• The next Board of Education meeting will be on MONDAY July 7, 2025 in the HS Media Center at 6:00 pm starting with the Annual Organizational meeting.  The regular meeting will follow this meeting.  Both meetings are open to the public.  The agenda will be available on Sunday July 6, 2025 at Board Docs.
  • Please note: The tennis courts on the Liberty Middle/High School campus will be closed July 16 and 17 for maintenance work.
  • Under construction: The athletic field and track area is no longer accessible to the public.  The area will be closed as construction continues.
  • Reminder: The ballfield at Liberty Elementary School is closed until further notice. Please respect the barrier in place.
  • Notice: Kindergarten registration is open for Liberty Elementary School. For more details on registering for kindergarten, click here.
  • Traffic alert: A temporary traffic pattern is in effect at Liberty Elementary School. Please see details of new traffic pattern here.

Retiring LHS science teacher to be honored by MHSSC

Cindy NolanIn her final year of teaching, a well-loved Liberty teacher will be honored by the Mid-Hudson School Study Council next month.

Lucinda (Cindy) Nolan, a science teacher at Liberty High School for 31 years, will receive a Teaching Excellence Award from the MHSSC. She has taught a variety of science classes from eighth grade physical science to Regents physics.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” she said. “It is the frosting on the cake of a fulfilling career as an educator.”

In his nomination letter. LHS Principal Dr. Derek Adams called Ms. Nolan “the epitome of an exceptional educator, demonstrating unwavering professionalism and dedication.”

Her high-quality instruction, engaging learning experiences and meaningful assessments fosters an environment where students thrive, he added

While her work in the classroom has been noteworthy  it is her interactions with her students that make her an outstanding teacher.

“A good educator is able to inspire students to learn about the subject that they teach, but more than that to connect with students to help them to become better humans and to make a difference in their lives,” Ms. Nolan said. “Sometimes a difference is made by teaching exciting topics, other times it is by showing love.”

Students gather around a teacher, all on rollerblades in a hallwayFrom engaging her students with her how-can-it-not-be-fun Physics of Toys classes, to leading lessons on rollerblading during this year’s Genius Hour, to posing with selfies with graduating seniors in their caps and gowns, Ms. Nolan has a way of connecting with students.

“I don’t think anyone dislikes Ms. Nolan,” freshman Baileigh Steinberg said.

She goes above and beyond helping her students understand their lessons, students said.

Senior Jonathan Stonick said during his freshman year he spent almost every day after school and during a study hall with her to help understand and complete his work.

“She has helped me a lot throughout my four years,” he added. “She’s a really great teacher.”

Fellow senior Nora Liddle agreed.

“I’m really happy to have had her as a science teacher. She’s one of the best female science teachers I have known,” she said. “It’s a joy to be around her.”

It’s not just the students who say that.

A teacher poses for a selfie with a group of graduating seniors in their caps and gowns“I have witnessed each and every current and former student, staff and community members give and receive the warmest of greetings and interactions usually starting and finishing with a hug,” Dr. Adams said in his nomination letter. “The relationships that Cindy has built through her career are remarkable and is a testament to her dedication to an education for all students”

Beyond the classroom, Ms. Nolan also serves as adviser of National Honor Society and Science Olympiad. She is also a leader and a mentor to her colleagues, serving as a department facilitator and leading weekly professional learning community meetings, and she  has spearheaded initiatives to improve instruction and student outcomes.

“Ms. Nolan is a worthy recipient of the MHSSC Teaching Excellence Award,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “We will miss her at Liberty and wish her well in her retirement.”

While she may leave Liberty schools at the end of the year, her memories and connection to the district will always remain.

“I have grown so much as a person during my time here. I have received an education in different cultures and their traditions. My co-workers have become lifelong friends and extended family who have been mentors, and ‘partners in crime’ and extended family,” she said. “Not many people can meet so many people and have as much fun in their career as I have. I chose the right career for me!”

Ms. Nolan will be honored at the MHSSC’s annual meeting and awards celebration in the Fieldstone Auditorium in the North Rockland Central School District on May 7. Earlier this school year, Liberty Middle School Aide/Safety Duty staff member Cindy Mercado was honored with the MHSSC Support Staff Award for Excellence in Education.

