Lawrence Elementary School

Lawrence staff treasures each student and knows every child has potential to succeed. The staff members are excited about our progress toward meeting every student’s need. Their continued dedication and commitment to improve student achievement is a source of pride that permeates throughout the building. Teachers educate using standards-based instruction in every curriculum area. They analyze data to meet the needs of all learners and ensure success for every child. The quality of learning is exceptional!

Lawrence has a lengthy tradition of adopting the philosophy, “It takes a whole village to educate a child." This is evident in the support we receive from our partnerships with Community in Schools, West Side Rotary, West Branch YMCA, Texas Roadhouse, West Side Christian Church, Friends, Kansas Newman and Wichita State Universities. Families who attend often speak of the caring, nurturing and quality of instruction their children receive. It is not uncommon to hear parents say they attended Lawrence Elementary and want the same excellence for their children.

Designed to meet the expectations set forth in our mission statement, Lawrence Elementary has Highly qualified teachers who implement best practices, demonstrate a wealth of knowledge and utilize all available resources. We also emphasize technology to monitor activities and differentiate instruction. We believe that assessments should be ongoing and used to drive instruction. We believe that a classroom environment should be nurturing, structured, kid-friendly, flexible to change, safe and fun. We also believe parents as well as students should feel welcome at Lawrence in all situations. The following are but just a few of our successes:

• The Rotary of West Wichita adopted Lawrence to support education by indirect encouragement and direct support of teachers, students and administrators. Each month students are recognized for their outstanding effort to succeed in school with the Extra Effort Award. Additional Rotary activities include: Book Shelves for 1st grade, tutoring, mentoring and Holiday Family Food Projects. Each grade level also receives a size able amount of money for classroom needs and Rotary-funded field trips. To commemorate Rotary's centennial year, they constructed a Courtyard "Outdoor Classroom" with the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony held at our annual Hot Dog Feed, May 23rd, 2006. Throughout the year, classrooms visit the courtyard to extend their learning outside!
• Communities in Schools provides Lawrence with an array of support and intervention programs including tutoring, mentoring, counseling, health services, parent involvement, case management, family learning programs, community service and recreation.
• Lawrence has been fortunate to team up with West Side Christian Church to provide great support for our students and staff. Each year West Side Church donates over sixty book bags filled with school supplies for our students and purchases needed classroom materials for our staff. They also provide holiday assistance for our families as well as tutors and mentors.
• Lawrence was awarded a Comprehensive School Reform grant in August 2004. The data from the Renaissance Program- Accelerated Reader (AR) and Accelerated Math (AM) provided evidence that students were achieving higher reading and math scores when Accelerated software was used effectively in the classroom. However, not all of our teachers were trained thoroughly in the use of Renaissance Learning tools. This grant provided classroom teachers with professional development resources and consulting services in addition to new equipment and supplies. Every classroom received a new computer and math scanner along with supplies to implement the program successfully. Our library received new books and resources. The Parent Involvement Worker and classroom teachers plan grade-level Family Nights for parents to learn how to provide better support for their children when helping with homework and when practicing reading and math. In Year Two of our Comprehensive Reform Grant, our Library distribution/checkout was over 50,000 books! Two of our classroom teachers, Jerry Drinnen & Heather Graves, earned the distinction of becoming Renaissance Model Classrooms! We believe in our Renaissance program and our student achievement is soaring!
• We are very PRIDEFUL of our PD (Professional Development) days! One day a month teachers are given a whole day of staff development to analyze formative and summative data, read and discuss current research, and receive training on research-based best practices to improve student learning. While teachers are training, their students are receiving standards-based instruction throughout the day with the Counselor, Computer Lab, Music, PE, Library and Art teachers.
• The Lawrence Library is one of the best libraries in the Wichita Public Schools. It has a welcoming atmosphere that invites students to read… whether they are relaxing on the couches, sitting in the reading loft, listening to a story in the story well, or working at the tables. Students learn how to check out their own books so they can use the library any time they need a book. The goal of the media center is to provide resources and instruction for all of the students to help them become life-long readers/learners.
• Teachers and students at Lawrence have access to a wide range of technology, including Palms, Smart Boards, Clickers and Renaissance Responders. With a computer lab and two computers in each classroom, technology is integrated into every core subject area. Students enjoy creating products with technology, as well as using the computers to enrich learning. Our Lawrence Technology Leaders (LTL) is a group of students who assist with trouble shooting, school wide Power Points and video coverage of school events.
• Our Parent Involvement Program continues to grow as we bring more and ore of o ur families into the school environment. We had our annual Back to School BBQ, a Movie Night, a Hispanic Night and lastly BINGO Night. Fun was had by all!
• The Lawrence Leadership Organization (LEO) and the Site Council enrich the educational and social aspects of Lawrence students and families. These activities are: Open House-Sponsored by Texas Roadhouse, Book Fairs, Family Nights and Staff Appreciation. 
  The fundraising events have assisted us in beautification projects around the school and additional playground equipment and copiers. We are currently working on a "Lions Den" project for the front lobby where we hope to display our Lion's PRIDE!

