Liberty Newsletter, Volume 11
August 5 2018
Liberty High School
Email: kibby.scott@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/LibertyHS
Location: 1400 South Dubuque Street, North Liberty, IA, United States
Phone: 319-688-1350
Twitter: @LibertyHS_Kibby
Welcome to Liberty's Smore Newsletter
I hope that you are having a wonderful summer break from classes.
The calendar turning to August means it's time for a back to school message.
If you are new to my Smore newsletters, this is an opportunity to stay "in the loop" on Liberty news. If you have ideas for the smore I am always open to suggestions.
Thank you
Scott
Scott Kibby
Principal
Liberty High School
Iowa City Community School District
E-Registration is OPEN
Parents and guardians can now log into their PowerSchool parent account by going to the District website at the following link: https://www.iowacityschools.org/domain/31.
Parents can also use this link: PowerSchool Parent Login Screen to access the site.
Important Note: We request that you review and update the demographic, emergency contact, health information, and permissions sections in e-Registration to ensure that what we currently have on file for your child(ren) is the most accurate information. We ask that you do this prior to on-site registration for each of your children who will be enrolled in school this fall.
If you have completed e-Registration at any time before August 1, 2018, you will need to complete this process again now for the upcoming 2018-19 school year.
Secondary Students:
On-site registration is still required at the secondary level. Completing e-Registration prior to on-site registration allows parents to bypass step one of the process that day and proceed to ID photos, schedule information and fee payments. Fees for secondary students can be paid online through e-Registration or in person on registration day.
If you need assistance with completing the parent e-Registration process, school staff will be available to assist you at your child’s school on the scheduled registration day or you can contact your child’s school office during their regular office hours.
Thank you!
Registration is THIS WEEK
Registration for Liberty High School will be August 7 & 8 from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm in the Grand Commons.
Freshmen and Seniors are encouraged to register on Tuesday, August 7 and Sophomores and Juniors on August 8.
Prior to coming to registration, you are asked to do E-Registration where you can update all of your contact information, pay fees and enroll in the Free & Reduced lunch program. If you have not done the E-Registration prior to coming to registration, we will have computers set up for you to update your information. This process must be done every school year. This is a great opportunity to get E-Registration and fees taken care of on your own terms.
At registration, you can pick up your schedule, register a car and get ID and Yearbook pictures taken that day.
School Pictures will be taken during registration on August 7th and 8th. Below is a link for placing an order online. Order forms will also be available in the Liberty main office during registration. If you have any questions about the order form, please contact Halverson Photography at (319) 339-1276.
To order online, visit http://halverson-photography.hhimagehost.com/2018LibertyHS.
Math Testing and ELL Placement (For new students to district)
Tuesday, August 14th, 8am-noon
First Day of School
Thursday, August 23, 8:50am-3pm (1 hour early out)
Food and Nutrition Services Document
Recall, you must apply each year for the free or reduced meal program
Volunteer Help needed for Registration
thank you for your consideration
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080a45a5a82fa6f85-registration/1340352
Liberty Calendar Information
Liberty Calendar Website
Please see the rSchool calendar to not only stay in the know about our athletic events but for ALL events happening at the school.
There is also a phone app. To get the app click on the rSchool calendar link below and then click on "Get the mobile app" on the menu on the right side.
You may also sign up for notifications for specific activities which is also on the menu on the right side.
Rschool is the first place that schedules are posted and announcements on changes are posted. You'll know before the media!
https://mississippivalleyiowa.org/public/genie/80/school/2671/
New Student Orientation
Students will have a chance to meet their teachers, get acquainted with the building and have some fun.
Liberty's National Honor Society students have put together the program for the day.
Free transportation from the Kirkwood attendance area is available at 8:15 via school bus and departs from the front parking lot of Northwest Junior High. The bus will also bring the students home at the conclusion of the day.
School Bus Transportation information
Once again, we have posted the bus transportation letters electronically in the PowerSchool parent portal account. The letters were processed and “hung” in the parent PowerSchool accounts, if the student was registered in PS and routed by Durham by Monday, July 31st. Please note this information is not accessible using the PowerSchool app.
Transportation notified all bus-eligible families with a Blackboard email last week.
These letters include the bus number, pick up and drop off times and locations for students who are eligible for bus transportation.
