Category: Elementary News
Leadership Week offers chance for administrators to reflect, plan
School may be out for summer, but that doesn’t mean work has slowed down for Liberty Central School District administrators.
The administration team spent this week preparing for the 2025-26 school year.
The annual summer professional development and planning retreat was held Tuesday through Friday, using LCSD’s five-year Strategic Plan and the District Comprehensive Improvement Plan as a focus and guide for the sessions.
Administrators reflected on progress during the 2024-25 school year, heard from speakers, participated in activities, took part in professional development sessions and worked on plans for the upcoming school year.
Teacher facilitators joined sessions on Thursday to learn more about LinkIt, the new data warehouse system designed to help more efficiently analyze and support students’ academic, social and emotional growth. They also worked with administrators on the building and Student Services school comprehensive education and priority plans, which were finalized on Friday.
The week ended with a session for administrators on Leader in Me with Robin Sampson.
“It is important to reflect on our past work while planning for our future,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “This week was very successful in doing that. I thank our speakers, administrators and teacher facilitators for their dedication to making Liberty a great place to learn.”
LES invites first responders to 9/11 ceremony
Liberty Elementary School’s annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony: Honoring the Past, Present and Future, will take place at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11.
All past and present firefighters, police officers and EMTs are invited to the ceremony. Those who wish to attend are asked to RSVP to Samantha Davis at SDavis1@libertyk12.org by Wednesday, Sept. 3.
The ceremony will take place at LES at 201 N. Main St. in Liberty.
Community Health Needs Assessment survey underway
Sullivan County Public Health and Garnet Health are leading the Community Health Needs Assessment process. As part of this process, a survey is available seeking input from those 18 and older. The feedback will help guide local programs, services and policies to better meet the real health needs of the community. All answers are anonymous, and those who don’t feel comfortable answering a particular question may leave it blank. The survey is open through July 31 at https://www.gnyhasurveys.org/CHNA
Liberty superintendent visits D.C. to advocate for schools
Liberty Central School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan recently spent time in Washington, D.C., to advocate for funding and programs that would help provide a quality education for all students at Liberty and beyond.
He took part in the Legislative Advocacy Conference, sponsored by the AASA The School Superintendents Association and the Association of School Business Officials International, to learn more about and discuss key issues impacting school districts, as well as meet with federal elected officials
Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Dwight Bonk from the Wappingers Central School District advocated for the Hudson Valley schools to ensure that they receive Title funding, IDEA funding, and other federal funding sources to support their students.
High on the list of proprieties for the conference was communicating the impact the federal government delaying Title funding of more than $6 billion has had on finalizing district budgets for the 2025-26 school year.
The funding cuts and changes in the president’s 2026 budget proposal were also a concern.
The “K-12 Simplified Funding Program” would consolidate 18 formula and competitive grant programs (worth $6.5 billion at fiscal year 2024 levels) into one block grant of $2 billion. It would also eliminate other programs, most notably Title III (English Acquisition) and Title I, Part C (Migrant Education State Grants).
“While I appreciate the intent behind the proposal to provide more flexibility for local decision making, the overall cut in funding would ultimately take away much needed resources for our schools,” Dr. Sullivan said.
The group also advocated for fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which is vital to ensuring students with disabilities are provided a quality, robust education. IDEA would also be consolidated under the president’s proposal, with an increase in grants to states, but numerous programs inside IDEA losing all funding.
When IDEA was founded 50 years ago, Congress committed to funding 40% of the additional cost of educating student needs, which it has never done. The federal funding is now around 10%.
“Fully funding IDEA would be a worthwhile investment in our students and their future,” Dr. Sullivan said.
Conference attendees also advocated for the passage of updated student data and privacy legislation as well as reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program
“It is important to let our elected officials know how their decisions will impact our schools, our staff and our students,” Dr. Sullivan said. “I am happy to be able to advocate for our students to meet our mission to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential.
Athletic director joins Liberty CSD
Thomas Zehner joined Liberty Central School District as its athletic director on July 1.
Mr. Zehner earned his bachelor’s degree from Sage College of Albany in K-12 physical education, a master’s degree in health, recreation and physical education from Emporia State University and a Certification of Advanced Study in School Leadership from SUNY New Paltz
Before coming to Liberty, Mr. Zehner was an elementary physical education teacher in Beacon City School District since September 2017. While at Beacon he was also the Adapted Physical Education Curriculum coordinator for four years and hosted 10 student teachers at the elementary level as a cooperating teacher for student teachers for six years. He also served as a coach for soccer, basketball, tennis, softball and lacrosse at Beacon.
He said he wants to build upon past successes at Liberty and hopes to increase participation in the Redhawks sports programs.
To do this he said he wants to help support existing youth sports programs in the community, as well as build programs to introduce younger students to sports in the schools, in accordance with the Redhawks Champion Plan introduced last year.
Expanding the Athletes Helping Athletes can be a big part of that, he said.
