Category: District News
LCSD releases FAQ on rights of migrant and immigrant students
Liberty Central School District is aware that the recent changes in immigration policies have caused concerns among many families in the LCSD community. The goal of the district is to make the learning environment a safe one for all Redhawk students. The district recently shared a letter highlighting how Liberty supports the entire school community. The district also has compiled a list of frequently asked questions, listed below, regarding the rights of migrant and immigrant students.
Additional questions may be emailed to questions@libertyk12.org.
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Rights of Immigrant Students
Does immigration status impact a student’s right to education in New York State?
No. Under New York law, all students ages 5 to 21 who have not received a high school diploma are entitled to a free public education in the district in which they live. Liberty Central School District (“LCSD”) will not refuse admission to any student based on national origin, race, language proficiency, country of origin, immigration status, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Must LCSD immediately enroll migrant students?
Yes. Consistent with law, LCSD will immediately enroll migrant students, even if they lack proof of residency, immunizations, school records, or other documents typically required for registration. LCSD may allow students who are from out of state or county to attend school for up to 30 calendar days if the student does not have immunization documentation but there is evidence of a good faith effort to obtain immunizations.
Are there any documents LCSD may not ask for when a student seeks to enroll in one of its schools?
Yes. LCSD may not request a Social Security Card or number, or any information that would reveal immigration status of the student or the student’s parent/guardian or person in parental relation at the time of enrollment.
What will LCSD do if it receives a request from an ICE or other law enforcement officer to access student records?
Absent parent/guardian or eligible student (age 18 or older) consent, LCSD may only release student records to an ICE or other law enforcement officer where the officer has a court order or a lawfully issued subpoena. If LCSD is legally required to disclose student records, LCSD will attempt to notify the parent/guardian or eligible student of the court order or subpoena before disclosing the records (unless the court order or subpoena prohibits LCSD from doing so).
What will LCSD do if an ICE or other law enforcement officer demands to question a student on school property and/or remove a student from school property?
Generally, ICE and other law enforcement officers may only question a student on school property or remove a student from school property (1) where they have a lawfully issued warrant providing court-authorized access to a student; (2) with consent from a parent/guardian; or (3) if the student is accused of committing a crime on school property and school or LCSD personnel invite law enforcement officers to investigate. If none of these criteria are met, LCSD will not permit officers to speak or access the student on school property.
What will LCSD do if a School Resource Officer (“SRO”) requests to access a student’s records to determine a student’s immigration status?
LCSD has a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the Village of Liberty Police Department and the Village of Liberty outlining the duties of SROs and the scope of SRO responsibilities at LCSD. The MOU can be accessed on the LCSD’s website.
Consistent with the MOU, an SRO may not access a student’s education records for the purpose of determining a student’s immigration status. If an SRO obtains information about a student’s immigration status, the SRO is not authorized to re-disclose that information to other law enforcement officers or federal immigration officials.
What will LCSD do if an SRO demands to question a student on school property about the student’s immigration status?
Consistent with the MOU, SROs cannot detain or otherwise interrogate a student for the purpose of determining the student’s (or their family’s) immigration status.
What happens if a student is being harassed, bullied, or discriminated against based on their actual or perceived immigration status?
Federal law, New York State law, and LCSD policy prohibit harassment, bullying, and discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnic group, citizen or immigration status, and any other legally protected characteristic. Consistent with LCSD’s Dignity for All Students Act Policy, LCSD is committed to creating a school environment free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination. If LCSD receives information that harassment, bullying, or discrimination has or is occurring, it will investigate the situation and discipline offenders consistent with LCSD policy.
LCSD offers emergency closure day usage update
As of Tuesday, Feb. 4, Liberty Central School District has used four of its seven emergency closure days allotted for the school year.
If the district uses all of its emergency days, the district will transition to remote learning if weather or other situations require the buildings to be closed.
Liberty will communicate its intention to use remote learning days, if the potential situation arises. The LCSD remote learning plan is available on the website.