COME CHECK US OUT!!

Exit west Kellogg at West St. Go north on West St. to Maple. Go east on Maple 1/4 mile. Lawrence is on the north side of the street. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

1. To increase student achievement in the areas of Reading, Writing and Math.
2. To meet proficiency levels or above on the Kansas State Reading and Math Assessments.
3. To reduce our the achievement gap among minorities and free and reduced lunch students.
4. To maintain 95% attendance rate for the total school.

Each school has a site council, which is a group of parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff. Site councils identify, consider and discuss educational problems and issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at the school site to meet these goals and objectives.  

The Lawrence Site Council consists of seven staff members, one Parent Involvement Worker, two Community members, three Parents, one Business partner and one Administrator.

Meeting Day: First Tuesday of the month
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Lawrence Library

Chair: Karen Hatzenbuehler

• Pre-Kindergarten & Para plus Special Education PK & Para
• All-day Kindergarten
• Wichita State University Coop Students
• Computer Lab Specialist
• Computers in the classroom, Smart Boards, Clickers, Palms and Renaissance Responders
• Full-Time Librarian
• Music, PE & Art
• Title I Instructional Coach
• Literacy Coach
• Renaissance Reading Master School
• Interrelated Teachers & Paras
• Communities in Schools
• Lawrence Educational Organization (LEO)
• Before- and after-school program (SAP) during school and summer
• Parent and Community Resourse Team
• Rotary Club of West Wichita
• West Side Christian Church

Lawrence Elementary School was actually complete in the spring of 1953 and used as an annex for Meridian Elementary School that spring. It was officially opened as a school in the fall of 1953. Glenn E. Benedick was the architect for the 14-room building which cost approximately $190,000. Dedication ceremonies were held November 15, 1953.

Oscar Carr, principal of Meridian, supervised the building in the spring of 1953. Fern Ritter was appointed principal when the school opened in the fall of 1953 and stayed in that capacity through the peak enrollment years of the 1950s until 1966. The enrollment decline in the 1960s can largely be attributed to development of commercial areas in the district and removal of housing. The student population averages around 425.

An addition of seven classrooms, a library, a multipurpose room, office and rest rooms was constructed in 1976. Platt Associates were the architects. The approximate cost of the addition was $665,000.

The school was named for Robert E. Lawrence who came to Wichita as a young man, arriving here in May 1870. He made his way on foot to Illinois, selling stencils to earn his way. He taught a short term of school in Illinois and thus was able to buy a team and wagon to complete the journey into Kansas.

Soon after his arrival in Wichita he homesteaded a quarter section of land south and west of Maple and Seneca Streets where he farmed and raised cattle. Today the Kansas Masonic Home stands upon the site of Maplewood, the spacious stone residence that Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence completed in 1888.

As the city expanded, Mr. Lawrence engaged in various business enterprises: banking, real estate operations and commercial building construction. Along with his business activities Mr. Lawrence devoted much time to civic affairs. He was an early member of the Wichita Board of Education, served in the Kansas State Legislature, and through his lifetime was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church.

At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program, leaving a K-5 enrollment of around 450.

In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required.

The Bond project gave Lawrence a new addition including four classrooms and a student support center. The district utilized Architectural Innovations LLC and Robl Commercial Construction to complete this project.

The project bond celebration was held November 23, 2004.