With spring approaching, Liberty Central School District is reminding families of some communication policies and safety procedures.

The district encourages the  community to come out to support the students in their academic, athletic and fine art endeavors, while ensuring the campuses remain safe.

Parents or guardians are reminded of the Chain of Command Calling Guide for details on whom to contact with any concerns. Concerns regarding bullying and safety may also be reported through the Anonymous Alerts system.

The district adheres to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association guidelines, which encourage positivity, support and sportsmanship, and reminds spectators to follow the policy. Tobacco, alcohol, marijuana or other drug use is prohibited on school grounds, as are pets. Staff members are onsite during all contests and they will ask those who violate the policies to comply or leave.

The district also issued reminders of the steps in place to make Liberty a safe place in which to learn. Entry to all buildings requires keycard access for staff, and LCSD has a strict visiting procedure. Visitors are restricted to a single point of entry in each building. All visitors must show a valid ID at an automated kiosk before entering any of our school buildings, and will be buzzed in. All classrooms require keycard access as well, and doors are expected to remain closed and locked when occupied.

Through the district’s door lock system, school officials are able to immediately lock all doors if there is an emergency. Digital signs throughout common areas will help inform students and staff of what is happening. There are also strobe lights inside and outside the building, which will help alert of emergencies and advise those outside the building not to enter. If an emergency occurs, the Liberty Police Department is able to monitor school cameras.

LPD is an important partner, as a school resource officer from LPD is placed in each building. They regularly patrol and check for vulnerabilities and are a valuable resource to students and staff.

Faculty and staff are trained in what to do, in line with the districtwide safety plan, if an emergency occurs, and our schools have emergency drills several times a year.

“Safety for our students and staff is always one of the top priorities for Liberty Central School District, and we appreciate your support,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said.

Liberty Public Library will host a recurring event for kindergartners as well as a family movie event in the coming months.

The Junior Bookworm Club for kindergartners will meet from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Mondays, April 28 to May 19.

All children will be picked up at LES and brought to the library by library staff.
Students will be provided snacks, read books, play games, do crafts and more.
Registration will begin Monday, March 24, by calling 845-292-6070. Those who call earlier than that will be asked to call back.

Once registered, a permission form will be sent home that must be returned the student’s teacher indicating the parent or guardian’s pickup preference and other information. Pickup options include the child being picked up at the library at 4 p.m. or being brought by staff to the LES Boys & Girls Club, if they are already part of the program.

On Saturday, April 5, starting at 1 p.m., the library will host a showing of “Moana 2.”

Students of all ages and their parents or guardians are welcome to the free event. Popcorn will be served. An adult must stay with any child younger than 12.

The Liberty Public Library is at 189 N. Main St. in Liberty. For more information, call 845-292-6070 or visit www.libertypubliclibrary.org.

Nearly 100 students from Liberty Central School District will take part in the 70th annual Sullivan County Music Educators’ Association All-County Music Festival in Monticello.

Students will work with notable guest conductors from throughout the United States on Friday, March 7, and during the day on Saturday, March 8.

The event will culminate with three concerts on Saturday at the Monticello High School Arnold Packer Hughs Auditorium at 39 Breakey Ave. Elementary Chorus and Middle School Band will perform at 1 p.m., followed by Senior High Mixed Chorus, Junior High Band and Senior High Treble Chorus at 3 p.m., with the final concert, featuring Senior High Jazz Band and Junior High String Orchestra at 5 p.m.

Liberty students scheduled to participate in the festival are:

Elementary Chorus

Katarina Card, Riley Church-Bradley, Avery Decker, Viviana Fraiser, Joseph Geoghan, Tyler Kavleski, Sydney Kehrer, Makenzie Knack, Ryleigh LaMantia, Josslyn Letohic, Daisuke Mapes, Cora McConnell, Nicholas McPhillips, Logan Moore, Denali Owens, Shaleigh Santiago, MaKynlie Smith, Henry Vogler, Raegan Wagner and Sophie Zayas.

Middle School Band

Owen Brust, Raymond Cottman Jr., Dia D’Agata, Claire Ferguson, Michael Garzon, Chase Golzak, Gavin Grant, Mia Grant, Genesis Harrison, Dylan Joya Reyes, Aubrie Keating, Lilly Kehrley, Antoni Klys, Corinne Lake, Harper Matuszak, Bentley Moore, Scarlett Ratner, Sherlene Romero, Caleb Rusin and Brycen Smith.

Junior High Band

Phillip Burrous, Amelia Cole, Grace Fitzgerald, Jasmine Garcia Reyes, Mariana Joya Reyes, Jacob Pennell and Tyler Smith.

Junior High String Orchestra

Farrah Conklin Degraw, Joshua DiBartolo, Makayla Fuentes-Serapio, Belle Gandulla, Alan Hernandez Lopez, Ayelene Ines-Leon, Isabella Intranuovo, Olivia Matuszak, McKinzie Paterson, Aaliyssa Rodriguez, Sulenny Romero and Alena Tarabichi and Sophia Vasko.