Questions may be directed to questions@libertyk12.org.
LCSD to seek input from staff, families, students via surveys
Within the next few weeks, all staff, families and students in grades 3-12 will be asked to complete a short, anonymous and confidential survey. The purpose is to provide feedback about perceptions about Liberty’s schools and the learning environment. Results will be summarized for the school in an online report. The goal is to help teachers and staff effectively serve LCSD students.
Liberty Central School District has partnered with Tripod Education Partners and PLC Associates to administer the surveys for students, families and staff. This survey will be administered from Feb. 10 through March 14. Students will take the survey during class time.
The Surveys are aligned to current school improvement research and is designed to:
- reflect research across comprehensive school improvement, student
engagement, leadership and school climate - measure internal systems and practices of schools and
- provide an accurate indicator of student views and their insights on structure, instruction, and learning processes
The core purpose of the surveys is to gather data, both quantitative and qualitative, to help us make informed decisions about the district’s future and plan strategies.
For more information, reach out to Marianne Serratore, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Schools, at 845-292-5400, ext. 2063.
Sports schedule, and results, for the week of Feb. 3-9, 2025
Our student athletes are in action this week in alpine skiing, basketball, indoor track and field, and wrestling.
Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.
Monday, Feb. 3
3:30 p.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Indoor Track and Field Exhibition vs. Multiple Schools at SUNY Sullivan
4:30 p.m.: Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Fallsburg at Liberty High School
Tuesday, Feb. 4
4:15 p.m.: Boys Modified Wrestling vs. Multiple Schools at Warwick Valley Middle School
4:30 p.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Alpine Skiing: Slalom vs. Multiple Schools at Holiday Mountain
4:30 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. Fallsburg at Liberty High School
6p.m.: Boys Varsity Wrestling vs. Our Lady of Lourdes at Our Lady of Lourdes High School
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Fallsburg at Liberty High School
Wednesday, Feb. 5
4:15 p.m.: Girls Modified Basketball vs. Livingston Manor/Roscoe at Liberty Middle School
4:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Alpine Skiing: Slalom vs. Multiple Schools. at Holiday Mountain.
4:30 p.m.: Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Onteora at Onteora High School
4:30 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. Eldred at Liberty High School
5:45 p.m.: Boys Modified Basketball vs. Livingston Manor Roscoe at Liberty Middle School
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Eldred at Liberty High School
Thursday, Feb. 6
All events canceled.
Friday, Feb. 7
4:30 p.m.: Girls Wrestling Multi-Matches vs. Multiple School at Valley Central High School.
5 p.m.: Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Monticello at Monticello High School
6 p.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Indoor Track and Field Sectionals vs. Multiple School at West Point – United States Military Academy.
6:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Monticello at Monticello High School
Saturday, Feb. 8
No events scheduled
Sunday, Feb. 9
No events scheduled
The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.
LHS photographers earn dozens of art awards
This year, Liberty High School photography students received 31 Keys and 22 Honorable Mentions in the Mid Hudson Regional Scholastic Art competition. The Mid Hudson Regional division reaches far into Poughkeepsie and parts of Westchester as well as Sullivan and Ulster County.
Works that earn Gold Keys are in the top 5% of works judged. Silver Keys are in the top 10%. Honorable Mentions are in the top 11% or 12%. Gold key winners will be adjudicated again for possible participation in the national competition.
