Liberty Administration Shares School Year Updates at Community Forum

LIBERTY — About two dozen community members, along with faculty and staff, gathered outside the main entrance of Liberty High School on Tuesday, August 26, for an overview of updates and changes for the 2025–26 school year.

“It’s important for our community to be informed before the start of the school year,” Liberty Central School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “We appreciate the families who attended and asked questions.”

Dr. Sullivan and Assistant Superintendent Derek Adams led the presentation, with translation provided by Vanessa Olivo. The event is part of an annual series of forums the district holds to strengthen communication with families, a priority outlined in LCSD’s five-year strategic plan, now in its fourth year.

Students return to classrooms on Thursday, September 4.

Strategic Plan and Curriculum

The evening began with a review of the strategic plan, which is organized around four pillars: Coherence, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Curriculum, and Culture. Updates for this year were informed by the plan as well as the state-mandated District Comprehensive Improvement Plan.

Curriculum changes include:

A Siena College computer science course at the high school.

Agricultural courses at the middle school.

A new Universal Pre-Kindergarten classroom at the elementary school.

Continuation of “Algebra for All” in eighth grade and Syracuse University Project Advance offerings at the high school.

The district is also rolling out Eduplanet, a curriculum management tool, and LinkIt, a data warehouse system designed to strengthen academic, social, and emotional support for students.

Communication and Culture

Sullivan highlighted ParentSquare, the communications platform introduced last year, which streamlines two-way messaging between families and schools. Families were also reminded about the district’s chain of command calling guide.

Safety and Student Support

The district reviewed safety protocols and reaffirmed its commitment to the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). Anonymous Alerts, an app for reporting bullying or safety concerns, and Gaggle, a program monitoring student internet use, remain in place.

Construction Projects

Ongoing capital projects include culvert replacement at the elementary school, expected to be completed before the start of the year, and upgrades to the athletic field. District leaders said they hope to host at least one home game on the new field this fall, with the track, bleachers, and press box scheduled for spring completion.

Cellphone-Free Policy

In line with New York’s new Education Law §2803, Liberty has adopted a “bell-to-bell” cellphone-free policy for students. District officials shared an FAQ document explaining the policy and addressed one public question about cellphone storage during sports practices.

Questions and Closing

Most questions from families were addressed one-on-one with administrators after the forum. “We are always happy to answer questions and offer support to our families and students,” Dr. Sullivan said, adding that families may email questions@libertyk12.org for further information.

A planned livestream of the event was canceled due to technical difficulties.