Rising absences and tardies in recent years has caused concern from administration and teachers. To try and reduce said absences a new tardy policy is being put in place.
According to the tardy policy,...
For nearly a century, a large red boulder rested affixed to a stone base and adorned with a plaque commemorating the white settlers of Lawrence, Kansas. Approximately 94 years later, less than a block...
After the first few weeks back, staff is left to frantically figure out how to handle the increase in classroom sizes. The Board of Education’s budget cuts decreased teachers' positions, creating a domino...
Starting in the fall of 2023, Lawrence high schools have begun offering second chance breakfast, an additional breakfast serving time for students. The district aims for students to perform better in academic...
Starting off this school year has been majorly different for every high school student in the district. The transition between the iPads and MacBooks has shown major differences in technology, which has...
Throughout the month of March, students and teachers across the country scrolled through TikTok and Instagram, met with numerous posts addressing concerns about the Willow Project.
The Willow Project...
After serving as the Director of Orchestras program for 11 years at the school, Judy Erpelding has announced her resignation, effective May 26.
With this position being her first teaching job, she...
Head boys basketball coach Sherron Collins will not be returning to Free State next year and has accepted a position at Oak Park High School, he confirmed in an interview last week.
Collins, a first-year...
This spring, the Science Olympiad Team traveled to Wichita State University to compete at the annual state tournament, wherein the team placed 12th overall.
Science Olympiad comprises 23 independent...
Students walked out of schools throughout the district on Tuesday, March 28, to voice their opinions on the introduction of anti-trans bills in Kansas.
“It is more than just a political issue,...
The USD 497 Board of Education voted to close Pinckney and Broken Arrow Elementary on Monday in an attempt to bridge the $9.6 million budget deficit.
Despite two public hearings at Broken Arrow...
Over the course of the school year, the cafeteria has dealt with students smuggling burgers out of the cafeteria in their pockets. It wasn’t till early October that cafeteria manager Tracy Pobjoy realized...
![After receiving advice from her students, orchestra director Judy Erpelding marks her music. Although the director normally makes the artistic decisions, Erpelding will often consult her students and hear their opinions on what sounds good and what they should try out. “[The students] are the heart of the program, not me,” Erpelding said. “I know they will carry that on and I will miss them. Making great music with them, being able to challenge them, taking their inspiration.”](https://www.fsfreepressonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Roust_Erpelding_5_11_23-600x900.jpg)
