Preliminary Note: My apologies on the background but we had some great hot dog barbecues in week one.

It's been a few months since our last update and we've got a number of changes taking place within our school:

• Almost half of our students are new to LA.
• Every student has a customized schedule this fall in order help them better optimize their time while working around life, family schedules, attendance barriers, and vocation.
• Letter grades and traditional course credit will no longer be used at LA as the vehicle to report progress or mastery. They have been replaced with subsets of skill based competencies that are specific to the things we value and the framework we use.

We've spent most of our first two weeks getting to know our students again and working to ensure that they're comfortable with our processes. Last week much of our time was spent making sure that every student worked with a team of advisors to build out their own calendar of activity and interest (a process they'll do each month) so that they can better learn how to plan, manage, and take advantage of all the opportunities we'll be offering this fall:

• Over 60 off-site trips per month
• Over 15 "Learn How To" workshops per week (Photography, Media, Cooking, Sewing, etc.)
• Daily + Weekly Goal Setting
• Daily Math + Social/Emotional Workshops

We're excited about where we're headed as we work to build an even more progressive framework of student ownership, customizable opportunity, alumni interaction, and real-time communication.

How many semesters have you been at Liberty Academy:

Favorite Past Project:

Project I’m currently working on:

Place I would like to visit:

Favorite food:

Favorite place to eat out:

Do you work and if so were and how many hours:

What would you like to do after high school:

My hidden Talent:

What I most Like about going to the Liberty Academy:

• Alumni barbecue date coming soon for October.
• If you've recently changed phone numbers or email addresses please contact Mr. Smith at 816-522-9808 or Art.Smith@lps53.org with your new information.
• We need all past alumni to schedule a time to come in and sign our "Senior Showcase" wall.

• SkilledKC (Need to learn a trade skill without having to pay for it; Take a look)
• Uncover KC (Get a live look at where volunteers are needed each week around the city)
• The Builders Association (If you'd like to start learning a trade)
• Enroll at Community College (Get started on a profession and do so spending less money)
• Simply Hire + Indeed (Look for live daily job openings around the Kansas City area)
• Need Help Paying Bills (Check out this site if you live in Clay County)
• Need Food, Rent, or Utility Assistance (Check out this site if you live in KC and need help)
• Masterclass.com (Learn more about a skill or career you want to pursue from celebrities who do it every day)
• BC Hardscapes Needs Workers (Apply Here) (18 and over)

I graduated from Liberty Academy in:

I attended Liberty Academy for:

What are you currently doing in life?

What are you most proud of at this stage in your life?

What are your plans for the future?

What is the best advice I could give to current students at liberty academy?

What’s the one thing you appreciate most about your time at liberty academy now that you’ve moved onto a different stage of your life?

• Stencils and paint of any kind
• Culinary supplies of any kind
• Pizza Oven
• Outdoor Meat Smoker
• Resources for making/designing clothing

We say it every week. What we do for kids at Liberty Academy wouldn't be possible without the partnership, generosity, and effort of so many. Our school is designed for sustainable growth and personalized exploration. It takes a village and we appreciate your help.