photo by: Journal-World

Lawrence Public Schools district offices pictured in April 2021.

After a year that saw the closures of two elementary schools, along with marked staffing reductions, the Lawrence school board is unveiling an event on Monday that’s designed to solicit community input on matters related to the school district.

Dubbed “Beyond the Boardroom,” the event is scheduled for 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. at Schwegler Elementary School, 2201 Ousdahl Road. Board President Kelly Jones told the Journal-World that the intent is to “create another access-point for people to interact and let us know how things are going, what their experiences are like in the building, and if there is anything they want us to celebrate or work on,” while also describing it as an informal discussion.

“It’s a way to connect with the board,” Jones said. “I’m looking forward to hearing from people, and hopefully folks will feel comfortable sharing their experiences with us.”

As one of the schools directly impacted by the redistribution of students from the closures of Broken Arrow and Pinckney elementary schools, the selection of Schwegler was by design.

“We intentionally picked Schwegler because we wanted to connect with a (school) that has incorporated families into their community after a building closed,” she said.

Jones said that this particular level of accessibility to board members was more common prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and that the board plans on holding these types of engagements on a near-monthly basis going forward.

“We will be holding them frequently throughout the year,” Jones said, adding that she was unable to confirm if all seven board members will be present Monday night, but that a notice was issued to each member.

With the upcoming general election just over a week away, and five board seats up for grabs, Jones said that the timing of Monday’s event was purely coincidental.

“The election wasn’t a thought, to be honest,” Jones said. “We’ll hold them before the election and we’ll hold them after the election.”

Enrollment is another pressing issue for the district. As the Journal-World reported, attendance has decreased by 299 students — per the district’s annual unaudited enrollment count for the 2023-24 school year. That’s roughly the same projection that consulting firm RSP & Associates predicted for an entire five-year period.

The district’s next “Beyond the Boardroom” is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m., Dec. 4, at Community Connections at Pinckney, 810 W. Sixth St.