Superintendent Dr. Janice Kerr Swift summarized district activity and plans during her Oct. 20 report to the Lawrence USD 497 Board of Education, including a confirmed pay date for a negotiated settlement, a delay in a planned classroom expansion, and several upcoming events.

Dr. Swift said the district confirmed that retroactive pay for educational support professionals will be included in the Oct. 29 paycheck and that the retroactivity will be back to July 1. “I appreciate the work of the board to support a negotiated agreement,” she said, and thanked human resources and finance staff for accelerating the payment schedule.

She also announced the district will extend the timeline for planned classroom additions at Langston Hughes Elementary to 2027 “to allow specifically time to engage more fully with staff and students and parents, with neighbors, with the city of Lawrence, and the community,” and to address traffic‑pattern and infrastructure needs around the campus.

The superintendent highlighted outreach and events: the district is soliciting family feedback on the Safe Routes to School program via a survey open through Nov. 10 (available via ParentSquare or the City of Lawrence Safe Routes to School page); an educator hiring fair will be held in the district office on Thursday night; and a free fall college and career night — hosted with the Kansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers — will take place at the LEAD Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with a 6‑7 p.m. panel for families of students with IEPs or 504 plans.

Dr. Swift described professional development that she said is “for teachers, by teachers, with teachers,” including a popular session on artificial intelligence in education; she noted two future learning exchange days scheduled Jan. 5 and April 17, 2026. She also reported awards and programs: Katie Logan, custodian at Sunflower Elementary, received the ACE Award; the district’s project at Pinkney to operate a district bakery using Kansas wheat drew favorable attention from state board members; and social media metrics showed increases the superintendent described as notable, including roughly 4.3 million Facebook views over the prior four weeks and 1,215 new followers (totaling approximately 15,873 followers).

Safety communication was another focus: the district completed a safety‑alert test on Oct. 9 using ParentSquare and noted families will receive alerts by email even if they decline an app. Dr. Swift asked families to contact a dedicated email if they have issues receiving district communications.

She closed by previewing a district strategic‑plan draft and inviting community feedback during the late fall and winter engagement timeline.