LPS Educator by Marty Novak

LPS Educator Summer 2011

Strength in numbers

650 CONISTOR, LIBERTY, MO 64068

LPS Educator

In and out of classroom, district shines

Mike Brewer

Superintendent

816.736.5301 mbrewer@liberty.k12.mo.us

As yet another school year comes to an end, there is much to celebrate, much to anticipate, and a significant amount of hard work that remains. Liberty North High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural year was a huge success. Adding seniors to Liberty Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student population next year will provide Liberty High School with much-needed space as enrollments continue to increase at all levels. It truly takes a community effort to ensure we have the programs and classrooms to accomplish our mission of equipping every student to find his or her voice. As school districts across Missouri deal with financial challenges, the support of our community has allowed our district to cope with the significant changes in public education funding better than many. Because of our proactive fiscal management the past three years, including more than $11 million in expenditure reductions, we should be in a position to absorb the continuing financial challenges with little impact to our educa-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

tional mission. As state and local funding continues to be uncertain for upcoming years, it is likely additional budget reductions will be required. There have been many shining examples of the benefits our stu-

dents continue to realize from their experience in and out of the classroom. Our district has earned the Distinction in Performance status for the 10th year in a row, which places us among the top 6 percent of districts in the state. Franklin Elementary School was recently named a Gold Star School, an award given to only seven other elementary schools in the entire state this year. I am proud to report that all of our schools continue to achieve at high levels and remain focused on getting better each year. Our district also has fine arts opportunities, athletic programs, and other extracurricular opportunities that are recognized both regionally and in the state, and several have achieved national prominence. Our community can be confident that each graduate of the Class of 2011 has been provided the tools necessary to thrive in our complex and everchanging world. Thank you for your continued support of children and their education.

Because of our proactive fiscal management the past three years, including more than $11 million in expenditure reductions, we should be in a position to absorb the continuing financial challenges with little impact to our educational mission.

DISTRICT MISSION

Through our collective best, we do whatever it takes to inspire and equip every learner to find their voice and realize their unlimited potential.

liberty.k12.mo.us

Meeting the challenges of growth Board committed to sustaining student success As the end of the school year approaches, we reflect on past accomplishments and think about the journey that lies before us. It is my pleasure to provide this update on the work the Board of Education is doing to ensure continued academic and extracurricular success for our students. Over the past couple of years, the board has made some very difficult and necessary decisions to ensure the financial stability of our district is protected. As our economy begins to recover, we are working to position Liberty Public Schools to manage the ever-increasing student enrollment. A recent demographic report forecasts our student population to hit the 15,000 mark by the year 2020. It takes significant planning to accommodate this type of growth,

while also maintaining the quality of education parents and community members expect and appreciate. The board is committed to ensuring long-range planning takes place in the Liberty Public Schools. The districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic plan and facility master plan will ensure our educational and facility priorities match those of our stakeholders. We will be holding several work sessions over the summer and early fall to study all options when it comes to adding needed classroom and program space to accommodate our continued increases in enrollments. We have many needs that must be prioritized and evaluated as we move forward. Among the more weighty issues, we will be discussing grade-level configuration options for relieving middle level overcrowding, the need

for a center for our students with significant special needs, and the immediate need for our 11th elementary school to be constructed. All these decisions need to be made with the realization that our district, like many others, has limited financial resources. Above all, I want you to know how proud the Board of Education is to represent Liberty Public Schools. The many accolades our students, staff, and district continue to receive confirm the quality of education our students receive in this wonderful district. Rest assured that the Liberty Board of Education members will do everything in their power to build upon these successes to ensure our students are ready for the complex and ever-changing world in which they will live.

Bren Abbott Board of Education President

816.736.5300 babbott@liberty.k12.mo.us

Meet the Board (Back row from left) Charlene Armitage, Mattie Ransom, Lori Tritz and Kim-Marie Graham (Front row from left) D. Scott Connor, vice president; Bren Abbott, president; and Carlin Walker

As stewards of discovery, we will embrace innovation to instill a passion for life-long learning that will best serve our nation and the world in the 21st Century.

