photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Lawrence school board members met on Monday, November 11, 2024 at the school district offices, 110 McDonald Dr.

After interviewing two agencies, the Lawrence school board selected the Kansas Association of School Boards to help with the Lawrence school district’s search for a permanent superintendent.

Board members held two interviews during their business meeting on Monday with McPherson & Jacobson LLC and the Kansas Association of School Boards.

The board conducted two 40-minute interviews with the agencies and later unanimously voted on the Kansas Association of School Boards to help select the new district leader, minus board member and previous president Shannon Kimball, who sat out on these discussions due to a conflict of interest. The board hopes to select a new permanent superintendent by the start of the next school year.

Board president Kelly Jones said the two agencies that were interviewed Monday evening were based on a scoring process with the committee that was formed for the search.

In addition to the firm, the district’s human resources department, a search committee, union representatives and community members will all collaborate in the search process, which is expected to run from November through March.

Britton Hart of KASB gave a presentation to board members on Monday, and he said, he wants to make sure that the community knows what’s happening throughout the process.

“We think it’s really important to try to engage as many voices as possible,” Hart said. “Anybody that wants to have an influence or an opportunity to be a part of the process, we want to try to make that happen.”

He also mentioned to the board members that he spoke with previous superintendent Anthony Lewis about equity, and the importance of prioritizing it.

Board member Carole Cadue-Blackwood said the reason why she voted in favor of KASB was because of the amount of people — about 11 — on staff to help screen candidates. Board member Bob Byers also said KASB seemed like they would be more hands-on in the search process and involved with communities.

Board vice president GR Gordon-Ross said he thought KASB was valuable in the interim superintendent search. As the Journal-World reported, the Kansas Association of School Boards previously worked with the board in finding the interim superintendent earlier this summer. The board interviewed three finalists, including Jeanice Swift, who was selected as the interim superintendent, to take over for Anthony Lewis, who resigned earlier this year.

Swift’s contract will end on June 30, 2025, and while she is eligible to apply for the permanent position, she has not said if she plans to do so. She was not present at the business meeting on Monday.

In other business, board members:

* Approved a construction bid from Tandem Paving Company Inc. in the amount of $270,675 to perform improvements and asphalt and concrete maintenance at the Educational Support Center, Lawrence College and Career Center and Lawrence High School. The total project funding, including a 10% contingency fund of $27,000 and an allowance of $20,926 for testing and engineering services, is $318,601. The money for the project will come out of the Capital Outlay funds.

* Authorized Free State High School staff and the band booster group to sell the current band uniforms at the most competitive price. The proceeds will be deposited in the Capital Outlay Fund, and any unsold uniforms will be listed for sale on Purple Wave, the online auction site typically used by the school district, after one year.

* Held an executive session “to discuss matters which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship under the Kansas Open Meetings Act; with Larry Englebrick, deputy superintendent; Kristen Ryan, executive director of human resources; and Brad Finkeldei, legal counsel; invited to be present.” No board action followed the session.