The seventh-largest public school district in Kansas, USD 497 serves more than 10,000 students in Lawrence. With more than 1,500 employees, we're also one of the city's largest employers. Our 21 school campuses include a pre-kindergarten program, 11 elementary schools (grades K-5), four middle schools (grades 6-8), two comprehensive high schools (grades 9-12), a K-12 virtual school, and a college and career center and academy. In addition, we offer early childhood services for families of children from birth to age four. Transition programs bridge the gap between high school graduation and college and careers. Adult education services provide adult basic education, English as a Second Language courses, G.E.D. study and testing, and the opportunity for adults to earn a high school diploma. USD 497 maintains this social media site as a limited public forum for moderated online discussion germane to the business of our school district. In order to protect this site's integrity and credibility, we use reasonable, viewpoint-neutral guidelines. Questions and feedback should be related to our posts and demonstrate the same civility and respect we teach and and model for our students. Keep in mind that Facebook allows students age 14 and older to have accounts; students may be using this site. In addition to adhering to Facebook's discrimination and harassment policies, the district uses Facebook's filter to automatically hide comments containing profanity and obscenities, and as a safety measure, to filter links due to the frequency of phishing scams and spam. This is not a forum for commercial marketing, sales, campaigning, or electioneering. The district reports all threats to law enforcement. Please contact our Communications Office at 785-832-5000 with questions about these guidelines.