DISTRICT VISION

LPS Educator

School

CELEBRATIONS Early Childhood Center

The children and families of the Early Childhood Center raised approximately $3,000 at our Trike-A-Thon this year, while having fun on our beautiful grounds. Liberty Parents as Teachers continued to serve families in our district with personal visits and screenings, adding more intensity for those families with specific needs.

Alexander Doniphan Elementary Alexander Doniphan brought in 1,178 lbs. of food during our one-day canned food drive! That equals 906 meals provided to local families that are in need! Also, Alexander Doniphan is proud to have raised $4,027.49 for United Way in our campaign to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Play for United Wayâ&#x20AC;? this year.

liberty.k12.mo.us

Franklin Elementary

Liberty Oaks Elementary

In December 2010, Franklin held its Winter Festival Concert for a fifth consecutive year. Each of these years, more than 1,300 Franklin supporters have attended this event at the Liberty Community Center. Franklin is proud of the fine arts talents all of our students possess!

The students of Liberty Oaks Elementary met their goal of reading 3 million pages of books during the 2010-2011 school year! Congratulations, Lions, on being great readers!

Kellybrook Elementary

Lillian Schumacher Elementary

On May 24, Kellybrook Elementary held its first annual kickball game. Kellybrook staff and parents played a game of kickball in an effort to raise money for a track to be built around our field. The track would be used by our physical education classes, Running Club, Girls on the Run, and other community events.

Lillian Schumacher would like to celebrate our team approach and parent involvement. We again this year had 99 and 98 percent participation with our two parent-teacher conferences. We also had close to 1,000 students, parents, and staff that participated in our Family Fun Night, which helped provide part of the funding for students field trips this year.

Lewis and Clark Elementary

Manor Hill Elementary

Lewis and Clark Elementary celebrated Library Media Specialist Angela Rosheim as its Teacher of the Year and Library Paraprofessional Lynne Haynes as its Support Service Person of the Year. What an awesome library staff Lewis and Clark is lucky to have!

Manor Hill’s 500 students and staff covered nearly 12,000 miles leading to the Kansas City Kids’ Marathon in an effort to fight child obesity. Students participated in an eight-week program during the fall in their physical education classes leading up to the marathon.

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LPS Educator work for our annual Galeria Del Arte show. We had more than 1,400 pieces of art displayed throughout the halls. In addition, our honors choir performed at seven venues in the Kansas City area, including a Kansas City Mavericks hockey game and Ashton Court nursing home.

South Valley Middle School Principal Jill Mullen was named Middle School Principal of the Year, presented by the Greater Kansas City Missouri Principals Association

Warren Hills Elementary Warren Hills Elementary is happy to celebrate that we raised $4,174.15 for United Way this year. As a celebration, Mr. Lumetta moved his office to the roof for an entire day. Thank goodness he had a beautiful day in November!

Ridgeview Elementary School students

Ridgeview Elementary Ridgeview Elementary was recognized as an official “Leader In Me” school this May. It is now one of five schools in Missouri to receive this honor for successfully implementing the principles in the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. Ridgeview has become a model school for the leadership program.

Shoal Creek Elementary Shoal Creek Elementary is excited to celebrate fine arts. Every child at Shoal Creek was able to display their art-

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Liberty Middle School Liberty Middle School students and staff continue the tradition of giving back to their school and community. Student groups like Diversity Club, Breakfast Club and Student Council have raised money all year for various families in and out of our community. In addition, LMS staff has also actively participated with these students to act as role models in the fundraising and practice of giving back.

South Valley Middle School students

Liberty Junior High

Ben Anderson, eighth-grader, qualified for nationals in the National History Day Contest. Ben is only the third student in Liberty history to earn this honor.

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LPS Educator

South Valley Junior High SVJH raised more than $10,000 this school year to help students and families in Liberty Public Schools and the Kansas City area.

