Since Liberty Central School District’s five-year strategic plan was introduced 3½ years ago, the district has instituted or refined several programs with a goal of meeting its mission to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential. Progress has been made. Liberty students’ reading scores are improving, thanks in part to the alignment of its reading curriculum through the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) Into Reading and Into Literature programs. The support for all students is growing with the refinement of the district’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. Students are showing personal growth and honing their leadership skills through Leading in Me and the related Lighthouse Teams across the district. The emphasis on hands-on learning in STEM (science, technology engineering and math) is preparing Liberty students for future careers.  Watch this video to see how these programs are impacting the Liberty Redhawk family.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 27, Liberty Central School District has used five of its eight emergency closure days allotted for the school year.

If the district uses all of its emergency days, the district will transition to remote learning if weather or other situations require the buildings to be closed.

The district will communicate its intention to use remote learning days, if the potential situation arises.  The Liberty Central School District remote learning plan is available on the district’s website.

Questions may be emailed to questions@libertyk12.org.

Dear Liberty,

I want to welcome you back from what I hope was a restful and relaxing winter break. As we enter 2026, I would like to reshare the district’s chain of command calling guide, along with some reminders and updates as school is back in session.

DASA and Safety

As previously mentioned, safety is always of utmost importance, and we are committed to providing a safe environment for students, staff, and visitors. Please take a moment to review the district’s safety measures and visitor procedures.

I would also like to remind you about our Anonymous Alerts system, which allows students and families to report concerns regarding safety or bullying. Furthermore, we continue to utilize the Gaggle platform to monitor student internet usage and alert officials to concerning searches or messages. Ultimately, both programs support our commitment to the Dignity for All Students Act and overall safety

Looking Back and Moving Forward

As we move forward, I want to look back at the start of the school year. We have visited classrooms throughout the district and seen some amazing things. Our building administrators, teachers and staff have been working diligently to create engaging learning opportunities aligned with the district’s curriculum.

In addition, we have seen our students enhance their leadership skills by leveraging our Leader In Me program and taking part in extracurricular activities. Moreover, students have taken steps to impact the Liberty school community and beyond by working with A Single Bite and Sullivan 180, planting daffodils with our Liberty Middle School FFA, performing at our winter concerts and the Sullivan County Government Center, taking part in the LPA’s production of All Shook Up, competing in interscholastic sports, and more.

As the school year continues, we look forward to ongoing learning opportunities for our students. We continue to work towards our yearly and long-term goals, helping our students innovate and persevere for the remainder of this year and beyond.

Finally, I invite you to revisit our Strategic Plan page, which details our pillars of Coherence, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Curriculum, and Culture. We are also sharing this year’s District Comprehensive Improvement Plan outlining our goals for the 2025-2026 school year, along with the  presentation from the opening day forum regarding our latest educational programs.

We sincerely appreciate your ongoing commitment to our schools and the entire Liberty Central School District community.

Dr. Patrick Sullivan

Dear Liberty,

As we enter our winter break, I want to take a moment to thank everyone in our Redhawk family for what they do to build our school community to be one in which we cultivate trust and courage in our students to be innovative and to persevere.

I wish everyone a very happy holiday season and hope you can take time during break to relax, recharge and enjoy the time off.

I can’t wait to see everyone back on Jan. 5, 2026, to continue our mission to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Sullivan

SUNY Sullivan taking part a new program for New York residents ages 25–55 who do not have a college degree. The purpose of SUNY Reconnect is to provide individuals with the opportunity to earn an associate degree and expand their career opportunities. One of the available degrees is an Associate of Arts degree in Childhood Education, which offers aides a pathway to become certified teaching assistants and may inspire them to pursue teaching careers in the future.

The program covers tuition, fees, books and supplies, making it essentially free for eligible participants.

Who is eligible?

• New York Residents ages 25-55 without a high school diploma or with a diploma but no college degree.
• Those who enroll full- or part-time in an eligible associate degree at SUNY Sullivan:
  • Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counseling, Associate of Applied Science
  • Childhood Education, Associate of Arts
  • Green Building Technology, Associate of Applied Science
  • Computer Information Systems, Associate of Applied Science
  • Computer Programming, Associate of Applied Science
  • Respiratory Care, Associate of Applied Science
  • Medical Assistant, Associate of Applied Science
  • Nursing, Associate of Applied Science

What does “free” mean?

The SUNY Reconnect program covers the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies after all other financial aid is applied. Housing is not covered.

How do I get started?

Visit https://sunysullivan.edu/and select APPLY to complete a free application. Choose one of the programs listed above and start your free journey with SUNY Sullivan.

How do I enroll?

After you’ve submitted your application, SUNY Sullivan will send you a letter and an email with details on the next steps.

• Submit final high school or GED transcript
  • Please contact the high school guidance office of the high school you graduated  from and request that they send your official transcript to admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
  • If you have earned a GED, please email photos of your certificate and transcript to admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
• Submit official Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP, and/or college transcripts
  • If you’ve earned credits at another institution or through AP, IB, and/or CLEP, please request that your official transcript(s) be sent to admissions@sunysullivan.edu. The Registrar will review your transcript(s) and transfer any equivalent credits earned with a grade of “C” or higher that are required for your program of study.
• Apply for financial aid and scholarships
  • Be sure to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), and Excelsior Scholarship Program (if applicable) applications. Links are available at studentaid.gov.
  • If you’re unable to complete the FAFSA, don’t worry—you can still apply for TAP and the Senator Jose A. Peralta application at hesc.ny.gov/.
  • SUNY Sullivan’s Federal School Code is 002879 and New York State School Code is 2225.

Need more information?

• Call 845-434-5750, ext. 4287 or email admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
• Visit 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with extended hours until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

While not much physical progress has been seen over the last few weeks on Liberty Central School District’s capital projects, there has been movement behind the scenes.

