K-12 schools and education

Crops from Lawrence school gardens are popping up at stores and markets — here’s where to buy them
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 20, 2018
If Laura Leonard’s students ever need a good job reference, they know where to turn. It may be summer vacation, but for a handful of current, future and past Liberty Memorial Central Middle School students, there’s still work to be done. It’s mostly the kids — who range from grades 4 to 11 — responsible for maintaining the school’s garden, says Leonard, a sixth-grade English teacher at Central. During the summer, students spend at least a few hours every week in the garden. The kids sign up for shifts; show up to plant, weed and harvest; and then take their produce off to market.
Inside the Boys & Girls Club’s new teen center; facility set to open in August
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 19, 2018
More than two years after fundraising and planning began, the Boys & Girls Club’s $5 million teen center is finally beginning to take shape. Leaders of the organization’s Lawrence branch are hoping to boost enrollment among older kids with the opening of the new facility, officially the Don and Beverly Gardner Center for Great Futures, in August.
Kansas Supreme Court upholds repeal of teacher tenure rights
By Peter Hancock
June 15, 2018
The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Friday that state lawmakers did not violate the constitutional rights of public school teachers in 2014 when they repealed a law giving veteran teachers what are commonly known as tenure rights.
After 37 years, ‘Oldsters’ may be coming up on their last dance
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 15, 2018
With their home at the Eagles lodge changing ownership this summer, the Oldsters United for Responsible Service will be without a dance hall and will hang up their shoes after 37 years together.
Crews start work on district’s $4.57M turf replacement at LHS, Free State
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 14, 2018
It may not look like much now, but big changes are afoot at Free State High School’s football stadium. Crews have spent the last several days working to remove the field’s nearly 10-year-old turf so that new turf can be laid in the coming weeks.
KU Natural History Museum to launch fundraiser for replacement of iconic grotesques; public events planned
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 12, 2018
For the first time in 115 years, the public will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the mythical beasts that have long stood guard along the University of Kansas Natural History Museum roofline. Dyche Hall’s eight grotesques — like gargoyles but without water spouts — were removed from the building’s façade last fall after years of erosion made them irreparable, museum staff say. The mythical creatures, designed by artist Joseph Frazee around the turn of the 20th century and hand-carved out of soft limestone, were installed at KU’s Natural History Museum in 1903.
Police, city staff address questions from school board on plans to build LPD facility near high school
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 11, 2018
School board members on Monday night received more details about the Lawrence Police Department’s plans to build its new headquarters near Free State High School.
Lawrence school district selects new athletic directors for Free State and LHS
Staff Report
June 11, 2018
New athletic directors have been selected for both of Lawrence’s public high schools.
A look at how local teacher salaries compare to area districts; Lawrence is catching up
By Elvyn Jones
June 11, 2018
When it comes to teachers’ salaries, Lawrence is in much the same position it is geographically in regards to Shawnee and Johnson counties — in the middle.
City, police officials to update Lawrence school board on status of planned new police headquarters
By Elvyn Jones
June 11, 2018
City and police department officials will update the Lawrence school board Monday on the status of the new police headquarters to be built just west of Free State High School.
Former middle school teacher seeks diversion in disorderly conduct case
By Sara Shepherd
June 8, 2018
A former middle school teacher arrested after reportedly showing up and causing a disturbance at the school briefly appeared in municipal court Friday.
Have a daughter interested in computers? Lawrence now has a ‘Girls Who Code’ club
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 5, 2018
For women working in STEM, seeing really is believing. “I’ve definitely heard of that — the idea that if girls don’t see other women in that job, it becomes the norm,” says Lauren Stephenson, an incoming junior transfer student at KU’s School of Engineering.
Family remembers Tom Armstrong, longtime KU physics professor and researcher for NASA, as ‘devoted’ teacher who led by example
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 5, 2018
As a teenager, Tom Armstrong and his friends would get together on his family’s Atchison farm to shoot model rockets into the sky. Later, as a college student, Armstrong dreamed of entering NASA’s astronaut training program. “The problem was, he was too tall,” Armstrong’s wife, Jeanette, recalls now. “So, he was eliminated from the pool from day one.”
Lawrence teachers union proposes adding 5 positions; negotiators defer salary discussion
By Elvyn Jones
June 4, 2018
At Monday’s first meeting between teams from the Lawrence Education Association and a Lawrence school district group to negotiate a teachers’ contract for the upcoming school year, teachers union representatives presented a proposal that would add five teaching positions at a cost of $275,000.
