The community elects seven citizens from the Lawrence school district to serve as at-large members of the board of education. Each board member serves a four-year term without salary. The board's primary duties include setting educational policy, approving the district's budget, and hiring and evaluating the superintendent.

The board meets twice monthly, generally on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. These public meetings begin at 6 p.m. at the district's Educational Support Center, 110 McDonald Drive. Board meetings are televised LIVE on LPS TV 26 (available on Midco with a cable box). Patrons may watch a live stream of board meetings or view meeting videos in the online archive.

The school board appreciates patrons taking the time to talk to the board about its policies and procedures. The board sets aside Audience Participation time during every meeting to hear from the public. This is the public's time to share opinions, but the board asks that patrons please avoid making comments of a personal nature about any district employee or student, including the use of personal names. The board also requests that patrons remain civil when speaking and/or listening.

Individuals who want to share comments with the board may email PublicComment@usd497.org by 6 p.m. on the day of a board meeting to sign up to participate in person or via Webex video/phone conferencing, or complete a Public Comment Form available at the entrance to the boardroom prior to the start of the meeting.

If several patrons have the same comments to make, the board asks that they appoint one individual to state the group's collective comments. 

The board also asks that patrons limit comments to three minutes. 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about district policies and procedures with the board.