Category: District News
For seventh year, Liberty earns Best Communities for Music Education honor
For the seventh consecutive year, Liberty Central School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Liberty answered detailed questions about funding, instructional time, participation rates, facilities and community support. To uphold the program’s rigor and credibility, all applications were independently reviewed and verified by WolfBrown, a leading research and evaluation firm specializing in education and the arts.
“Music education is essential education,” LCSD Director of Music Eric Aweh said. “Creativity, discipline and emotional expression as well as cognitive and motor skills are all enhanced through music.”
Liberty musicians and vocalists take part in a variety of events throughout the year, including concerts, ensembles, parades, all-county and all-state events, and the Liberty Jazz Festival, which unfortunately was canceled due to weather this year. The district did host the Sullivan County All-County Music Festival in March
The spring concert series will begin next month with the Liberty High School Mixed Spring concert on May 6., followed by the Grades 7-8 Spring concert on May 12, the LHS Honors concert on May 14, and the Grades 5-6 concert on May 19. The series will conclude with the Elementary Spring concert on June 1. All concerts will be at 6:30 p.m. in the High School auditorium. The annual Liberty Music and Community Fest will be at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, in Lapolt Park in Liberty
“It is important for schools to foster an understanding—and love—of music in our students,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “The NAMM Foundation’s continued recognition of our dedication to providing a quality music education where that understanding and love can bloom is appreciated.”
Now in its 27th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, visit www.nammfoundation.org.
LCSD board approves proposed 2026-27 budget
Information sessions planned
The Liberty Central School District Board of Education approved a $72 million budget for the 2026-27 school year that includes no tax levy increase.
The proposed $72,032,104 budget increases spending 5.14%, or $3,523,742 and would fund all current student programs and services while accounting for increases in costs such as health care, transportation and contractual obligations.
Based on the governor’s budget proposal’s state aid projections, the district expects an overall increase in state aid of about $1.1 million, with the tax lex levy remaining at $17,760,162.
The district will have several opportunities for residents to learn more about the proposed budget.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan will host a series of informational sessions before the public vote from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, in the high school media center at 125 Buckley St.
He will present the budget to the Liberty Town Board during its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 4, in the Senior Citizen Center at 119 N. Main St.
The following day, Tuesday, May 5, will be the official budget public hearing, which will be held in the High School auditorium, at 125 Buckley St. in Liberty. The public hearing will also be livestreamed.
The next opportunity will be “Budget, Dinner and a Concert” on Thursday, May 14, starting at 5 p.m. in the High School Media Center. Pizza will be served, and the public is invited to the High School Honors Concert starting at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
The series will conclude with a budget talk at the New Munson Diner at 12 Lake St. The public is invited to bring any budget questions to Dr. Sullivan between 8 and 10 a.m. Friday, May 15.
Full information about the budget will be available on the district’s budget page.
Litter pluck set for May 17 in Liberty
County Petroleum and Animal Hospital of Sullivan County will host a litter pluck around Liberty starting at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, May 17. There will be doughnuts and coffee in the morning at registration, which will be held at the Liberty Skate Park, and lunch at the end and bags are returned to be place in a Dumpster. There will be drop offs around Liberty.
All Liberty residents are invited to participate. To register, call Jack at 845-292-6711 or Mitchell at 845-292-4550.
Cub Scouts collecting art supplies
Cub Scout Pack 1717 Lion’s Den is hosting an Art Supply Drive through May 11.
Collection boxes are located at Liberty Diner, Ferndale Post Office, Liberty Trading Post and Liberty Dollar Tree. All donations will be given to the local Children’s Home.
For more information, call Melinda at 845-807-9778.
Liberty esports teams make it to the playoffs in first season
It may have been only the first season for the Liberty Redhawks esports team, but the competitors are making quite the first impression.
Three teams will compete in the Empire State Scholastic Esports Federation starting today, Monday, April 20.
Super Smash Bros. soloist Josiah Crum, who needed to be in the Top 64 and ended in 54th place, will play his first playoff match at 3 p.m. today.
The Rocket League team placed 14th this season, qualifying for playoffs by being in the Top 16. The team, consisting of Samuel Blandon Cardona, Michael Reyes, Marlow Cedillos Saravia,
Mason Williams, Randy Bello Romero and Dylan Romero, will play in the first round at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The Marvels Rivals team, which also needed to finish in the top 16 and finished 10th, will play its first round at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The team consists of James Letohic III, Kamoren Connell, Teodulo Banegas, Mason Williams, Peyton Rivera, Tarek Benadim, Nevaeh McCoy and Jose Rivera.
The team was also able to have an atypical experience for esports teams earlier this month by competing in person.
