Category: Middle School News
Seventh graders get tasty lessons on healthy eating
Liberty Middle School seventh grade students recently learned about the health benefits of consuming local foods and the farm-to-table philosophy thanks to Foster Hospitality and its nonprofit, A Single Bite.
This is the second year LMS and A Single Bite have partnered in this program, which is coordinated by Sara Hazlenis, a LCS alumna.
“This program is a great way for students to see different foods that are produced locally, and get them out of their comfort zone by trying new foods that are prepared fresh,” said seventh grade health and PE teacher Rich Feeney.
In January, Kyle Goldstein, A Single Bite presenter and LCS alumnus, visited classes and discussed health and nutrition related statistics for New York state and Sullivan County. Chef Peter Yurasits prepared three “bites” for students to taste and then discuss characteristics of each with their classmates. All ingredients came from different areas of the county, and each student was encouraged to try “A Single Bite” of each snack.
The bites included cheddar cheese on a Granny Smith apple, smoked trout on cucumber, and a potato pancake with applesauce.
Students then took a field trip to Sprouting Dreams Farms in February where they were given the opportunity to explore the grounds with farmer Eugene Thalmann. He discussed goal setting and using resources, as well as conducted a tour of his vegetable farm, which includes three greenhouses that he discussed the purpose for each during the tour. Students sampled a few greens fresh from the garden and enjoyed the company of the farm dog, Loki.
The following week, students were treated to a farm-to-table, family-style lunch at The Arnold House. The meal included fresh salad, roasted chicken, carrots, fingerling potatoes and a lemon honey tart. All ingredients were locally produced and freshly prepared. Students discussed the tastes, smells and textures of the food while enjoying the meal. After each course, the chef shared with the students where the food came from and how it was prepared.
Goldstein returned to the Liberty classrooms mid-February to recap the field trips as well as discuss the difference between real versus processed foods, as well as health benefits. Yurasits prepared three more snacks for the class, and they were asked to once again try “A Single Bite” while describing the food. The bites included parsnip soup, venison summer sausage on a sweet potato chip, and a garlic scape on a roasted carrot.
“It was a great experience,” student Tyler Juron said, “because we learned about local foods and got to eat an amazing lunch.”
Goals are more powerful than wishes
How Liberty schools use goal-setting for improvement
A wish is something we hope happens. A goal is something we make happen. The main difference between wishes and goals are: clear purpose, effort and priority.
Goal-setting is an integral part of the Leader in Me program, which Liberty has instituted in all of its buildings.
This year, elementary and middle school students have begun setting Wildly Important Goals, or WIGs. SMART goals have been a feature at the high school level for several years. In each case, these goals are those determined to be more important than all others. They are specific, measurable and realistic and can be personal or academic.
But setting the goal is only the first step.
Once a goal is identified, action steps are planned to help reach that goal.
For example, an elementary student’s WIG may be to read a chapter book each month. The student decides that goal can be achieved by reading 20 minutes each night. That task, known as a lead measure, can be used to track progress each day. This is habit building.
At the elementary school, goals can be academic, behavioral or social, and generally focus on the individual student. Although the goal may be personalized, the progress is shared with a partner, group, class or building. At LES, there are school-wide, classroom and individual student goals.
Sharing your progress toward a goal is important, according to LES Principal Robert England. “Letting your accountability partners know how you are doing is key. When students know that other people are invested in their daily progress, students are more likely to change their behaviors to achieve their goals. Eventually, these healthy behaviors turn into self-sustaining habits for long term wellness.”
At the middle school, the WIG starts at the building level: ”By May 2023, 80% of grade 5-8 students’ current Student Growth Percentile will be at or above proficiency level (25+) as evidenced by the Spring 2023 STAR Assessment in Reading.”
Each student’s goal is set using the STAR assessment given at the beginning of the year. The assessment breaks down each student’s progress and offers areas on which a student can improve. The students set their WIGs and list at least two things (lead measures) that can be used to help them reach that goal, such as taking notes during daily reading or effectively logging their reading time. Students will be reviewing their new STAR Assessment data from this winter to update their WIGs and Lead Measures.
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t LMS, time is set aside during classes to focus on the individual WIGs, and the teachers track the time spent. The time spent is compiled by grade on a google form. The tracking also makes it more fun for students, there is a schoolwide scoreboard displayed in the lobby and grade levels are celebrated at the monthly LIM DEAL (Leader in Me Drop Everything and Lead) Assemblies, said LMS Principal Heather Cheh.
At the high school level, goal-setting is done slightly differently, using Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Bound goals, which encompass the same dynamics of WIGs.
The high school has been using SMART goals since the Professional Learning Community model was introduced a few years ago. Each Content Teacher Team, those who teach the same course, has a SMART goal. Tracking progress is specific to each goal, but is accomplished through common assessments and data analysis.
Each level of goal-setting builds on the others.
When students do better, classrooms do better, then grade-levels do better, and the building does better, and eventually the district, as a whole, will see improvement.
These improvements could be academic, behavioral or social. Improvement in all three helps make for a better community schoolwide.
Strategic Plan: What coherence means to Liberty
When we introduced our strategic plan at the beginning of the school year, we just scratched the surface of what the plan means for the district and how we will implement it.
As we mentioned in introducing the plan, the purpose of the plan is to help Liberty set its long-term priorities and establish overarching goals to ensure our students get a well-rounded and quality education.
As with any plan, we need a solid foundation on which to build. Our plan has four pillars, and every month or so, we’ll look closer at one pillar of the plan.
