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Lawrence schools describe safety steps, counseling resources after Prairie Park incident
Summary
Superintendent Janice K. Swift summarized district safety practices, mandatory reporting and background-check procedures and said counselors and the Children’s Advocacy Center are assisting Prairie Park families; parents and community members urged an external audit and clearer public communication.
Dr. Janice Keres Swift, superintendent of Lawrence Public Schools, told the Board of Education on March 10 that the district is conducting an immediate, multi-step response after recent safety concerns at Prairie Park Elementary.
"Student safety is embedded in literally every step that we take," Dr. Swift said, describing steps the district takes when concerns arise, including investigations that can involve local law enforcement and school resource officers.
The superintendent summarized routine pre-employment checks and mandatory-reporting procedures. She said criminal background checks through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Department for Children and Families checks are required for every district employee before clearance to work; FBI fingerprinting is used for hires who have not lived in Kansas for 10 consecutive years. "Every district employee who has concerns that a child may have experienced harm ... is required to promptly report the concern to the Kansas Department for Children and Families office," she said, adding that the district contacted DCF promptly in the recent Prairie Park matter.
Swift also described district efforts to support affected students and families, including trauma‑informed staff and crisis counselors. She said the district is creating a webpage with resources and is partnering with the Children’s Advocacy Center to provide age‑appropriate guidance for talking with children.
Public commenters asked the board to broaden the response. Cynthia Courtney, a veterinarian and parent of two Prairie Park students, said parents want three concrete steps: hire an external crisis or audit team (she suggested organizations such as the RAINN crisis team), end secrecy where legally possible, and provide clearer parent supports including guidance on signs that children may need help. "School and district officials have told us 3 things over and over again... We call on the district to hire an external expert crisis team such as the one at RAINN," Courtney said during public comment and provided a longer version of her remarks by email to the board.
Lori Greenfield, who identified herself as an educator at Prairie Park Elementary and a community member, urged public advocacy for funding and invited the community to a March 17 rally in Topeka called "Lucky to Have Kansas Public Schools." "I encourage the public to join us at noon on March 17," Greenfield said.
Board members and district staff said the district will continue to share resources and updates with parents and that building‑level teams are reviewing sight lines and service delivery areas inside every school to avoid situations where an adult and child could be alone in a private, unobservable space.
The board did not take a formal vote on an external audit or on changing investigation procedures during the meeting. Several public commenters requested more frequent, clearer public updates; the superintendent said the district will continue to provide information and resources and will work to focus communications so they are less overwhelming to families.
Community members seeking support were reminded that counselors are available through principals and that parents can contact district staff for individualized help.
The district cited relevant policies and agencies in its presentation, including the Kansas Bureau of Investigation background checks, Department for Children and Families reporting, and Kansas Department of Education license and background requirements.
