Liberty Newsletter Volume 18
November 16, 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
Welcome to Liberty's Smore newsletters. I do these twice a month during the school year. This is an opportunity to stay "in the loop" on Liberty news. For suggestions to the newsletter email me at kibby.scott@iowacityschools.org
Thank you
Scott
Scott Kibby
Principal
Liberty High School
Iowa City Community School District
Thanksgiving break
The end of the trimester was Thursday, November 15th. Friday, November 16th was a staff day to do grades. Monday, November 19th we all start fresh with the beginning of the 2nd trimester. the 2nd trimester student schedules should be available on PowerSchool at this time.
There are NO classes, Wednesday-Friday, November 21-23 for Thanksgiving.
Liberty wins the MVC Fall Sportsmanship
Thursday, November 15th we were awarded the trophy. It was our first opportunity to win the award as last year we were not in a conference. Trophies are awarded at the conclusion of each season.
I'm proud of our athletes, cheerleaders, dance team members and coaches. We have GREAT KIDS!
But I would be remiss if I didn't thank our community. You make a huge difference in how we are viewed in our conference and state. Parents, along with volunteers like announcers, chain gang members, event managers and table workers all make an impression by how we interact with game officials. Officials aren't perfect and will make mistakes. We as adults teach our students a lot by how we model dealing with adversity. Thank you for VALUING sportsmanship and passing that characteristic off to your children.
Well Done Liberty Nation
Buy a Brick with The Liberty Fund Path of Recognition Program!
Pave the way for future generations of Liberty students by purchasing a personalized, engraved brick at the front entrance of Liberty High School. It’s the perfect way to build a legacy by supporting student co-curricular programs and ensuring all Liberty students have access to opportunities. Learn more about the Path of Recognition and The Liberty Fund — www.iowacityschools.org/TheLibertyFund
Counseling Office Corner (FAFSA)
Who's My Counselor? (by students last name)
A-G Troy Bergmann, bergmann.troy@iowacityschools.org
H-N Jenni Naughton, naughton.jennifer@iowacityschools.org
O-Z Mayra DeVries, devries.mayra@iowacityschools.org
Students can stay connected through their District email.
Please encourage your students to frequently check their emails. Counselors send out information on a regular basis about College Visits, testing and scholarship opportunities.
FAFSA
Seniors if you are going to college next year, an important step in the process begins October 1. The first step of the financial aid process is to file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) , the form that helps you access grants, scholarships, and student loans.
Deadlines
Every college or university has their own preferred filing date for the FAFSA -- some as early as December 1st -- so check out www.ICANsucceed.org/priority to find the priority dates for the schools you are applying to.
Assistance
Seniors, if you have questions about paying for college, or would like free help filing your FAFSA, the Iowa College Access Network offers free resources for college planning and financial aid. You can visit their website, www.ICANsucceed.org/ to schedule an appointment, or call their toll free number, 877-272-4692 to talk to an advisor.
You can follow the Counseling Team on Twitter at @BoltCounseling
Pre-ACT for 10th and 11th graders
Pre ACT: Optional test for sophomores and juniors
WEDNESDAY, December 12th
7:45 AM - 12:00 PM
RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN TRANSPORTATION
Why take it?
· Prep test for the ACT
· PreACT simulates the ACT test experience within a shorter testing window. Results predict future success on the ACT Test, and provide both current achievement and projected future ACT test scores on the familiar 1-36 score scale.
· PreACT simulates the ACT testing experience within a shorter test window on all four ACT test subjects: English, Math, Reading and Science.
Sign Up in Counseling Office
· $15 dollars (check made out to Liberty High School) cash also accepted
· Deadline is Tuesday, November 20th
PALs assembly
The mission of the PAL® Peer Assistance and Leadership program is to enable young people to use their potential to make a difference in their lives, schools and communities. The group is both a class and a club and run by counselor Mayra DeVries. If you'd like to learn more about PAL's click on the national link here. http://palusa.org/
At Liberty, we see PAL's in leadership throughout the building help connecting our kids to "belonging at Liberty" and modeling what it means to be a BOLT. Thank you PAL's
Peer Tutoring Available
National Honor Society students has begun providing tutoring available to all Liberty students!
WHEN IS IT? Liberty Time (3:05 Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
WHERE IS IT? H228, Ellickson
WHAT DO THEY OFFER TUTORING IN? The tutors have been trained in the areas of:
- Helping students with practice problems
- Writing Papers
- Organization and Study Skills
- Test Prep Help or Quizzing
- Public Speaking Assistance for Class Presentations or Speeches
- Help in any subject area! Math, Science, Social Studies, Business, English, Foreign Language, etc!