The students traveled to Washingtonville to play against the Washingtonville Wizards, in person, where the Rocket League teams faced off. There was a Super Smash Bros soloist bracket and the two Rivals teams played together in friendly 3v3 competitions.
“This is an exciting time for us,” Adviser Ms. Amanda Jackson said. “First season ever and we made it to the playoffs!”
If any of the teams make it through the first two rounds, they will have the opportunity to attend the state championship in Syracuse.
Message from the superintendent on emergency closure and giveback days
Hello Liberty,
Mother nature was not kind to us this year, and because of that the district used our eight allotted emergency closure days.
One of our days in February was during a state of emergency. We were initially informed, and communicated to our families, that that day would not count toward our emergency closure days.
However, after consulting with the New York State Department of Education, it has been recommended that the waiver day should be used for state of emergency closures once all scheduled emergency days are exhausted.
Because of that, we will not be using any of our proposed give back days this year.
Thank you so much for your understanding.
If you have any questions, please email questions@libertyk12.org
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent
Sports schedule, and results, for the week of April 20-26, 2026
Spring sports is in swing with baseball, golf, softball, tennis and track.
Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.
The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.
Monday, April 20
4 p.m.: Varsity Baseball vs. Sullivan West Central at Sullivan West – Lake Huntington
4 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. Sullivan West Central at Villa Roma Country Club
Tuesday, April 21
3 p.m.: Girls Varsity Golf vs. Rockland Central School District at Roscoe Mountain Club
3:15 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. Fallsburg at Tarry Brae Golf Course
4:15 p.m.: Modified Softball vs. Fallsburg at Liberty Elementary School
4:30 p.m.: Modified Baseball vs. Monticello at Liberty Middle School
4:30 p.m.: Varsity Softball vs. John S. Burke Catholic at Liberty High School
Results: Liberty 3, Burke Catholic 19
Burke Catholic used a very balanced offense, scoring all 5 innings except one, to easily defeat the Varsity team 19-3 on Tuesday afternoon.
The Burke bats ignited early and never cooled down. After plating a run in the top of the first via a triple and a following single, the Eagles leaned heavily on the top of their order to break the game open.The trio at the top of the Eagles’ line-up of Anna Lawless, Morgan Owens, and Cate Farrell turned in a nearly flawless performance at the plate, combining for a staggering stat line of a combined 8-for-9, 4 doubles, a triple, 2 walks, 8 runs scored and 11 RBI.
Despite the lopsided score, Liberty (2-6) showed flashes of offensive promise. Giuliana Wagner anchored the lineup with a multi-hit game, finishing with two hits and an RBI. Angie Wheeler also put together several gritty plate appearances, ending the day 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored.
While the loss marks a setback for Liberty, the team remains focused on developmental growth and maintaining a positive culture on the diamond as they move deeper into their schedule.
Wednesday, April 22
4 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. Tri-Valley at Tarry Brae Golf Course
4 p.m.: Varsity Softball vs. Tri-Valley at Liberty High School
Results: Liberty 5, Tri-Valley 8
In a contest defined by dominant circle performances and early offensive sparks, the Tri-Valley Bears overcame an early deficit to defeat the Varsity 8–5 on Wednesday afternoon. The matchup featured a high-level display of pitching prowess from both dugouts in this well-played game.
The story of the game was the elite work in the circle. Liberty’s Angie Wheeler turned in a commanding performance, pitching a complete game and racking up a staggering 16 strikeouts. Despite her dominance and ability to overpower hitters, she was tagged with a “hard-luck” loss after Tri-Valley’s late-inning surge found the gaps in the defense.
The Bears countered with a powerful duo on the rubber to keep the Redhawk bats in check. Caitlyn Monell earned the win, tossing four innings with 8 strikeouts while Avery Carrier then entered to slam the door, earning a three-inning save by matching Monell’s eight strikeouts.
Liberty jumped out to an early 4–1 lead, but Tri-Valley dismantled the deficit with aggressive baserunning and situational hitting. By the 3rd inning, the Bears had tied the score before pulling away with crucial insurance runs late in the game. The top of the Tri-Valley order proved nearly impossible to retire, led by Avery and Caitlyn’s performances at the plate finishing a combined 7-for-7 on the day with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored.
Liberty remained competitive throughout the afternoon, showing plenty of life in their own lineup. Giuliana Wagner led the charge, going 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI, while Amy Szuba provided consistent pressure with a three-hit performance and two runs batted in. Angie also contributed offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Despite the Redhawks dropping their 4th straight game to move to 2–7 on the season, the atmosphere in the dugout remained electric. The team’s resilience was the primary takeaway for the coaching staff who continue to be very proud of the heart of their team. Even with the recent skid, the Varsity fought for every out and every base and showed a “never-give-up” mentality that will help the team continue to grow.
