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Liberty Central School District

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Category: Elementary News

Students: It’s time to update your passwords

In order to ensure that our student and faculty information is secure, the Liberty Central School District recently conducted a monitoring scan of the deep web.

That scan revealed that on July 30, 2020, some student and staff passwords may have been compromised. We are investigating to ensure that no proprietary or personal information was released as a result of this breach.

All students will need to change the following passwords:

  • Active Directory: PCs and iPads
  • Google: Gmail passwords

Students will receive a Google prompt to reset their passwords within five days.  Also, the LCSD Technology department will promp in-district Windows Login passwords to be changed April 16, 2021.

Kindergarten, Pre-K registration is now open

Kindergarten registration for the 2021-22 school year is now open.

Registration is held at LCSD Registration Office, 115 Buckley St., Liberty. To make an appointment call Heather Austin at 292-5400, ext. 2331 or email her at haustin@libertyk12.org.

Learn more about registering a student.

Register your child for kindergarten

Eligible kindergarten students must be residents of the Liberty Central School District and turn 5 years old before Dec. 1, 2021.

Please bring the following to your appointment:

  • The child’s birth certificate
  • Immunization records
  • Proof of residency (such as a utility bill or rental lease)
  • A copy of the parent/guardian’s photo ID
  • Custody papers, if applicable

    Register your child for Pre-K

    The district offers full day and half day Pre-K options. Pre-K students must turn 4 years old before Dec. 1, 2021.

    Full Day Pre-K
    8 a.m. – 2:40 p.m.

    Demand for the full day program typically exceeds the available seats. When this occurs, requests are placed in a lottery.

    Half Day Pre-K

    • Morning Half Day
      8-10:30 a.m.
    • Afternoon Half Day
      12-2:35 p.m.

    Please bring the following to your appointment:

    • A copy of the parent/guardian’s photo ID
    • The child’s birth certificate
    • Proof of residency (such as a utility bill or rental lease)
    • Immunization records, including proof of lead screen
    • Copy of a recent physical exam
    • Custody papers, if applicable

    Liberty’s music education program receives national recognition

    For the second year in a row, the 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.  Now in its 22nd year, this presigious designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

    To qualify for the designation, Liberty answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

    Since the passage by Congress in 2015 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs and found that in this time of a national pandemic, provides a valuable way to keep students engaged in. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that these grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.

    Research continues to demonstrate educational and social skills benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students involved in music more likely to graduate high school and to attend college.

    Listening skills – including the ability to perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory – are also stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training, and  social benefits of music education include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

    About The NAMM Foundation

    The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

    NYS ELA, Math Assessments offered this spring

    This spring, all Liberty students in Grades 3-8, including those on a fully remote schedule, will be offered the opportunity to take the New York State ELA and Mathematics Assessments, providing the district with important information about what our students have learned and mastered.

    This year’s assessments are shorter than in recent years and will be given in-person only. Students will take the tests at the elementary and the middle school, and all safety protocols, such as masks and social distancing, will be followed. (Last year, because of the pandemic, New York received permission from the U.S. Department of Education to cancel the tests.)

    Please remember that your child’s scores on the state tests will not affect their grades. As always, the district’s priority is our students’ safety and wellness. If you have any questions about the assessments please contact your child’s building principal:

    Remote Learners

    If your child is on a 100 percent remote learning schedule, submit an Opt In Form by April 9 for each child that will be coming to their school building and taking the assessments. Please answer all questions, including the transportation question. If you are unable to complete the form contact your child’s school.

    Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Assessment Dates

    White Cohort (Thurs/Fri)

    • ELA: April 22
    • ELA Make-Up: April 23
    • Math: May 6
    • Math Make-Up: May 7

    Red Cohort (Mon/Tues)

    • ELA: April 26
    • ELA Make-Up: April 27
    • Math: May 10
    • Math Make-Up: May 11

    Fully Remote students

    • ELA: April 21
    • ELA Make-Up: April 28
    • Math: May 5
    • Math Make-Up: May 12

    New York State NYSESLAT Dates

    The district will also administer the NYSESLAT exams to our Multi-Language Learners on hybrid and in-person schedules. TESOL teachers will reach out to our all-remote students to offer them the opportunity to “opt in.”

    • Speaking: April 18 – June 9
    • Listening, Reading, and Writing: May 17 – June 9

    No more snow days this school year | District will go all-remote during weather-related closures

    Dear Liberty families,

    Each year, the district schedules snow days, which allow us to cancel school in bad weather and still ensure that our students receive 180 days of instruction, as is required by New York State Education Law.

    For the 2020-21 school year we scheduled eight extra days into our calendar to allow for snow days and other unexpected closings, and on Friday, Feb. 19, we used our last one. In typical school years this would mean that the district would have to “take back” days from our scheduled breaks, like spring break or the long Memorial Day weekend.

