Liberty Newsletter: Volume 100
September 2, 2022
Iowa City Liberty High School
Email: colbert.justin@iowacityschools.org
Website: www.iowacityschools.org/LibertyHS
Location: 1400 South Dubuque Street, North Liberty, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LibertyHighSchool2017/
Twitter: @ColbertJust
**NO SCHOOL- Monday, September 5**
Recent District Messages
Health & Safety Updates (8/16/22)
We hope that you have had an enjoyable and safe summer! Preparations for the new school year are in full swing as we eagerly await the return of students on Tuesday, August 23rd.
As an important part of our preparations, we continue to review and refine our COVID-19 health and safety protocols. This comes as access to COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, improved treatment options, and at-home testing increases in our community. It is important for students or staff who test positive for COVID-19 to follow the CDC’s self-isolation guidelines. We encourage everyone to practice layered COVID-19 prevention strategies, including washing hands, social distancing, staying home when sick, and reporting your absence to the school.
Our District strongly encourages individuals 6 months of age and older to get vaccinated for COVID-19 (and boosted) if eligible. In addition, the CDC recommends wearing a well-fitting mask indoors in public if you are in an area with high COVID-19 community transmission levels. Face coverings are optional and will be available for students, staff, and visitors in each building.
We are also aware of the increased presence of the Monkeypox virus in the United States as well as reports of a case within Johnson County. At this time, Johnson County Public Health (JCPH) has stated that the risk to the community is very low. If a Monkeypox case affects our school community, JCPH will manage the contact tracing efforts and provide direct guidance to the impacted individuals. At this time there is limited public access to the Monkeypox vaccine; however, the vaccine is available to close contacts identified through public health’s contact tracing efforts. As we learn more about this virus, we will continue to work closely with JCPH and provide updates as needed.
Our District is committed to the health and safety of our students and staff. We will continue to monitor data and collaborate with the appropriate health experts to ensure we are taking effective protective measures for those in our school community. Additional information can be found in our District’s COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines. We can’t wait to safely welcome students back into our schools on August 23rd!
Technology Updates (8/24/22)
Chromebook Logins (Passwords and QuickCards)
District-issued Chromebooks have the ability to log in using a district-provided username/password or a ClassLink QuickCard (QR code badge). We encourage students to use their username/password if at all possible but understand some of our younger learners may benefit from utilizing their district-provided ClassLink QuickCard.
If your child needs a new QuickCard, a replacement can be printed by your child’s teacher. If your child cannot remember their password, their school librarian or library secretary can reset it for them.
Chromebook Support
ICCSD does not charge families for technology repairs or replacements, and we want to ensure that every learner has access to functional and appropriate technology.
When a problem arises with a district-issued Chromebook, the easiest approach is for you or your child to bring the issue to the attention of their teacher, school librarian, or their school’s tech support desk (City, Liberty, and West High Schools only). We prioritize making sure that our students have the tools they need to engage in their coursework, and will generally provide a loaner or replacement device if we cannot fix the problem immediately.
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Parents and guardians can access the Infinite Campus Parent Portal for information about their child(ren)’s schedules, grades, assessment information, to modify registration details, and more. For assistance accessing the parent portal, please contact the main office at your child’s school.
Securly Content Filtering
ICCSD uses Securly for offsite content filtering on district-issued devices. This service ensures that federal laws and district policies related to safeguarding students’ internet activities are in place both on and off campus.
In addition to content filtering service, parents can also receive a weekly email with highlights of their child(ren)’s online activities that week, and a link to a parent portal that provides parents the ability to view their child(ren)’s activity and/or further restrict their child’s off-campus access. This email can only be sent to one email address per student, per Securly system limitations. Online registration for the 2022-2023 school year included a field to enter an email address to be used for the purpose of this communication. If you would like to receive emails at a different address or stop receiving emails, please contact the main office at your child’s school to update the Securly email address associated with your child in Infinite Campus.
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
School cybersecurity has been in the news frequently in eastern Iowa, as a couple of nearby districts have experienced substantial cybersecurity-related disruptions. Here at ICCSD, we continue to take steps to protect our students, staff, systems, and associated data, such as:
- Third-party internal and external penetration and vulnerability testing
- Collaboration with a third-party provider to assess and mitigate vulnerabilities and needs related to ICCSD’s cybersecurity and data protection resources, policies, and practices
- Provision of LastPass, a well-regarded password management platform, to district staff. Keep an eye out for information later this year about this service being made available to students and families on an opt-in basis as well.
As always, remember that ICCSD Technology & Innovation staff will never ask you for your password via email. If you receive an email that seems suspicious, delete it. If you’re concerned that the suspicious message may have been legitimate and you know the displayed sender, contact the sender directly - don’t reply to the email - to verify its authenticity. Learn more about phishing attacks here.
Digital Resources for Students
ICCSD provides digital resources such as Canvas, Seesaw, and ClassLink to support learners throughout our district. Further, students have access to many other digital resources based on their grade level and course enrollments. To learn more about access to digital resources specific to your student’s coursework, please check with your child’s teacher(s).
