Dear Liberty families,

I hope you are having a wonderful summer, so far. As the school year quickly approaches, I just wanted to share some reminders of our policies and procedures as well offer some updates.

Goals for the year

Each year, Liberty creates a District Comprehensive Improvement Plan, which sets our goals and priorities for the school year. Our priorities for 2023-24 are:

• Priority 1: Provide an accessible, culturally responsive, relevant, engaging, vertically and horizontally aligned PK-12 curriculum, that makes connections to our students and community.
• Priority 2: Provide a MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) for behavior and attendance that cultivates wellness and safety for students, staff and families.
• Priority 3: Create a positive, welcoming student centered environment that celebrates diversity and inclusivity to empower students, staff and families.

The full DCIP is being finalized and will be available on our website once complete. There you will be able to see the details on how we plan to reach the goals set out in the plan, in tandem with our five-year strategic plan.

Attendance

The most important thing students can do to improve their academic outcomes is to be in school on time, every day. Studies have shown that students can suffer academically if they miss 10 percent of the school year. That’s only 18 days, or two to three days a month.

We know students will get sick, and we don’t want them to school when they can share their illness with others. But we do want to see our students at school as often as possible. We encourage parents and guardians to schedule appointments at times that have the least impact on a student’s attendance, and we advise against scheduling vacations at times that will interfere with the school year.

Advance notice of students’ absences is encouraged when possible, so that teachers may plan for those absences and provide work ahead of time, when possible. If advance notice isn’t possible, a parent or guardian should notify the main office of their student’s building to inform them of the absence before the school day begins. More information about our attendance policies can be found in our student handbooks.

Chain of Command Calling Guide

If you are looking for information or have a concern, it can be difficult to know who the best person to contact may be. That’s where our Chain of Command Calling Guide can help. Following the chain of command can help us address your concerns in the most efficient way possible.

The guide is included in the back of our calendar, which will be mailed out soon, as well as online at https://www.libertyk12.org/contact-us/command-calling-guide/. General questions or concerns can also be emailed to questions@libertyk12.org.

Dignity for All Students Act

We aim to provide a safe, welcoming, considerate and caring environment for all students who attend Liberty Central School District. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is also the law.

Liberty has policies and procedures to address any harassment, bullying or discrimination against students. You can read more about it, as well as how to report any related concerns, on the DASA page on our website.

Visiting Procedures

Ensuring the safety of our staff and students is a top priority. That is why we require all visitors to check in at the main office of the building they are visiting, using a valid ID. They will receive a visitor badge that is good for that day and only that building. If visitors will be at several buildings, they must receive a badge for each building they enter.

Our procedures haven’t changed since last year. To review our full visiting procedures, visit https://www.libertyk12.org/visiting-procedures/.

Community Forum

I also want to remind you of our upcoming community forum from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, in front of the high school entrance. There, we will talk about updates for the 2023-24 school year, as well as review our five-year strategic plan—what we’ve done so far, and what will be happening in the coming months. Will also answer any questions you may have. We invite all families to attend.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I hope to see you on Aug. 30.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Sullivan

Superintendent