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Communis Scientia, Virtutes, et Prudentia
Common Knowledge, Common Virtues, Common Sense
2015-2016
ÆDIFICANS FVTVRVM
Constructing the Future
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Liberty Common High School
2745 Minnesota Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Phone: 970-672-5500
Fax: 970-672-5499
Attendance Line: Please call in by 8:30AM
672-5500 option 2.
Office Hours: 7:15 - 3:45
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Next Board of Directors Meeting: April 21st, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. at LCS.
You may contact all members of our Board of Directors at
Patrick Albright 232-8257
Joel Goeltl: 593-8556
Jeff Webb: 545-9636
Denise Benz: 420-4184
John Rohrbaugh: 225-2259
Aislinn Kottwitz: 217-5925
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Final Dates
School Calendar
2016-2017
Aug. 29th- Classes Begin
Sep 24-Oct 8- Student Count
Sep 5th- Labor Day, No School
Oct. 28- Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov. 23-25- Thanksgiving
Dec. 26-Jan 6- Winter Break
Jan 16- Martin Luther King Day, No School
Feb. 17- Professional Development Day
Feb. 20- President's Day
Mar 13-17- Spring Break
April 14- Good Friday
May 26- Last Day of Classes 1/2 day
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Mah Nistanah. The eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover begins this week (April 22nd) and runs all through next week (through April 30th). The holiday commemorates the story of the Haggadah - the story of the Exodus from Egypt and begins with a traditional Seder meal. CLICK HERE to learn about shmurah matzah and how to make it yourself. To all the Jewish families at LCHS, enjoy a blessed Passover.
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APRIL
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4-29 - ACT/PSAT 10/PARCC/ CMAS Testing Window
| | 18 - Public Information Night tonight | | 19 - ACT/PSAT 10 | |
21 - BOD Meeting, LCS
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23- Junior- Senior Prom
| | 22-23 - Jr.-High Musical | |
29 - T-Shirt Day
| 29-30 - High School Play
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MAY
| | 2-6 - Teacher Appreciation Week | |
6 - Free Dress Day
| | 5 - Onward & Upward (incoming 9th graders) | | 19 - Award Ceremonies | | 20 - Eagle Games | |
12 - BOD Meeting, LCS
| | 27 - Last Day of School-- 1/2 Day, 11:00 Release | |
27 - Graduation, 6:00PM, Timberline Church
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Classical Manners for the Modern Youth
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From the 1934 high-school textbook Good Manners used in "Household Science" class of that day:
"Rule No. 181. Basis for Rules (At School). Rules for good manners for school are just the same rules of conduct that are always expected of every thoughtful young lady and young gentleman.
"Why do you go to school? If you would only realize that you are the one who really gains by what you get out of your schooling, and that school is a training course for the business world after your school days! You know a school must have rules, just as a State has laws, so that the rights of each person are respected. In your school, these rules may be enforced by a principal and the teachers, or by a selected group of students. Student government is a splendid training for the responsibilities of citizenship. Even though your school is not governed by student officers, you can gain much by assuming the attitude of helpful cooperation with school authorities, and not expect your teachers to be policemen. You should think of a boy or girl who breaks a school rule as a lawbreaker, and should let him feel your disapproval of his act."
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AST Tip Of The Week:
Springtime means there is more light in the day, but don't let that fool you into thinking that there is more time in the day.Taking a break outside after school to enjoy the good weather can promote good mental health. However, if you take too long of a break, you may find yourself staying up late to finish your homework or not completing it at all. Make sure you are using your planner, and take a look at your homework load before you leave for the day so that you can plan your evening accordingly.
(For the full timeline visit our
9th-Hour Clubs
The primary purpose of our 9th-hour clubs is to provide students with the opportunity to receive extra help from teachers. Parents are encouraged to assist their students in creating a 9th-hour plan by reviewing the 9th-Hour Club Schedule.
The LCHS Academic
Support Team
created this website to assist all LCHS students with helpful tips and resources for academic success.
Be sure to check it out.
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Volume 19, Issue 31/ April 18, 2016
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University of Colorado Regent Candidate
Ms. Heidi Ganahl spoke with LCHS students
last week.
