Top Stories from LPS
REMINDER:  Last Day of School in LPS is Monday, May 23, 2016
The final day of school for the 2015-2016 school year in Liberty Public Schools is Monday, May 23, 2016.  This will be a three-hour early release day.
Save the Date:  LPS Retirement Reception Thursday, May 19
Liberty Public Schools will honor its retiring class of 2016 coming up Thursday, May 19, at South Valley Middle School.  An opportunity to congratulate and thank this year's retirees in attendance will take place from 4:30-5 p.m., followed by a brief program beginning at 5 p.m.
A detailed listing of this year's retirees will be provided in the coming weeks. 
Audit and Finance Committee Seeking Members
The Board of Education is currently seeking applicants interested in filling the vacant seats of the Audit & Finance Committee. The seats available are two, 3-year positions ending June 30, 2019.  Service for the position will begin immediately following an interview and selection process by the Board of Education to be conducted on Monday, June 20. Applicants must be available to participate in the interview process on that date.  More information and applications may be found by clicking here. 
Stakeholders Encouraged to Take Communications Survey
LPS encourages our stakeholders to participate in our annual Communications Survey.  This survey only takes a few minutes to complete and provides us with valuable information to better serve you, our valued customers of LPS, the important information you need to know!  To complete this survey, click here!
LPS News to Know
LNHS Speech and Debate Returns With Three State Champions
It was a huge weekend for the Liberty North High School Speech and Debate Team as they  claimed three individual state champions at the MSHSAA tournament held in Springfield, MO.  The state champions were the following students:  
 
Whitney Wilson (pictured left) - State Champion - Original Oratory
Mac Newton (pictured middle) - State Champion - U.S. Extemp
Conner Paulson (pictured right) - State Champion - Storytelling

In addition, several other students came home with solid performances:  
Jake West/Sara Venier - Runner-up in Policy Debate
Cami Smith/Todd Rogers - 4th place Policy Debate
Annalynn Blackwell - 4th place Dramatic Interp
Mac Newton - 7th place in Radio Speaking
LHS Speech/Debate/Theatre Brings Home Hardware from State Event
Liberty High School speech/debate/theatre students competed in the MSHSAA tournament last weekend in Springfield, MO, and once again ranked as one of the best in the state!
 
Following, are a few highlights from the weekend: 
 