    This school year has been anything but typical, and though it has brought great challenges it has also taught us new ways to teach and to learn. In the event that Liberty school buildings must close again for inclement weather or another unforeseen circumstance, we will have an All Remote Day. This way our students will have the required instructional time and we will not have to take days away from the breaks and long weekends that we all look forward to.

    We’ll notify you of Remote Days with our SchoolMessenger mass messaging system (robocall, email, and text message) the same way we notify our students, staff and community of Snow Days, Emergency Closings, and Delays. Remote Days will also be posted to the LCSD website.

    SchoolMessenger uses the contact information that parents/guardians have on file with the district through SchoolTool to send you notifications. To update your contact information, please reach out the main office of your child’s school.

    With Liberty Pride,

    Dr. Augustine E. Tornatore,
    Superintendent of Schools

    Updated student expectations for virtual learning begin Nov. 5

    Our students and teachers are becoming experts at virtual learning, and we’re proud of how everyone has adapted and adjusted to this new way of attending classes.

    To make the learning experience even better, we’ve updated the Student Expectations for Virtual Learning. These new protocols go into effect Thursday, Nov. 5.

    Student Expectations for Virtual Learning

    • Students are expected to show their video and be visible for every class unless otherwise indicated by their teacher. Find directions for How to Blur Your Background here
    • Students cannot enter a class’ virtual session until the scheduled time and must exit once the period is over (or as soon as the teacher ends the session).
    • Students should not attend a virtual session in a private location (i.e. bedroom).
    • Sessions may not be recorded.
    • Class sessions are for students, not family and friends.
    • Students are to stay on mute until the teacher directs them to unmute.
    • Students are to be prepared as if they are physically present.
    • Students are to stay engaged, be an active listener, and contribute.
    • Students are to be respectful in all chats and other types of digital correspondence.
    • Chat should be used for school based language/conversation only.
    • Students are to be respectful during class. Listen to the teacher and your classmates.
    • Students are to use the virtual class sessions to learn new materials, revisit assignments and ask for help.
    • If a student witnesses a classmate not meeting an expectation, they are to notify the teacher immediately.
    • Students are to follow the Code of Conduct as if they are in school.

    Here’s a look at what an in-school day is like at LES

    There have been a lot of changes at the Liberty Elementary School as a result of the COVID-19 public health situation. When students return to the school building in September, class sizes will be smaller, masks will be required and temperatures will be checked.

    That’s just a few examples of how we’re working to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please watch our Return to the Elementary School Presentation to  learn more about the start of the 2020-21 school year and the reopening of the Elementary School.

    RESOURCES FOR AT-HOME LEARNING

    Additional Resources

    The Liberty Central School District is committed to providing educational resources for our students during this time away from school.
    Here, our teachers share some helpful educational links to enhance at-home learning during the extended school closure.

    Remote Learning with Google

    Google Meet/Hangout Etiquette

    • When you enter the Meet/Hangout, mute yourself.
    • When you have a question, type in the textbox and wait for your teacher to call on you.
    • When you have something to contribute to the discussion but it is not your turn, use the chat feature in the right-hand corner. Wait for the teacher to call on you. Then unmute yourself.
    • Only one student should contribute/talk at a time
    • Look into the camera when you are talking.
    • Stay attentive when the teacher or other students are speaking.

    The LCSD Media Centers and Libraries

    • SORA: Access ebooks and audiobooks from the Liberty Central School District’s media centers. (Use the Technology Resources for Students Shared Drive to retrieve login information)
      Ms. Jill Parks, our Middle School Librarian, created this terrific SORA tutorial to show you around the site.

    All Grade Levels

    • Khan Academy:  With a mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere, Khan Academy offers daily schedules and academic exercises in an exhaustive range of subjects for students ages 2-18.
    • ReadWorks: Content and at-home curriculum to strengthen reading comprehension for grades K-12.
    • WNET-NY/Public Television: PBS has ramped up its educational offerings for all grades in subjects from reading to science to the arts.
    • PBS Resources for Emergency Closings:  A curated collection of resources organized by grade and subject area created by PBS LearningMedia producers and educators. For Spanish language content, visit Recursos de PreK-12 para Cierres de Emergencia.

    Elementary

    Middle School

    • LCS Makerspace and Technology: Mrs. Terry, Mrs. Treible and Mrs. Parks have created a digital Makerspace, where you’ll find exciting ideas for your next project.
    • Scholastic Magazine : Projects for students in PreK-Grade 9 to keep them learning, thinking and growing.
    • High School
    • Scholastic Magazine: Projects for students in PreK-Grade 9 to keep them learning, thinking and growing.
    • Test Preparation

    Outdoor athletic facilities re-open for limited use

    The Liberty High School and Liberty Middle School’s grounds and athletic fields have been re-opened for limited use to students and the community.

    Please remember that social distancing protocols remain in place, and masks must be worn if social distancing cannot be practiced. District residents are welcome to use the grounds during daylight hours. The grounds will close at dusk (approximately 8:40 p.m.)

    The High School basketball court and the Elementary School playground, however, remain closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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