Staff Spotlight-Sakinah Ellickson (Science and National Honor Society Sponsor)
Sakinah Ellickson is a science teacher and one of the co-advisers of National Honor Society at Liberty High School. Originally from Chicago, she received her bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Environmental Science from Coe College. She later obtained a master's degree in secondary science education from Iowa State University. Sakinah loves teaching science because she enjoys bringing out students' inner curiosity about the natural world, and is inspired by their great potential. One of her greatest rewards at Liberty High School is working with an amazing science team and working with Jonna Hall in the English department to challenge their National Honor Society members to be model leaders in their school and community. She loves to cook, and also enjoys reading and kayaking in her spare time.
Staff Spotlight-Jonna Hall (English/Language Arts and National Honor Society Sponsor)
Jonna Hall is an English teacher and National Honor Society adviser. She was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and recently moved to Iowa. She received her bachelor's degrees in History and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and obtained a master's degree in Secondary Education from Roosevelt University. She left a career in sales and marketing to become a high school teacher in 2009, and utilizes that experience to help kids grasp the world beyond high school. Teaching social studies and English has been a truly rewarding experience, and she has learned so much from students she has taught and coached over the past eight years. She worked at Plainfield High School before moving to Iowa and spent one year at West High before teaching at Liberty.
When not in the classroom, you can find Jonna spending quality time with friends and family, which includes her husband and three children. She is an adviser and house board member for UI's Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, she loves to travel, is passionate about financial literacy, and is excited to continue to help cultivate the Bolt culture here at Liberty.
Her favorite advice: "Stay hungry. Stay foolish." - Steve Jobs
"Invite people into your life who don't look or act like you. You might find they challenge your assumptions and make you grow." - Mellody Hobson
Construction Skills Article
Beth Hieronymous-IDS
All State Music
Liberty High School had four students recognized for attaining the highest individual honor available to Iowa high school musicians by being selected as a member of the 2018 All-State Band and Orchestra. Students are (L to R in photo) Garrett Roggy All-State Orchestra on viola, Elizabeth Wagner All-State Band on flute, Megan Uden 1st alternate All-State Band on clarinet, and Cole Hansen All-State Orchestra on bass.
The 2019 Festival will celebrate the 72nd anniversary of this prestigious event. District Auditions for the 276-piece All-State Band, 206-piece All-State Orchestra and 601-member All-State Chorus were held Saturday, October 20, 2018 at Washington High School. Approximately 17% of the students who audition are selected for membership in the All-State ensembles. Particiapants will rehearse in Ames on Friday and Saturday, November 16 and 17 and the Festival Concert will be presented to the public at 7:30 pm in Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State University, Ames, on Saturday evening, November 17, 2018. Iowa Public Television will record the concert for re-broadcast. Please check with the IPTV website (www.iptv.org) for the exact dates and times. This program is under the auspices of the Iowa High School Music Association and the Iowa Music Educators Association.
KCRG Athlete of the Week-Scarlet Martin
https://www.kcrg.com/content/sports/Athlete-of-the-Week--500112601.html
Free workshops for families
Liberty Staff in partnership with the Grant Wood AEA are pleased to share the following upcoming workshops.
Strategies for Homework: It doesn’t have to be a battlefield!
Today’s teenagers have approximately 17 hours of homework each week! Homework can be a source of frustration or anxiety for some teens for a variety of reasons. It takes different executive function skills working together to make engaging in homework possible, such as planning, prioritizing, initiation, time estimation, flexibility, self-monitoring, goal directed persistence and sustaining attention. This workshop will introduce you to strategies to support your son or daughter in utilizing the strategies and skills necessary to engage in and manage homework successfully.
November 19th
6:00-7:00pm
Liberty High School
coming soon...December 10: Strategies for Independence (shifting the responsibility from you to your child)
PSTO
PSTO meets at 4:45 on the third Wednesday of the month in the Liberty Library.
2018-19 dates and guest speakers
· December 19-guest speaker-Counselors on the upcoming Registration Process
· January 16-guest speakers Sakinah Ellickson and Jonna Hall on National Honor Society
· February 20-guest speakers Jenny Saylor and Beth Long on the Garden Club
· March - No meeting due to Spring Break
· April 17-guest speaker Marge Hartman on the North Liberty Summer Meals Program
· May 15-tba
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
PSTO board members for 2018-2019:
· President: Sandy DeSchinckel
· President Elect: Marisa Keeney
· Secretary: Deb Wagner
· Treasurer: Shawn Eyestone
· Volunteer Coordinator: Lyse Strnad
Letterman's jacket information
Activity 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. Once you download the app:
1. Click set up
2. Select state- Iowa
3. Scroll down until and find Mississippi Valley Conference, IA
4. Select Iowa City Liberty (There is also a listing for Liberty under the Iowa City Community School District heading but this calendar will be blank so use the Iowa City Liberty listing under the MVC heading)
You may also sign up for notifications for your student(s)' specific activities.
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/