Category: District News
State DOH issues new guidance on respiratory illnesses
Following the updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, the state Department of Health has revised its guidance on when to stay home and when to return to normal activities following respiratory illnesses. Guidance for COVID-19 had been different from guidance for other common respiratory illnesses such as influenza and RSV.
The new guidance is now the same for all three illnesses. They recommend people stay home if they have respiratory virus symptoms, including fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose and headache, not explained by another cause, such as allergies.
Normal activities can be resumed when symptoms are getting better and there is no fever without use of medication for at least 24 hours.
The guidance also recommends that when going back to normal activities, individuals should take added precautions over the next five days, including taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing and testing when they will be around other people, especially older adults, young children and those with weakened immune systems.
People may still be able to spread the virus that made them sick, even if they are feeling better, so it is important to take extra precautions after resuming normal activities, the DOH guidance says.
If a fever develops or symptoms return or worsen, it is recommended people stay home and away from others again. They should use the same criteria for returning to normal activities as when they first had symptoms and take added precautions over the next five days.
The guidance also says children younger than 2 should never wear a mask. Health care providers should discuss with their patients about how long a child younger than 2 should stay home.
These recommendations are only for non-healthcare settings and applicable for the school environment.
A message from the superintendent
Dear Liberty,
Earlier today, Thursday, March 7, the Liberty Central School District was informed that an adult community member was arrested for allegedly possessing three legally owned firearms in a vehicle while on school property earlier in the day. It is illegal in New York state for members of the public to possess firearms while on school-owned property. Liberty police arrested the individual off school property following the arrest of another adult in the same vehicle on driving while intoxicated charges.
The adult did not have the weapons inside a school building, and at no time was there any threat of violence made toward any staff or student in the district. Liberty Police Department will issue its own communication on the arrest.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent of Schools
Student-led farm-to-school initiative grants available
Sullivan 180 has released the Farm to School Initiative Grant application. The grant provides funding support to initiatives proposed by youths to enhance cafeteria experiences and promote healthy food to farm-to-school.
Through a USDA Grant, and in partnership with several organizations, student proposed Farm to School initiative grants are available to every school district in Sullivan County. The purpose of this grant is to engage students in visioning and proposing projects or programs that would enhance their in-school eating experience.
Farm to School partners are available to offer technical assistance in a variety of areas. Students might also explore, incorporate or build on existing efforts such as the Catskill Edible Garden Project or resources such as Farm to School Month, NYS Harvest of the Month, the Big Apple Crunch, New York Thursdays etc.
Students are invited to apply in collaboration with their school leadership. Successful projects will have an opportunity to be presented at a regional Farm to School conference in 2025.
This youth initiatives project is part of the School Nutrition Action Coalition (SNAC) which has been working together over the past year to advance farm to school in Sullivan County. The Coalition includes partners from the Center for Discovery, Cornell Cooperative Sullivan County, Gael Roots Farm, Harvest NY, A Single Bite + the Catskills Food Hub, and the Sullivan County Youth Bureau; along with Liberty, Livingston Manor, Roscoe and Sullivan West School Districts.
Applications are available at www.sullivan180.org/grants-scholarships. The application deadline is May 1, 2024.
For more information, contact Denise Frangipane at 845-295-2443 or denise@sullivan180.org.
LMS student finishes fourth in state Elks Hoop Shoot
Adriana Ponce Agredano, a Liberty Middle School eighth grader, finished fourth in New York State in the Elks Hoop Shoot contest in Camillus on March 2.
She had competed in the local, district and regional levels before moving on to the state contest. She finished fourth in the girls 12-13 age group. The Elks Hoop Shoot is a free-throw program for youths ages 8 to 13. For more on the program, visit https://www.elks.org/hoopshoot/default.cfm
Annual tournament raises $200 for scholarship
Liberty High School Physical Education Department held its annual Ron Francisco Ping Pong and Badminton Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 29, in the high school gymnasium.
