It’s worth remembering that there’s a lot more to a school district than its teachers and principals. Many others work to keep things going. Here’s a look at five people in the Lawrence school district who help things run smoothly.

Mike Bower, HVAC technician, all schools

For nearly 21 years, Mike Bower has been working to keep all Lawrence schools in the Goldilocks Zone — not too hot, not too cold.

Drift too far in either direction and Bower will probably be there to fix it. He’s one of three technicians who look after the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

“I like to, when there’s a problem, go in and get something fixed and know that you’ve done a good job and make people happy,” he said.

Kim Fuller, paraeducator and bus driver, West Middle School

Outside of work, Kim Fuller will sometimes run into a little reminder of what she enjoys about it. When they see her, kids run up to her saying, “Miss Kim! Miss Kim!”

They’ll recognize her from school bus rides or from inside the classroom. Fuller is entering her 17th year as a bus driver, serving West Middle School and Cordley Elementary, and her ninth year as a paraeducator helping teachers at West.

“I love my job, I love the kids,” she said. “Just bonding with the kids, it’s always really, really great.”

Bev Lockwood, food service manager, West Middle School

Behind every meal served at West Middle School is Bev Lockwood. She’s been managing a crew of five and overseeing the food that goes in and out of the kitchen for the past 23 years.

And those meals often include fruits and vegetables straight from the school’s garden, created by The Merc about four years ago. Other schools have since gotten their own gardens as well, but Lockwood said she’ll share the yields with other schools if the harvest is too large.

“I really love what I do,” she said. “I take pride in my job.”

Krista Lederer, Instructional Resource Technician coordinator, all schools

All those textbooks, workbooks, lab kits and other school curriculum supplies — Krista Lederer is the one of the few dishing all of that out.

Lederer is one of four people who keep track of the district’s classroom materials. They order new books. They assemble science kits for elementary school lab experiments. They recently slapped bar codes on every book in the district.

“It’s always changing,” Lederer said of her job.

Jolene Pearson, school secretary, Prairie Park Elementary

Making things run smoothly is Jolene Pearson’s top priority. Whether it’s placing new students into their classes, keeping finances in check or simply answering the phone, Pearson keeps Prairie Park humming.

After 18 years in the district and 14 at Prairie Park, Pearson has come to love her job for its variety and the time spent with kids. She said she could fill a book with the “cute things” she’s seen them do.

“I love the kids,” she said.