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Regent Candidate On Deck. A candidate for an at-large seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents Ms. Heidi Ganahl toured LCHS last Monday and was a guest lecturer in the Principles of Liberty class. POL students peppered the candidate with questions about the cost of college tuition, political diversity on college campuses, and campus free-speech issues, among others. Ganahl also answered questions about entrepreneurship and capitalism. She is the founder of Camp Bow Wow a chain of daycare centers for dogs with franchises nationwide and was featured in the Wall Street Journal (CLICK HERE). LCHS's open invitation to all statewide candidates stands allowing them to visit the school and speak with students.
Public-Info Night. Know anybody interested in sending their kids to Liberty (either campus); or just learning more about the school's history and philosophy? Please urge them to attend our Public-Information tonight, April 18th 2016 from 6:30-8:30PM in the LCHS Great Hall. This is an informative presentation for all parents wanting to know more about why we teach what we teach, and why we do what we do. For hopeful families waiting on the Liberty lottery list for any grades K - 11, attending one of these presentations puts you into the "upper tier" of those waiting for the next open-enrollment spot.
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Seniors will be in the gallery next Tuesday morning as the Colorado State Senate and House adopt official Tributes commending LCHS's Mighty Class of 2016.
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Seniors To Capitol: Attention all LCHS seniors: Tomorrow, Tuesday April 19, 2016, Members of the Colorado State House of Representatives and the Colorado State Senate will be awarding you official state honors for pulling down the highest ACT composite score in the entire state of Colorado. Our trip to the State Capitol to receive these recognitions departs first thing in the morning. We'll take attendance as you board the buses. We'll spend a few hours at the Capitol, then have lunch at Cinzetti's. To participate, you need a signed fieldtrip form, $10 bucks for your lunch cost, and you need to be dressed nice. Remember, we're not tourists tomorrow, we're actually part of the Colorado House and Senate's business day and will be interacting with actual senator, representatives, and other state officials, so wear business attire - not business casual, but actually business, business attire. Congratulations on earning this fabulous recognition.
 LCHS Students Conquer NLE in Lucky 13th Year. The National Latin Exam has been a staple of the LCHS Latin program since the 2003-2004 school year. This year, 170 LCHS students participated, and 121 of them earned awards (84 of which are medals). Earning perfect scores this year were Joseph DuToit (class of 2019), Isaiah Ehlis (class of 2019), Tristan Hanley (class of 2019), Sunny Taylor (class of 2021), and Angela Brock (class of 2017). Congratulations to all the winners. 
Llamas, Kids And Kids. Last Friday's junior-high Carnival dance featured fun, games, food, killer dance moves, and a pen full of live farm animals. How can you top a petting zoo at your Spring Carnival? You probably can't. The LCHS junior-high students had an absolute blast holding kids (baby goats) and dancing like a passel of kids (untamed human youngsters).
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Mr. Schaffer, can we keep him, please?
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Mr. Rex Seiple paints his students.
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LCHS kids can dance up a storm!
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CLICK HERE to see tons of photos from this event posted at the LCHS Facebook page.
Bowlers Become TV Celebs. Congratulations to coaches and members of the LCHS Knowledge Bowl Team, and the LCHS Ocean Bowl Team. Both intellectual powerhouses were officially recognized last week by the Poudre School District Board of Education for state and regional championships. Knowledge Bowl Coach Jason Mayer got to brag about and introduce the team of Brady Lane, Matthew Iverson, Tyler Schultz, Josh Pletcher and Matthew Colvin. Ocean Science Bowl Team coach Mrs. Kathy Elder heaped plaudits upon team members Lane, Iverson, Colvin, Pletcher,and Colton Neighbors. The vice-chair of the LCHS Board of Directors Mr. Patrick Albright was also on hand to add special emphasis to the teams' academic feats. The accolades were broadcast over PSD's cable television channel to tens of millions in the viewing audience. If you're among the few who missed it, CLICK HERE to see a video recording of the segment (advance to the 13:28 time mark for the exciting part).