Liberty High School Liberty High School juniors Bradley Dice and Mack Yi scored a perfect score of 36 on the ACT test.

Liberty North High School Chemistry teacher Jessica Robinson was selected as winner of the ACS High School Chemistry Teacher Award for 2011.

Liberty Academy The Liberty Academy held its 13th Annual BowlA-Thon in April and raised $2,300 for the American Cancer Society. Thanks to all who contributed to make this so successful!

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Liberty Public Schools has once again earned Missouri’s prestigious Distinction in Performance Award for academic achievement and progress during the 2009-2010 school year. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has been awarding the Distinction in Performance designation since the 2001-2002 school year. What makes this recent news more impressive is that out of 523 Missouri school districts, Liberty is one of only 32 to have earned this award each year since the program began. This accomplishment puts Liberty in the top six percent of school districts in our state. In the Kansas City metropolitan area, only the Liberty, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, and Park Hill School Districts have won the award each of the 10 years it has been in existence. “This recognition validates the good work that is occurring every day in our district on behalf of students,” said LPS Superintendent Mike Brewer. “I am extremely proud to work with so many dedicated and hard working students, staff members, and parents.” The annual recognition is based on school districts’ performance on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP tests), ACT college-entrance test scores, attendance and dropout rates, and other measures of academic performance. To qualify for this state award, districts must meet at least 13 out of 14 performance standards. Under the state’s accreditation process, school districts are formally evaluated once every five years, according to State Board of Education standards. The Distinction in Performance award is based on the same performance criteria that are included in the accreditation review process, but the award provides an annual confirmation and recognition of a district’s consistent performance. The Distinction in Performance Award is intended to provide an incentive for districts to focus on continuous improvement. State education officials will formally recognize each of the award-winning school districts in the spring of 2011.

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A gold star for Franklin Elementary By Ray Weikal

Success was sweet at Franklin Elementary School. State education officials have crowned Franklin as one of only eight schools across Missouri to receive 2011 Gold Star awards for academic excellence. The award was revealed April 5 in a press release from Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. “We’re very proud of Franklin Elementary School and proud of all the work put in by students, staff, teachers, administrators and parents,” Liberty Public Schools Superintendent Mike Brewer said. “It’s very significant in the fact that only eight schools out of well over 1,000 in the state receive this honor.” For Principal Andy Wright, the Gold Star award was an affirmation of the task-oriented, individualized and complimentary instruction that’s become a mantra at Franklin Elementary.

“Of course we’re excited,” Wright said. “It validates our efforts and motivates us to work even harder at the same time.” Thick in building-wide high-stakes testing for the Missouri Assessment Program, Wright and his team hardly took a break to celebrate the state recognition. The students and staff did, however, get to enjoy ice cream with their lunch April 8 as a treat for their hard work. “It’s the kids that really earned this award,” Wright said. “We ask them to be sharp when they come to school, and they rise to the occasion.” This is the first time a building in Liberty Public Schools has earned a Gold Star award, according to state records.

Only 8 schools receive bi-annual state award

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The Gold Star program was established in 1991 to honor schools that exceed state expectations in curriculum, instruction and leadership, while also serving a relatively high percentage of minorities or students who qualify for free or discounted school meals. Gold Star awards are given to elementary schools only every two years, with secondary buildings the focus of alternate years. “This achievement is a credit to the students, parents and staff who have dedicated themselves to excellence in education,” state Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro said in a press release. Franklin Elementary School is one of the most

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Daniel Kemp, 5, unwraps an ice cream bar as part of Franklin Elementary School’s celebration of its 2011 Gold Star award.

diverse schools in the district, with a 15 percent minority enrollment and 34 percent of the students from lowincome households. At the same time, the school’s 2010 math and communication arts test results were in the state’s top 10 for several grade levels. Wright’s school has developed a reputation for being among the most rigorous, consistent and high-achieving in the district and region. Staff, students and parents volunteer hundreds of hours every academic year to before-and after-school tutoring clubs to ensure they’re meeting grade-level expectations. This school year, 125 out

of 285 students regularly arrived two days week an hour before classes started for this extra work with teachers who weren’t making any extra money for their efforts, according to Wright. As a Gold Star recipient, Franklin Elementary School is now eligible for a national Blue Ribbon award. Blue Ribbon awards are based on compliance with No Child Left Behind expectations. Results will be announced this fall by the federal Department of Education. This article was originally published in the April 14 Liberty Tribune.

