GRAB AND GO BREAKFAST & LUNCH
USD 497 will offer FREE Grab-and-Go Breakfast and Lunch from 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. weekdays, March 17-27, at Hillcrest, Kennedy, and Schwegler Elementary Schools and Billy Mills and Liberty Memorial Central Middle Schools. These brown bag meals are available to all children ages 0-18, while supplies last. No signup, eligibility, or paperwork is required. Children must be present per federal government (USDA) requirements. Visit any site regardless of school attendance center. If a family needs meals for their children but lacks transportation, they may sign up for meal delivery.
SCHOOL CLOSURE UPDATES
3/17/2020 Update - It with heavy hearts that we share that Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced today the closure of all K-12 schools in the state for the remainder of the school year. The closure order is effective immediately and follows consultation with Kansas education officials. As a result, Lawrence Public Schools will be closed through May 21. All school activities also are canceled, unless special permission is granted by the superintendent.
3/19/2020 Update - District and school administrators have been working diligently this week on initial aspects of our plan for continuous learning opportunities for students. During the week of March 23, our schools will host virtual meetings with teachers for more planning and professional learning, so they can begin to re-connect with students and families beginning March 30.
In the meantime, we want to provide families with a few online educational resources and some simple learning activities you may opt to use at home next week to keep your children engaged. Please see this Parent Resource Page and notice at the bottom of the page a link to additional educational resources at www.usd497.org/Coronavirus.
In addition, we will be sharing a survey with school families on March 20. Please plan to take it and provide us information about your family's learning at home needs. We value your input into our plan for continuous learning.
Finally, please note that we have shortened the March 23 school board agenda to include only board approval of consent items and a proposed reduction in graduation requirements. To assist this year's seniors during this school closure, we propose that 2020 graduation requirements be reduced from our current 23 required credits to the 21 credits required by the Kansas State Department of Education. This would not alter the number of English language arts, social studies, science, math, physical education, and fine arts credits required. The difference is two fewer elective requirements.
Our schools will continue to provide high-quality educational services for students as we move to e-learning for the balance of the school year. This will represent a substantial change in the way we deliver education. Adjusting our graduation requirements for the 2020 seniors will help to ease their transition into this new method and create a more streamlined path to graduation.
In an effort to safeguard public health, we invite you to watch the live stream of the abbreviated school board meeting. If you want to share public comments with the board, please notify Deputy Board Clerk Dawn Downing at DDowning@usd497.org by 5 p.m. Monday. She will provide a link to enable you to share your comments with the board by Google video or telephone conferencing. You may review the board agenda online. at www.usd497.org/SchoolBoard.
We will continue to inform staff and families of updates as decisions are made and additional information becomes available. Please remember that while our school buildings are closed, student learning continues!
