Category: Elementary News
A message from the superintendent on ongoing construction
Dear Liberty families,
As you are aware, construction is underway at our middle and high school campus, with the construction of the new maintenance building off Winthrop Avenue near the softball field, as well as work continuing on the new athletic field..
Please remember that those areas are closed to the public while work is being completed. The Winthrop parking lot is closed, as is the lower part of the walkway between Winthrop and the high school behind the district office. Students and spectators should not enter that area. Also, the campus is surrounded by private property that should not be crossed to access our fields. Access to the softball field should be done via the parking lot between the high school and district office.
If spectators need accommodations, they should contact Athletic Director Thomas Zehner at tzehner@libertyk12.org or call 845-292-5400, ext. 2012.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Toy gun confiscated at dismissal at MS/HS
At dismissal today, April 23, a student at the middle school was seen using a neon green cap gun. The toy was immediately taken away from the student. At no time was there any danger to staff or students. The situation is being dealt with according to the Liberty CSD Code of Conduct.
The district reminds families that, per the Code of Conduct, weapons, or items that appear to be a weapon, are not to be brought onto school property.
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.
A message from the LES principal
Dear LES Families,
This morning, April 23, school administration was alerted that a student was in possession of a retractable utility knife. Administration and the School Resource Officer (SRO) responded immediately to secure the item without incident. The situation was handled in accordance with our code of conduct. At no point were any students or staff in danger.
Bob England,
Liberty Elementary School Principal
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.
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
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.
No one to be inducted into Wall of Fame in 2026
The Wall of Fame Committee met in March to review the nominations for the Class of 2026; however, there were no nominees selected for induction.
“I appreciate the effort of those who took time to submit nominations,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Derek Adams said. “Although no one will be inducted this year, I know there are numerous Liberty alumni making a positive impact in our community and beyond, and look forward to nominations for the 2027 Class.”
Those who were nominated may be nominated again, preferably with additional or different supporting materials.
The Wall of Fame celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of graduates or attendees who have walked the halls of Liberty’s schools.
Because no new members will be inducted in June, the 2026 ceremony will not take place.
Liberty students take home nine awards in Countywide Art Show
Liberty students earned nine awards in the Countywide Art Show hosted by Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, with Liberty taking home half of the Artist Choice awards in color and black and white photography and digital art.
The show hosted work from students in prekindergarten through 12th grade from all eight districts in Sullivan County. The student opening was held Thursday, April 9, where students, including 21 from Liberty, had the opportunity to select their favorite works in each category. During the opening, students were also invited to visit the Bethel Woods Museum.
“The awards are not why we create art or show it. We show art to share it, to inspire, to be inspired. The awards simply say our hard work was acknowledged and our creativity and technical skills were appreciated,” teacher Ms. Kath Johansen said.
A formal awards ceremony was held Thursday, including Artist Choice Awards and Student Choice Awards. Artist Choice Awards are granted by a panel of professionals going through each category to select a few works in each as the best works of the show, while Student Choice Awards are voted on by the students as the best work for that category. Each student received one vote per category. Only artwork by students in seventh through 12th grades were judged.
Earning awards for Liberty were:
- Seventh-grader Kaliani Rivera, who earned a Student Choice Award for color drawing
- Studio Art student Alex Olivares Reyes and Advanced Studio Student Madelyn Steward received Artist’s Choice awards for black and white drawing, and National Art Honor Society President Jhosmery Jadan Pangolo received a Student Choice Award in that category
- Photo 1 students earned three awards in color photography, with Cassandra Porter and Amy Szuba winning two of the three Artist Choice Awards, and Janelis Flores winning one of the three Student Choice Awards.
- Allison Vasko won one of two Artist Choice Awards for digital art
- Carlos Garzon Cruz won one of three Artist Choice Awards in black and white photography.
The show was open to the public Friday through Sunday, April 10-12.
“Visiting the show and sharing all eight district’s work with the students opens their eyes and gets them thinking,” Ms. Johansen said. “We appreciate that opportunity, Sullivan BOCES hard work to make it happen and Bethel Woods for allowing us to be there.”