The following students earned honors:
- Sebastian Yupanqui with two Gold and two Silver Keys
-
Allison Vasko’s Gold Key winning photograph. Allison Vasko with one Gold and five Silver Keys, three Honorable Mentions
- Jenifer Jadan with one Gold and one Silver Key
- Savannah Pagan with one Gold Key and three Honorable Mentions
- Rachel Yaun with four Silver Keys
- Owen Moore with three Silver Keys, one Honorable Mention
- Kaitlyn Bodolosky with one Silver Key and four Honorable Mentions
- Giuliana Wagner with three Silver Keys
- Angel Figueroa with two Silver Keys, two Honorable Mentions
- Leonel Malaga Ventura with one Silver key and three Honorable Mentions
- Quinn Allen with one Silver Key and two Honorable Mentions
- Lucio Ponce Vazquez with one Silver Key and one Honorable Mention
- Carlos Cruz Garzon with one Silver Key and one Honorable Mention
- Kylie Fuller with one Silver Key
- Endya Alvarez with one Honorable Mention
- Naiara Piedy with one Honorable Mention

“Winning Scholastic Awards has given me a strong sense of accomplishment,” student Allison Vasko said. “It allows me to see that many people understand and value the work I create.”
The students’ works can be found here.
Students are now busy preparing the selected images for presentation at SUNY New Paltz for the Mid Hudson Regional Exhibition.
“I am honored to be part of this exhibition and overjoyed that my perspective resonated with others,” student Kaitlyn Bodolosky said. “I truly enjoy this event because it showcases diverse works of art, each reflecting unique viewpoints, which is what makes the show so amazing.”
The ceremony for the Key winners, open to all, will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at SUNY New Paltz followed by the opening of the show with refreshments. The exhibit will be open through March 2 in the Fine Arts Building Rotunda.
Liberty to host 27th annual Liberty Jazz Festival
The Liberty Central School District Music Department will host the 27th annual Liberty Jazz Festival on Saturday, Feb. 1, in the Liberty Middle School gymnasium. The snow date will be Sunday, Feb. 2. The festival will feature high school and middle school jazz ensembles from the Liberty, Monticello, Tri-Valley and Livingston Manor school districts. The students will work with a renowned jazz artist during the day and all of the groups will collaborate for a concert at 7 p.m.
This year’s clinician is Nick Lieto, a music educator and well-known trumpet player in the Capital Region. Lieto is in his 20th year of teaching at Scarsdale Middle School, in Westchester County New York, where he serves as a band and jazz band director at Scarsdale Middle School. He received his undergraduate degree in music education from The Crane School of Music, Potsdam College, and his graduate degree from The Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College. Lieto has been teaching Middle School Band for 35 years, and maintains a private trumpet studio, teaching jazz and classical trumpet lessons.
In addition to his teaching, Lieto has performed and composed across several genres of music including jazz, classical, rock and folk. He plays with The Blue and Green Jazz Quartet as a trumpet soloist, and for the past 20 years has been composing and performing as a multi-instrumentalist with the progressive rock band Frogg Cafe.
“We are looking forward to having such a fine musician work with our students,” Liberty Central School District Director of Music Eric Aweh said.
The clinic will take place from 3 to 5:30 p.m., and the concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Liberty Middle School Gymnasium. Admission for the event is $5. For a family of five or more the maximum price will be $25. Tickets will be on sale in the gymnasium lobby.
For more information, please contact Aweh at 845-292-5400, ext. 5116, or eaweh@libertyk12.org.
Two LCSD students on bus involved in accident
Liberty Central School District was informed this morning, Jan. 27, of an accident involving a bus carrying two Liberty Central School students outside of the district, as well as students from other districts. Emergency services have responded to the scene. Our two students are being transported to the hospital for medical attention.
Liberty works closely with our transportation partner Rolling V to ensure the safety of our students. The district appreciates their work, as well as the efforts of the first responders who helped our students and others on the scene.
Sports schedule, and results, for the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2025
Our student athletes are in action this week in alpine skiing, basketball and wrestling.
Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.
Monday, Jan. 27
4:15 p.m.: Girls Modified Basketball vs Monticello at Liberty Middle School.
4:30 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. James I. O’Neill at Liberty High School
5:45 p.m.: Boys Modified Basketball vs. Monticello at Liberty Middle School
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. James I. O’Neill at Liberty High School
Tuesday, Jan. 28
10 a.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Alpine Skiing: Giant Slalom vs. Multiple Schools at Belleayre Mountain Ski Area
4:15 p.m.: Boys Modified Wrestling vs. Multiple Schools at C. J. Hooker Middle School.
