photo by: Lawrence Journal-World

The Lawrence school board will meet on Monday, August 26, 2024 at the Lawrence district offices, 110 McDonald Dr.

The Lawrence school board could soon authorize a study of the district’s middle and high school athletic facilities to determine what kinds of repairs and improvements they will need in the future.

According to the agenda for its meeting on Monday, the school board will be considering an athletic facilities master planning study for the four middle schools and two high schools. The study would be conducted by architecture and design firms ACI Boland and VSR Design, according to the agenda, and could cost up to $48,000.

The agenda says that the study would evaluate outdoor building structures, gymnasiums, locker rooms, training areas, turf and natural grass locations and other facilities. It would also include an online survey to “engage designated staff” in the review process.

The item is on the board’s consent agenda, which is reserved for items that are considered routine and are adopted by the board in a single motion unless any board member or the superintendent removes an item for a separate vote.

Several other items are also on the board’s consent agenda for Monday, including:

• Approving additional funding for wearable panic button systems at Broken Arrow Elementary. Specifically, the total amount of funding will be increased from $12,500 to $25,000, half of which will come from a Kansas Safe and Secure Schools grant.

As the Journal-World reported, the district began testing last school year on the panic button service, which is provided by Centegix and allows staff to quickly call for help in a variety of emergency and nonemergency situations. The agenda says the board added Broken Arrow to the system in April, making it the seventh school in the district to have the service. The $25,000 in funding will be sufficient to keep the system operating there for five years, the agenda said.

• Reviewing several changes to board policies that could be given final approval at a future board meeting. Some of the changes have to do with the nonresident enrollment policy, which is required under a statewide open enrollment law. The agenda says the policy is being modified to “promote compliance with changes made to the statute in the 2024 legislative session.”

Among the changes to the district’s policy is one that has to do with students experiencing homelessness: “Any child who is experiencing homelessness shall be permitted to enroll in and attend the school district of origin or the school district of residence without application and acceptance through this policy.”

The board will also meet in an executive session during the meeting to discuss a contract negotiation issue.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the district offices, 110 McDonald Drive. The meeting will also be available via the school district’s YouTube channel. Residents who want to share comments with the board may sign up in advance by emailing PublicComment@usd497.org by 6 p.m. Monday and may participate in person or via Webex video/phone conferencing.