Author: Denielle.Cazzolla
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.
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.
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.
A message from the superintendent on supporting our entire student community
Dear Liberty families,
I am proud of our diverse community here at Liberty Central School District. Every one of you brings a unique perspective to our district that enriches us all.
I understand that some in our community may be concerned about changes that may occur in the coming weeks and months with a new administration.
We just want you all to know that we are committed to providing all of our students a quality education. As part of the commitment, we embrace the Parent Bill of Rights for New York State’s English Language Learners.
The document guarantees access to free public education in the school district where a student lives, regardless of the immigration status of the parent/guardian or student and the language that the family speaks. It also allows for families to enroll students without submitting paperwork that may reveal immigration status. The document also makes provisions for providing interpreters, a bilingual education and more. For more information, you can call the ELL Parent Hotline at 1-800-469-8224, email nysparenthotline@nyu.edu or mail New York State Education Department, Office of Bilingual Education & World Languages, 55 Hanson Place, Room 594, Brooklyn, NY 11217.
We also understand our rights and responsibilities in protecting and helping all of our students.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the state Office of Attorney General and the state Education Department also recently issued guidance and reminders regarding the educational rights of immigrant families and the responsibilities of school districts in regard to bullying and harassment, law enforcement actions, detainment and deportation of family members. The document also listed numerous resources available to families. The full document is available on the SED website here.
It is important for us to educate our students and their families, beyond the classroom, so they can learn and grow here in Liberty.
To that end, I want to make you aware of an upcoming event to which Liberty families are invited. The New York Immigration Coalition will present a workshop on immigrant rights from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at Fallsburg Central School District’s Benjamin Cosor Elementary School Cafeteria at 15 Old Falls Road in Fallsburg.
We are also updating our English as a New Language webpage to provide more resources.
Please reach out to our Student Services and School Counseling/Guidance Offices for more information and resources, and as always, if you have questions, please email questions@libertyk12.org.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent
Parents, guardians encouraged to sign up for ParentSquare
Liberty Middle School parents and guardians can stay involved with their students’ learning and activities of school anywhere with the ParentSquare app.
Invitations to sign up for ParentSquare have been sent to all parent or guardian email addresses on file with the district. Those who did not get the invitation or may have missed it, can visit www.parentsquare.com/signin and register their account using the phone number or email address on file with the district. Those who are unable to sign in should reach out to the LMS main office at 845-292-5400, ext. 2311, to confirm the correct information is on file.
All critical information is sent to parents and guardians via phone, email and/or text, even if they are not signed up. However, to receive all communications, including district-, school- and classroom-level posts, as well as access to direct messaging with staff, signup is required. ParentSquare can be accessed via the computer, but for even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
Those who have questions can click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version of Parent Square or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most questions.
Learn more about ParentSquare at https://www.libertyk12.org/academics/family-involvement/parentsquare/
Culture pillar ensures LCSD’s focus is on mission, vision
As Liberty Central School District approaches 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 and the Multi-Tier System of Supports pillar. Now it is time to take a look at the Culture pillar.
To review the strategic intent of the Culture pillar:
- By 2027, all policies, procedures and communication will encompass the key elements of the district’s mission and vision as evidenced by perception survey data.
What does this mean?
While this pillar may be the shortest, in terms of words in its strategic intent, it perhaps holds the largest overall impact. This pillar’s goal is to ensure that the district keeps its mission and vision at the center of what it does, in words and in actions, as well as clearly communicate to all its staff, families and community that commitment.
What is LCSD doing?
The district reinforces its mission, vision and beliefs internally at staff meetings and conference days. Community forums are used to provide information to and seek feedback from families. Administrators also present the district’s efforts at community and governmental organization meetings.
The district has also taken the steps to bring the community together through community-school based activities such as All Things Liberty Winter Festival.
It is also important to see if the efforts are working, so the district administers culture and climate surveys and focus groups to allow the school community to evaluate the district’s progress.
For more information on the Culture pillar or the strategic plan, email questions@libertyk12.org.
This is the fourth in a series of stories that focus on different aspects of LCSD’s strategic plan and what it means for the Redhawk students, staff, families and community.
LHS senior earns Section 9 football honors
Liberty High School senior Christopher Rodgers was named to the Class B Section 9/League Football team.
A team captain, he was a wide receiver, returner and cornerback for the Redhawks. He has played for Liberty for three years.
Chris, the team’s leading score, always led by example, verbally and physically, Head Coach Adam Lake said. “Chris is the perfect example of the standard we are looking for in a Redhawk football player—100 percent effort 100 percent of the time.”
LCSD School Counseling Department addresses variety of needs for all students
Liberty Central School District provides a comprehensive school counseling program for all students. Our school counselors, school social workers, behavioral specialists and school psychologists are certified educators trained to provide a range of assistance.
The traditional role of what was once known as a guidance counselor was primarily academic and future planning. But that role today encompasses so much more, including focusing on the social and emotional, as well as academic, well-being of students now and into the future.. Because they now offer much more than academic guidance, they are now known as school counselors.
Our school social workers are the link between the school, home and community, providing support to address students’ social, emotional and behavioral needs that may impact learning, as well as connecting students to resources in the community that can assist them.
Our behavior specialists assess student behaviors, develop intervention plans, work with teachers and staff to implement those plans, and monitor progress to adjust the plan as needed, helping students with behavioral obstacles succeed.
Our school psychologists help identify academic, social and emotional obstacles that may prevent students from reaching their full potential, and they work with the school counseling team to provide interventions to address those obstacles. These obstacles could be long-term issues or crisis situations.
The members of our School Counseling Department work together, and with teachers, staff and administration, to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential.
We encourage our students to reach out to the School Counseling Department, not only for academic and career advice, but also for the social and emotional support and guidance they need.
Learn more about our school counseling program at https://www.libertyk12.org/department-services/guidance-departments/
Notes needed for bus pick up changes
Parents or guardians of students who wish to be picked up from a different location than their normal bus pickup location in the morning must provide a note requesting the change stating the dates and new location in advance. Notes should be sent to the student’s school’s main office by the end of the previous school day. Requests will be approved if space allows. If the request cannot be granted the family will be notified. For safety reasons, the bus drivers are only able to pick up the students on the bus roster.