Junior High Band

Zachariah Bickham, Hope Corbett and Timothy Eronimous.

Senior High Jazz Band

Kaitlyn  Bodolosky, Brandon Buschmann, Sophia Ferguson, Luis Molina Gonzalez and Phillo Romero.

High School Treble Choir

Endya Alvarez, Liliana Crespo, Sydania Foster, Lianna Gissentaner, Audrey Krum, Lena Lagatutta, Angelina Magie, Katherine Maldonado, Elizabeth Navarette, Riley Santiago and Mykenzi Williams.

High School Mixed Choir

Sophia Avellino, Genna DeFrank, Eli Desrochers, , Allisson Diaz Lopez, Christopher DiBartolo, Lia Guillerme, Jordan Hewlett, Kelsey Hopkins,Tyler Juron, Jacob Kelly, Joshua Kratz, Shea-Leigh Kristiansen, James Letohic III, Gabriella Sheridan, Elijah Warren, Rachel Yaun, Sebastian Yupanqui and Rita Zheng.

Participating students have had a chance to pre-purchase tickets. Any remaining tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and are $8 each.

Please note that all concert audience members will go through a security checkpoint with metal detectors. Attendees are asked to leave unnecessary bags in the vehicle and personal knives are not permitted into the building.

For more information on the concert, call Andrew Verdino or Michael Mingo at 845-794-8840, ext. 10853.

The New York State Education Department recently released accountability designations for all public school districts as required under the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA. There are no changes in the 2024-25 designations.

The Middle School remains a Targeted Support and Improvement School, because four student subgroups — Black, Hispanic, English Language Learners and Economically Disadvantaged — did not meet expectations.

Liberty Elementary School remains designated as a Potential Target School, due to the achievement scores of our students with disabilities.

The District remains a Targeted District, because of the Middle School designation.

Last year Liberty High School was classified a Local Support and Improvement school, formerly known as a “School in Good Standing.” LHS had been on the Targeted Support and Improvement school list for several years, including the two years designations were not changed because of the pause in testing during the COVID pandemic.

For more information about the district’s accountability designations, visit the district’s ESSA webpage, or contact Interim Assistant Superintendent Marianne Serratore at 845-292-5400, ext. 2063, or mserratore@libertyk12.org.

Please watch the following video message from Dr. Patrick Sullivan,

Message in text below:

Hello Liberty,

Spring is just around the corner, at least that’s what we are told. But before the warmer weather hits, I want to take a moment to look back at all the great things our Redhawks have accomplished this winter.

Our athletes have shown growth across all sports, with several student-athletes seeing  post-season play. Seven wrestlers competed in sectionals, four of our indoor track and field athletes took part in state qualifiers, and a Liberty skier, Hudson Danzilo, participated in states.

On the arts side, our photographers and writers earned dozens of awards in the Mid-Hudson Regional Scholastic Art and Writing competition. Liberty Performing Arts presented a wonderful production of “Clue,” and LES had its first Drama Club production, “Seussical Kids.” I look forward to the Middle School’s “Shrek Jr.” in April.

I also want to thank everyone who attended our All Things Liberty Winter Festival last month.It was great seeing so many of our Redhawk families have fun while learning more about our school community.

I visit classrooms across our buildings regularly and am impressed with all the hard work our faculty and staff are putting in to make Liberty a great place to learn. We couldn’t do what we do without them.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email questions@libertyk12.org.

Thank you.

The Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation will host the Hanofee Summer Camp for students ages 5 and older.

There will be a variety of fun and creative outdoor activities, including storytelling, painting, arts and crafts, games, music and dance and daily swimming.

Registration for town of Liberty residents, at $700,  will open March 1.
Nonresident registration, at $800, will open April 1.

To register or for more information, call Parks and Rec at 845-292-7690.

Although there is still more than three months until the public will vote on the Liberty Central School District budget, district officials have been hard at work for months to begin crafting a budget that will maintain programs and balance fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers.

The process began in October when Assistant Superintendent for Business Laurene McKenna requested 2025-26 proposals from administrators.

In December, Ms. McKenna presented the rollover budget information to the Board of Education. Those items include expenses that are carried over from year-to-year such as salaries, health care costs and other contractual obligations.

Preliminary state aid proposals were released last month. Under this proposal, Liberty CSD would see a 3.02% — or more than $1 million — increase in Foundation Aid, the main source of funding from the state. The district did see a loss in reimbursements from capital projects, but that is because a gap in capital project outlays during the current fiscal year.

The first presentation of the budget proposal, which will provide a conceptual framework for the final budget, will go before the Board of Education on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

“Our goal is to maintain the programs put in place during COVID, which used funds from the American Rescue Plan and Every Student Succeeds acts, even though that funding has dropped,” Ms. McKenna said.

The budget will hold true to the district’s strategic plan and continue investments in our students’ education following the District Comprehensive Improvement and building-level plans, Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said.

Once the budget is finalized, the district will plan a series of informational sessions in the community that will be communicated as they are set.

The budget vote will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the high school Media Center. For more budget information, visit the district’s budget page.