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The last LCHS Lyceum of the year featured keynote speaker Mr. Mike Nappa who spoke about Gratitude.
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Gratitude Lyceum. Last week's all-school Lyceum on the LCHS Capstone virtue of Gratitude was a perfect ending to the 2015-16 Lyceum series at our school. Keynote speaker Mr. Mike Nappa gave an uplifting and fun presentation. CLICK HERE to see video of the event, or click on the nearby video link. Congratulations to the scholars of Domus Gratitudinis for organizing a very nice assembly.
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Host another great LCHS exchange student like Louise from Sweden who attended LCHS last year.
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Exchange Students Want Homes. More foreign-exchange students want to attend LCHS in the next school year. All they need are local families to take them in. The Council for Educational Travel USA (CETUSA) works with LCHS placing students with families who can provide a warm, welcoming environment. This includes a comfortable bed, three meals a day and transportation to school and some activities. Each student speaks English and arrives with a passport, J-1 cultural exchange visa, $250 a month spending money, health insurance and a dream of life with an American family. Exchange students at LCHS stay for the whole school year. To learn more about hosting, please contact Coordinator Laura Guice by email or call her at 970-988-6142.
Also, please see more exchange-student profiles elsewhere in today's Monday Notes fostered by another LCHS partner coordinator.
Tiradentes Day: This Thursday April 21st is Tiradentes Day, a public holiday in Brazil noted here in honor of LCHS's Brazilian foreign-exchange student Mariana Souza. Brazil commemorates the martyrdom of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier popularly known as 'Tiradentes' (Tooth Puller), who lived from August 16, 1746 to April 21, 1792. Tiradentes, an educated dentist, is considered Brazil's national hero after he led an organization, the Inconfidencia Mineira in Minas Gerais, which sought to liberate Brazil from Portugal's rule. He was executed publicly in a plaza (now called Praça Tiradentes) in Rio de Janeiro by hanging. For more information about this holiday CLICK HERE .
Legacy Bricks. I'm excited to announce that we have already sold 33 Legacy Bricks for the new gymnasium at the high school! Our goal is to install at least 100 personalized bricks in the walkway and garden area at the entrance of the new gym. This is a unique opportunity, so if you've been thinking about purchasing a brick for your student or a brick with your family name, order one today and help us reach our goal. There are different sizes and price ranges available that can be purchased here (CLICK HERE) for only another couple weeks and your donation is tax deductible. Thank you for your consideration and ongoing support of Liberty Common School. Please feel free to email me with any questions at tgreen@libertycommon.org.
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What's the inside of the new gym look like? Here's a pic from last Wednesday.
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News from the Katrina Brossia, Business Manager
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Where does the money come from? Where is the money spent?
Have you ever asked yourself these questions in reference to Liberty Common School? Or about Colorado public schools in general? If the answer is yes then read on. In the 2010 legislative session the Colorado general assembly passed HB 10-1036, The "Public School Financial Transparency Act," to be codified at C.R.S. 22-44-301. Legislative declaration states "The general assembly finds that members of the public, as taxpayers and
parents, have a strong interest in how public moneys are expended
in Colorado in the pursuit of a quality education for all of Colorado's
public school students." It was the intent of the general assembly to
ensure public access to public school financial information through
the adoption of the "Public School Financial Transparency Act",
which directs public schools to post financial information on-line,
in a downloadable format, for free public access.
If you want to see what has to be included on the financial
transparency page of each public school in Colorado click on
The Liberty Board of Directors voted in the 2016-2017 Operating Budget at last month's board meeting. You can view the budget by clicking on the following link.
Annual Report. CLICK HERE to see the annual Financial Report for both the high school and the elementary campuses.