T
here were more than 100 participants and almost 200 students and staff who watched, the largest since at least before COVID, Athletic Director Erin Alvord said.
“In the end, this was probably one of our best tournaments of all time. The students were organized, followed direction and were supportive of one another,” she said.
The champions were:
- Girls Ping Pong: Julia Juron
- Boys Ping Pong: Enrique Mercado
- Staff Ping Pong: Gene Doyle (two years in a row, and was also champ when he was a student.)
- Student Badminton: David Philips and Ben Visconti
- Staff Badminton: Beth Quatrale and Liz Hannold.
The event, named in honor of a former PE teacher Ron Francisco, raised $200 for the memorial scholarship in his name. Two scholarships are awarded annual to seniors who have demonstrated positive character in PE classes and in their athletics.
More photos will be posted to the district’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Liberty ninth-grader competes in state ski championships
Liberty High School ninth-grader Hudson Danzilo traveled to Lake Placid to compete in the state Alpine Ski Championships, held Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 26 and 27.
Coaches Anne and Carpio Ramos traveled to Whiteface Mountain along with Hudson and his family. He practiced the Saturday and Sunday before the competition, and competed in the giant slalom on Monday and the slalom on Tuesday. Each skier got two runs and had to complete each run to place. Hudson completed all four runs to place 33rd out of 66 racers in the giant slalom and 23rd out of 66 racers in the slalom.
He started skiing when he was 15 months old, with help from his family, and could ski on his own at 2 years old, Liberty Athletic Director Erin Alvord said.
“We could not be more proud of Hudson and his hard work. Not only does he practice with the team, but he can often be found on the mountain in his personal time,” she said. “Hudson, your future is bright and we cannot wait to see what you bring to Alpine Ski in the next three years. Thank you for representing Liberty so well.”
Alvord also thanked the Ramoses and the members of the Fallsburg/Liberty/Tri-Valley ski team for their work with Hudson.
Catskill Art Space offers free classes for kids
Catskill Art Space at 48 Main St. in Livingston Manor offers a series of free classes for children 4 to 12 year old.
- CAS Kids: Theatre is offered from 6:30 to 4:15 p.m. Tuesdays. In the ongoing class, led by Jess Kaufman, children play theater games, improvise, rehearse and perform short stories. The class focuses on building confidence, developing social emotional skills and practicing teamwork. No theater experience needed.
- CAS Kids: Yoga is presented 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Wednesdays. This ongoing class, led by Rachel Dilworth Wednesdays, provides accessible and age appropriate instruction to breathing techniques, yoga poses and mindfulness. Yoga enhances focus, comprehension, posture, bodily awareness and balance.
- CAS Kids: After School Art Classes take place from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Thursdays. Led by Lizzie Wright, CAS Kids offers free arts-education to local children with art classes after school. Education at CAS is rooted in historical context, with students learning about the practice and work of renowned artists through making art.
Once registered for any of the above classes kids can drop in week-to-week.
Over spring break, from April 1 to 5, CAS will have CAS Kids: Spring Break Intensive from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. each day. The sessions aim to foster self-discovery, creativity, confidence and personal growth.
Art classes will offer students a blend of practical skills and historical context, connecting them with the works and lives of renowned artist exhibiting in the CAS galleries and beyond.
Theater sessions will emphasize play, collaboration and emotional expression, welcoming children of all experience levels to explore story telling and performance.
Between each session, a light snack will be served. There is limited capacity and early registration is encouraged. This program is underwritten by the Goyanes Family Foundation.
For more information or to register for any of the classes, email info@catskillartspace.org
LMS students earn Leader of the Month Awards, Good News Notes
Liberty Middle School has awarded students for their leadership and following the Leader in Me Seven Habits during December and January.