KU begins budget streamlining by consolidating some high-ranking financial positions
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 4, 2018
In an effort to “flatten the financial administrative structure” at the University of Kansas, KU Chancellor Douglas Girod recently announced, two of the university’s high-ranking financial positions will soon be consolidated into one.
KU libraries extending borrowing privileges to K-State students after fire at Manhattan library
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 4, 2018
After helping Kansas State University’s Hale Library recover data lost in a recent fire, the University of Kansas is once again lending a hand to its in-state rival, this time allowing K-State students to borrow materials from KU libraries.
Despite need among local families, Fuel Up 4 Summer reports attendance slump at Lawrence meal sites
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 4, 2018
When school ends, kids go on summer vacation. But hunger, and the need for nutritional meals year-round, doesn’t take any breaks. Despite this persistent demand, attendance at Lawrence’s Fuel Up 4 Summer meal sites has been in decline over the last three years, says Michelle Heller, a SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) and nutrition educator with the K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County office.
Local teen helps lead push for bill lessening restrictions on organ donation; law to go into effect this July
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 1, 2018
Starting July 1, those applying, renewing or adjusting to an expired driver’s license will have a much easier time signing up as organ donors. All this thanks, at least partially, to a kid who isn’t even of legal driving age.
School board president says district needs input on 19th Street changes; board approves door-to-door fundraising ban
By Elvyn Jones
May 29, 2018
Lawrence school board President Shannon Kimball urged district leaders Tuesday to stay engaged with the city of Lawrence about plans to improve 19th Street because of potential negative traffic impacts to Cordley Elementary School and Lawrence High School.
Lawrence school board to receive reports on communication planning, mental health efforts
By Elvyn Jones
May 27, 2018
At a Tuesday meeting with a light agenda, the Lawrence school board will receive reports on mental health efforts in schools and communication planning.
KU business school appoints first director of diversity, equity and inclusion programs
Staff Report
May 24, 2018
The University of Kansas has appointed Steven Johnson Jr., a complex director with KU Student Housing, to serve as the School of Business’s first director of diversity, equity and inclusion student programs.
Lawrence High’s Class of 2018 encouraged to rethink definitions of success, failure
By Joanna Hlavacek
May 23, 2018
After a year in which Lawrence High School students lent their voices to causes both local and global, it was fitting to see LHS’ Class of 2018 celebrate their graduation by once again challenging convention.
Free State Class of 2018 told to embrace goodness to achieve success
By Elvyn Jones
May 22, 2018
Free State High School’s Class of 2018 heard the traditional commencement encouragements to embrace the future and their passions, but in order to do that, their peers and district leaders reminded them, it would take character.
Lawrence school bus monitor cited, suspended after reportedly pepper-spraying student
By Sara Shepherd
May 22, 2018
An adult school bus monitor who reportedly pepper-sprayed a student was given a ticket for battery and has been suspended by the bus company.
Free State graduate grew confident with help of AVID program
By Elvyn Jones
May 21, 2018
Free State High School senior Jessica Merritt credits the Lawrence school district’s AVID program with her academic improvement, but that wasn’t the biggest difference it made in her life the last four years.
Meet the 2018 Academic All-Star finalists
By Joanna Hlavacek
May 20, 2018
Every year since 1997, the Journal-World has invited administrators and counselors from public and private high schools in the Lawrence area to nominate their most outstanding seniors for the Journal-World’s Academic All-Star team.
Meet the 2018 Outstanding Performance finalists
By Joanna Hlavacek
May 20, 2018
Since 1997, the Journal-World has invited area principals and counselors from public and private high schools to nominate their most outstanding senior students for the Academic All-Star team. Last year, the newspaper launched new scholarship, later renamed the Outstanding Performance award, meant to honor students whose special skills and talents extend beyond the classroom and, often, into their communities.
2018 Outstanding Performance winner ‘grateful’ for Lawrence roots as he looks to fulfill California dreams
By Joanna Hlavacek
May 20, 2018
Graham Edmonds has always been the creative type. His parents, Jason and Machaela, nourished artistic interests in their son from an early age, he says. And Edmonds, now on the eve of his graduation from Lawrence High School, holds onto those memories — of family trips to the movie theatre, of his father playing music around the house — to this day.
2018 Free State High School scholarship winners
Staff Report
May 20, 2018
Every year, the Journal-World publishes a list of scholarship winners from Lawrence High School and Free State High School. Read on for this year’s winners from Free State, as provided by school staff.
2018 Lawrence High School scholarship winners
Staff Report
May 20, 2018
Every year, the Journal-World publishes a list of scholarship winners from Lawrence High School and Free State High School. Read on for this year’s winners from Lawrence High, as provided by school staff.

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