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News from the Assistant-Principal, Mr. Lovely
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LCHS Latin Students Invade 2016 COJCL Convention. In its second year, the LCHS chapter of the Junior Classical League brought 13 students to Estes Park for the 2016 State Convention for another fun year of academic, athletic, and artistic events. LCHS students won 77 individual and team awards, with all 13 winning at least one ribbon. Highlights include Mean Gods winning 1st place video, Corinne Rogers (1st place in level 1 Mythology), Gillian Clouser (1st place in level 3 Grammar), Bretta Lichtenwalner (1st place in level 4 Reading Comprehension), Meghan Lloyd (1st place in level 4 Grammar and 1st place overall). Brady Lane won 11 different ribbons and was 7th overall in the sweepstakes. Connor Hansen won 13 ribbons, including 1st place in level 5 and overall for both Ancient Geography and Roman History, and was 4th place overall in the sweepstakes. In the elections for next year's state officers, LCHS ran a full slate, scoring 3 wins, with Brady Lane as Machinator, Bretta Lichtenwalner as Treasurer, and Mary-Claire Spurgin as President. In addition, Mr. Kem will serve as state co-chair for the next four years.
Carnival Dance. The Carnival Dance last Friday was a smashing success. The petting zoo, carnival games, yummy food, and school dance was a blast. Special thanks to Mrs. Deitrick, the Order of
Lannen leaders (Paige Moore and Madi Poore), and the Order of
Arias leaders (Elizabeth Urynowicz and Faith Lenell) for working hard to make it an evening to remember.
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8th Graders Morgan Webb, Libby Hubbeling, Lexi Roccaforte, Erika Kinsman, Josh Falsetto, Davis Wagner, Taylor Fritzler, and Alea Coronado having fun in the petting zoo.
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Mr. and Mrs. Deitrick enjoying this kid along with all of the other junior- high students as well.
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7th Graders Liam O'Malley, Corbin Jacobs, and Nate Redstone enjoying some carnival favorites.
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7th-grade students enjoying friends and showing off their dance moves.
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Apparently Davis Wagner likes kids almost as much as Mr. Schaffer does.
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FCA Meeting. FCA at LCHS is having its next meeting on Wed 20 Apr during lunch in Washington Hall. See Ben Kuppinger (LCHS Class of 2016) with questions.
Upcoming Events:
- Public Info Night | Mon 18 Apr | 6:30-8:30PM | LCHS Great Hall
- LCHS Prom | Sat 23 Apr | FC Country Club | 7-11PM
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News from the Academic Dean, Sandy Stoltzfus
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Junior ACT.
The state-mandated exam for all juniors is the ACT. It is scheduled at LCHS on Tuesday, April 19th, 7:45AM-11:45AM. Juniors will eat lunch after the exam and then report to their 6th-8th period classes.
Juniors must bring a photo ID, an approved calculator, and #2 pencils. No food or drinks are allowed in the testing room. Snacks may be dropped off in the choir room to be eaten during the break. More information can be found at act.org. Sophomore PSAT 10 The state-mandated exam for all sophomores is the PSAT 10. It is scheduled at LCHS on Tuesday, April 19th, 7:45AM-11:45AM. Sophomores will eat lunch after the exam and then report to their 6th-8th period classes. Sophomores must bring an approved calculator and #2 pencils. No food or drinks are allowed in the testing room. Snacks may be dropped off outside of the testing rooms to be eaten during the break.
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News from the Athletic Director, Dan Knab
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If you know of a Liberty student making athletic news and would like them showcased for the Liberty Common community, let Mr. Knab know.
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This Week In Junior-High Sports:
Jr.-High Sports
Girls Soccer
Wednesday, 4/20, 4pm, Home, vs Frontier
**Today's game against Weld Central has been postponed to Tuesday, 4/26, 4pm, Away vs Weld Central
This Week In High-School Sports:
High School Sports
Baseball
Tuesday, 4/19, 4pm, Home, vs Dawson
Saturday, 4/23, 10am, Away, vs Dayspring
Home baseball games are played at Fossil Creek Park.
Track
Thursday, 4/21, 2pm, Away, @ Berthoud HS MaxMarr
Saturday, 4/23, 9am, Away, Platte Valley Bronco Stampede
Soccer
Friday, 4/22, 4pm, Home, vs Front Range Christian
Last Week In The News:
A remarkable thing happened last week. Corbin Mayes cleared 13' 1" last Saturday in the pole vault, earning his personal record. Coach Mayes (his dad) put Corbin on a new pole on Monday and by Tuesday at the Ft. Collins City Meet, Corbin cleared 13' 8", vaulting him into first place in the state of Colorado. As you can see in the picture above, this Liberty 'super-man' looks like he would be able to 'leap tall buildings in a single bound.'