High Reliability Schools (9/1/2022)
The Iowa City Community School District is excited to become a High Reliability Schools district! For the past several months, our administrators and teachers have been preparing for this framework that will lead to academic and culture improvements.
First and foremost we are focused on serving our students in a positive culture that respects and celebrates differences. A top priority in the pursuit of that is creating a culture that provides a safe and orderly learning environment. Covid created several different challenges in our systems. HRS is a sophisticated framework that provides an opportunity to reset and focus on the best educational practices giving teachers tools to maximize every student’s potential in every classroom.
High Reliability Schools brings all our buildings into alignment so that our administrators and teachers are working toward the same goals, learning from each other, and performing regular audits of our practices. If something isn’t working, we want to fix it!
HRS also requires collaboration with you! Throughout the year, we will ask for feedback from students and families. Please stay tuned for information about these opportunities.
We’ve been through difficult times together. By implementing this school improvement model, our District is further renewing its commitment to creating an exceptional educational environment for all of our students.
Liberty Features & Information
Liberty Homecoming 2022
- The Varsity Boys Golf Team has a home meet at Brown Deer Golf Course at 3:15 PM on Monday, September 19.
- The Trojan Bolt Girls' Swim Team has a home meet against Linn-Mar at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, September 20.
- The Liberty Varsity Volleyball Team has a home match against Dubuque Senior at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 20.
- Homecoming Parade will take place on Wednesday, September 21, 5:45 PM to 7:00 PM. A Homecoming Parade Application is attached below.
- Powderpuff football game between the junior and senior girls will be played in the Liberty stadium following the conclusion of the parade.
- Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams will be competing on Friday, September 23 at the University of Minnesota
- The Homecoming football games against North Scott will be played at Liberty Stadium on Friday, September 23. The sophomore game will start at 5:00 PM and the varsity will start around 7:30 PM.
- The Trojan Bolt Girls' Swim Team has an away meet against CR Kennedy at 1:00 PM on Saturday, September 24.
- Liberty Marching Band has a competition @ Linn-Mar at 1PM on Saturday, September 24.
- The Liberty Varsity Volleyball Team will be competing in a tournament at Mt. Vernon on Saturday, September 24 (9 AM start).
- The Homecoming Dance with take place in the Liberty Grand Commons on Saturday, September 24. Doors will open at 7:00 PM and the dance will conclude at 10:00 PM.
High Reliability Schools (HRS)
In order to achieve our goals of excellence and equity for all students, we have adopted a new school improvement model called High Reliability Schools. High Reliability Schools is a framework that supports fulfilling our vision of equitable outcomes for all students. It gives us a common language to name what we’re doing, assess our current reality, align our initiatives, and determine where to go next. It is a vehicle that allows us to balance shared responsibility and autonomy to make decisions that best meet the needs of all our students.
We are excited to get this work started and we are excited to partner in this process with all of you! We value the voice of our school community and we want to make sure that your experiences are reflected in our High Reliability Schools implementation. Throughout the year, there will be multiple opportunities for our students, families, and staff to provide feedback that will inform the work that we do. Please stay tuned for information on these opportunities. We look forward to partnering with you on this exciting new adventure!
Notes from the Attendance Office
Attendance Line: 319 688 1351 (message only)
All student absences should be reported via the 24 hour attendance line by a parent or guardian listed as a contact in Infinite Campus.
This includes absences for students who are 18.
Planned absences: (appointments; vacations; college visits; etc) can be reported any time prior to the absence and up to 48 hours after the absence occurs.
Illnesses or unplanned absences can be reported as soon as possible and are preferred before the start of the school day.
Late arrivals: report prior to the arrival time and are preferred the day before the absence.
Leaving during the school day:
Become Ill at school: Students should report to the health office.
Scheduled appointment:
Absence should be reported on the attendance line a minimum of 2 hours prior to the requested dismissal time.
Students and teachers will be sent an email with the dismissal time.
Students need to check out in the main office prior to leaving the building.
Urgent/Emergency
Call the LIberty Main office 319 688 1350.
A written school excuse is requested for all medical, dental, counseling & physical therapy appointments. Liberty fax : 319 688 1359
What to do when you receive an unexcused absence notification.
If you have forgotten to call in an excused absence please leave a message on the attendance line 319-688-1351.
If you are certain your student is in the school but has been marked absent in a class, ask your student to communicate with the teacher their whereabouts during the absent period.
If you are unsure of your student’s whereabouts, please contact the main office 319-688-1350 and ask to speak to the attendance secretary.
Picture Retakes
Picture retakes are an opportunity for students who haven't had their pictures taken yet. Students may bring in the picture form flyer, or the presale website will be open during the week of October 24 for those who have not yet ordered.
Those who have already received their pictures may bring those photos back and have their picture retaken if desired.
Liberty NESTT
This space will focus on teaching students coping skills and will provide a safe space to practice those skills within the academic day. When a student comes to the NESTT the goal is for short intervention (10-15 minutes) before resuming their day. Students needing more targeted or intense intervention will be directed to an appropriate support staff (school counselor, student family advocate, SPACE, nurse, or administrator). Our motto in the NESTT? "Take a break. Calm. Quiet. Chill." The NESTT is located in room G030 and is available to all students.
