Lindsey Slater / LJWorld.com

Staff

Lindsey Slater (K-12 Education Reporter)

I was born and raised in Edwardsville, IL, a suburb of St. Louis. I attended my first Cardinals game when I was two. I had the entire 1988 starting line-up for the team memorized. I was three.

My high school mentor told me I should be a politician. My college friends said I should be a stand-up comedian. My mother told me to go into journalism. Note to readers: Mothers are always right.

I jetted from southern Illinois to Chicago to attend Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. I graduated with a BSJ in 2007. Yes, I went to a Big 10 school. No, I will not remove my purple hat with a large “N” on it. I may be a KU basketball convert, but those NU Wildcats are my football boys until the end.

NU not only prepared me for the rigors of life as a journalist, but also got me ready to survive any winter…anywhere. Kansas winters are nothing compared to life just a half mile from Lake Michigan.

If I had to listen to one band the rest of my life, it would be The Eagles.

Dexter and Mad Men are the best shows on television, but I also digest my fair share of heinous reality TV.

I have two cats: Kinko and Kisa. They share a water fountain and a jungle gym. I wish I was kidding.

My favorite part of my job is that everyone has a story and I love hearing them. Send me tips on anything related to K-12 education at lslater@ljworld.com. And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. (And if you want to follow me as a person, that's here.)

Recent stories

Lawrence schools preparing for another round of budget cuts: By Lindsey Slater; November 18, 2009; The Lawrence school district is preparing for two more rounds of cuts from the state in coming months that could bring the total budget shortfall to 10 percent of its operating budget.
Lawrence school board president suggests possibility of closing schools: By Lindsey Slater; November 17, 2009; With more budget cuts from the state to be announced next week, the Lawrence school district is bracing itself for a smaller general fund, and school board president Scott Morgan wants the board to start talking about potentially closing schools.
Kansas libraries team up to teach children to read, get fit: By Lindsey Slater; November 16, 2009; It might have taken a few minutes for the group of about 40 preschoolers to stop wiggling around. But as soon as author Doreen Cronin began reading her book Monday afternoon at the Lawrence Public Library, the children were all ears.
Bishop Seabury students collecting food this week: By Lindsey Slater; November 16, 2009; Bishop Seabury Academy’s annual food drive kicks off this week, and students hope to collect at least 4,000 non-perishable food items for this year’s event.
Library fundraiser offers hole-in-one family fun: By Lindsey Slater; November 16, 2009; So far, there aren’t any windmills or alligator mouths to aim for.
Lawrence’s Woodlawn School earns three Challenge Awards: By Lindsey Slater; November 12, 2009; The Challenge Awards recognize Kansas schools with students who meet uncommon accomplishments based on the state standardized test achievements and school population.
Sunflower School educator chosen as Lawrence Master Teacher: By Lindsey Slater; November 11, 2009; First-grade teacher Kassie Shook walked into the library at Sunflower School on Wednesday for what she thought was a collaboration meeting with the entire teaching staff.
Free State donation breaks board rules: District accepts soccer shelters even though equity with LHS ‘out of whack’; By Lindsey Slater; November 10, 2009; The Lawrence school board accepted a donation at its meeting Monday night that included materials and labor to construct soccer shelters at Free State High School.
Donor wants to fund Free State soccer shelters: By Lindsey Slater; November 9, 2009; Another anonymous donation could be on its way to Free State High School if the Lawrence school board accepts the proposal to build soccer shelters at the site.
Kansas father, son bring good behavior program to Lawrence junior high school: South Junior High pupils listen to music, watch videos of prisoners; By Lindsey Slater; November 5, 2009; Tom Bevard and his son, Randy, started the Road To Freedom program. They travel to Kansas middle schools and junior highs to talk to students about staying out of trouble.

Full story list

Recent photos

Domino Brewer, a sixth-grader at Langston Hughes School, participates in a financial camp sponsored by Meritrust Credit Union. The credit union sponsors the summer sessions to try to instill good money management habits at a young age.

Leni Salkind lights a giant menorah outside the South Park Recreation Center on the first night of Hanukkah. In back is Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel of the KU Chabad Center for Jewish Life.

Full photo list