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Strength in numbers

By Nathan Ellermeier, LHS student

The Class of 2011 will be the last class of its size that Liberty will see in a long while. The exact number is 658: the number of students who fulfilled Liberty High School graduation requirements and walked across the stage at Municipal Auditorium on May 21 during commencement. The seniors of LHS have risen to the occasion and are an applauded group of young adults who fill certain “spots” in academics, fine arts, extracurricular clubs and athletics. “The adjective that comes to mind for the senior class is resilience,” LHS Principal Dr. April Adams said. “This particular class just has a positive energy that motivates them to do good.” Part of the achievement of the Class of 2011 comes from the sentiment of being the district’s final full graduating class before Liberty North High School graduates its first seniors in the spring of 2012. “I think it’s really cool that our class gets to be the last class to stay together. It’s fun to tell people that I graduated in a class of 700,” LHS senior Taylor Stansell said. “And I also think the reunion is going to be awesome and fun.” The Class of 2011 is not just one that crowds the hallways; the students do so in an effective and involved way. “Our class is so diverse, “LHS senior Nick Motta said. “Almost everyone that I know is involved in things. There are a lot of kids that are ‘high excelling’ that go out of their way to do stuff in the high school.” But the body of students who will begin a new exciting chapter in their lives is not the only sig-

— and heart

nificance of this year’s graduation. Along with the departure of the final united class of Liberty Public Schools, some community traditions will SENIORS ON THE COVER Front row (left to right): Cheryl McGiffin, Kay change, while new traditions Hottel, Jourdan Thomas, Kristi Neth, Katie Page, Zach Boss. Second Row: Caleb Lewis, Connor Hickox, Jamila St. Ann, Kirby Lampe, Patricia will be ushered in. One of the Okonta. Third Row: Jason Shaw, Will Quarles, Cory Thomason, Taylar most prominent traditions that McCubbins, Stewart Duncan, Danny Murdock. will change is the homecoming parade. time. It’s like walking down the hallways of LHS and “I really do believe this year was the last year for seeing all of the history of it in the pictures on the the homecoming parade,” said Adams. “But on the flip side of that, we get to do something new. Somewalls.” times it’s OK to put a tradition to rest if you replace Leaving a mark that will last has been a goal of the departing seniors at LHS. With the high school it with an equally positive and engaging experience for kids.” students splitting and many changes occurring, the But this kind of change in tradition for Liberty ability to leave a unique legacy has increased. “As a result of the split, the (school) community as a students has happened once before. In 1973, the current LHS building became the official Liberty High whole becomes bigger because there are more opportunities for kids; more experiences for families,” Adams School, moving from what is now Liberty Junior High. said. “When we were one high school, it streamlined Wanda Neth, 1972 homecoming queen and a the number of kids that could do those things. But as separate schools, it has made Liberty smaller. Because member of the class of ’73, remembers the change. “It was awesome to be the very first senior class,” we’ve split, there are less students trying out for the she said. “Although it was sad that we had to leave same number of spots in activities.” But as the final year of Liberty Public Schools’ full the ‘old’ school, it was so exciting to be the first class in the ‘new’ high school.” senior class draws to a close, the impact is evident. In a similar position as Neth, Lincoln McCoy, “We have such amazing young people who are going off to do incredible things in our world,” a sophomore at Liberty North High School said, “Being in the first class in a brand new school is just Adams said, “and I can’t wait because I do believe straight up cool, mainly because you know that you that there will be some top leadership coming out of this class that will affect change in our world.” get to create something that’s going to last for a long

