Category: High School News
Seven earn awards at countywide art show
Seven Liberty student artists participating in the Countywide Art Show at Bethel Woods won awards.
- People’s Choice Printmaking: Serenity Moore.
- Artist’s Choice Mixed Media: Madelynn Stewart
- Artist’s Choice BW Photography: Endya Alvarez
- People’s Choice BW Photography: Allison Vasko, Jenifer Jadan
- Artist’s Choice Color Photography: Leonel Malaga Ventura, Savannah Pagan
The show is open to the public from 2 to 6 p.m. today (March 28) and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday March 29 and 30.
High school principal named new assistant superintendent
Liberty Central School District will have a familiar face as its new assistant superintendent starting July 1.
High School Principal Derek Adams was approved to serve the role by the Liberty Central School Board of Education on Tuesday, March 25.
“Dr. Adams has had a great impact as principal of Liberty High School,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “I look forward to working with him now at the district level, as we continue to make progress in achieving the goals of our five-year strategic plan.”
Dr. Adams will replace Marianne Serratore, who has served as interim assistant superintendent since October 2023.
“I also want to thank Ms. Serratore for her work over the past nearly two years, helping streamline our curriculum mapping and making strides in implementing our strategic plan,” Dr. Sullivan said.
He is a graduate of Livingston Manor High School, Sullivan County Community College and SUNY Cortland. On Jan. 31, 2025, Dr. Adams earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from American College of Education.
He started his teaching career in 2005 at Sullivan BOCES, teaching physical education, before serving as the assistant principal and director of physical education, health and athletics at Tri-Valley Secondary School.
In 2016, Dr. Adams was appointed high school assistant principal and athletic director at Wallkill Central School District.
In 2020, he earned an excellence in administration award from the Mid-Hudson School Study Council.
“I am both honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the district on a larger scale to support the students of Liberty as an Assistant Superintendent. Having spent the past seven years as a high school principal in this district, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of our educators, the resilience of our students, and the strength of our community,” Dr. Adams said. “I look forward to reaching our vision through collaboration, strategic planning and execution to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality, rigorous and inclusive education. Together, we will build coherence across all schools, strengthen instructional practices and foster a culture of continuous improvement that empowers both educators and students to reach their full potential.”
BOE to have special meeting March 31
There will be a special meeting of the Board of Education at 5 p.m. Monday, March 31, 2025, in the District Office at 115 Buckley St., Liberty.
The board will vote on a brief agenda, which will be open to the public. The board then anticipates entering into executive session. There will be no other business and the meeting will be adjourned at the end of the executive session. The Executive Session is not open to the public. The agenda will be available at Board Docs on Sunday, March 30.
The next regular meeting of the board will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in the HS Media Center.
Library to host game day for middle, high school students
The Liberty Public Library will host a Teen Game Day after school until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 7
Students in middle and high school are invited to the library, at 189 N. Main St., in front of the Liberty Elementary School, to play games traditional games such as Uno, Monopoly, chess and Skip-Bo, or learn new games such as Chinese checkers, spoons or Tenzis. Snacks will be provided.
For more information, call 845-292-6070 or visit www.libertypubliclibrary.org.
Liberty students to take part in Countywide PK-12 Art Show at Bethel Woods
Liberty Central School District students’ artwork will be among the works on display during the Sullivan County PK-12 Art Show later this week.
Works from students from the county’s eight school districts and Sullivan BOCES will be featured at the Events Gallery at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The show will kick off with a high school student opening from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27. The show will open to the public with an opening reception from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 28, and will continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30.
Student artwork from 10 media categories — Ceramics and Glass, Digital Art, Design, Black and White Drawing, Color Drawing, Mixed Media, Painting, Black and White Photography, Color Photography, Film and Animation, and Sculpture — will be on display
The Sullivan County PK-12 Art Show is one of the many programs offered through the Arts In Education Program at Sullivan BOCES.
LES kindergarten registration to open April 1
Registration for kindergarten at Liberty Elementary School will open April 1.
To qualify, children must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2025, and a resident of the Liberty Central School District. Students that are in the Liberty Central School District universal pre-k program at LES or G&D do not need to register.
To register, parents or guardians must fill out a registration packet and provide a copy of parent/guardian’s photo ID; custody papers, if applicable; proof of residency, such as a utility bill or rental lease; and the child’s birth certificate, immunization records and a copy of recent physical exam, which must include all school physical exam requirements. Parents and guardians are encouraged to check with their child’s doctor for details.
To register, email haustin@libertyk12.org or call 845-292-5400, ext. 2331.
Sports schedule, and results, for the week of March 24-30, 2025
Spring sports will kick off this week with tennis.
Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.
Monday, March 24
No events scheduled.
Tuesday, March 25
No events scheduled.
Wednesday, March 26
No events scheduled.
Thursday, March 27
No events scheduled.
Friday, March 28
4:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Warwick Valley Central School District at Warwick Valley Middle School
Saturday, March 29
No events scheduled
Sunday, March 30
No events scheduled.
The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.
Pre-K registration open at Liberty
Pre-K registration for the 2025-26 school year began March 1 at Liberty Central School District and will remain open through March 31.
