No, the Lawrence Board of Education unanimously approved in December 2023 a recommendation from the Middle School Redesign Committee to implement a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, or STEAM, curricular focus at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School. The board wants to better serve and support LMCMS students and to grow the school's enrollment by drawing new students from inside and outside the school district to LMCMS.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. STEAM learning is described as being grounded in hands-on, project-based, interdisciplinary instruction during which students solve authentic problems.

Liberty Memorial Central Middle School will encourage students to ask questions and explore creative ways to solve actual challenges through teamwork, community partnerships, and cool projects that expand what they know and what they can do and get them ready for bigger adventures in high school and beyond. (See STEAM PDF Flyer)

LMCMS will: 

• Redesign education with innovative teaching and learning that sparks curiosity, encourages discovery, and motivates students to tackle everyday challenges.
  
  
• Connect English, math, science, and social studies concepts through STEAM learning projects.
  
  
• Empower students to learn by doing as they solve practical challenges through collaborative, hands-on experimentation.
  
  
• Offer topical courses in areas of student interest, such as 3D Design, Coding, App Creators, Energy and the Environment, Flight and Space, Science of Technology, Magic of Electrons, Green Architecture, and Medical Detectives.
  
  
• Design a flexible daily schedule to support core instruction and teacher-facilitated and student-driven inquiry-based projects.
  
  
• Celebrate creative expression by guiding sixth graders to explore the fine arts and select for further study an area of interest, such as band, choir, orchestra, art, or theater.
  
  
• Support annual fine arts instruction for all students in their chosen area of interest, such as band, choir, orchestra, art, and theater.
  
  
• Showcase student achievement at exhibitions, open houses, and other community events.
  
  
• Use Project Lead the Way as the foundation for connecting students with business and industry mentors who can help them build leadership, research, and problem-solving skills that prepare them for high school, college, and careers.
  
  
• Improve student achievement, success, and well-being.
  
  
• Grow school enrollment by building a community of innovators and problem-solvers.

The school board in the spring of 2023 directed district administration to create a committee to develop a plan for repurposing LMCMS to better serve and support its students and to grow the school's enrollment.

A Middle School Redesign Committee began meeting in April 2023 and developed this statement to focus its work: “Design an innovative learning center at LMCMS that meets the board directive, attracts families and students, and has community engagement so that all students are ready for high school, college, and careers.”

“Our why is: how can we best meet all of our students needs based on what they are telling us and what our data suggests?” said Laura Leonard, an 18-year veteran teacher at LMCMS and a committee member.

The committee surveyed staff and parents and reviewed the career interests and course choices of students, which led its members to explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). 

Committee members visited STEAM schools and began discussing possible curriculum adjustments, course offerings, and examples of community partnerships to support student STEAM learning, described as grounded in hands-on, project-based, interdisciplinary instruction during which students solve authentic problems.

Committee members drafted a daily schedule combining English, math, social studies, and science standards during a core time and creating inquiry time for teacher-facilitated and student-driven, authentic problem-based tasks. 

“In the current model, subjects get siloed, and kids do not see connections,” said Josh Spradlin, who has taught at LMCMS for 14 years. “The idea with having a chunk of time that is flexible and integrated would allow us the freedom to choose a topic and cover it fully.”

Teachers shared that a current middle school class, Project Lead the Way, could serve as the foundation for STEAM challenges and as a connector between education and industry.

Future course offerings could include courses, such as Design and Modeling (3D designs), Automation and Robotics (coding), App Creators (create and design apps), Computer Science for Innovators and Makers, Energy and the Environment, Flight and Space, Science of Technology, Magic of Electrons, Green Architecture, and Medical Detectives, among others.

The committee's STEAM plan includes an annual fine arts requirement, starting with sixth graders completing a two-week exploration of band, choir, orchestra, art, and theater, before selecting an area of interest. Students in seventh and eighth grade would further their study of their areas of interest in the fine arts.. 

STEAM @ LMCMS is the same LMCMS you love, just better. 

Liberty Memorial Central will continue to teach English language arts, math, science, and social studies, per the Kansas Standards. Some specialized STEAM modules will be taught within some core classes and others will be offered as elective courses throughout the school year.

STEAM learning can connect core subjects through integrated instruction that better engages students because they understand the context of what they are learning. They can move beyond memorizing facts to applying what they learn to everyday challenges. 