For new students who have registered (since Wednesday, August 1st) or for students who have a change in address and need bus re-routing, you should have the parent fill out the transportation request form and forward this form to Esme Davis at the ESC. Davis.esme@iowacityschools.org
Library News (Chromebooks/Materials)
Chrome Book Update:
Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, please make sure your chorme books are charged and ready to go when you return to school. You will be renewing them in the library during the first week of classes. Freshmen will be receiving a school-issued chrome book, charger, and carrying case during the first week of school. All students are expected to charge their devices each night and bring them to school each day ready to go. Loaner chrome books are available when needed.
Library Materials:
Students must have their school-issued ID to check out materials from the Liberty Library, including chrome books and textbooks. Please make sure you carry your ID with you to school each day.
School Supplies
ATTENTION LIBERTY FAMILIES!
There will be opportunities for student/s to receive FREE school supplies, haircuts, shoes, backpacks, toiletries, and more! There are two different locations and you can attend either site regardless of where you live. Please mark these dates!
DAY 1: Date/Time: August 17th from 2:00-5:00
Location: Penn Meadows Park (Near Penn Elementary)
DAY 2: Date/Time: August 18th from 1:00-4:00
Location: Life Church (2205 2nd St.)
Staff Spotlight-Mayra DeVries, Counselor
Mayra DeVries came to us from West High. She taught Spanish, success center and introduced a new class there called PALs (peer assistance leadership) that focuses on helping students by giving them positive role models and a mentor/ friend.
She has twelve years of experience in education. Most of her experience was in San Antonio, TX. There, Mayra gained experience as both a middle school and high school counselor. Mayra’s husband, Luke, works at Iowa City West High school as an assistant principal. Mayra and her husband have two young children, Olivia (5) and Oliver (1) and live here in North Liberty.
Mayra is excited about the opportunity to work as a counselor again and to be a member of the Liberty High School team.
In her free time she enjoys spending time with family, running, and attending school events to support her students!
Staff Spotlight-Kim Fitten, Dean of Students
Kimberly Fitten joined us from Cedar Rapids Community School District. For 11 years Kimberly was a Language Arts Teacher, At-Risk Facilitator, Facilitator of behavior and learning supports, Family and Community Engagement Strategists.
She enjoys spending time with her family and connecting with people in her spare time.
Athletic Practices start tomorrow, Monday August 5
First, Girls Swimming is a cooperative sharing agreement with West High. Practice starts tomorrow at the Coralville Rec Center. For more details contact Coach Byron Butler at butler.byron@iowacityschools.org
Boys Golf begins practice at 7:30am at Brown Deer. You may just show up for practice with your clubs and shoes and introduce yourself to the coaches.
Football begins practice bright and early tomorrow at 6:30am at Van Allen Elementary. This is a no pads practice and you can show up in your shorts, t-shirt and shoes. The staff continues to welcome more athletes into their program. Be the FIRST to play on the TURF.
Volleyball has staggered practices in the Liberty gym based on the grade level team. If you haven't talked to Coach Dolson yet about volleyball please connect with him at dolson.randall@iowacityschools.org
Cross Country
Girls interested in Cross country begin with a parent meeting for all athletes and parents at 6:30pm in the Liberty commons. pratice Tuesday-Friday is at 8:30am
Boys practice from 8am-10am and meet at Liberty starting tomorrow.
Bring your shoes, t's and running shorts.
For more information contact the coaches at mcdonough.tonya@iowacityschools.org or hildebrand.josh@iowacityschools.org
Physicals and Practice Permission forms are due
From the athletic training room:
Remember that all athletes must have a valid physical and 2018-19 Permission to Practice form turned in to the athletic office before the 1st day of practice.
Forms can be found at: https://www.iowacityschools.org/domain/3699
Tennis meeting
We are gauging interest in having our own teams for the 18-19 school year.
There will be a meeting of any interested Liberty athletes on Tuesday, August 28th at 4:15 in the Liberty Commons. Though, tennis is a spring sport, we need to know now if our numbers support a team of our own so that we can hire the coaching staff.
If numbers aren't sufficient for our own team, West High is still willing to continue a cooperative sharing agreement.
Phase 2 and Phase 3 of construction at Liberty
Phase 2 are the activity fields west of campus that are really starting to take shape. The Stadium is nearing completion. Baseball and Softball are really taking shape. As the company works from East to West on campus you'll see that work on Tennis has begun. A practice field for football/soccer will be next. Finally the grass competition soccer field will begin this fall.