Lead in water testing results reported at Liberty

State law requires school districts to sample all water outlets currently or potentially used for drinking or cooking purposes in buildings that may be occupied by students and to submit those samples to a state-approved lab for analysis. Testing must be completed every three years, unless the state Commissioner of Health requires testing sooner.

The state established an action level of 5 micrograms per liter or 5 parts per billion (ppb). If a sample from a water outlet exceeds this level, schools must take steps to prevent the use of the outlet for drinking or cooking purposes until it is remediated and follow-up testing confirms it is no longer above the action level.

School districts are required to report the results of all water testing to the state Department of Health, the state Education Department and the local health department, and to post the results — along with remediation plans, if required — on the official district website.

Testing took place at the middle and high school on April 8, the elementary school on April 9 and the White Sulphur Springs building on April 10.

  • At the high school, a hand washing sink in the Nurse’s Office returned a 10.1 parts per billion level.
  • At the middle school, a second-floor pass-through storage hand washing sink returned a 175 parts per billion level.
  • At the elementary school, eight sinks were found to be above 5 ppb
    • Between 16 & 17 Teacher space hand sink: 20.6 ppb
    • Room 30 class sink: 14.7 ppb
    • Room 42 class sink: 9.5 ppb
    • Room 43 class sink: 25.6 ppb
    • Room 45 class sink: 59.1 ppb
    • Room 46 class sink: 6.3 ppb
    • Room 48 class sink: 67.6 ppb
    • Room 53 class sink: 9.1 ppb
  • All outlets at the White Sulphur Springs building returned levels below 5 ppb.

Signs have been posted at all impacted sinks that water is not to be consumed from that outlet. Remedial actions will be taken and the outlets will be retested.

More information and links to the full reports are available here.

Liberty BOE OKs $68.5M budget proposal; info sessions planned

On Tuesday, April 22, Liberty Central School District Board of Education approved a $68.5 million budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year that maintains programs while enhancing goals and procedure alignment as well as efficiencies district-wide without increasing the tax levy.

This is the seventh consecutive year there is no proposed tax levy increase.

The vote will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the high school media center.

There will be a series of budget information sessions, to which the public is encouraged to attend:

  • May 5: Budget presentation to the Liberty Town Board, 6:30 p.m., the Senior Citizens Center at 119 N. Main St.
  • May 6: Budget hearing, 6 p.m., High School Auditorium
  • May 8: Budget, Dinner and a Concert, 5:30 p.m., HS Media Center
  • May 9: Budget talk, 8:30-11:30 a.m., New Munson Diner, 12 Lake St.

The proposed $68,508,362 budget increases spending 0.70%, or $474,068 and would fund all current student programs and services.

Based on the governor’s budget proposal’s state aid projections, the district expects an overall slight decrease in state aid, with the tax lex levy remaining at $17,760,162, the same as the 2024-25 budget.

Also on the ballot is a nearly $7.5 million capital project proposal that would add air conditioning to the elementary school to address recent state legislation that sets 88 degrees as the maximum temperature in educational and support services spaces. There is no expected tax levy impact, as fund balances would be used to offset the costs not covered by state reimbursements. More information is available at the district’s 2025 capital project webpage.

There also will be three board of education seats on the ballot. On the ballot, in the order they will appear, are Miriam Rivka Singer, incumbents John L. Nichols and Timothy Hamblin, Miriam Heimlich and incumbent Matthew DeWitt.

The elected candidates will serve three-year terms running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.

For more information on the budget, including voter information, visit the district budget information page on the website.

Sports schedule, and results, for the week of April 21-27, 2025

Our student-athletes are in action this week in baseball, golf, softball and track and field.

Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.

The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.

Monday, April 21

No events scheduled.

Tuesday, April 22

4 p.m.: Girls Varsity Golf vs. Sullivan West Central at Villa Roma Country Club.