4 p.m.: Boys Varsity Tennis vs. James I. O’Neill at James I O’Neill High School
4:30 p.m.: Varsity Baseball vs. Chester Academy at Liberty High School
4:30 p.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Track & Field vs. Multiple Schools at Port Jervis High School
Thursday, April 23
4 p.m.: Girls Varsity Golf vs. Fallsburg at Tarry Brae Golf Course
4 p.m.: Boys and Girls Modified Track & Field vs. Multiple Schools at Fallsburg Junior/Senior High School
4:15 p.m.: Modified Softball vs. Sullivan West Central at Sullivan West – Lake Huntington
4:30 p.m.: JV Softball vs. Chapel Field Christian Schools at Liberty High School
Result: Liberty 18, Chapel Field 4
The Liberty JV softball squad secured its third consecutive victory on Thursday afternoon, dismantling the Chapel Field Lions in a convincing 18–4 five-inning decision. While the Lions managed to scratch across two runs in the top of the first inning, the Redhawks responded immediately with three runs in the bottom half and never looked back.
The Liberty offense proved to be the story of the day, relentless from the first pitch to the last. The Redhawks pounded out 19 hits in total, with an impressively balanced attack that saw every member of the starting lineup cross home plate at least once.
Mady Rielly and Emma Tacti anchored the hit parade, both finishing with perfect 4-for-4 performances. Mady tallied two runs and two RBI, while Emma notched three RBI and scored twice. Corinne Lake also turned in a flawless day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, two runs scored, and three RBI. The offensive onslaught continued with Montgomery Allen, who collected three hits and an RBI, while Mya Davis and Harper Matuszak showcased their speed on the basepaths by scoring three runs apiece.
The double-digit cushion was largely provided by a hitting clinic by the Redhawks in the bottom of the fourth, where Liberty exploded for 11 runs to effectively seal the contest.
On the rubber, Harper Matuszak backed up the offensive fireworks with a steady performance in the circle. Matuszak earned her third win of the season, yielding just three earned runs on six hits while fanning 9 batters over five innings of work.
Now riding the momentum of a three-game surge, this close-knit squad looks to extend its streak on Monday. The Redhawks will travel to face S.S. Seward, seeking to keep their mid-season rhythm alive on the road.
4:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Washingtonville at Washingtonville Middle School
Friday, April 24
1 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. Multiple Schools at The Monster at Resort World Catskill
4:30 p.m.: JV Softball vs. Marlboro at Marlboro Central High School
4:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Newburgh Free Academy at Cronomer Hill Park
Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26
No events scheduled
Serving Up Community
Liberty Interact shines at the Rotary Taste of Sullivan
Liberty Central School Interact Club members recently volunteered at the Rotary Taste of Sullivan event held at SUNY Sullivan.
A Taste of Sullivan is a community fundraiser that brings together local restaurants to showcase their signature dishes. Guests purchase tickets to sample a variety of foods, while enjoying an evening that highlights the region’s culinary talent. Proceeds from the event support important causes, including the Federation for the Homeless in Monticello, as well as local programs in Liberty that address food insecurity and help ensure families have access to nutritious meals.
Liberty Interact students played a key role in the event’s success. They served food on behalf of five restaurants, welcomed and engaged with guests, and clearly explained each dish they were presenting. In addition to volunteering, students had the opportunity to experience the event themselves by sampling offerings from participating restaurants.
Throughout the evening, students demonstrated professionalism, responsibility, and strong communication skills. Their efforts helped serve more than 200 guests, and they represented both the restaurants and Liberty Central School District with pride.
Students help other students through Snack Pack Program
The Snack Pack Program provides students who experience food insecurity healthy meals over weekends and long breaks. Fifth-graders in Miss Danielle Cummins and Mrs. Jaqueline Gieger’s class on Wednesday, April 15, packed dozens of Snack Pack bags for students at the elementary school. They are just one of several groups of students across the district that help give back to the community by packing the bags each week. For more information or to make a donation to the Snack Pack Program, contact Community Schools Coordinator and Middle School Assistant Principal Katlyn Rusin at krusin@libertyk12.org.
Elks to host Ice Cream Sundae Party, seeks drug awareness artwork
The Liberty Elks Lodge will host and Ice Cream Sundae Party at the Lodge at 21 John St. in Liberty from 3-4:30 p.m. Monday, May 4.
The event is free for all kids. Students are also encouraged to submit their art for the Elks’ Drug Awareness Program.
Those who wish to attend are asked to RSVP to April at 845-283-5335.