“Mentoring is great,” Mr. Zehner said, “but if we can get our older athletes to assist more in the elementary and middle schools, we can better build that sense of Redhawk community and Liberty pride.”
He said he could see students helping lead lessons in their sports, or volunteering with sports programs in the community.
“The district as a whole will benefit from promoting the culture of school spirit,” he said.
In his free time, Mr. Zehner, a resident of Wappingers Falls, enjoys golfing, hiking, playing sports and spending time with his family and dog.
LCSD District-wide Safety Plan available for review
The Liberty Central School District’s District-wide Safety Plan is available for review on our website and at the district office at 115 Buckley St. in Liberty. It will be available for public comment through Aug. 18, 2025.
Comments may be submitted to questions@libertyk12.org or to the Liberty Central School Office, 115 Buckley St, Liberty NY 12754.
Meals to be served at LES starting July 1
In addition to summer meals being served at Hanofee Park, breakfast and lunch will be served at Liberty Elementary starting July 1. Meals will be served Monday through Friday, except July 4, at Liberty Elementary, through Aug. 22, with breakfast offered from 8:15 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meals at Hanofee Park will be served weekdays through Aug. 18, with breakfast served from 8 to 9 a.m., with lunch from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
For more information, visit https://www.libertyk12.org/department-services/food-services/summer-meals-and-menus/.
Liberty Wall of Fame inducts special education pioneer, community leader
Two Liberty Central School District alumni shared a special moment on Friday, June 27, as one was honored with induction into the Wall of Fame and the other spoke in tribute to her late father, who was also being inducted.
The 14th annual Liberty Wall of Fame induction ceremony took place in the Liberty High School auditorium recognizing Class of 1979 graduate Samuel Sanders Jr. and Class of 1948 graduate Albert Van Dyke.
“Each of our inductees represents a unique blend of personal and professional achievements,” said Liberty Interim Assistant Superintendent Marianne Serratore. “Together, they reflect the spirit, pride, and legacy of the Liberty Central School District and the broader Liberty community.”
Albert Van Dyke
Van Dyke’s daughter Diane Mutter took the stage first to accept the honor on his behalf. She briefly spoke of his accomplishments as a trailblazer in special education, a devoted community leader, and a champion for students with special needs.
She spoke of the early days when he established the district’s first special education class, which 10 years later expanded into a countywide program under Sullivan County BOCES. The organization’s first director of special education, he created and expanded programs at a time when special education was often overlooked.
Van Dyke was also an Eagle Scout, a member and Sunday School superintendent of the Liberty United Methodist Church, and a participant in civic organizations such as the Liberty Lions Club and the Sullivan County Mental Health Board. A historian and collector of local artifacts, he donated more than 2,000 cataloged postcards to the Sullivan County Museum.
Whether helping a Liberty graduate become a police officer by arranging for a civil service test to be read aloud or even rescuing two small children from a burning building, Van Dyke’s selflessness knew no bounds.
Van Dyke continued to serve his community after his 20-year career at BOCES by designing and implementing the county’s preschool special education program.
But what stood out to Mutter the most was his role as a father and family man. She recalled him teaching her how to bowl, play horseshoes, as well as all his work in the greater community.
“I miss him,” she said. “I miss his humor, and I miss his help, but I don’t miss his love, as it lives on.”
Samuel Sanders Jr.
Sanders’ friend and former teammate Dean Smith spoke next, telling stories of their days in Liberty.
As a standout multi-sport athlete, Sanders was a four-year varsity basketball player, team captain and two-time recipient of the Ivan Richards MVP Award. His athletic talents led him to play at Mansfield College, earn all-star status in a semi-pro league, and receive a tryout with the New Jersey Nets.
But where Sanders shined was helping others, especially the children of Liberty, so much so that he literally gave them the clothes off his back.
“His clothes can be found across Liberty because he gave his gear away to kids who wanted it,” Smith said.
Sanders is founder of Rising Stars Basketball, worked as a coach at LHS as well as the Hudson Valley Hawks and Hudson Valley Rivermen, where he has shaped the lives of many aspiring athletes.
For Sanders, it is all about community and family. After receiving his award, Sanders brought the family members who were in attendance on to the stage to recognize all they had done for him. He also thanked members and the pastor of his church, Friendship Baptist, for inspiring him.
Finding a place for everyone has been his hallmark. He has organized community events such as the “Pursuing Your Dreams” workshop and the “Fathers and Men’s Unity Event” as well as mentored prisoners.
“I love everyone,” Sanders said. “It doesn’t matter your race or your color.”
Each of the honorees were also presented with proclamations from state Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay, state Senator Peter Oberacker and the county legislature.
The Wall of Fame was established in 2011 by the Board of Education to honor extraordinary alumni. Nominees are judged on exceptional accomplishments and significant contributions within their career, community or personal life.
Superintendent offers update on DCIP
Dear Liberty,
As we prepare for the end of the school year, I would like to take this opportunity to provide our school community with an update on the District’s Strategic Plan and Comprehensive Improvement Plan. In our ongoing effort to help students innovate, persevere and thrive, we’ve made meaningful progress toward our strategic priorities.