5 p.m.: Girls Varsity Basketball Varsity vs. James I. O’Neill at James I. O’Neill High School
5 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. Tri-Valley at Tri-Valley Central School.
6 p.m.: Girls Varsity Wrestling Multi-Matches vs. Multiple Schools at Liberty High School.
6:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Tri-Valley at Tri-Valley Central School
Wednesday, Jan. 29
No events scheduled.
Thursday, Jan. 30
4:15 p.m.: Girls Modified Basketball vs. Tri-Valley at Tri-Valley Central School.
4:15 p.m.: Boys Modified Wrestling vs. Sullivan West Central at Liberty Middle School
4:30 p.m.: Girls Varsity Alpine Skiing: Slalom vs. Multiple Schools at Mt. Peter Ski Resort.
4:30 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. Port Jervis at Liberty High School.
5:45 p.m.: Boys Modified Basketball vs. Tri-Valley at Tri-Valley Central School.
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Port Jervis at Liberty High School
Friday, Jan. 31
All events canceled or postponed.
Saturday, Feb. 1
Noon: Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Tri-Valley in Audra Sipple Spath Scholarship Tournament at Livingston Manor High School
Sunday, Feb. 2
No events scheduled.
The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.
Sixth-graders face off in reading competition
Sixth-graders at Liberty Middle School are in a heated competition.
It’s not on the field or court, but on the bookshelf, through the READBowl, a free global reading competition where PreK-12th grade aged teams around the globe compete to read for the most minutes.
The READBowl kicked off Jan. 13 and will end on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, with the crowning of the World Reading Champions.
LMS got involved in the program after the sixth grade ELA teacher Melissa Murphy watched a video featuring Malcolm Mitchell, a professional football player who struggled to read well but took the initiative to improve his skills and has since become an author. He is also chief executive officer of the Share the Magic Foundation, which hosts the READBowl.
Mrs. Murphy shared the READBowl idea with the other sixth-grade ELA teachers and they decided to join.
To start the process, a book tasting event was held Jan.3. There, students were told more about the READBowl, set reading goals, were introduced to a variety of reading genres and selected books they’ll read throughout the READBowl. The competition kicked off at LMS with an evening of fun and games on Jan.13.
“The goal is to encourage a love of reading, teamwork, and healthy competition,” Mrs. Murphy said.
To add to the fun, the classes are also competing against each other in a Harry Potter-inspired competition. The ELA teachers leading the respective Houses are:
- Ravenclaw: Mrs. Murphy and Ms. Feliciano
- Hufflepuff: Ms. Cummins
- Gryffindor: Mr. Golden and Ms. Davis
- Slytherin: Mrs. Abplanalp and Ms. Davis
Students track their reading minutes weekly. Teachers will enter the minutes for their students on the READBowl website. All reading counts—books, articles, recipes, instructions, and more. Each week is considered a “quarter,” and teachers will share the leaderboard each week.
HPAC to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Black History Month
Hurleyville Performing Arts Center invites Liberty families to celebrate special events in February with the arts organization
On Saturday, Feb. 8, HPAC will host a Someone Special Valentine’s Dance.
Attendees are invited to bring their favorite someone — a parent, sibling, grandparent, best friend — to HPAC at 219 Main St. in Hurleyville for an evening of music and dancing.
Light refreshments will be served and all ages are welcome.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. and the cost is $10 per person, with those 5 and younger admitted free.
On Saturday, Feb. 15, there will be a free community viewing of “The Six Triple Eight” in honor of Black History Month. The movie tells the story of the only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas during World War II.
“Discover their courage, resilience and vital contributions to history as we honor these unsung heroes,” the flyer announced the event reads.
For more information on either event, call 845-985-4722, email info@hpacny.org or visit hpacny.org.