Lawrence Public Schools

Lawrence Public Schools In Lawrence USD 497, our focus is your student's success! We're located on Interstate 70 about half-way between the capital city of Topeka and Kansas City.

The seventh-largest public school district in Kansas, USD 497 serves more than 10,000 students in Lawrence. With more than 1,500 employees, we're also one of the city's largest employers. Our 21 school campuses include a pre-kindergarten program, 11 elementary schools (grades K-5), four middle schools (grades 6-8), two comprehensive high schools (grades 9-12), a K-12 virtual school, and a college

and career center and academy. In addition, we offer early childhood services for families of children from birth to age four. Transition programs bridge the gap between high school graduation and college and careers. Adult education services provide adult basic education, English as a Second Language courses, G.E.D. study and testing, and the opportunity for adults to earn a high school diploma. USD 497 maintains this social media site as a limited public forum for moderated online discussion germane to the business of our school district. In order to protect this site's integrity and credibility, we use reasonable, viewpoint-neutral guidelines. Questions and feedback should be related to our posts and demonstrate the same civility and respect we teach and and model for our students. Keep in mind that Facebook allows students age 14 and older to have accounts; students may be using this site. In addition to adhering to Facebook's discrimination and harassment policies, the district uses Facebook's filter to automatically hide comments containing profanity and obscenities, and as a safety measure, to filter links due to the frequency of phishing scams and spam. This is not a forum for commercial marketing, sales, campaigning, or electioneering. The district reports all threats to law enforcement. Please contact our Communications Office at 785-832-5000 with questions about these guidelines.

More preschool opportunities are coming to Lawrence Public Schools!The need for preschool opportunities continues to gro...
08/28/2026

More preschool opportunities are coming to Lawrence Public Schools!

The need for preschool opportunities continues to grow in our community. Lawrence Public Schools is now opening additional preschool classrooms at Kennedy Early Childhood Center, Deerfield Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, and Sunflower Elementary, with classrooms anticipated to welcome students beginning in mid-September.

This expansion is part of our continued commitment to serve our Lawrence community by increasing access to quality early learning, creating more opportunities for our youngest learners to get a strong start in Lawrence Public Schools.

Families already on our preschool waitlist recently received the first opportunity to express interest in these fall openings, and we are now offering additional opportunities to the wider Lawrence community!

Interested families can complete our Preschool Interest Form here: https://forms.gle/T2KyLUPwtTwSF1aC6

Liberty Memorial Central Middle School orchestra teacher Alison Mayes and seventh-grade double bass player Zella recentl...
08/27/2026

Liberty Memorial Central Middle School orchestra teacher Alison Mayes and seventh-grade double bass player Zella recently visited Kansas Public Radio (KPR) right here in Lawrence to talk all things classical music!

Hosted by KPR’s Destiny Ann Mermagen, the conversation gave our orchestra representatives a chance to share their love of music and even enjoy a few classical music jokes.

Alison shared more about the orchestra program at LMCMS and the ways she encourages students’ curiosity about classical music. Zella shared her own perspective as a student musician, and even gave a shoutout to her classmates in fourth- and seventh-hour orchestra!

The on-air conversation also included some fun questions KPR had shared with students ahead of the visit, covering everything from how classical music makes them feel to what unusual instrument they would add to an orchestra. Zella shared some of her answers on air, including her choice of a whoopee cushion as an unusual addition to the orchestra.

We love seeing our students and educators sharing their talents, curiosity, and enthusiasm for music beyond the classroom. Thank you, KPR, for giving them the opportunity to take their love of orchestra on air!

The Lawrence Board of Education will meet at 6:00 p.m. tonight.As part of its consent agenda, the board will consider ap...
08/24/2026

The Lawrence Board of Education will meet at 6:00 p.m. tonight.

As part of its consent agenda, the board will consider approving Phase 2 furniture for Choice Campus at Centennial, including new commons and library spaces, through OMNIA and E&I Cooperative Purchasing Contracts; a property and temporary construction easement at 110 McDonald Drive to the City of Lawrence for its Safe Routes to School sidewalk project; and the six-year purchase of Amplify CKLA Language Studio, an elementary literacy resource supporting multilingual learners.

In other business, the board will consider the approval of Board Policy IIBGC: Staff Online Activities on second reading, approval of maximum mill levies and budget authority for publication ahead of the 2026–27 budget hearing on September 14, and hear a report on the district's ongoing work and research regarding artificial intelligence.

Review the board's agenda at www.usd497.org/school-board. Attend the meeting at 110 McDonald Drive, or watch it live at www.youtube.com//live or LPS TV 26 (Midco Channel 26).

The start of the school year for our preschool programs marked an extra special "first" for Lawrence Public Schools: the...
08/19/2026

The start of the school year for our preschool programs marked an extra special "first" for Lawrence Public Schools: the very first day of our newest preschool classrooms at Deerfield Elementary and Prairie Park Elementary!

