Category: Elementary News
Importance notice regarding give back days
When snow/inclement weather days are not used, the district “gives them back” by closing school on days that were originally scheduled to have school in session. Although Liberty Central School District has ten days snow days built into the calendar for the 2018-19 school year, as of March 14, we have used four.
While no one can accurately predict what the winter has in store for us, at this point it seems likely that we will not require all of the remaining snow days.
Read below to review the district’s plan to give back this year’s unused snow days.
- School will be closed on Friday, March 22.
If the district does not use any additional snow days by April 12, the following days would also become give back days:
- Tuesday, April 23
- Wednesday, April 24
- Friday, May 24
- Thursday, May 23
- Friday, May 17
Please note that in the event that additional snow/inclement weather days are used during the remainder of the school year, some of the dates listed above will have to remain as regular school days and your child will need to be in attendance at school. Additional information will be sent home to parents and posted to the district’s website if changes are made.
LES safety patrol takes pride in protecting others
Mariely has been looking forward to fourth-grade so that she could join the Liberty Elementary School Safety Patrol. Safety Patrol is an ambassador program open to select fourth-grade students. Patrol officers serve on a rotating basis.
Earlier this week, Mariely was given the orange and yellow vest she’d been so excited to receive.
Before they begin, patrol officers receive training on how to be a role model for safe and respectful conduct in the halls. During their service, they participate in Safety Patrol meetings with district leaders and school resource officers.
Their signature orange and yellow vest represents a commitment to helping promote a safety learning environment for all students and staff at Liberty Elementary School.
What’s more, is that the patrol program promotes the development of leadership skills and citizenship qualities.
You might see Mariely or one of her peers at the school’s crosswalk, entrance or hallways. Don’t forget to say hi!
More about the program:
Students are nominated by their teachers to apply for the Safety Patrol Program. They fill out an application and have an interview with Assistant Principal England, Senior Typist Green and School Resource Officer Brust. Duties are assigned by Mrs. Green based on need. Officer duties may include monitoring tthe bus line, main lobby, “kiss and drop” parking area and stairways.
Officers also voluntarily eat lunch during the end of recess and “patrol” the cafeteria during fourth- grade lunch. They also help pick up and wash down the tables.
Students CATCH an active lifestyle with Bee Moser
The district would like to extend its thanks to nutritionist Bee Moser of Cornell Cooperative Extension and Eat Smart New York for her work through the Catch Kids program.
The Catch Kids program is a new after school program for students who attend the Boys and Girls Club. Catch Kids that focuses on physical activity and healthy eating. Currently, elementary school members meet on Tuesdays and middle school members meet on Thursdays from 4-5 p.m.
“The CATCH after school program curriculum is an interactive way to get kids moving while giving them the ability to identify healthy foods. We focus on having fun,” Ms. Moser said. “[The students] play games while learning about the importance of exercise and healthy food.”
The goal of the program, she said, is to create behavior changes.
“It is beautiful to see how much kids are into learning about healthy lifestyles. It is heartwarming to me when I come back each week and have kids lining in up to tell me what healthy thing they’ve begun to incorporate in their life, from a healthy fruit or vegetable to a little bit of extra walking or playing,” she said.
Coding is as easy as making a sandwich
A great way to help students learn something new is to start with something students are already familiar with, such as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
When she entered the door of Mrs. Hand’s third-grade classroom, technology integration specialist Dana Gropper left behind all of her knowledge as a human being.
As she pulled out the ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she introduced herself not as a teacher, but as a computer under the direction of the students.
As technology integration specialist, Ms. Gropper designs and delivers technology related instruction to students. In short, she breaks down concepts such as html and coding in age-appropriate ways.
In the video clip below, she teaches the fundamentals of computer programming using the simplicity of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Programmers write detailed instructions for computers to follow, she explained. If the instructions lack detail, the program won’t work as expected.
The Makers Club is resourceful and kind
The Makers Club is an after-school program for fourth graders that meets on Tuesdays (for making) and Thursdays (for coding.) Two students from each fourth-grade class are selected to participate in ten sessions based on their interest and availability. After the ten sessions are completed, another round of students will selected to participate.
Club members are currently weaving book bags using t-shirt scraps that were donated to the school. Once complete, the bags will be donated to the school’s lending library so that students can easily carry their books.
View scenes from the LES veterans assembly
On Thursday, Nov. 9 Liberty Elementary School students and staff gathered to honor and thank local community veterans.
Students greeted each veteran as they entered through an honorary arch of flags and made their way to the gymnasium.
Students at Liberty Elementary School always look forward to Veterans Day because it gives them a chance to say “thank you” to our local veterans through praise and introduction, songs, letters and donations, explained elementary school Principal Jackie Harris.
During the assembly, principal explained that it has been a school goal to demonstrate more patriotism and as such, every class sings patriotic songs such as this one after saying the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each school day.
And that’s not all, she continued. Students apply the service that veterans have provided to their classroom responsibilities and expectations.
“Veterans are their role models.”
Students and teachers lined the gymnasium floor waving flags, singing songs, shaking hands and thanking the men and women for their service.
Students have a spooktacular time during Halloween parade
Students participate in cooking lesson
October is National Farm to School Month. For four weeks, millions of school communities around the country celebrate the movement that connects children to fresh, healthy food and supports local agriculture and Liberty is no exception.
Chef Michael Bel, Director of the Culinary Arts Program at SUNY Sullivan recently donated his time to teach Liberty Elementary School students how to create quick and healthy meals that feature locally grown fruits and vegetables as the main ingredient.
The Catskill Edible Garden Project (CEGP) hosts after-school “Chef in the Classroom” events in Sullivan County schools as part of National Farm to School Month.
Chef in the Classroom is a hands-on way to get children excited about eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Studies show that children who actively engage in cooking are more likely to try new foods.
CEGP is a partnership between Catskill Mountainkeeper, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, and Sullivan Renaissance. The project works with schools and community organizations to design edible gardens as living, outdoor educational and gathering spaces.
Students, staff participate in Miles of Hope
On Friday, Oct. 19, the staff and students in the Liberty Central School district participated in the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser. Students and staff in Liberty’s three school were asked to wear pink and to donate $1 to Miles of Hope.
The official “final” counts are in:
For more information about Miles of Hope click on http://milesofhope.org/
The students and staff of the Liberty Central School District participate in several fundraisers each year supporting cancer research.
A look inside the LES MakerSpace
Powerful things are happening when Mrs. Treible and Mrs. Terry’s students can conceptualize something, build it, and then write about it, explaining what it is that they have made, and how it relates to their lessons.
Liberty Elementary second-graders Ayelene and Bristol worked together Thursday afternoon, determined to build the sturdiest house.
Using cardboard, scissors, tape and a ruler, they carefully determined where to place each cardboard piece to get it to a certain height. They strategized along the way.
“We can’t cut [the cardboard] yet because we have to plan before we build,” Ayeline said. “We’re Makers here. That means we figure out how to build things using what used to be junk.”
Ayelene and Bristol were just two of the 40 some second-graders who participated in their first “make-and-take” project using materials from one of the two school’s new MakerSpace labs.
Bristol said she likes the new MakerSpace because “….it feels like recess, but better.”
Press play on the video below to see highlights from Ayelene and Bristol’s MakerSpace class on Thursday, Sept. 27.