As we enter November, there is a great deal to be grateful for across Lawrence Township Public Schools. This month, we are especially excited to celebrate the completion of Phase One of the LTPS referendum: the opening of the newly renovated auditorium at Lawrence Middle School.
After more than a year of planning, preparation and construction, the auditorium is ready to welcome our students, staff and community. The space has been transformed with new seating, accessibility ramps, flooring, carpeting, state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, and other improvements that will provide our students with an exceptional place to learn, perform and gather as a school community.
Seeing this project come to life is especially meaningful because it represents something much larger than a renovated auditorium. It represents the vision and commitment of our Lawrence community.
In March 2025, our community came together to support the district’s referendum, approving a significant investment in the future of our schools and our students. The LMS auditorium is the first major project we are able to celebrate as a result of that support. As additional referendum projects move forward, we will continue to share their progress with you and, most importantly, the ways they will benefit our students for years to come.
I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Lawrence community. Whether you supported the referendum, asked questions, participated in community conversations, shared information with your neighbors or simply took an interest in the future of our schools, you played a part in this process. Public investment in our schools is ultimately an investment in our children and in the future of our community.
The timing of the auditorium’s opening makes this celebration even more special. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Lawrence Middle School, and there could be no better way to honor its long history than by opening a space that will give generations of students new opportunities to create, perform and share their talents.
That same spirit of history and community was on full display recently during our annual Be a Cardinal Day celebration at LMS on Oct. 9, which featured a special 75th-anniversary twist. We welcomed back former teachers, alumni and past principals to reconnect with the school and share their experiences with our current students. Through stories, memories and opportunities to learn from those who helped shape LMS over the decades, students were reminded that being a Cardinal means becoming part of something bigger than themselves. It was a wonderful way to honor the people and traditions that have made LMS special for 75 years while celebrating the generations of Cardinals who will carry that legacy forward.
Then, on Oct. 19, the Lawrence Township Board of Education held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the new space to the community. I look forward to seeing our students take the stage, hearing the auditorium filled with music and applause, and watching this beautiful new space become part of the everyday life of our school community. We are excited to hold our Dec. 9, 2026, Board of Education meeting in the new space. We hope to see you there!
Thank you again, Lawrence, for believing in our students and for helping us build the future they deserve. There is so much ahead, and I am grateful that we are moving forward together.
Dr. Robyn Klim is the superintendent of Lawrence Township Public Schools.