When students ask questions, practice critical thinking, work collaboratively in teams, and learn by doing, they gain an understanding of why it is important to learn academic skills and how to use what they have learned in middle school, high school, and beyond.

LMCMS students will have all of the same elective opportunities as other Lawrence middle schoolers.  

The "A" in STEAM is for the Arts. Participation in the arts enhances the process of learning, including sensory, attentional, cognitive, emotional, and motor capacities. They also have non-academic benefits, such as promoting self-esteem, motivation, cultural exposure, creativity, and improved emotional expression. 

Liberty Memorial Central Middle School students will have all of the same elective opportunities as other Lawrence middle schoolers. 

LMCMS students will enroll in their choice of year-long fine arts class(es). Choices include band, orchestra, choir, visual arts, electronic arts, and theater.

Plans are subject to change.

The 2024-2025 LMCMS school day will likely start at 8 a.m. and dismiss at 3:15 p.m., except for early dismissal on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. 

The student 8-period schedule will closely mirror that of the other three Lawrence middle schools. In addition to Math, English, Social Studies, Science, elective choices, and a Student Success block, the LMCMS schedule will include year-long fine arts choices (Art, Choir, Band, Orchestra, Visual Arts, Electronic Arts, and Theater) and alternating P.E. and STEAM courses.

Sample 8-Period Student Schedule:
Math (43 min.)
English Language Arts (43 min.)
Social Studies (43 min.)
Science (43 min.)
Fine Arts (43 min.)
P.E. & STEAM (43 min.)
Elective Choice (AVID, Yearbook, World Languages, Additional Fine Arts Classes) (43 min.)
Student Success Block (82 min.)

On Wednesdays, class periods will be 28 min. with a 55 min. Success Block.

Yes! Liberty Memorial Central will continue to offer middle school athletics and activities and other opportunities for student involvement. 

Yes, Liberty Memorial Central Middle School is open to any student in grades 6, 7, and 8. Students who do not live within LMCMS's attendance boundaries may complete a request to transfer form.

Yes! LMCMS will continue to serve all learner needs, including students with IEPs, and will work to expand specialized classroom settings. STEAM learning is often a great fit for students with special learning needs.

The 2024-2025 Transfer Request Form is now available.

Middle and High School:

2024-2025 Transfer Request

Please Note: You will be required to upload a current Proof of Residence when completing the form (utility bill or lease agreement).

As you know, we live in a rapidly changing world. Today's middle school students may someday work in careers that do not yet exist. 

STEAM careers run the gamut from A to Z, or Aerospace Engineer to Zoologist.

Here are some examples of current STEAM careers: Animal Scientist, Animator, Anthropologist, Archaeologist, Architect, Astronaut, Astronomer, Astrophysicist, Audio Developer, Biomedical Engineer, Broadcast Technicians, Business Intelligence Analyst, Cardiologist, Computer Programmer, Conservation Scientist, Exercise Physiologist, Fashion Designer, Forensic Psychologist, Graphic Designer, Interior Designer, Mechanical & Civil Engineer, Medical Illustrator, Modern Urban Planner, Music Therapist, Nurse Practitioner, Orthopedic Technologist, Paramedic, Photographer, Pilot, Political Scientist, Product Designer, Robotics Technician, Sales Engineer, Sound Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Video Game Designer, Web and Digital Interface Designer, Website/App Developer, Wildlife Biologist...

Attend Family Outreach Events at 6 p.m April 16 or May 14 at LMCMS, 1400 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence.

You may ask a question here and check back on the Questions and Answers. Contact LMCMS at 785-832-5400.

STEAM learning is not new. All Lawrence middle schools currently offer Introduction to STEAM and Project Lead the Way classes. Other classes also infuse STEAM learning into the integration of core subjects. The district offered a middle school STEAM summer camp in 2023 and will do so again in 2024.

Liberty Memorial Central Middle School teachers will participate in professional learning to gain additional knowledge and skills about project-based instruction and learning strategies. Staff who teach STEAM courses will complete training to support them with effective instruction in those classes.

One of the areas of focus of the district's strategic plan is "Effective Employees." Our Human Resources Team has a commitment to recruiting and retaining diverse, high-quality staff for all schools.