January 17, 2008
Local Business supports Math & Science through the Lawrence Schools Foundation
Contact: Susan Esau, Executive Director, 330-2790 or sesau@usd497

A local businessman feels very strongly about promoting K-12 math and science education.  Master June Parks, owner of the Lawrence Tae Kwon Do School, believes that having students with strong math and science skills is “one of the only ways that our nation will continue to be second to none.”

Master Parks recently established the Math & Science Fund at the Lawrence Schools Foundation with money raised by his Tae Kwon Do students.  Some of his contribution has already been put to use by the school district for funding of busses to transport 7th, 8th, and 9th graders this week from Central, South, Southwest, and West Junior Highs here in Lawrence to the district offices at 110 McDonald Drive for an intramural “mathletics” competition.  The winners of this competition will now travel to the Kansas City Area Teachers of Mathematics Day Competition in March.

Lawrence Schools Foundation Executive Director, Susan Esau, states that “financial support from the Lawrence community for enrichment of academics in our public schools is one of the reasons our district is ranked #3 in the nation for best overall metro school district.  We hope others will be motivated by Master Parks’ generous support to also contribute to the Math & Science Fund, or to the Foundation’s Teacher Innovation Grants Fund that provides districtwide grants for all areas of academics in the classroom.”

The Lawrence Tae Kwon Do School is also a Lawrence Education Achievement Partner (LEAP) with Kennedy Elementary School and New York Elementary School.

The Lawrence Schools Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that raises money to enrich the education of the students in the Lawrence Public Schools. 

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