liberty.k12.mo.us

Second high school brings more amenities to community By Haley Richardson, LNHS student The inaugural year for Liberty North High School brought with it a seemingly never-ending supply of “firsts.” From the first touchdown to the first prom, the 2010-2011 school year was one to remember. Year two, however, is not backing down without a fight. In fact, it will have some “firsts” of its own. The construction for phase two of the high school is well under way and is promising countless opportunities for both students and the community. Two vocal music rooms, new offices for music faculty, an industrial technology room, a sculpture room, completion of the band room, a varsity baseball field, a theater and a field house are all included in the phase two plans, most of which are set to be finished in August. “I think all the additions are great because it will allow us to expand our programs drastically. The theater and field house are probably going to be the best in the state. We’ll be able to do so many things now that were nearly impossible before,” Liberty North Principal Dr. Marty Jacobs said. For the first time in 41 years, Liberty performers will be able to take the stage in their school’s own theater; a theater that is sure to offer a very professional experience. “I am so excited to have the new theater because of everything it offers, especially the larger performing space. Our audience will be huge in comparison to this year’s productions in the Black Box Theater,” LNHS junior Emily Fuller said. The technologies included in this theater will be state of the art and include a complete theatrical fly system that will allow virtually seamless transitions between performances. But it is the behind-the-scenes aspects that will really make this theater stand out. “The facility is attached to a theater classroom that will also act as a make-up room. The Black Box Theater at North also connects to the auditorium and will serve as a rehearsal space when something is going on in the main theater,” LNHS theater teacher David Young said. Equally impressive is the field house that is set to be opened in December 2011. The gym will have a two-story design that will seat about 2,000 people. Sized at 60,000 square feet, it will be filled with accommodations that will make the field house

do some really great projects,” Jacobs said. It is important to note that the scoreboard in the field house earlier was cut from the projects list because of budget constraints. It is now being funded through sponsorships and donations by the Liberty North Eagle Club. None of phase two would be possible without the full support of the community. Jacobs made it clear how grateful he was to all the residents of Liberty. “I really want to thank the public for raising taxes to help us with this. We did this at one of the worst economic times in local history, and yet the public still reached into their wallets and helped us out. That is really gratifying. This school is not just going to serve North students; it will serve the entire community for a very long time. The community deserves this,” Jacobs said.

experience one to remember. “The wow factor for the field house would have to be the scoreboard. It’ll basically be like a smaller version of the one in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. We can play videos on it, too, which will allow the broadcasting team and sports marketing classes to

Phase 2

LPS Educator

11,000 In 2010-2011, more than 11,000 students were enrolled in Liberty schools, attending 10 elementary schools, six secondary schools, an early childhood center and the Liberty Academy Alternative School.

Liberty North High School field house progress

The district employed approximately 1,700 teachers and staff.

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LPS Educator

Retiring Faculty and Staff

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Barbara Adam French South Valley Junior High School

Jane Harmon Third Grade Manor Hill Elementary School

Sharyl Booth History Liberty Junior High School

Emily Hollembaek French Liberty Junior High School

Frances Burr Special Services Paraprofessional Franklin Elementary School

Marvin Huxtable Custodian Liberty High School

Kendra Callaway Counselor Liberty North High School Sarah Cole Administrative Assistant Ridgeview Elementary School Nancy Costello Speech/Language Therapist Ridgeview Elementary School Ray Dawkins Custodial Supervisor Franklin Elementary School Margaret Dawson Monitor Transportation Department Jana Dye Second Grade Manor Hill Elementary School

Bill Jones Special Education Liberty High School Becky Kenealy Receptionist Administration Center Don McClellan Custodian Liberty High School Tim Nixon Science Liberty Junior High School Joyce Mitchell Driver Transportation Department Mary Margaret Oberkrom Special Education Liberty Middle School

Mike Dye Principal Lillian Schumacher Elementary School

Sue Pollitt Library Media Paraprofessional Liberty Middle School

Miki Edgerton Administrative Assistant Liberty High School

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Karen Evans Speech Pathologist Lillian Schumacher Elementary School

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liberty.k12.mo.us Superintendent Mike Brewer had the “following message for the retiring staff:

“We thank each of you for dedicating your careers to taking care of children. You are our heroes, and we appreciate all that you have done for our district and community.”

