Several members of a task force that will study Lawrence’s elementary schools say they will come to the table with an open mind.

“I’m going to try to be balanced. We’re going to have to get to people’s most basic concerns so we can develop a consensus,” said Ruben Flores, a Hillcrest School parent and Kansas University assistant professor of American studies. “I do think one thing that is really important is the long-term development of relationships among the various stakeholders, the various groups that are involved.”

The first meeting of the Lawrence Elementary School Facility Vision Task Force will be 7 p.m. Monday at district headquarters, 110 McDonald Drive. According to the agenda, the first meeting looks to be mostly an introductory one.

Task force members say they are ready to get to work on the long list of responsibilities, including studying the current physical conditions of the 15 buildings, research on class size, operating costs and the meaning of neighborhood school.

School closings issue

The group came out of a compromise during contentious budget talks last March when elementary school closings were on the table. School board members agreed not to close any elementary schools for 2010-2011 if a task force could study the issue in the next year.

Superintendent Rick Doll initially appointed 19 community members who represent different schools and community groups. Doll recently added Flores, former City Commissioner Boog Highberger and Jeffrey Morrison, a Langston Hughes School parent and owner of Prairie Asset Management.

Current school board President Scott Morgan and Rich Minder, who will take over as president in July, are co-chairmen of the task force. Doll is an ex-officio member.

Mike Neal, KU’s assistant dean of education administration, will facilitate the meetings, and Gould Evans Associates, a Lawrence architectural firm, will provide facilities planning support.

Options for schools

Some community members have said the task force needs to look at broad options like magnet schools that focus on foreign languages or science and math, particularly for smaller elementary schools. The group will likely have to talk about balancing the concept of neighborhood elementary schools with leaner district budget resources.

Highberger, who served on the Lawrence City Commission from 2003 to 2009, said he was likely appointed because of his interest in urban planning issues.

“I don’t want to prejudge results, and I want to go in with an open mind,” he said. “I think the neighborhood schools are critical for good neighborhoods, and my goal would be to have a good walkable school accessible to every kid in Lawrence. That may not be possible with the resources, but I just think that should be the goal.”

Flores said the task force should look to deeply examine the issue of diversity in Lawrence.

“And I would like, for instance, for members of the business community to speak about the importance of diversity in the business world once our kids leave because this is critical,” Flores said.

Erika Dvorske, a Schwegler parent and CEO of the United Way of Douglas County, said the task force’s work will likely benefit the community because discussions about difficult issues won’t come during pressure of an immediate budget crisis.

“I want to be really proud to tell my kids: ‘It was a really hard issue. But you know what? We talked through our problems,'” she said.