photo by: Nick Krug

In this file photo from April 2, 2013, Kristie Adair talks with people gathered at a watch party on election night in the Alton Ballroom at Pachamama's.

Lawrence school board member Kris Adair said she will be “taking a less active role” on the school board through May.

Adair did not participate in semifinalist interviews, finalist interviews or the final vote for the Lawrence school district’s new superintendent. District spokeswoman Julie Boyle said last week that Adair’s absence was due to a scheduling conflict.

The school board selected current assistant superintendent Kyle Hayden as the district’s incoming superintendent on a 6-0 vote, a decision that Adair said via email that she supports. Adair — who is the director of the Lawrence Center for Entrepreneurship — explained that she wasn’t able to participate in the final stages of the superintendent decision because of a business commitment.

Adair said that she is one of three founders of a new company, Mycroft. Mycroft is a voice-command operating system for the home, according to its website. The company was recently accepted into a 90-day business accelerator program called Techstars that is designed to help businesses expand.

“During the 90 days that I’m here learning to be a better entrepreneur I’ll be taking a less active role in the School Board,” Adair said. “(School board President) Vanessa (Sanburn) is a fantastic leader and our board has a cooperative consensus based approach to governance. I’ll return to a more active role after the Techstars program concludes on May 24. Until then I’ll remain in close contact with the board president and will be in attendance when necessary.”

The school board typically meets every two weeks. The next board meeting is March 21 at the district offices, 110 McDonald Drive.

In other news and notes:

The Lawrence Public Schools are closed for spring break this week. Classes will resume March 21.