4:15 p.m.: Modified Baseball vs. Tri-Valley at Liberty Middle School

4:15 p.m.: Modified Softball vs. Tri-Valley at Tri-Valley Central School, TV – Elementary School Field

4:15 p.m.: Varsity Softball vs. Highland at Liberty High School
Result: Highland 21, Liberty 0

Wednesday, April 23

4:30 p.m.: Varsity Baseball vs. James I. O’Neill at James I. O’Neill High School

Thursday, April 24

3:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. Sullivan West Central  at Villa Roma Country Club

4:30 p.m.: Boys and Girls  Modified Track and Field vs. multiple schools at Sullivan West – Jeffersonville

Friday, April 25

3 p.m.: Girls Varsity Golf  vs. Multiple Schools at Monroe Country Club

3:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. Multiple Schools at Villa Roma Country Club

4:30 p.m.: Varsity Baseball vs. Port Jervis at Liberty High School

4:30 p.m.: JV Baseball vs. Port Jervis at Liberty High School.

4:30 p.m.: Varsity Softball vs. Chester Academy at  Maple Avenue School (Chester).

Saturday, April 26

9 a.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Track and Field vs. Multiple Schools at Dietz Stadium

Sunday, April 27

No events scheduled.

Sports schedule, and results, for the week of April 14-20, 2025

With spring break this week, the sports docket is light. But our track and field student-athletes do have one event scheduled.

Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.

The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.

Monday, April 14

No events scheduled.

Tuesday, April 15

10 a.m.: Boy and Girls Varsity Track and Field vs. Multiple Schools at Roundout Valley Central School.

Wednesday, April 16

No events scheduled.

Thursday, April 17

No events scheduled.

Friday, April 18

No events scheduled

Saturday, April 19

No events scheduled

Sunday, April 20

No events scheduled.

Redhawk football player to become Hartwick Hawk

A second Liberty Redhawk has signed to play football with a DIII Empire 8 team next year.

Andrew McPhillips will become a Hartwick College Hawk this fall.

At a signing ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, Andrew, sitting alongside his parents, Mike and Karen, and brother Nick, made his official commitment to the Oneonta college. Andrew will likely face off on the gridiron against Redhawk teammate Mathew Lutz, who will be playing for Alfred University.

A student wearing a Hartwick College cap and sweatshirt poses between his two coaches standing behind a table and infront of a backdrop with the Liberty High School logo on it.Andrew has been playing football his entire life.  He was a member of many non-school-based and invite-only  offense/defense all-star championship teams that played in various NFL stadiums.  He was a four-year member of the Liberty varsity football team, three of those as a two-way starter on the offense and defensive line. 

His sophomore year was cut short when he broke his femur in the opening game that season, but he rehabbed and bounced back to finish his last two years strong as center on offense and defensive tackle on defense.  Andrew also played on special teams units and represented Liberty in the exceptional senior all-star game this year. 

“The Liberty Redhawk Football family is proud of Andrew and wish him the best of luck at Hartwick,” head coach Adam Lake said.

A message regarding high school graduation dress code

Dear Liberty families,

On Feb. 27, the district held a forum to discuss the current dress code for our high school graduation ceremony. The dress code is in place to maintain the formality of the event while keeping the focus on our students’ academic and civic achievements.

Along with their caps and gowns, the district has, in the past, allowed students to wear regalia from certain outside organizations/entities. Students will continue to be permitted to wear regalia from those previously approved organizations/entities, which are listed below. The district will not permit students to wear regalia provided by any other outside organization, entity, group or otherwise that are not included on the list below. Students are also permitted to decorate the tops of their graduation caps to reflect their heritage, families, personalities and journeys, provided that such decorations comply with the district’s Code of Conduct and Student Dress Code policy.

During the forum, about 15 attendees requested a change to the existing dress code. They noted that some surrounding districts have implemented changes; however, upon further review, we found that the districts in Sullivan County follow a graduation dress code similar to ours.

We appreciate our students, alumni and families for sharing their perspectives.

After careful consideration, the current graduation dress code will be as follows:

  • School-issued: Valedictorian sash; salutatorian sash; LHS Class Officer cord.
  • Other approved regalia: National Honor Society stole; United States Armed Forces stole or sash; New York State Public High School Athletic Association medal; New York State Seal of Biliteracy medal; National Art Honor Society cord; National Technical Honor Society cord; HOBY Youth Leadership cord; NY Blood Center Donor cord; New York State Seal of Civic Readiness medal; and Sullivan County BOCES SkillsUSA.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Sullivan, Superintendent

Dr. Derek Adams, High School Principal

LES kindergarten registration continues

Registration for kindergarten at Liberty Elementary School opened April 1.

