Year: 2024
Middle schoolers learn “Real Food Rules”
Students in sixth grade at Liberty Middle School spent two Fridays in the fall learning — and singing — about food.
STEAM Fund (Siegel Trust Enriching Arts & Music) at CFOS (Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan) brought its Real Food Song Program to LMS on Oct.13 and 24.
There, the students learned about where food comes from and how it is delivered, with the goal of helping create a generational change in the choices they make.
“We were happy to welcome the Real Food Song Program to Liberty Middle School,” Principal Heather Cheh said. “With Sullivan County being near the bottom in statewide health rankings, we want to do our part to help change that statistic for the positive.”
Facilitated through the STEAM fund at CFOS, the program is supported educationally in collaboration with the not-for-profit, A Single Bite, whose mission is to feed — and educate — Sullivan County residents with real, local food.
“It was great to witness the excitement and enthusiasm the LMS students exhibited,” STEAM Founder Gary Siegel said.. “As part of STEAM’s Healthy Habits Initiative, the Real Food Song Program is one of many local programs designed to improve the health of the children, teens and adults in our schools and communities, providing them with tools to make healthier choices while having fun.”
The songwriting program presents the students with the opportunity to ponder questions such as “What does food mean to you? Where does it come from? What does it do? What are your favorites … are they real? How does food make you feel?”
“The experience was so cool. I was grateful to be able to do that,” student Madison Allen said. “I learned the importance of eating real food.”
In the interactive songwriting workshops, the singer-songwriter teaching artists, Scott Bierko and Beth Bierko, introduced the concepts of real vs. processed food to the students and taught about songwriting and musical concepts such as rhythm and form. Under the guidance of Bierkos, the students collectively wrote their own lyrics to the song “Real Food Rules” and then recorded their own version.
“I think that real food is good and healthy,” student Atticus Macnimara said. As for the song? “The best part is the chorus.”
A video was created with the participating students, shared in recent assemblies at LMS and can be seen below:
Capital project proposal passes, 178-47
Voters in the Liberty Central School District approved the district’s $42.7 million capital project proposal, 178-47, on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
The project will address safety, efficiency of building systems and educational spaces and meeting the needs of today’s learners. It also will fix issues identified in the latest building condition survey. The project will have no impact on taxes.
“I thank the community for its continued support of Liberty Central School District and its students,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “The work included in this project will improve the educational environment for our students, offering them more comfortable, healthier and safer spaces to learn now and explore their futures.”
The Liberty Central School District Board of Education and administration, working with CSArch, the construction management team from Schoolhouse Construction Services and Fiscal Advisors, crafted the plan using information gathered in a capacity study, a long-term demographic analysis and the building condition survey conducted during the 2021-22 school year.
The design process will continue through July 2024, with state Education Department review and approval expected by November 2024. The bid process is expected to be completed by February 2025 with the contract awarded the following month. Construction should begin in late spring 2025 with the project substantially completed by early fall 2027.
Link to livestream of final capital project forum available
On Jan. 10, Liberty Central School District hosted its final community forum on the proposed $42.7 million capital project.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan offered a presentation on the proposal, explaining what is proposed and how it will impact student learning.
Chris White from Chenango Contracting presented “Field Turf 101,” showing how turf fields are created and installed and providing details on the safety of turf vs. natural fields.
To view the recording of the forum, visit https://events.locallive.tv/events/136016.
The vote will take place from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, in the Liberty High School Gymnasium, with an inclement weather date of Jan. 17.
Those who have questions may email questions@libertyk12.org with “Capital Project” in the subject line.
For more information about the project, visit the district’s capital project page at www.libertyk12.org/about-us/capital-project-2023-24.
Video: Capital Project – Athletic Field
Learn more about why the athletic field and track upgrades are a vital part of the capital project proposal:
Video: Capital Project – High School proposed changes
Learn more about why the Innovation Lab and 300 Wing changes are a vital part of the capital project proposal:
LHS welcomes new assistant principal
Liberty High School welcomed Lacy Jones as assistant principal on Jan. 2.
Jones had served as a speech-language pathologist for Sullivan BOCES since 2018 and served as the related-services team lead, mentor and representative on numerous district committees. She provided early intervention speech pathology services to families in Orange County and Pennsylvania’s Pike County, where she lives with her husband and three children.
Jones is completing her certificate of advanced studies in school leadership through SUNY New Paltz and the Mid-Hudson School Study Council’s “Homegrown Sullivan” cohort.
She graduated summa cum laude from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania where she earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in speech-language pathology.