Leader of the Month
The criteria for Leader of the Month Awards are:
- Effort: work hard and be persistent to the best ability
- Character: be proactive and display initiative, honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, optimism
- Behavior: referral free for the month nominated
- Leadership: willingness to help peers, show respect and be a team player
- Attendance: good daily attendance and no excessive tardies
The following students received Leader of the Month Awards:
December
Grades 5 and 6: Claire Ferguson, Aubrie Keating, Pricilla Matute and Randy Panchana.
Grades 7 and 8: Ezra Dilworth, Mariana Joya-Reyes and Alexandra Kelly.
January
Grades 5 and 6: Milsi Ramirez Martinez and Raegan Wagner.
Grades 7 and 8: Miles Harman and Tristan Maloney.
Good News Notes
To receive a Good News Note, students must display the Seven Habits promoted by Leader in Me:
- Being Proactive
- Beginning With the End in Mind
- Putting First Things First
- Thinking Win Win
- Seeking First to Understand then to be Understood
- Synergy
- Sharpening the Saw
December
Grades 5 and 6: Madison Allen, Guiliana Birkett, Farrah Conklin-Degraw, Juan Carlos De La Cruz, Michael Gable III, Madelyn Garcia Cuellar, Danahia Gonzalez Gonzalez, Vina Graham, Z’cari Gulley, Raegan Harman, Alan Hernandez Lopez, Gian Garcia-Melgar, Aquamarine Jennings, Liam LaGattuta, Madison LaMantia, Jayden Lopez Olivares, Alexandria Lyden, Megan Martinez Gomez, Harper Matuszak, Audrina Molina, Bentley Moore, Karen Mosso, Helen Munoz Barragan, Rebecca Norris, Paul Odior, Jordan Ocasio, Adela Paz Perez, Aaliyssa Rodriguez, Caleb Rusin, Jayden Stein, Greyson Torres, Katherine Valdez Calle, Francisco Vicente-Gonzalez and Subhan Zeeshan.
Grades 7 and 8: Jordi Bustillo Martinez, Kendry Cordero-Lima, Yorleny DeJesus Padilla, Jayden Diaz, Branden Edwards, John Feliciano, Jade Guaillazaca Lopez, Zaniah Hernandez, Vallery Jennings, Dana Jimbo Montero, Damien Keating, Jessey Miranda, Mia Molina, Justin Molina Munoz, Louise Perry, Carlos Portillo Larios, Nathaly Portillo Munoz, Heaven Rolland, Quinn Santiago and Vlad Snell.
January
Grades 5 and 6: Raymond Cottman, Avery Decker, Tatianna Decker, Astrid Guardado Diaz, Demarye Douglas, Daniel Doty, Selena Feliciano, Royce Fingers, Aquamarine Jennings, Makenzie Knack, Leandro Leon, Keidy Llano Luciano, Gabriel Lotz, Brenda Lucero Andrade, Daisake Mapes, Atticus McNamara, Helen Munoz Barragan, Jordan Ocasio, Iker Perez, Isabella Pujols, Arian Rodriguez, Uriel Rios, Raegan Wagner and Ethan Zheng
Grades 7 and 8: Zachariah Bickham, Ethan Dowe, Mia Molina, Alfredo Rivera and Amaiya Williamson.
LHS honors Stellar Students for second quarter
The Stellar Student Awards were revived by Liberty High School Building Leadership Team to recognize students who for the quarter were referral-free, had no unexcused late entries, and had a 75 or above quarter average with no failures or incompletes. Students celebrated their accomplishments with ice cream parties, compliments of donations from Stewart’s Shops, on Feb. 21 and 22.
The following students were honored:
12th grade
Alejandra Barquero Lopez, Mia Barragan, Brayden Conklin, Christopher Garzon Valle, Claudia Herzog, Adam Houser,Liliana Leon, Joaquin Isler Diaz, Zoe Kip, Aylin Leon Martinez, Perla Macias, Samuel Olivares-Reyes, David Philips, Elaina-Louise Ramirez, Riley Rivera, Jacob Ross, Jeremy Simon, Erin Skinner, Jaime Smith, G’niiyah Taylor, Cristian Vargas Martin, Maylluri Vinocunga Llano and Aiden Yaun.
11th grade
Kaitlyn Bodolosky, Noah Call, Abdi Coy Pop, Eugene Davis-Andino, James Dworetsky, James Fancher, Lianna Gissentaner, Wyatt Green, Anjay Harripersad, Camila Hernandez, Joshua Kratz, Carla Lara Fernandez, Kenisha Ledoux, Nora Liddle, Destiny Loyce, Kimberlin Malaga Gonzalez, Andrew McPhillips, Joseph Metz, Sierra Norris, Iris Ogden, Jose Perez Sanchez, Joshuaj Reyes Escobedo, Megan Schmidt, Brianna Smith, Mason Smith, Austin T Werlau, Kyra Wingert, Hannah Wormuth and Rita Zheng.
10th grade
Sheyla Anguisaca-Llanos, Cristian Argenal, Brooke Bull, Carmela Burgio, Alexis Buschmann, Giada DeFrank, Eli Desrochers, Allisson Diaz Lopez, Joseph DiBartolo, Abigail Fitzgerald, Sydania Foster, Yoselin Franco Herrarte, Amilcar Hernandez, Lia Guillerme, Jacob Kelly, Zane Kip, Kaley Klein, Belen Leon Martinez, Gianna Lewis, Joselyn Lojano Inga, DaShaun Loyce, Arwyn Lucero-Bonilla, Angelina Magie, Leonel Malaga Ventura, Tania Malaga-Lopez, Angel Maldonado Quelin, Molina Gavilan, Genesis Munoz Valladares, Phillo Romero, Joseph Sarney, Jaidon Simmons, Justin Simon, Leysli Vinocunga Llano, Elijah Warren, Tatianna Warren, Angela Wheeler, Pheobe Wilson and Isaiah Young.
Ninth grade
Zackary Alvord, Jehu Baldes Lara, Jill Baumander, Kent Clarke, Olivia Corrigan, Riley Cox, Alan Cruz, Colin Dasraj, Colin Dole, Dung Duong, Rahel Garrod, Jhosmery Jadan Pangolo, Misael Juarez Perez, Kevin Leon Gavilan, Roger Lynker III, Bridgette Mateo Cruz, Jeremiah McLeod, Mariely Medina Orellana, Elizabeth Navarrete, Katherine Panama Guaillazaca, Giselle Perez Sanchez, Daniela Ponce Flores, Lucio Ponce Vazquez, Jensen Rivera, Dylan Romero, Riley Santiago, Ruth Sellers, Jordan Smith, Allison Vasko and Lige Young.
Hundreds see All Things Liberty has to offer at winter festival
The Liberty High School gymnasium lobby and surrounding hallways were packed Saturday, Feb. 24, with vendors, informational booths and games to bring the community together for the inaugural All Things Liberty Winter Festival.
Hundreds of students, parents and guardians, as well as community members, flocked to the event, where they could play carnival-type games, sing karaoke, learn about programs and activities in the district and get information about 15 local programs and organizations. Attendees also were able to purchase wares from nearly a dozen craft vendors
“I am bursting with pride to be a part of such an extraordinary community,” said Community Schools Coordinator Stacy Feasel, who organized the event. “Our exceptional teachers and staff demonstrated unwavering dedication, with many devoting not only their time on Saturday but also months of meticulous planning and organization.”
Dozens of student volunteers took part as well.
“Our student volunteers were simply outstanding, taking ownership of their roles and offering assistance wherever needed,” Feasel added.
More than $400 in monetary and food contributions benefited the Snack Pack Program, which provides meals to families in need over weekends and breaks.
The All Things Liberty Winter Festival supports the district’s five-year strategic plan pillar of culture.
“We are proud to be able to showcase what makes Liberty — the school and community — a great place in which to learn and live,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said.
More photos from the event can be found on the LCSD Facebook page and LCSD Instagram page.