To qualify, children must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2025, and a resident of the Liberty Central School District. Students that are in the Liberty Central School District universal pre-k program at LES or G&D do not need to register.

To register, parents or guardians must fill out a registration packet and provide a copy of parent/guardian’s photo ID; custody papers, if applicable; proof of residency, such as a utility bill or rental lease; and the child’s birth certificate, immunization records and a copy of recent physical exam, which must include all school physical exam requirements. Parents and guardians are encouraged to check with their child’s doctor for details.

To register, email haustin@libertyk12.org or call 845-292-5400, ext. 2331.

Sports schedule, and results, for the week of April 7-13, 2025

Our student-athletes are in action this week in baseball, golf, softball, tennis and track and field.

Here are the schedule and results, if available. Livestream links are included where available.

The schedule is subject to change. Check the Liberty schedule on the Section IX website for the latest.

Monday, April 7

All events postponed or canceled.

Tuesday, April 8

All events postponed or canceled.

Wednesday, April 9

3 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf vs. James I. O’Neill at Sullivan County Golf and Country Club

4:15 p.m.: JV Baseball vs. Sullivan West Central at Liberty High School

A pole vaulter begins to lift off the ground during a vault.4:15 p.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Track and Field vs. Multiple Schools at   Sullivan West – Jeffersonville
Result: The varsity girls and boys track and field teams traveled to Sullivan West and came out victorious against a tough opponent. Most athletes put together new season best performances and ran in events that they were not used to just to try to get some points for the team.  One key performance was Brooke Bull who shattered her own school pole vault record of 9’6 with a 11’0 vault.

4:30 p.m.: Varsity Baseball vs. Sullivan West Central  at Sullivan West – Lake Huntington

4:30 p.m.: Varsity Softball vs. Port Jervis  at Port Jervis High School
Result: Port Jervis 12, Liberty 0.

4:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Middletown at  Liberty High School

Thursday, April 10

3:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Golf  vs. Multiple Schools at Wallkill Golf Club

4 p.m.: Girls Varsity Golf vs. Multiple Schools at The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge

4 p.m.: Boys and Girls Modified Track and Field vs. Sullivan West Central at Liberty High School

4:15 p.m.: Modified Baseball vs. Sullivan West Central at Sullivan West – Lions Field

4:15 p.m.: Modified Softball vs. Sullivan West Central  at Sullivan West – Lake Huntington

Friday, April 11

4 p.m.: Boys and Girls Varsity Track and Field Vs. Livingston Manor/Roscoe at Liberty High School

4:30 p.m.: JV Baseball vs. Beacon City at Memorial Park

Saturday, April 12

No events scheduled

Sunday, April 13

No events scheduled.

Capital project to address cooling at LES set to go before voters May 20

On Monday, March 31, the Liberty Central School District Board of Education approved a capital project to go before voters during the annual budget vote and school board election on May 20.

The nearly $7.5 million project would add cooling units to portions of the elementary school to address recent state legislation that sets a maximum temperature of 88 degrees for educational and support services spaces.

The district is working with architecture and engineering firm LAN Associates and construction management firm Schoolhouse Construction on the project.

The capital project is not expected to have a tax impact as $1,125,000 would be used from available fund balance and the remaining amount reimbursed through state capital project aid.

The project would be done in conjunction with HVAC work approved by voters in a capital project vote in January 2024.

Rather than adding just heating units to 38 classroom spaces, a counseling and AIS space, if approved on May 20, the units would be heating and cooling units in the original section of the building. The main office, faculty area and nurses office will also be upgraded.

“It is more cost effective to build this into an ongoing project, rather than retrofitting units at a later date,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said.

Studies have shown that students who have a comfortable learning environment have more success. If classroom temperatures cannot be kept to below 88 degrees, it could cause disruptions, including possible school closures.

“We are aware that portions of the Elementary School can get hot during extreme heat days,” Sullivan said. “While this project would not be completed until after the law goes into effect on Sept. 1, this would help us in the future.”

If approved, the project, which also includes electrical and boiler upgrades at LES as well as ancillary work, would be scheduled for possible completion before the 2026-27 school year. More details on the project will be shared later on the district’s website, www.libertyk12.org.

Voting will take place between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the Liberty High School media center. For more details on voting, visit https://www.libertyk12.org/department-services/business-office/.

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