Category: District News
Two recognized with Excellence in Service Awards at BOE meeting
A high school math teacher and an elementary teacher assistant were honored during the Liberty Central School Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Lindsey Murphy
Ms. Murphy, mentor and department chair of the Liberty High School Math Department, was recognized for her upbeat attitude, preparation, help extracurricular activities and her support of LHS staff.
She offers extra help to her students and to those who aren’t in her class, according to her nomination. She has also coached girls varsity basketball and, with Ms. Golden, has helped keep the George Hutchinson Scholarship running.
She always has a smile on her face, is kind and helps make school fun by playing music between classes and dancing along.
She helps foster a sense of belonging among students and staff.
“Lindsey is the kind of teacher we would all like to be more like,” her nominator wrote, “and kids are happy to see her name on their schedule and her smiling face when they enter the class.”
Katie Chakar
Mrs. Chakar’s pride in her work, positive energy and ability to make lessons fun earned her the Excellence in Service recognition.
“She comes to work every day with the biggest smile on her face, excited to see her students,” her nominator wrote. “Katie is wonderful and caring, always going above and beyond for her students and the teacher she works with.”
She comes up with fun crafts for her students, excels in organizing classroom materials and fosters a positive, inclusive atmosphere.
“Katie is a tremendous asset to Liberty Elementary School, especially in Mrs. Johnston’s class,” the nomination read.
There was no awardee from the middle school this month, as all nominees have already received the award.
Each month, staff members nominate others they believe are going above and beyond, be it a single act of excellence or kindness or a continuous work ethic.
We congratulate these employees on their awards.
Work progresses on alignment via Coherence pillar
As Liberty Central School District passes the midway point of its five-year strategic plan, the district is taking time to evaluate what has been accomplished so far and what still needs to be done. Earlier this school year, the district reviewed its mission, vision and beliefs, the Curriculum pillar, the Multi-Tier System of Supports pillar, and the Culture pillar. Now we will take a look at the final pillar — Coherence.
To review the strategic intent of the Coherence pillar:
- By June 2027, create and align 100% of applicable district procedures involving the fluid movement of information and expectations throughout all buildings evidenced by annual perception data.
What does this mean?
This pillar helps ensure that Liberty Central School District functions as one cohesive unit. When fully implemented, it will ensure everyone in the district is working toward the same goal, using the same policies, procedures and methods district wide and across buildings, grades and classes.
What is LCSD doing?
The district is adjusting the procedures for monitoring student progress, using Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports and Professional Learning Communities, as well as surveys and focus groups. There is now a Professional Learning Plan that aligns professional learning with the Strategic Plan and the district is working to implement it fully.
The district personnel department procedures are improving and officials are continuing to work toward full implementation.
Educating the school community about the district strategic plan and MTSS is underway and will continue.
For more information on the Coherence pillar or the strategic plan, email questions@libertyk12.org. This is the fifth and final in a series of messages that focus on different aspects of LCSD’s strategic plan and what it means for the Redhawk students, staff, families and community.
Sports schedule, and results, for the week of Feb. 10-16, 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. 10
3:30 p.m.: Boys and Girls Indoor Track and Field Varsity Invitational vs. Multiple Schools at SUNY Sullivan
4:15 p.m.: Girls Modified Basketball vs. Sullivan West Central at Liberty Middle School.
5 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. Beacon City at Beacon High School
5:45 p.m.: Boys Modified Basketball vs. Sullivan West Central at Liberty Middle School.
6 p.m.: Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Beacon City at Liberty High School
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Wrestling vs. Multiple Schools at Port Jervis High School.
6:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Beacon City Beacon High School
Tuesday, Feb. 11
10 a.m.: Boys and Girls Alpine Skiing Section Finals at Hunter Mountain
Wednesday, Feb. 12
All events canceled.
Thursday, Feb. 13
All events canceled or postponed.
Friday, Feb. 14
4 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. Cornwall Central at Cornwall High School
5:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Cornwall Central at Cornwall High School
Saturday, Feb. 15
9 a.m.: Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Sullivan West in the Audra Sipple Spath Memorial Scholarship Tournament Consolation Game at Livingston Manor
Sunday, Feb. 16
10:30 a.m.: Boys Varsity Wrestling Sectional vs. Multiple Schools at F.D. Roosevelt High School. For tickets: https://gofan.co/event/2933596?schoolId=NYSPHSAA9.
The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.
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.
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.
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.
LCSD awaits state OK of capital project plans
The capital project, approved by Liberty Central School District voters in January 2024, is moving forward, as the district awaits state Education Department approval of its plans.
In July, the district replaced architecture and engineering firm CSArch with LAN Associates.
Following testing and redesign of some aspects of the project, the plans were finalized in November and submitted to SED on Dec. 13. The district expects an update on approval from SED in February and anticipates final SED approval in April.
Once the SED approval is received, the projects will go out to bid, with bids reviewed and awarded by the Board of Education, likely in the spring.
Construction on the maintenance building was initially expected to begin in fall of 2024, with additional phases of the plan expected to begin in the late spring 2025. Because of required testing and changes in the design of the maintenance building, construction was delayed. Construction of the first phase of the capital project, which now includes construction of the maintenance building; athletic facility improvements, including the installation of a new synthetic turf field, track and field improvements, installation of a grandstand and press box, and installation of new athletic field lighting; upgrades to the HVAC controls at the middle and high school; upgrades to the carbon monoxide alarm system and replacement of exterior stairs at the high school; and replacements of some interior doors at the middle school, is now expected to begin in early summer.