Jordan Cowger/Samantha Bennett - 3rd Place in Public Forum Debate
                                                              
Jordan Cowger - 8th Place in Original Oratory
 
Corben Phillips/Katie Waterman - 2nd Place in Duet Acting
 
Sarah Keenan - 4th Place in Humorous Interpretation
 
The following students took 2nd Place in One Act: 
Maddy Cantwell, Madeline Shaffer, Sarah Latham, Sammy Campbell, Sarah Keenan, Grace Keenan, Kelsey Pierce, McKenzie Greenwood, Macey Kern, Lindsey Boyd, Emma Davis, Delaney Wahlert, Jay Butler, Truman Butler, Ian Whitsitt, Weston Brown, Cameron Prater, Jake Kane, Kyle Munden, Kayla Hill, Callie Broyles, Makana Brooks, Mary Muir, Emily Goodwin, Katie Waterman, Molly Day, Valerie Nierman, Sadie Jess, Jennifer Jennings, Percy Eddy, Andrew Cable, Brandon Barksdale, Jonathan Edens, Nathan Moon, Josh Munden, Trevor Harr, Lukas Hudson, Dekayla Craigg, Niki Benhardt, Aubrey Peterson, Emma Kern, Alana Pendergraft, Lauren Rankin, Delaney Tarpley, Katherine Vlamis, Meredith Ackerman, Corben Phillips, Connar McKillip, Dylan Moran, and Amos Mwaura.
Student/Staff Recognitions
Student/Staff Recognitions Available on QN Bulletin Board
Due to the high volume of student/staff recognitions submitted in the spring, these noteworthy mentions will be posted at a designated position on our LPS website for viewing. This page will be updated throughout the week as recognitions are received. To view this page, click here.
Upcoming Events
LNHS Hosts Carnival/Baseball Game/Fireworks
Liberty North High School is hosting a special carnival evening this Friday, April 29, at the school.  The carnival will take place beginning at 4 p.m.  There will also be an Eagle varsity baseball game beginning at 7 p.m.  The carnival will conclude at dusk, with fireworks immediately following the baseball game.  All proceeds from the carnival will be donated to the family of LNHS Teacher Matt Barnard, as their young son battles cancer.  We hope to have a great turnout Friday night!
LHS Color Guard Tryouts in May
The Liberty High School Color Guard will be holding tryouts May 4, 10, 12, and 13 from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Lillian Schumacher Elementary gym.  All tryout evenings are mandatory.  For more information about LHS Color Guard, click here.
Driver Education Deadline is May 1
The Liberty Public Schools Driver Education program is the answer for parents wanting their student to learn safe and correct skills for operating a vehicle! This program is offered during the summer months each year, starting about the same time as summer school. Students receive instruction from state certified, professional instructors, both in the classroom and behind the wheel. What we offer:
  • All instructors are State of Missouri Department of Education certified.
  • Instruction is individualized to meet the need of each student and their experience level.
  • Students receive a Certificate of Completion after the successful completion of the course.
  • Behind-the-wheel instruction and observation takes place in leased cars from Gary Crossley Ford. Each vehicle is inspected and equipped with all the necessary safety features, including air bags and an instructor-side brake pedal.
  • All students receive a copy of the Department of Revenue Driver Guide.
  • All students complete Driver Guide chapter questions in preparation for the written portion of the State of Missouri Driver Examination.
  • Students receive 12, behind-the-wheel instructional lessons, each focused on different driving skills needed to pass the State Driving Test (a total of 6 hours behind the wheel).
  • Each student completes 12 hours of in-car observation with the instructor.
  • Each student receives 8 hours of classroom instruction. Students learn essential driving skills and information from a certified driving instructor and guest speakers, such as the Missouri Department of Transportation Engineers, State Troopers, Liberty Police Officers, and Union Pacific Railroad Engineers.
  • Your choice of driving time, six different time slots.
  • Best value around!  We offer more instruction for less money than other area programs. Compare!
*Note: More information about our program may be found by clicking here.  You may register on the LPS website by clicking here. 
LHS Volleyball Offers Youth Camp
Liberty High School's volleyball program will be offering a youth camp May 2-5 from 6-8 p.m. in the Liberty High School Fieldhouse. This camp is being offered to athletes grades 4-7. Cost of the camp is $40 if pre-registered by Friday, April 29, and $45 if registered on-site. Campers will also receive an LHS volleyball t-shirt. You may register by clicking here. 
District/Community Events
LPD Accepting Applications for Junior Police Academy
The Liberty Police Department is accepting applications from students currently in the 7th or 8th grade in the Liberty School District for its Junior Police Academy. SRO Hamline and SRO Bratcher will be the instructors for the Academy. The 2016 Junior Police Academy will take place July 11-15 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be provided.

The purpose of the Academy is to foster relationships that will bridge the gaps between law enforcement and youth while also exposing them to future careers serving their community. The goal of the program is to motivate young people to be outstanding citizens and to empower them to act as a positive influence in our community. The Academy blends classroom learning with hands-on activities to expose Junior Cadets to a variety of topics, including fitness, patrol tactics, criminal investigations, traffic safety, self-defense, and Internet dangers.

An application for the Junior Police Academy may be located at the front office of any of the following schools: Liberty Middle School, Discovery Middle School, Heritage Middle School, and South Valley Middle School.

There are a limited number of openings. To be considered, all forms from the application must be complete, including two recommendations, signed releases and waivers, and a short essay. The deadline to apply is May 9, 2016.
Camp Fire Heartland Summer Day Camps Registering Now
Camp Fire Heartland's programs immerse participants ages 5-16 in nature to learn, explore, and grow together while developing a lifelong respect for the outdoors. Past participants agree, Camp Fire offers a variety of activities, making this day camp experience unforgettable!
 
Summer Youth Day Camp (ages 5-11) - Camp Fire Heartland will be offering seven weeks of Youth Day Camp beginning June 20 and ending August 5. Programs will start at 8 a.m. Spaces are limited and fill up quickly, so register today to guarantee your place. Check out our cool weekly themes here.

Outrageous Teen Camp (ages 12-16) - Our campsite is just home base. The city is our campground. The Hogan at Camp Lake of the Woods will serve as home base from which campers arrive and depart each day. Then, 3-4 times per week, campers will go off-site to a field trip location based on the camp theme of the week. Half of our weekly field trips involve community service where campers will spend time learning about an organization in the community and volunteering on a wide variety of projects. All that, plus campers will go swimming twice each week! It is summer, after all.
Student Summer Opportunities in the Kansas City Area
To view some amazing upcoming summer opportunities for our students, click here! 
QuickNews Bulletin Board
In an effort to make our Liberty Public Schools e-newsletter, QuickNews, a concise publication in which subscribers may read in timely fashion, district/community announcements will be advertised in the main QuickNews section for a maximum of two weeks.  After this period of time, announcements will be transferred to our QuickNews Bulletin Board, which is located on the LPS website provided at the link below. In addition, the Bulletin Board may include announcements not meeting the criteria to be placed in this publication. The addition of the QN Bulletin Board allows them to now be publicized. This bulletin board will continuously be updated throughout the week, and announcements will remain until they expire by date. To access this page, simply click here. 
 
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8 Victory Lane, Liberty, MO 64068
816.736.5300