Phase 3 was approved on Tuesday, May 8. This moves the 500 seat addition up 3 full years in the facilities master plan. Planning and designs are already under way for these improvements on the east side of campus.
PSTO-Parent Student Teacher Organization
Here is the list of the PSTO board members for 2018-2019:
· President: Sandy DeSchinckel
· President Elect: Marisa Keeney
· Secretary: Deb Wagner
· Treasurer: Shawn Eyestone
· Volunteer Coordinator: Lyse Strnad
PSTO meets at 4:45 on the third Wednesday of the month in the Liberty Library.
2018-19 dates
· September 19
· October 17
· November 14
· December 19
· January 16
· February 20
· March - No meeting due to Spring Break
· April 17
· May 15
The PSTO has done wonderful work to support the students and staff at Liberty. They'd love to have you join them for meetings. No signup is necessary If you'd like more information you can contact them at libertyhspsto@gmail.com
Job Shadowing through Kirkwood's Workplace Learning Connections
Workplace Learning Connection (WLC), a department of Kirkwood Community College, coordinates high-impact programming in career connected learning. One of those quality programs is the student job shadow program. Students explore a career of their choice within a pathway of interest so they are better informed and prepared to make decisions about their next steps after high school. After applying, students are matched with area professions for a job shadow where they will learn about the highlights, challenges, essential skills and educational pathway of that career. These work-based learning experiences support our students individualized career and post-secondary education plans. There is no charge to students to participate.
The WLC student portal opens on August 1, 2018 to field job shadow requests from AREA 10 high school sophomores*, juniors and seniors. WLC staff will visit and present information on WLC programs within all AREA 10 participating high schools in late August and early September. The WLC Job Shadow application portal will remain open to accept applications through insert your school's deadline here. Students and their parents are encouraged to visit www.workplace-learning.org and click on the Job shadows tab to explore the many options for both group and individualized job shadow experiences.
United States Military Academies
Liberty win Excellence in Energy Award
Iowa City Community School District's Liberty High School has been selected to receive a 2018 Excellence in Energy Efficient Design Award. Award plaques will be provided to Iowa City Schools, SVPA Architects Inc. and Design Engineers P.C. during the 2018 AIA Iowa Convention – Awards Celebration in Des Moines, IA in September.
The Excellence in Energy Efficient Design awards program recognizes outstanding efforts in reducing energy use. Award candidates are selected from projects whose designers participated in the Commercial New Construction program offered by Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy and MidAmerican Energy Company. The top projects with the highest kBTU savings percentage in Alliant Energy and MidAmerican Energy’s service territory are selected for an award.
2018 Graduation photos linked
Thank you to Mrs Ashley Cunningham and her kids for their work at graduation.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RoAA2WZ2MfpPn9DGjVK_KbOJgWOKxOoo?usp=sharing
Sparkles Cheer Squad
Liberty is starting a new cheerleading club that is bringing together students with and without disabilities.
The team will cheer at designated home sporting events throughout the fall and winter season.
If you are interested in participating, please come to our informational meeting:
August 20 at 4:30 in the Commons.
If you cannot attend at this time but are interested,
Please email Kim Cranston at:
NEW:Silver Cord Service Policy
Updated Silver Cord Policy to allow students to start earning service hour prior to entering 9th grade. Here is the entire updated policy:
The Silver Cord program is an opportunity for students to be recognized for completing 200 hours of community service during their four years of high school. It is the intent of the Silver Cord program that those hours be in direct service to others in need through local community service agencies and other outreach opportunities. Silver Cord hours must meet a clearly defined need for an agency, charity program, church, political agency, social services group, or community event. Students cannot receive payment or credit for their services and they may not be completed during the school day. Service not recognized includes school activities such as selling merchandise, music, or athletic practices, work or babysitting for one’s family, or service which is part of an academic, court-ordered or disciplinary requirement. Generally, activities that are part of a Liberty High team, club, activity, or course will not be counted towards Silver Cord hours.
Seniors who complete 200 hours of services will wear a silver cord at graduation. Students who complete 400 hours will receive a combination silver and purple cord. The 200 hour silver cord and 400 hour silver/purple cord may both be worn at graduation.
The Silver Cord Community Service cards are available in the Counseling Office. We will accept up to 8 hours per day of an activity for Silver Cord, and all hours must be submitted prior to the end of the school year in which they were completed. Service hours completed over the summer will be accepted beginning in the summer prior to entering 9th grade. Contact a Liberty High administrator or counselor with questions regarding acceptable service activities.