Barb Adam, retiring French teacher at South Valley Junior High, shares a few memories of her time in Liberty Public Schools at the annual Members of the 2011 Liberty Public Schools Retiring Class pose with their retirement bells following a reception May 18 at retirement reception May 18 as SuperintenSouth Valley Middle School. Front row from left: Sarah Cole, Nancy Costello, Ray Dawkins and Mary Margaret Oberkrom. Back row: dent Mike Brewer, left, and Board of Education President Bren Abbott look on. Kendra Callaway, Emily Hollembaek, Tim Nixon, Steve Storehalder, Don McClellan, Sharyl Booth, Barb Adam and Sue Pollitt.

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LPS Educator

2011 WINNER

Language arts instructor is top of the class By Ray Weikal Melissa Taylor knows how to get a read on her students. Taylor was named the 2011 Liberty Public Schools teacher of the year during a surprise ceremony Friday morning, April 29, at Liberty Middle School. Taylor teaches seventh-grade English language arts and has developed a positive reputation for turning reluctant students into passionate readers and helping improve classroom quality across the school. “She’s an incredible teacher and colleague,” Principal Dan Weakley said. “She has that ability to make kids avid readers. She truly makes a difference.” Taylor was picked as the district’s top teacher by a three-judge panel out of a pool of 17 nominated by their colleagues at each school, according to Director of Communications Dallas Ackerman. The nomination process started in early February. “We had an incredible group of nominees,” Ackerman said. At the award ceremony, Ackerman was joined by Superintendent Mike Brewer, Board of Education President Bren Abbott, several other school board members, Weakley and about 50 students. When Ackerman announced the winner, the students erupted in a loud, happy roar and wrapped Taylor in hugs. Taylor has taught at the school for 10 years. “You guys are very special. You are so kind,” Taylor told the students. “This is the best group of kids that I have ever worked with.” The visible outpouring of emotion was evidence of the personal, empathetic relationship Taylor develops with each student, according to Weakley. Taylor takes the time to bridge the intangible gap between a student’s passion and the right reading material, Weakley said. “Students are often reluctant readers,” he said. “She finds the right kind of book and the right level of book that will turn them into real readers.” It’s not just the students who benefit from Taylor’s passion and expertise, according to district Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

Colleen Jones. Taylor’s impact extends beyond her classroom to leading professional development sessions with other teachers and mentoring new faculty members, Jones said. “She’s a teacher of teachers,” Jones said. “And that’s been consistent throughout her years with the district. Her passion shows through in her teaching all the time.” Faculty leadership not only increases every student’s chance of success but also helps the teacher stay sharp in their own classroom and gives them a sense of how each piece of the curricu-

explained. That means she spends hundreds of extra hours every school year just reading books to locate the right material to match with the right students. On the other side of the reading equation — the reader — Taylor also takes the time to learn about her students and their parents. She also practices mak-

Liberty Tribune file photos

Seventh-grade English language arts teacher Melissa Taylor hugs a student after Taylor was named the district’s teacher of the year April 29 at Liberty Middle School. “It’s teachers like her that make our whole system better,” Liberty Public Schools Superintendent Mike Brewer said. lum fits into the district’s larger educational strategy, Taylor said. “I think one of the most important things for a teacher is their role as a mentor,” she said. When the award ceremony was over, her students had dispersed back to class and she’d greeted some final well-wishers, Taylor caught her breath and considered why she’d won. “I’m very surprised,” Taylor said. “I work with so many wonderful teachers, all of whom deserve this.” The key to sparking a love of reading is first and foremost about knowing the material, Taylor

ing positive comments when communicating with families, something she learned in her first career as a clinical psychologist in southern Illinois. “My class is one big family,” Taylor said. “I work hard on forming those relationships.” All that work and occasional frustration is worth when a student develops a love of reading, Taylor said. She compared it to a spiritual experience. “They see the light,” Taylor said. “That’s like the best feeling in the world.” This article was originally published in the May 5 Liberty Tribune.