This year, we continued advancing the Strategic Plan’s pillars of MTSS, Curriculum, Culture and Coherence. Building on the work of previous years, we introduced several key initiatives, including the implementation of our new curriculum mapping platform, Eduplanet, and the launch of the Syracuse University Project Advanced Biology course at Liberty High School. We also continued to expand the use of our Woz Ed STEM-based curriculum, grew our Student-Led Conference initiatives, and piloted a data warehouse program designed to help us more efficiently analyze and support our students’ academic, social and emotional growth.
While I’m happy to share additional details about ongoing initiatives, I especially want to highlight the District Comprehensive Improvement Plan (DCIP) goals we achieved this year, as these accomplishments reflect the collective work of our students, administrators, faculty, staff and community.
Here is an update on our growth towards achieving our DCIP Priorities
Priority 1: Provide an accessible, culturally responsive, relevant, engaging, vertically and horizontally aligned PK-12 curriculum, that makes connections to our students and community.
- We are especially proud of our growth in math proficiency. We easily met our goal of 7% growth per grade level since the start of the year. Based on Renaissance STAR Math testing, all grades measured showed substantial increases, with many gaining more than 20%.
- In two other areas, reading proficiency and student engagement, results were mixed, but overall positive.
- Based on Renaissance STAR Reading testing, all but one grade level saw growth. While grades 2-4 had increases far above the 7% goal (18.9-36.6%), grades 5–8 had more modest gains (1.1%–5%).
- Using Triangle survey data on student engagement, the district had hoped to see a 5% increase in positive responses on student engagement in the classroom. Middle school responders met the goal across all survey items. While there was progress in some areas, responses at the high school level did not fully meet the goal and showed some declines, which influenced the overall results.
End-of-year testing passing rates and Regents scores for the secondary level are not yet available. However, we anticipate positive gains and look forward to reviewing the results.
Priority 2: Provide a MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) for academics, behavior and attendance that cultivates wellness and safety for students, staff and families.
- The district set a goal to achieve a 10% reduction in the number of students receiving out-of-school suspensions districtwide. This goal was exceeded during the 2024–25 school year, with the number of suspended students decreasing from 132 in 2023–24 to 97—a reduction of 35 students, or 26.5%. This outcome significantly surpassed the original target, more than doubling the anticipated decrease in out-of-school suspensions.
- Building on efforts to improve student engagement, the District also aimed to reduce chronic absenteeism by 5% from the 2023–24 to the 2024–25 school year. At the end of the 2023–24 school year, the chronic absenteeism rate was 39.7%. As of June 10, it has declined to 38.6%, marking a 1.1% reduction. While this reflects modest progress, chronic absenteeism remains a widespread national issue—one that demands ongoing attention and resources. Students must be present to fully engage in learning and succeed academically.
- An additional goal under Priority 2 was to achieve a 5% decrease in the number of students identified as at-risk based on DESSA (Social and Emotional Screener) results by June 2025. We did see a small reduction (1%) in students identified as at-risk, but many more showed as having strong social and emotional skills (6%). This positive shift suggests growth in students’ social-emotional skills and well-being, even as we continue working toward the targeted reduction in at-risk classifications.
- Lastly, we aimed for a 5% increase in students feeling safe, as measured by the Student Voice Triangle Survey. While the elementary level experienced a 6% decrease in positive responses, the middle school successfully met the goal with a 5% increase. The high school showed no change compared to last year. This remains an important area of focus, and we will continue to explore ways to ensure all students feel safe and supported in their learning environments.
Priority 3: Create a positive, welcoming student centered environment that celebrates diversity and inclusivity to empower students, staff and families.
- Our goals for Priority 3 focused on increasing family and community engagement through student-led conferences, parent-teacher conference attendance and participation in schoolwide and community events. We successfully met our target of a minimum of five student-led conferences per building, demonstrating clear areas of student growth.
- While we did not have precise data for the 10% increase in parent attendance at fall and spring parent-teacher conferences, we observed strong participation at family engagement nights and other events. Notably, our Winter Fest attracted more than 150 attendees, meeting the goal for large community event attendance.
- Additionally, participation in schoolwide family events showed a positive increase throughout the year.
- These outcomes highlight encouraging progress in building stronger connections with families and the community, and we will continue to refine our tracking methods to better measure and support these efforts moving forward.
These results demonstrate that while we are making meaningful progress, there is still important work ahead. We remain committed to doing everything possible to ensure Liberty is a great place to learn
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent
Liberty seeks input on cellphone ban
New York state has passed a law banning the use of internet-enabled devices, such as cellphones, tablets and smart watches, by students on school grounds during the school day, except in specific circumstances.
As part of the legislation, districts are required to have a policy in place by Aug. 1. As part of its policy-making process, Liberty Central School District is seeking family input. Parents and guardians are asked to take a moment to fill out the following survey: https://forms.gle/jMuwNuuYLdKjUAFj9. The survey will close June 30.