Here, we will focus on the first pillar: Coherence. Our first strategic intent in the strategic plan reads: “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?
It means that we are working to improve our communication across the buildings and the district to get everyone on the same page on how procedures inside and outside the classroom work and to keep everyone informed.
Why is this important?
We are one district. It is important that students, faculty and staff have consistent measures on which to gauge their progress and success. A move from elementary to middle school or middle to high school shouldn’t mean a whole new set of expectations for a student, and staff members who work in multiple buildings should be able to use the same rules, methods and procedures, no matter which building they are in.
It is also important to have open and transparent exchanges of thoughts and ideas between all members of the school community, whether it be at the grade or subject matter level, building level or district wide. These collaborative actions help build a sense of belonging among our Liberty school family.
How are we doing this?
- We are aligning our goals and setting procedures to be used across the entire district.
- Our strategic plan, District Comprehensive Improvement Plan and building-level plans ensure we are measuring success with a consistent gauge.
- Using Multi-Tier Systems of Supports and Professional Learning Communities, we are regularly assessing our data to gauge where we are succeeding and where we need improvement. This allows us to actively adapt our teaching methods and strategies.
- We also use our PLCs to collectively problem solve and exchange ideas to improve our teaching methods.
- Building- and district-level meetings are also held regularly. We will continue to seek input through community forums, focus groups and surveys for all sectors of our school community.
- We are improving our staff training and are working on making our internal meetings more productive to better share ideas.
- Professional development for all staff is important. Our Professional Development Plan serves as a guide to ensure our staff is getting the tools they need to succeed. We are also developing methods to annually review our procedure and policies with all staff.
- New personnel procedures have been implemented and we are looking at ways to help improve the onboarding of new staff and substitutes to ensure every new employee understands our policies.
- New teachers have extra support. They have mentors who they meet with at least once per week to address issues the new employees face. They also work together to set and achieve at least one SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Bound) goal. Professional development begins with new teacher orientation and continues with mentor/mentee specific sessions available throughout the year. We do this to provide opportunities for teacher growth, support best practices, maintain the best classroom instruction, cultivate a positive school culture and promote teacher retention.
By ensuring coherence, Liberty Central School District will be able to better lead Liberty into the future with one voice.
Eighth graders’ trip teaches about technology’s impact
The eighth graders took a trip to the Hurleyville Arts Centre and Hurleyville O&W Rail Trail last month.
Unit 1 of the new Into Literature curriculum poses the essential question: “Does technology control our lives?” To answer this question, the class is reading a variety of texts to formulate their arguments.
As an extension of this, Hurleyville Arts Center provided a private showing of the movie “The Social Dilemma” for the class. The movie focuses on the social and cultural impact of social media usage and the tactics used to modify behaviors as well as the psychological impacts.
To help showcase an alternative to a technology filled world, students visited the Hurleyville O&W Rail Trail walk and ride. There they had an opportunity to explore the historic rail trail and discover the natural world around them.
The students also gathered in small groups to debrief and reflect on what they had learned.
See more photos from the trip on the LCSD Facebook page. and the LCSD Instagram page
LCSD hosts All Things Liberty
Liberty Central School District’s fourth annual All Things Liberty drew scores of people to the school Thursday to connect families with local organizations in an effort to promote their overall well-being.
“There are great things happening in the Liberty school and community to help improve student success,” said Liberty High School Assistant Principal Devin Lamar, who organized the event.
As attendees entered, they were greeted by the Liberty Strings Quintet who serenaded guests as they arrived. From there, families had an opportunity to connect with local agencies, as well as see representatives from school based clubs and organizations who shared all of the wonderful events happening within the Liberty Central School District.
Outside agencies that were present provided families with important information on health, safety and education. Student volunteers also offered fun activities such as arts and crafts, face painting and a photo booth for all to enjoy. Many of the students walked away from All Things Liberty with a stack of free books to help support their journey toward becoming lifelong readers.
Community vendors that were present included Sullivan County Public Health, Cornerstone Healthcare, National Alliance of Mental Illness, Independent Living, Sullivan BOCES, Liberty Partnership Program and Brighter Futures, SUNY Sullivan, the Town of Liberty Supervisor Frank DeMayo, the Liberty Police Department, Liberty Moo Duk Kwan Academy, Migrant Education, The Child Care Council, The Children’s Home, Boys & Girls Club, Sullivan County 4-H, SALT, Wayne Bank and Bethel Woods.
“Liberty Central School is thrilled to have such supportive partners, and looks forward to working together in the future,” Lamar said.
School programs, clubs and organizations that were present included the High School and Middle Student Councils, Elementary, Middle and High School administrators, Snack Pack Collection, Maker Space, the Wellness Committee, Business Incubator, Future Business Leaders of America, Middle School Ski Club, Middle School Garden Club, Science Olympiad, Liberty PTA, Leader in Me and Allusions Club.
The event was capped off with “A Taste of Liberty,” a sampling of a food from local restaurants: Yiasou, Red Diamond, Paesano’s, Sweet Basil, Liberty Diner, New Munson Diner, Panchos, Garden Zheng, Chick E Ribs, Don Gabriel’s and Star Bar.
“I appreciate everyone who took time out of the evening to help showcase all Liberty has to offer,” Lamar said, “and I thank all of the parents, guardians and community members who attended so we could highlight ‘All Things Liberty.’”
See more photos on our Facebook and Instagram pages.