By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
School district officials want to have a word or two with township residents and to hear a word or two from them in the latest of a series of “community conversation” outreach efforts that is slated for Wednesday at Lawrence High School.
The Community Conversation, which is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Lawrence High School Commons, aims to give residents a brief update on the status of the district’s five-year strategic plan and to seek comment from them, said Superintendent of Schools Crystal Edwards.
Attendees may tour Lawrence High School, which has undergone a significant expansion in the past few years, and they may also weigh in on fiscal planning for the 2013-14 school district budget, Ms. Edwards said.
They may also take part in a “challenge chat” that explores issues facing the district, such as increased enrollments and how to accommodate the growing number of students especially in grades pre-kindergarten through 6th grade, she said.
”We have a lot to tell you, but there is more time set aside to listen to you as well,” Ms. Edwards said, adding that there is more time for discussion and interactive engagement than in previous “community conversations.”
The school district’s strategic plan is built around four goals fiscal responsibility, academic excellence and equity, community engagement and future technology. The strategic plan is a blueprint for achievement in those areas, Ms. Edwards said.
Progress has been made in some of those areas. The installation of fiber optic cable addresses the goal of future technology, while the implementation of career academies is part of the goal of academic excellence and equity, she said.
The district has sought to improve its communications efforts with township residents through the revised website, which features more photographs and other visual representations of what is occurring in the district. Attempts to engage the community through Facebook and Twitter have also been made, Ms. Edwards said.
After school district officials complete their presentation on the strategic plan, attendees may tour the high school or take part in discussions on fiscal planning for 2012-13. They will learn what a budget looks like, and also learn about the constraints facing the school district, she said.
”The ‘challenge chat’ is our way of involving the community in problem-solving,” Ms. Edwards said.
Among the issues facing the district is rising enrollments, especially in pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. Educators value small classroom sizes, but they have “crept up” lately, she said. The ideal class size for 1st grade is 16 students per class, but 21 or 22 students is typical, she said.
A 16-student classroom, however, will require hiring more teachers and then finding the space for more classrooms, Ms. Edwards said. One of the challenges is finding out how to make it work, she said.
For more information about the Community Conversation and to sign up to attend, check the school district website at www.ltps.org.