High-school Track Meet Next Tuesday
Liberty Common is hosting our first high-school track meet this year and we are looking for volunteers. Click on this link to be a 'super-volunteer' for this meet:
'Super-man' will be available for autographs after the meet!
Jr.-High Track Meet Next Monday
If you are interested in signing up for the jr-high track meet on Monday, we need several volunteers for that meet as well. This will be the last opportunity to volunteer for meets this year. Please consider having fun, spending the day in the sun with all of your favorite people. Here is the link for the jr-high meet:
Future High School Baseball Players
Parents of current 6th - 8th graders interested in learning more about the LCHS baseball program, please come to a meeting on Wednesday May 4th at 6:00 PM at the high school to meet LCHS Head baseball coach Nathan Thurlow and his coaching staff to discuss the summer baseball program, and plans for this summer and next summer.
For parents of current 3 rd - 5 th graders playing baseball this summer, please e-mail your information to Coach Thurlow at nthurlow@fca.org. Especially, if you are involved in coaching a team with Liberty Common student, Coach would like to make himself available to meet with the various Liberty Common teams during the summer as he develops the high school program and the program for future players on the high school team.
Stay tuned to the Liberty Common Athletic Booster Page for rescheduled dates.
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Unfortunately, we are out of Alumni Updates. If you know of any alumni you might prompt to drop us a paragraph or two, please let them know how appreciated their remarks are to the entire Liberty community. Alumni should SEND UPDATES HERE.
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News Worth Repeating
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Casino Royal Prom! Domus Gratitudinis presents Casino Royal Prom this Saturday April 23rd from 7pm until 11pm at the Fort Collins Country Club. Students are invited and encouraged to come at 6pm for pictures and a surprise photo opportunity. This event is for juniors and seniors only, but an underclassman may attend if invited by a junior or senior. Guests are allowed with a Guest Form (also available in the front office), which must be completed prior to April 23rd and brought to the event. Formal dress code is required. Please talk to Laura Bradley or Sarah Earl if you have any questions.
Band Volunteers Needed. Parent organizers of Liberty's first Instrument Placement Night are in high need of student volunteers (and parent volunteers, too) on Tuesday, April 26th at 6:00PM at the elementary school. We have several instructors lined up to demonstrate their instrument to incoming band students, and will evaluate each student to determine suitability for the instrument. Students will rotate through the different instructors so that they will be able to try all instruments. Each instrument instructor will need help with sanitizing and getting the instruments ready for the next incoming group of students. This is what volunteers are needed for. It is hoped this first Instrument-Placement Night will be a real improvement to Liberty's band program. The number of helpers for instructors are as follows: Clarinet (2); Saxophone (2); and, one each for the following: Flute, Trumpet, Trombone, Baritone, and French Horn. Volunteers should arrive between 5:30pm and 5:45pm at LCS. Questions: Contact project coordinator Mrs. Bridgette Albright by email or by phone at (970) 214-4298.
Host A Foreign-Exchange Student. One of Liberty's foreign-exchange coordinators is looking for host families for the fall of 2016 for wonderful students that would love to attend LCHS for the next school year. Here are a few profiles:
Emil from Sweden: A 17-year-old male who is a cheerful student. Emil loves snowboarding, photography, American history, tennis and skateboarding. His school describes him as a "mature, warm and outgoing person."
Miranda from Italy: A 17-year-old "A+" female student from Italy who loves track, biking, reading and photography. Miranda's school describes her as "an exceptional motivated student with diligent work habits and great interpersonal skills."
Femke from Germany: A 16-year-old female who has dual citizenship for both Germany and the United Kingdom and lives part of the year in each country. She speaks fluent English, Dutch and German, loves to cook, hike, take photos, work out and ride. Her school describes Femke as "likeable, mature and conscientious."
