photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Lawrence school district offices building, located at 110 McDonald Dr., is pictured in May 2025.

Lawrence High and Free State High both will be set to get new running tracks, if Lawrence school board members approve more than $1.5 million worth of construction bids at their Monday meeting.

Board members will consider approving bids for work that would include the demolition of the existing running tracks as well as the construction and installation of the new 400-meter tracks at both high school facilities. The bid that board members will be considering comes from McConnell and Associates Corp. to replace the tracks in the amount of $1,572,943 along with a 10% contingency of $157,294, for a total project cost of $1,730,237.

Even though track surfaces can generally be resurfaced once during their lifespan, the underlying asphalt base eventually begins to deteriorate, making additional resurfacing ineffective and requiring full replacement of the track system. Running tracks are typically resurfaced every seven to 10 years and fully replaced after approximately 15 to 20 years, depending on usage and environmental conditions, according to the agenda.

The tracks at Lawrence and Free State High Schools were originally constructed in 2008 and were first used in 2009, according to the agenda. They have been topped off and resurfaced over the years. ACI Bond Architects, in partnership with VSR Design – a firm specializing in sports landscape architecture – conducted investigations, surveys, and geotechnical studies on both tracks and determined they reached the end of their lifespan and replacement is recommended.

Once construction on the projects begin, it is possible additional work will be needed on Lawrence High’s javelin runway or other areas. The contingency will help address the javelin runway and any unforeseen conditions that may arise during the replacement process. If the contingency is not fully utilized, the total project cost will be reduced accordingly, the agenda said.

The agenda said there will be no access to the tracks this summer at both high schools until construction is complete.

This agenda item was included on the board’s consent agenda, where all items are typically approved in one motion.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL:

• Receive a presentation from district staff outlining its goals for teaching and learning in the 2026-2027 school year. At the last board meeting, staff shared some initiatives planned for the upcoming school year, including a new welcome center, expanded preschool classrooms, additional college credit opportunities and more, as the Journal-World reported.

• Consider approving an agreement with ACI Boland Architects, in partnership with Clark | Huesemann LLC and Multistudio, to assist the district in long-range planning and concept development for potential future facility improvements.

The areas of focus for the team include planning and concept development for instructional environments aligned with current and emerging teaching practices, expansion of preschool programming within elementary schools, enhancements to elementary science instructional spaces, development of appropriately sized cafeteria and dining areas, and improvements to building main entries and public spaces, the agenda said.

As the Journal-World reported, the district is planning to expand Langston Hughes Elementary School, and it was originally slated to be finished in August 2026. Superintendent Jeanice Swift said the timeline would be extended for staff to consider the “larger picture of what is needed for thoughtful completion of this project,” and it is now estimated to be completed in summer 2027. Monday’s agenda said Langston Hughes would serve as an initial study site for the team.

• Consider approving a bid from Phillips Site Work, Inc. in the amount of $284,105 to perform asphalt and concrete maintenance and improvements with a total project budget of $365,921, including a 15% contingency and testing and engineering services. The concrete and maintenance projects throughout the district include Community Connections at Pinckney; Kennedy, Prairie Park, Quail Run, and Sunflower Elementary Schools; and Billy Mills and Southwest Middle Schools.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the district offices, 110 McDonald Drive. Public comment will not be included on Monday’s agenda, but people can share written comments with the board via email at schoolboard@usd497.org. The meeting will also be available via the school district’s YouTube channel.