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Building Teacher of the Year Cindy Phillips

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educating all students in a nurturing environment with the highest level of professionalism. Learning is our priority. Respect is our norm. Excellence is our expectation. Collaboration is our culture. Integrity is our foundation.

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2011 WINNER Paraprofessional Ross is district’s inaugural Support Employee of the Year

Debby Ross Essential Skills Paraprofessional Manor Hill Elementary

In a surprise end-of-the-week ceremony at Manor Hill Elementary on April 15, Liberty Public Schools rolled out the red carpet for a very special member of its family as Manor Hill Elementary Essential Skills Paraprofessional Debby Ross was announced as the district’s first Support Employee of the Year. Ross is completing her 11th year in LPS, all at Manor Hill Elementary. According to classroom teacher Trisha Harmon, Ross works with students who have special needs on a daily basis and provides exceptional service to them. “She is so kind and gentle with students, especially when they become upset,” Har-

mon said. “She always stays calm and treats them with the utmost respect.” The Support Employee of the Year program was unveiled earlier spring to compliment the district’s Teacher of the Year program, which had already been in place several years. A total of 22 building nominees were selected to contend for the title of “District Support Employee of the Year.” LPS currently employs more than 850 support employees. “This is no doubt the most enjoyable part of my job,” said LPS Director of Communications Dallas Ackerman. “To be able to recognize so many deserving individuals that so often don’t get the praise

they deserve is very special.” Ross was also recognized, along with the other support employee nominees, at the April Board of Education meeting and shared her thoughts on her recognition. “I look at this group and I am so proud to have been a part of this,” Ross said. “Receiving this honor is above and beyond anything I could have ever expected.” Ross admitted that she and other support employees don’t have easy jobs but offered some valuable advice. “At the end of the day, we need to ask ourselves, ‘Did I make a difference today?’ she said. “I simply want to make a difference.”

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2011-2012 Academic Year August 17 First Day of School September 5 Labor Day — SCHOOLS CLOSED September 16 Professional Development — Early Release October 13 Professional Development — Early Release October 14 Elementary In-Service / Secondary Parent-Teacher Conferences — SCHOOLS CLOSED October 27 Professional Development — Early Release October 28 Secondary In-Service / Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences — SCHOOLS CLOSED

**Inclement Weather Make-up Days

November 23 Thanksgiving Holiday — SCHOOLS CLOSED through Nov. 25

1st day missed will be made up on May 23 2nd day missed will be made up on May 24 3rd day missed will be made up on May 25 4th day missed will be made up on Feb. 20 5th day missed will be made up on March 2 6th day missed will be made up on April 6

December 20 End of First Semester December 21 Winter Vacation — SCHOOLS CLOSED through Jan. 2 January 3 Teacher Workday — SCHOOLS CLOSED

January 16 Martin Luther King Holiday — SCHOOLS CLOSED February 16 Parent-Teacher Conferences — Early Release February 17 Parent-Teacher Conferences — SCHOOLS CLOSED February 20 President’s Day — SCHOOLS CLOSED Visit your local Culver’s restaurant today: Culver’s of Liberty 1905 West Kansas Street Liberty, MO 64068 (816) 781-2600

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March 2 Professional Development Day — SCHOOLS CLOSED March 19 Spring Break — SCHOOLS CLOSED through March 23 April 6 Easter Break — SCHOOLS CLOSED May 22 Tentative Last Day of School — Early Release**

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Liberty Public Schools would like to thank our students, parents, staff, and community for a great 2010-2011 school year! We hope everyone has an enjoyable summer. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the ďŹ rst day of school for 2011-2012 is Wednesday, August 17, 2011!