Robert H Lawrence Elementary School

Honestly, I’m pretty worried about the health environment at Lawrence lately. My biggest issue is the attendance and the 'wellness' culture—or lack of one. When more than a quarter of the students are chronically absent, it tells you everything you need to know about how often bugs are going around or how little support there is for keeping kids healthy and in class. The building feels like it’s struggling, and I’ve seen way too many days where it feels like half the room is out with something. Communication from the school whenever there’s a breakout or a health concern is pretty slow, and honestly, with the school being so under-resourced on the South Side, it feels like wellness is at the bottom of the priority list compared to just trying to keep the doors open. If your kid has asthma or sensitive health, just be prepared that the ventilation and overall cleanliness aren't exactly top-tier.

Honestly, the health situation at Lawrence is really concerning and it's no wonder the school ended up closing. Between the chronic absenteeism and the constant issues with the building, it felt like a struggle just to keep the kids healthy. Looking at the inspection history, they had multiple violations for things that just shouldn't happen in an elementary school where kids are eating and playing. The communication about illnesses was basically non-existent and the general cleanliness of the facilities was always hit or miss. It felt like the school was struggling to keep up with basic maintenance, let alone prioritizing student wellness or nutrition. I definitely wouldn't recommend it based on how the health and safety of the kids seemed to be on the back burner.