Following some off-season renovations, these new preschool classrooms opened their doors for the first time this year, giving even more of our youngest Lawrence learners a place to grow, play, and discover close to home. The classrooms at Deerfield and Prairie Park now join our preschool rooms at Woodlawn Elementary and Sunflower Elementary, which launched last August. And what better way to celebrate than to try out their brand-new preschool playgrounds? During recess, students spent the day exploring, making friends, and putting all that new equipment to good use.

Congratulations to our Deerfield and Prairie Park preschool families on this exciting milestone. Here's to a wonderful first year in your new space!

Today, preschoolers across Lawrence Public Schools joined us for their first day of the 2026-27 school year. Early child...
08/18/2026

Today, preschoolers across Lawrence Public Schools joined us for their first day of the 2026-27 school year. Early childhood and preschool programs welcomed students at Kennedy Early Childhood Center, New York Montessori, Woodlawn Elementary, Sunflower Elementary, Deerfield Elementary, and Prairie Park Elementary.

It was an extra special first day at Deerfield and Prairie Park, where brand-new preschool classrooms opened their doors for the first time. Students broke in their new playgrounds too, with plenty of laughter, new friends, and first-day fun all around!

Welcome to the start of an amazing year, preschoolers. We are so glad you're here!

As always, this year's freshmen class at Lawrence Free State High School received a fantastic Firebird welcome for 2026–...
08/18/2026

As always, this year's freshmen class at Lawrence Free State High School received a fantastic Firebird welcome for 2026–27 Transition Day.

The ninth graders took their first steps as Firebirds being cheered on by a flock of upperclassmen, teachers, and staff members while they walked into the gym. After finding their way to the bleachers, FSHS staff and student LINK Crew members led the Class of 2030 in an assortment of traditions and activities. Freshmen got a glimpse of Firebird spirit as they were led in their first school chant, played the always difficult Simon Says, and cheered on their volunteering peers in a heated balloon-popping relay. Students finished the introductory assembly with two team-building challenges, where rows competed to arrange their entire team in order by height, then by birthday — all without speaking a single word.

2026–27 is looking bright for the Firebirds!

Southwest Middle School's hallways once again filled with chatter, footsteps, and laughter as the newest additions to th...
08/17/2026

Southwest Middle School's hallways once again filled with chatter, footsteps, and laughter as the newest additions to the Bulldog pack surveyed their new school during a Transition Day scavenger hunt.

In an effort to acquaint them with the Southwest campus, the sixth graders were given a list of SWMS locales, then sent off to find and mark down each location as they were discovered. However, the scavengers weren't just left chasing their own tails. Southwest staff and Student Council representatives stationed themselves all around the building to open doors, cheer, stamp location sheets, and provide clues to help the sixth graders sniff out their next point of interest.

Seems the Bulldogs are already getting 2026–27 started on the right path!

The energy was contagious as the Chesty Lions returned to the hallowed halls of Lawrence High School.In first-year teach...
08/14/2026

The energy was contagious as the Chesty Lions returned to the hallowed halls of Lawrence High School.

In first-year teacher Justin Chaipet's Intro to Stagecraft class, students kicked things off with a name game, circling up and swapping places to learn who's who before the curtain even rises this year. Down in Journalism with Abbi Epperson-Ladd, new reporters teamed up for a cup-stacking challenge using rubber bands and string, no hands allowed, just teamwork and a little friendly chaos. Orchestra strings students stepped out of their comfort zone too, being tasked by Director of Orchestras Mariah Barnett with playing "Happy Birthday" on instruments they'd never played before. Ironically, it was a piece of cake for the musicians. Superintendent Dr. Jeanice Swift also stopped through the LHS commons during lunch, greeting students as part of her first-day visits across the district.

It was certainly a great day to be a Lion!

Despite the new school year jitters, Quail Run Elementary School proved that they have the first day of school down to a...
08/13/2026

Despite the new school year jitters, Quail Run Elementary School proved that they have the first day of school down to a science.

Students and families were already well prepared before the doors even opened: lining up outside the building, taking first day photos, and sharing their first good-bye hugs of the year. Once the doors opened, the Quails went straight to their new classrooms and greeted their teachers. A few even brought little gifts for their teachers and school staff, like flowers and apple-shaped sticky notes.

First-year teacher Leah Tison guided fourth graders through their morning meeting routine for the year. Tison's students showed a great deal of excitement when they heard they had back-to-back specials today. Erica Keller's third graders were already impressing their teacher with their excellent backpack cubby etiquette and lining-up skills. In science, Keller's class was particularly amused by their science teacher Kevin Daniels' own elementary yearbook photo.

08/13/2026

Welcome back LPS students and families!

The 2026–27 school year is officially here, and to celebrate the occasion, we've created a live photo gallery on our website where you can see highlights of the from across our schools. Photos will be added in real time throughout the day, so stay tuned!

View the live photo gallery at www.usd497.org

Address

110 McDonald Drive
Lawrence, KS
66044

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+17858325000

Website

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