Students arriving through this exchange program (EF) cover all personal expenses, are fully insured and speak excellent English. Host families provide a loving home, meals and a bed to sleep in. There are tax deductions for hosting exchange students. To learn more, please contact program coordinator Melissa Gardner by email, or by phone at 303-847-8165 as soon as possible.
CPR/AED For Students. Mrs. Dybzinski, our school nurse, is offering a CPR/AED class for Liberty Common students (grades 6-12) who will be getting summer jobs babysitting, life-guarding, coaching, officiating, etc. Her class size will be capped at 20 students. This will be on a first come, first serve basis. Here is some information: Class takes place Thursday, April 21, 5:30pm - 8:30pm in the choir room at the elementary school. American Heart Association Certification (good for two years). Heart Saver CPR/AED (adult, child, infant, to include measures for choking) $35/student (this exact class runs in the Fort Collins Recreator for $70/person) Register here https://cprclass.cheddarup.com by Monday, April 18. Questions, contact her at ndybzinski@libertycommon.org or Dan Knab at dknab@libertycommon.org.
Immunizations. Starting July 1, 2016, please be aware that parents/guardians seeking non-medical (religious or personal belief) immunizations exemptions for schoolchildren through-12th grade must submit non-medical exemption forms annually according to state law. Medical exemptions only need to be submitted once and require the signature of your child's doctor or advanced-practice nurse. To submit a non-medical or medical go to www.colorado.gov/vaccineexemption and follow the instructions. Children with an exemption may be kept out of school during a disease outbreak. If you have any questions regarding this new process, please ask your health tech, or e-mail the school nurse at ndybzinski@libertycommon.org.
Summer Programs. If you haven't decided how to spend your summer, you may want to think about the possibility of participating in a summer program. CLICK HERE for the list of summer programs compiled by LCHS. The list includes fee-based programs, volunteer opportunities, paid internships and highly selective programs. If you do not see a program that interests you, there's no need to worry. There are hundreds of summer programs offered each year at colleges all over the country. No matter what your interests are, chances are there's a program offered at a nearby college.
While summer experiences are an important part of the college admission process, it is important to pursue programs in which you are genuinely interested. Summer is the perfect time to challenge yourself, master new skills, gain a broader global perspective, volunteer, earn money, and prepare for college and the workplace.
Summer English Program. This summer's four-week English "booster" is the perfect, economical opportunity for students needing a grammar, vocabulary, or writing-skills boost. For more information CLICK HERE. The cost is much less than typical tutoring, the tutor-to-student ratio is small, and the instructor is Mr. Dybzinski, head of Liberty's English department. Regardless of whether your student is ahead or behind, he will set your child up to engage our rich English curriculum at LCHS. Furthermore, he plans to have much fun in the process. CLICK HERE to sign up.
Pay Athletic Fees Online - Click HERE to access our website. Drag your cursor over 'Athletics' and pick the drop-down sport you are paying for and click on it. You will then see a link to pay online. Click & Pay. Please let Mr. Knab know about any issues you may have with paying. Your payment will eventually be confirmed on your PowerSchool account. We will still accept checks and cash. However, our preference is the online payment. More information on how to do this will be explained at the parent meeting.
High-school sport - $200.
Jr.-high sport - $80.
* If student played in two previous sports for Liberty Common, then the third sport is free.
* There is a $600 family cap per academic school year for athletics participated in at Liberty Common.
* Participation in athletics at outside schools do not apply to either of the two discounts.
* Students may participate in more then one sport in a season. However, they must declare a 'primary' sport to commit.
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Costa Rica 2017. Mrs. Deitrick will be leading a trip to Costa Rica Spring Break 2017. Email Mrs. Deitrick for more information.
Dominican Republic 2017. Mrs. Deitrick will be leading a trip to Dominican Republic next summer (2017.)
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Italy, Greece Trip, June 2017. See all the best sites in Italy and Greece and learn directly on ancient lands with Mr. Kem. The tour ends with a multi-day cruise of the Greek islands. Enrollment has started. Enroll here. View or download the itinerary here. E-mail Mr. Kem if interested.
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