoring either proficient, advanced or exemplary.

That compared with 81.0 percent for the entire district and 80.3 percent for the state.

Hours and staff

Kennedy’s regular hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school has an after-school program that runs from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. through the school district and the Boys and Girls Club, 832-5624.

The school’s staff includes a total of 56 teachers and support staff.

In 2001, Gretchen Lehman was named Teacher of the Year. In 1996, Margie Coggins (now with Sunflower School) was named Master Teacher.

Felton Avery replaced Clim Clayburn as principal of Kennedy in 2005. Before becoming principal, Avery was principal of Grandview Middle School, south of Kansas City, Mo. Clayburn who had been an administrator in Lawrence for 15 years retired at the end of this academic school year.

To arrange a visit, call 785-832-5760.