Eligible pre-kindergarten students must be residents of the district and turn 4 years old before Dec. 1, 2025.
All eligible applications received by March 31 will be included in a lottery for any available slots. The lottery will take place in late April. Any applications filed after March 30 will be added to a waitlist. All slots will be full day.
Pre-K registration is held at Liberty School District’s Registration Office, 115 Buckley St., Liberty. To make an appointment call Heather Austin at 845-292-5400, ext. 2331.
Families are asked to bring the following to their appointment, along with a completed registration packet:
- A copy of the parent/guardian’s photo ID
- The child’s birth certificate
- Proof of residency (such as a utility bill or rental lease)
- Immunization records, including proof of lead screen
- Copy of a recent physical exam (must include all school physical exam requirements; please check with doctor)
- Custody papers, if applicable
LCSD faculty, staff learn, hear from students at professional development day
While many students enjoyed a well-deserved sleep-in during their day off on Friday, March 14, a group of dedicated Liberty students took part in the district’s Professional Development/Conference Day, engaging with administrators, faculty and staff to share their insights and feedback.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan and Interim Assistant Superintendent Marianne Serratore kicked off the day by addressing the faculty and staff, offering key updates on the district’s five-year strategic plan as well as the comprehensive improvement and priority plans for both the district and schools. They reviewed the progress made thus far, highlighted the significant improvements achieved this year and outlined the next steps in the district’s continued growth and development.
Student panel
Following the address, a panel of 10 students took to the stage in the high school auditorium to offer valuable feedback on their experiences at Liberty. The student panel consisted of seniors Kenisha Ledoux and Jackson Bustillo, early graduate Camryn Will, junior Shaun Bickham, sophomore Mariely Medina Orellana, and ninth-grader Adriana Ponce Agredano. Additionally, middle school students Selkir Molina Gonzalez, Claire Ferguson, Avery Decker and Parker Gissentanner participated in the panel.
The students were asked a variety of questions, which allowed them to reflect on their experiences at Liberty. The topics covered included their overall experience, specific classes that had made an impact, notable staff members, extracurricular activities, important lessons learned, and their future aspirations.
Each student was able to offer their individual insights on their experiences, however several themes ran throughout their responses. Having a teacher or staff member they can turn to for advice and support was very important. Students also said they appreciated being challenged—in class, extracurricular activities and in personal growth—by their teachers, as it is done to push them forward.
The older students encouraged the younger students to take advantage of all opportunities presented to them, even if it is out of their comfort zone. Other advice from the students was to stay organized, not let others influence your decisions, never give up, have fun, stay positive and find balance.
“It’s important to find time for (academic) things, but it’s important to find time for yourself, because you are important,” Kenisha said.
Expanding skills
The Professional Development Day also offered faculty and staff numerous opportunities to enhance their skills. One such session, aimed at visual arts teachers, focused on ceramics techniques, providing insights into new approaches for teaching this medium.
Several faculty attended specialized training in Fallsburg, including an AI in the Music Classroom session tailored to music teachers. Another session, One Trusted Adult, was offered to teacher assistants and aides, emphasizing the importance of creating a trusting relationship with students. This session provided strategies to help staff build meaningful connections with students, offering them a reliable adult to turn to for support.
ELA and math teachers, along with aides, participated in training on the NWEA MAPS Assessments, which will be implemented in elementary and middle schools starting next year. These assessments will help teachers better identify students’ academic needs, track progress and pinpoint areas of strength.
In the area of career readiness, the middle and high schools use SchoolLinks to assist students in planning their career paths. On this day, guidance and clinical staff received training on SchoolLinks Event Planner, a tool designed to streamline the organization and management of career fairs, mentorship programs, internships and other events that allow Liberty students to explore careers and connect with professionals in their desired fields.
LCSD Behavioral Specialist Sheila Wormuth led a session, “Defining Trauma and Understanding Its Impact,” that helped staff understand the various ways trauma can affect students, equipping them with the knowledge to create a supportive and welcoming environment for all learners.
To further support the district’s English Language Learners (ELL), Educational Technology Specialist Meredith Paff conducted a session providing an overview of instructional technology designed to assist ELL students. Additionally, Paff offered training for elementary staff on using the LES building calendar through Google and creating personalized settings to enhance efficiency in scheduling and communication.
When not engaged in specific training sessions, staff had the opportunity to focus on other essential tasks such as state-mandated training, curriculum mapping using the new Eduplanet platform, lesson planning and collaboration within professional learning communities.
“Each Professional Development Day builds upon our past efforts,” Dr. Sullivan said. “I want to thank Ms. Serratore for organizing these exceptional events. While this marks the last PD day for the year, I am confident that our learning and growth will continue as we strive to make Liberty a great place to learn—for both our colleagues and, most importantly, our students.”
Harlem Wizards to return to Liberty March 19
The Liberty PTA will again host the Harlem Wizards vs. the Liberty Redhawk staff basketball game at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the Liberty High School Gymnasium.
Tickets are on sale now. To order tickets and for ticket information, visit https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards/libertyny03-19-25-06-30pm/