Langston Hughes School, Lawrence’s newest elementary school, is in a relatively new housing development in western Lawrence.

The school, which was built in 2000 at 1101 George Williams Way, was named for Langston Hughes, an African-American writer and poet who lived in Lawrence as a child.

Enrollment and socioeconomic mix

The school had an enrollment of 321 in November 2004.

The Kansas State Board of Education Report Card lists the socioeconomic mix of all schools. It shows that at Langston Hughes School, 9.93 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged.

Here is the building’s ethnicity breakdown: white, 87.59 percent; African American, 3.19 percent; Hispanic, 1.42 percent; other, 7.8 percent.

Reading and math

According to the state’s latest Report Card for Langston Hughes, fifth grade students showed a increase in reading and fourth-graders decreased in math scores over the previous year.

Langston Hughes students scored higher than their peers in the district and across the state in both reading and math, winning a “Standard of Excellence” rating from the state in math.

Langston Hughes Elementary School1101 George Williams WayLawrence, KS 66049Phone number: 785-832-5890School Web site:schools.usd497.org/langstonhughesFind homes in this school district360 Photo: Music classroom

The number of the school’s fifth-graders who were “proficient,” “advanced,” or “exemplary” in reading went from 77.5 percent to 84.6 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.

Langston Hughes’ fourth-graders tested in math showed an decline from 89.5 percent to 88.6 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.

Staff and hours

The school’s regular hours are 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The school has a before-school program that runs from 7 a.m. until school starts and an after-school program that runs from school dismissal through 6 p.m. The programs are with the Boys & Girls Club, 841-6854.

The school’s staff includes a total of 46 teachers and support staff.

In 2003, Langston Hughes teacher Kathy Rathbun was honored with the Bob’s Award, a special local award for Excellence in Teaching. In 1994, Jayne Polcyn, (then a teacher at Sunset Hill) was named Lawrence Schools Foundation Educator of the Year.

Langston Hughes’ principal is Lisa Williams, who has been principal since July 2003. Williams had been a curriculm specialist with Kansas City, Kan., public schools.

To arrange a visit, call 785-832-5890