Jostens Graduation Orders
Jostens will then return to Liberty on Thursday, October 20th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM to pick-up completed senior graduation order forms.
Vape Detector Installation
In addition to high quality education, our building’s goal is to create a safe, supportive, and orderly environment. To provide an additional deterrence and support our work in educating students on the dangers of vaping, vape detectors have been installed in the bathrooms of each of the high schools across our District. At Liberty the installation is currently in the final phases and they should be operational by the end of next week. These detectors alert staff if vapor is detected in the bathrooms. Staff will then work with students and families to address any issues needing attention.
Our student wellness policy in alignment with our health curriculum focuses on the prevention of vaping and education surrounding the harmful effects of this new trend. For more information on vaping, please visit the CDC’s Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for kids, Teens, and Young Adults.
Extracurricular Activities
Band Mattress Fundraiser
Mattress Fundraiser is Sat., October 8th at Liberty High School Grand Commons (10 AM- 5 PM)
The Liberty High School Band Mattress Fundraiser is coming soon. There will be 30+ different styles of beds on display for customers to try. The beds are new, brand name, made to order, available in all sizes, and cost less than retail stores. In addition to beds, there will also be luxury pillows, sheets and even adjustable power bases!! Please share this information with family and friends!
Check out this video to see how it works: VIDEO LINK
Here is the link to the Facebook event, where we will post about our products, payment options, and other event information:
FACEBOOK LINK Click “GOING”! “INVITE” your friends! “SHARE” our posts!
Trojan Bolt Girls' Swim team
The Trojan Bolts host the Waterloo Girls' Swim Team for a home meet Tuesday, September 6 at 6:00 PM. This meet will take place at Mercer Park Aquatic Center in Iowa City.
Clash at Kinnick
Another special moment came following the first quarter when members of the Liberty High Difference Makers joined forces with Dance Marathon students from City High to lead the crowd in waving to the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, similar to what occurs during Hawkeye Football games. All of the revenue that was brought in from the sale of t-shirts was also donated by ICCSD to the Children's Hospital.
Miscellaneous
Liberty Booster Club Fall 2022 Webstore Fundrasier
https://stores.teamelitesports.com/liberty_booster/shop/home
NL Community Pantry Taste & Tour
To learn more about the event, please go to: Taste and Tour 2022 (northlibertycommunitypantry.org)
City of North Liberty Youth Council
The City of North Liberty is launching a brand new Youth Council program, and they are now accepting applications from high school students who are interested in engaging more deeply with the city, developing leadership skills, supporting the community through service projects, and advocating for other young people in North Liberty.
North Liberty is seeking 8-12 youth for this first cohort, which we hope will be a mix of students from the ICCSD and CCA districts. Students should apply by Tuesday, September 6th, for best consideration. More information and an application can be found on their website at northlibertyiowa.org/youthcouncil.
Kirkwood Workplace Learning Connections
Workplace Learning Connection will be offering three job shadow application windows. 10th – 12th grade students can apply here for the first round of shadows. I am attaching a list of all fall job shadow opportunities and encourage you to share this within your district and building. We offer both in-person and virtual experiences.
- Fall I portal open August 1 – September 23
- Fall II portal open November 7 – 18
- Spring portal open January 2 – 27
- Students interested in winter or spring 2023 placements apply September 26 – November 4
- Students interested in summer 2023 placements apply December 12 – February 10
- Students interested in Fall 2023 placements apply March 6 – April 14
Drivers Education
1. First, students should view our website to see which sessions we have available. Those are listed here: Drivers Education Courses. Currently we only have 1 session available but we’re adding more this week for the Iowa City area.
2. To register for a session, students must complete a basic application first which will allow KCC to verify their lunch information. That application is found in the description of the class or it can be accessed right here: https://www.kirkwood.edu/DriversEducationApplication
3. After KCC receives the lunch verification from the district, we will register them for the session.
There is currently only 1 Iowa City session posted currently, but Kirkwood will be adding more this week. The earliest start date is 9/12, but other sessions will start later in the school year.
Cultural Diversity & Equity Newsletter
Liberty Lightning Virtual Spirit Store
Check it out by clicking on this link: https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/iowa/northliberty/liberty-high-school or by clicking the image below.
The Liberty Fund
The Liberty Fund is a Liberty specific foundation dedicated to raising funds to enhance learning opportunities and in support of all Liberty groups that provide these experiences to Liberty students. You are able to make donations to The Liberty Fund year round. Donate at The Liberty Fund Website or email for more information at libertyhighfund@gmail.com
Thank you for your support!
Liberty High PSTO
Liberty High PSTO (Parent Student Teacher Organization) welcomes all new and returning families to Liberty for the 2021-2022 school year. Please follow us on Facebook: Liberty High PSTO to stay up-to-date.
A list of meeting dates for the 2022-2023 school year will be shared soon
Questions?
If you have any questions, please send them to libertyhsPSTO@gmail.com
The PSTO has an ongoing fundraiser with our Amazon Smile account. Please consider using this with your next Amazon order.