Lawrence USD 497 school board

The Lawrence school board on Monday — and the public at large — will hear an update on the district’s 2013 bond projects and how money from the district’s capital outlay fund has been used to supplement those projects.

The $92.5 million bond issue, which focused mostly on Lawrence’s elementary schools, is nearing completion (with only Pinckney Elementary, set to reopen in the fall, still under renovation) as the district presents a new $87 million bond issue to voters. This newest bond issue is meant to address the needs of Lawrence’s six secondary schools, and would call for an estimated mill levy increase of 2.4 mills.

Monday’s report will provide an update on the progress of the 2013 bond improvements, as well as information on the district’s multi-year Capital Improvement Plan. Kathy Johnson, the district’s director of finance, and Tony Barron, executive director of facilities and operations, will present the report.

The CIP, which is meant to provide an overview of facility maintenance and renovation along with the purchase of equipment and furniture, is approved annually by the school board. It’s also an ongoing project list.

The capital outlay fund is a separate fund within the school district’s budget. The fund is supported by property taxes that are separate and in addition to the property taxes used to support the bond issue. The funds amount to approximately $10 million to $12 million annually, and have traditionally been used to pay for upkeep and improvement of district buildings.

More than $7 million in capital outlay funds have paid for projects taking place during the 2013 bond renovations, while crews were already onsite carrying out bond improvements.

In other business, the board will:

— Hear an update on the district’s Learning Forward/Future Ready initiative in Lawrence middle schools. The report will provide a summary of the 1:1 program’s first year, which launched in August with the rollout of iPads in middle schools. Jerri Kemble, assistant superintendent of innovation and technology, will present the report.

— Hear an update on the board’s 2016-2017 district goals toward wellness and food service department initiatives. Areas of focus will include completion of The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, growth of the Farm to School program, developments in physical education, and health and nutrition curriculum components.

The report will be presented by Paula Murrish, director of food services and purchasing; Denise Johnson, coordinator of health and wellness curriculum; Lindsey Morgan, a registered dietician and the district’s food services supervisor; and Jennie Lazarus, coordinator of outdoor education.