The initial capital project was approved by voters in January 2024, with additional HVAC upgrades approved in the 2025 project to address state-mandated temperature limits in classroom spaces.

Phase 1

The largest was the approval of contracts for the construction of the maintenance building on Winthrop Avenue near the softball and soccer fields.

At a meeting last month, the Board of Education approved contracts as follows:

• General Construction: Standback General Contractors LLC
• Mechanical Construction: C.R.Wolfe Heating Corp.
• Plumbing Construction to S&O Construction Services Inc,
• Electrical Construction to Hewitt Young Electrical LLC,
• Site Construction to NGS Construction
• Construction is expected to begin this spring.

In other aspects of Phase 1:

The turf field, lights, goal posts and goals have been installed on the athletic fields, as has the foundations for the bleachers and pressbox. The bleacher and pressbox installation is expected to take place early spring, with the installation of the track and track and field components this spring. The field is expected to be completed in time for graduation.
The bid for door replacement in the middle and high schools was also finalized last month, with the replacements expected to be completed in the spring.

Phase 2

The second phase of the capital project, which includes work at the high school and middle school, has been submitted to the state Education Department for approval, with work expected to begin in the early  summer

The work at the high school includes renovations in the 300 wing and cafeteria, creation of the Innovation Lab, a generator replacement, stair removal, and upgrades to the HVAC controls, carbon monoxide alarm system and code-mandated items.

The work at the middle school includes site drainage improvements, replacement of the electrical main distribution panel and some internal doors, upgrades to the HVAC controls and carbon monoxide alarm system and a new emergency generator.

Phase 3

The final phase of the project includes work at the elementary school and the district office. The project is in the design phase with work expected to take place in 2026 and 2027.

The work at the district office includes carbon monoxide alarm system upgrades and a new emergency generator.

The work at the elementary school includes roofing repairs and upgrades, asbestos flooring abatement and replacement, wood flooring replacement, new complaint railing on the interior bleachers in the gym, and carbon monoxide alarm system and gym ventilation upgrades. HVAC work includes unit ventilator upgrades in the classrooms, boiler conversion to accommodate the additional air conditioning and HVAC control upgrades.

LAN Associates, the project architect, has completed all major architectural and mechanical site survey work, with additional visits to the school needed as the design is developed and finalized. The HVAC load calculations were finalized earlier this year, and the preparation of demolition drawing is ongoing. The options for providing ventilation air in the gymnasium are being reviewed and coordinated. LAN has also been in communication with Day Automation, which provides energy services to the district, in regard to the boiler replacement in the original building or expansion of the existing boiler plant.

“We thank LAN and our construction manager Schoolhouse Construction Services for their work on these projects,” LCSD Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “These projects will provide our students with the best environment to help our students contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential.”

As Liberty Central School District proceeds into the fourth year of its strategic plan, the district is seeing progress toward our goals.

The district launched its five year-strategic plan in the fall of 2022 to enhance the educational opportunities it offers by coherently aligning its purpose, especially after COVID disrupted traditional learning methods.

The district reported, as evidence of its progress, a 6 percentage point increase in reading scores in state testing for Grades 3-8 over the previous year.

District officials attribute this to implementation and adherence to their intents in each of the four pillars of the strategic plan:

Curriculum: Our reading/English language arts curriculum is Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)’s Into Reading/Into Literature, ensuring that the same material is used across grade levels and builds upon previous levels.
MTSS: Our multi-tier systems of support have been implemented to help identify students who may be struggling, academically, behaviorally or emotionally, and have plans and procedures in place to provide an environment where they can thrive.
Coherence: Beyond refining our MTSS analysis and practices, we have strengthened collaborative and professional development opportunities for our staff.
Culture: We recognize that everything we do is based on our mission to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential and our vision of cultivating trust and courage to be innovative and to persevere.
The entire five-year strategic plan, stories highlighting the plan in action, updates and related plans can be found on the strategic plan page on the district’s website.

“I am so proud of the progress we have seen so far, but recognize that we still have more to do,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said, noting the continued implementation of the HMH Into Math as well as the Algebra for All program with a goal of improving math testing scores.

“I am positive our faculty, staff, students and families will continue to work together to help our Redhawks soar.”

Full state test results can be found on the New York State Education Department data website.

Dear Liberty families,

We know our students are at their best when they feel secure at home. We also know many of our families are suffering hardships from the government shutdown. And with the pending cut to SNAP benefits, the impact will be felt even more.

We do our best to work as partners with our families to ensure that our students can perform their best inside and outside the classroom.

To help ensure our students have enough to eat, we offer free breakfast and lunch to all students. We also operate our Snack Pack program, which provides healthy meals over breaks and weekends to students who face food insecurity. For more information on the program, or to donate, contact Community Schools Coordinator Katlyn Rusin.

Our families can also reach out to our Student Services and or their school’s counseling department for more information about what services may be available.

There are also several organizations in the community that can assist families in need.

Sullivan County Department of Health and Family services offers a list of local food pantries. Scroll down the page to find English and Spanish versions of their brochure.

The regional food bank is also offering a free Thanksgiving food distribution. Locally the distribution will be at 10 a.m. Nov. 22 on a first-come first-served basis at the Government Center in Monticello. Learn more at the regional food bank’s Thanksgiving food distribution page.

New York State has also created a list of resources available to families:

• FAQs regarding SNAP benefit cut
• Find Your Local Food Bank
• The Food Pantries Food Connect Map
• Resources for Working Families
• Find Services that Can Help
• Stay Connected With NY State of Health
• Social Services by County

I also encourage those who can to volunteer at or donate to our community organizations that are working to help our families in need.

We are proud of our Redhawk family and know that working together we can get through this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent