The Eagle's Nest
Eagle Mosaic
  

 

Liberty  
Common 
Elementary 
School 
Common Knowledge, Common Virtues, Common Sense 
A National Charter School of the Year, A Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School,
 A Certified Official Core Knowledge Site School, A John Irwin School of Excellence ,
A Gilder Lehrman Affliate School  
Volume 17 Issue 36                                                 
May 19, 2014
What's Happening at LCS

   






May 22|Olympic Day


Schedule for Olympic Day '14 
8:15-8:35    Opening Ceremony - Meet in Gym 
8:38-11:30   Participate in Stations

11:30-12:00 Lunch-In classroom
12:00-2:00   Participate in Stations     
2:00 Clean-up stations    
2:10-2:55 Watch dodge ball- In Gym  

No lunch will be served, no microwaves available. Please pack a sack lunch and a drink.

Your Attention Please!  Volunteers Are Still Needed for Olympic Day.  Click Here to sign-up.



May 23|Last Day of School, 1/2 Day, 11:00 release.   

  • Yearbooks will be distributed.
  • No lunch served.
  • No bus service provided.  Please pick up your child at their home school.
  • Free Dress Day 

Please note: Kindergarten students do not have school on May 23rd.

  

 

   

Free Language and Speech Screenings.  In recognition of May being Better Hearing and Speech Month, Aspen Speech Therapy is offering free language and hearing screenings.   Click Here  for more information.

 

 

 

Special thanks to the 6th grade class for their  
annual legacy gift.  All 6th graders contributed to purchase the powder coated blue bike rack that now resides outside the front office and can be used by all who attend Liberty. We wish you all luck next year at LCHS.  

 

     

 

   

Lego Robotics at Liberty is open to students in grades 4 through 8. If your student is interested in joining a Liberty Lego Robotics team next Fall, please send an email to [email protected] to express interest. Please include your name, your student's name, and the grade your student will be in next Fall. This will place you on a list to receive more information about Liberty Lego Robotics, including how to apply for a spot on a team. The Lego Robotics season starts in late August, so teams will need to be formed before school starts.

 


Attention Parents:  The PowerSchool Parent Portal
will be closed to access on June 13th.  Student accounts and final grades can be viewed until June 13th.   

 

 

Congratulations to 2014 PSD Track and Field Competition 1st place Shuttle Relay Race winners - 4th Graders:  Tanner Johanson, Dario Gonzalez,  Zachary Bayens and Eric North. 

 

 

Liberty Makes the Coloradoan Thumbs Up 

"I would like to give a huge thumbs-up to Liberty Common School second-graders and the Fort Collins Olive Garden. Liberty Common students recently competed in a penny war to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As a school, they raised a whopping $3,238.91. Students were competing against the other grade levels to collect the most pennies. The second-graders won and were awarded with a free pasta party from Olive Garden. Thank you to the students for their giving spirit and to Olive Garden for their generous donation."

Elissa Hersh, fourth-grade teacher, Liberty Common School


 

 

 

In This Issue
Principals' Writing
Update from Spring Gala
LCS Summer School
LCHS Summer Enrichment
Request from Liberty's Health Office
5th Grade Tdap Booster Vaccine
Liberty Common Fundraisers
LCS Sport Camps
ASK Summer Programs
Adventure Summer Kamp
Contact Us
Liberty Common School
1725 Sharp Point Drive 
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Phone: 970-482-9800
Fax: 970-482-8007

Office Hours: 7:50-4:00 p.m.


Our attendance line is (970)482-9800, option 2, please call by 8:30 a.m.

If you need to take your child to an appointment during school hours, please come to the Front Office, sign them out and we will call them out of class.

All students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. must be signed in at the Front Office.  It is important that a reason be written as this determines if the tardy is excused or not.  

Please note that you may go to your student's classroom and wait for them to be dismissed only after 2:50 p.m.

If your student is ill and you  want any/all homework, please contact the teacher by email as early as possible and homework will be available after 3:00 p.m. in the office. 

If you have any questions about these policies please contact Mrs. Ronen at [email protected]

Board of Directors
Sarvjit Gill            227-4202
Joel Goeltl           593-8556
Paulette Hansen 282-8455
Jeff Webb            545-9636
Bill Werst            631-8379
Amy Redstone    378-1170
John Rohrbaugh 225-2259

 

You may contact all members of our Board of Directors at  

 

  

May 22, 2014  

6:00 pm
Teacher's Lounge
Liberty Common School
       1725 Sharp Point Dr.



Lost and Found
is overflowing with jackets, lunch boxes and H20 bottles. Items not claimed within two weeks of being misplaced, are donated. Please take a few minutes and visit the lost and found before the last day of school.


The Liberty Common Board of Directors has approved the 2014-2015 School Calendar.  Please mark your calendars for the following: 

 

First day of school: 

Aug. 25, 2014

Thanksgiving Break:  

Nov. 26-Nov. 28 

Christmas Break:  

Dec. 22 - Jan. 2

Spring Break:  

March 16 - March 20   

Last day of school:  

May 22, 2015  

 



Everyone at Liberty Common School Wishes You and Safe and Relaxing Summer Break.  See you on Aug. 25th.

It's Been A Great Year At Liberty

By: Principals Casey Churchill and Bob Schaffer

 

Another fantastic Liberty school year is coming to a happy ending, and along with it, a chance to look back upon a year of solid academic achievement for our students. The Liberty Board of Directors and administration could not be happier with the accomplishments of our students, instructors, support staff, and parents. 

 

Liberty Common School has become a premier school in northern Colorado due to the proper partnership of parents, professional staff, and hardworking students.  We are thankful to all who helped make this year so successful.

The elementary school continues to thrive with 612 students and 60 staff.  Liberty Common Elementary school is a model example of how a school should operate. This past year, the Core Knowledge Foundation showcased our school to the nation more than ever.  Schools visited and teachers have been calling to see and hear about all that great things we are doing. 

 

Liberty hosted the first ever Core Knowledge Colorado Network this year. On February 7th, about 200 teachers came to Liberty to share ideas and learn about the rich Core Knowledge content. This was a great opportunity for us to show off our school and begin a yearly tradition of networking for all CK schools in Colorado. Networking provides our teachers an opportunity to meet and learn from other CK teachers. We thank the teachers for their teamwork throughout this process as this accomplishment has again placed Liberty on the map.

At the beginning of this year, we chose a new data-mining system.  Teachers have embraced Pearson Inform. Inform integrates with our grade book system, Powerschool providing teachers with a one-stop venue to analyze student test data. This provides teachers with the information we need to help intervene with students that are struggling.  The teachers have found the Inform interface easy to use and easy to access testing data. The quicker we can learn about student skill deficits the quicker we can deliver the interventions students need to be successful.

Lastly, the TCAP 3rd Grade reading scores were recently released.  As usual, Liberty scored above average.  Our 3rd graders scored 97.7% Proficient or Advanced.  We were 2nd place among other schools in the district.  We are very excited to see how the rest of the school does on these tests come August.  This is the last year that we will take a paper pencil state assessment. From here on out we will be testing on computers.

Liberty's mission is to provide a contextual body of knowledge which will in turn provide students with a rich domain vocabulary.  This rich vocabulary, along with strong phonetic instruction, allows our student to both decode and comprehend what they read.  Literate students make quality citizens. Quality citizens make for a more democratic society.  Liberty elementary is on track with our mission.

At the high school, we're more than enthusiastic about the way our fourth year is finishing out.  Liberty's second senior class is graduating in style, and they've set the bar high in our second year with a full high-school roster. They are the first to have received their entire high-school education at the high-school campus.

 

This year's seniors can remember the first Torch Trek, bare hallway floors and classrooms before carpeting, no lockers for the first few weeks of the 2010-11 school year, Mr. Lavin, Domus Virtutis and Domus Scientiae, the first-annual Grandparents Day, Guys and Dolls, Affy. These seniors have blazed the trail toward Liberty's institutional maturity in many impressive ways.


In addition to academically outpacing their peers at all other Colorado high schools, our seniors have certainly put LCHS on the map.  Yes, we've bragged much about how they earned the highest composite ACT score in the entire state, and how they set the all-time state record for the math component of the ACT - and why not? 


That achievement, along with being rated by ColoradoSchoolGrades.com as having the highest academic scores in Colorado, has flung wide open the doors of opportunity for themselves, and for all LCHS students who follow.  We're now a routine target for nearly every college recruiter covering the West.

Talk about superb young leaders; our seniors have built and established many new traditions that will define our institution and its students for many years to come.  Their fine example has taught those behind them well.

What's just as impressive is the followership at Liberty.  As the seniors march off, onward and upward from Liberty, the junior class is stepping up in a marvelous way.  Next year's House leaders and School Captains are installed, and they are already working on plans for the next school year.

And let's not forget our junior-high students.  Rounding out their final years of the Core Knowledge Sequence has prepared them well for high school.  This year's 7th & 8th graders proved to be a fun cohort making the kind of academic progress we expect to see at Liberty, while simultaneously maintaining some hallway spunk - right through to the end. 

Their road to maturity is an enthralling thing to behold, and we can't wait to see how they lead the high school over the next four and five years. It's exciting to think that, when they return in August, the high-school campus will be about 30% bigger thanks to the ongoing construction projects.  
     

As a parent-run school, Liberty's high expectations have pushed students and staff alike.  This was a year of particularly hard work, expansion, and invention.  It's hard to imagine it turning out much better.  

On behalf of the faculty, staff and administration, we offer our sincere and humble thanks to all Liberty parents.  Your leadership, guidance, volunteerism, financial support and prayers have contributed mightily to what we're convinced is the best public education Colorado has to offer. 

To all students moving on from Liberty, we wish you a fond farewell. To all returning Liberty students, we're already looking forward to seeing you again on Monday morning, August 25th.

 

In the meantime, enjoy the summer break. You've earned it.

 

Liberty Common School Spring Gala 2014

Liberty Common Schools' generous parents, grandparents and supporters raised $154,000 at the annual Spring Gala, held on April 4th, while celebrating the schools' successes.  Proceeds from the event will benefit Liberty Common Schools and help purchase an additional school bus.  Thank you to all that attended, volunteered and contributed.     

 

An awesome photo spread of this year's Spring Gala appears in this month's edition of STYLE Magazine. Click Here to view.     

 

 

Register Now for Summer School 
Research at Liberty Common School has shown that a whole summer without regular math and reading practice can cause a HUGE drop in reading levels and fluency and a drop in math testing and grades.

To combat this trend, Liberty Common School is offering a summer Reading and Math Camps and individual tutoring of students entering grades 1st-6th.  Space is limited, so register now!

Click Here to learn more about the Reading Camp.
Click Here to learn more about the Math Camp.
Click Here to learn more about the individual tutoring program.
Click Here to download a Liberty Common School Registration form.

Other Summer Enrichment Programs
The following summer enrichment programs are now available.  Enrollment is limited is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please click on the links below for the informational flyer.   Inquires should be directed to the teachers running the sessions.

Summer English Program: Contact: Mr. Dybzinski (Grades 7th-12th)
Summer Keyboarding Program:  Contact:  Mr. Kranz (Grades 4th-12th)
Summer Math Program:  Contact Mrs. Salehi (Grades 7th-12th)
Please Come Pick-Up Your Student's Medication

Dear Parents:

 

As we are coming to the end of the school year, we want to remind parents to pick up all medications from the Health Office.  

 

We know the last day of school is a busy day for you and your students, so if their medication isn't a daily essential, you may consider picking the medication up earlier in the week. Medication may be picked up between 7:40-3:40 (Monday -Thursday) and 7:40-10:30 (Last day of school).

 

Thank you for your cooperation,

Jen Hopkins (Health Tech) & Natalie Dybzinski (RN)

 

 

ATTENTION 5TH GRADE PARENTS: Tdap BOOSTER VACCINE
The Colorado Department of Public health and Environment requires all students entering 6th grade to have proof of receiving the Tdap booster vaccine, or a signed exemption. This is based on the Center for Disease Control recommendations to prevent cases of Pertussis (Whooping cough).

Please submit clinic documentation to the school health office to verify that your child has been immunized, or submit a signed exemption. The information will be included in your student's school immunization record.
 
Thank you,

Jen Hopkins (Health Tech) & Natalie Dybzinski (RN)

 

Fundraising Opportunities Continue Over the Summer Break

"Cartridges for Kids"
gives us cash for your old printer cartridges, cell phones, ipods, video games and consoles, laptops, GPS devices, PDAs, digital cameras and DVDs.

"Box Tops for Education," Campbell's soup labels and
Morning Fresh Dairy bottle caps also provide our school with additional funding.  Drop-off point is in the front office.  

  

 Jr. High Summer Sports Camps
 
   

  

Adventure Summer Kamp

1st Choice Offers Adventure Summer Kamp