Email: colbert.justin@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://liberty.iowacityschools.org/
Location: 1400 South Dubuque Street, North Liberty, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1350
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LibertyHighSchool2017
X: @ColbertJust, @ICLibertyHS

Instagram: liberty_bolts

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

• October 7- 4:15-7:45 PM (In-person)
• October 9 - 4:15-7:45 PM (Virtual)
• January 22 - 4:15-7:45 PM (Virtual)
• April 16- 4:15-7:45 PM (In-Person) (College and Career Fair- 5-:00-7:30 PM)

DANCES

• September 21 - Homecoming Dance @ Liberty (7:00-10:00 PM)
• January 25 - Winter Dance @ Liberty (7:00-10:00 PM)
• May 3 - Prom @ IMU (7:30-10:30 PM)

SENIORS

• October 8 - Senior Jostens Assembly (@ 1:45 PM, Auditorium)
• March 1 - Senior photo due to Yearbook
• May 21 - Senior Awards & Scholarship Recognition Evening
• May 30 - Senior’s Last Day
• May 30 - Graduation Rehearsal (Xtream Arena @ 10:30 AM-12:00 PM)
• May 31 - Liberty High Graduation (Xtream Arena @ 6:00 PM)

MIDTERMS & END OF TRIMESTERS

• October 4 - Midterm
• November 21 - End of 1st Trimester
• January 24 - Midterm
• March 6 - End of 2nd Trimester
• April 25 - Midterm
• June 6 - End of 3rd Tri. & Last Day of Classes (2-hr. early release)

As part of our commitment to student safety, we kindly remind you to review and/or update your contact information in Infinite Campus. Ensuring your details are current is a vital part of our comprehensive school safety plans.

Please take a moment to verify:

• Your personal contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses.
• Emergency contact details, ensuring they are accurate and up-to-date.
• Approved individuals who can pick up your child from school.

This information helps us contact you promptly and ensures proper procedures are followed, especially in the event of an emergency.

You can access Infinite Campus and update your details here: Infinite Campus Parent Portal. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact your child's school.

The Iowa City Community School District remains deeply committed to creating equitable and inclusive learning environments where students feel safe and valued. This includes supporting all students and families as outlined in our non-discrimination statement, which includes national origin.

We are aware of reported changes to federal immigration policies and practices and want to assure you of the measures we have in place within our schools.

Key Points of Support:

• The law guarantees all students receive free public education, regardless of their immigration status.
• We do not collect or maintain any information about students' immigration status.
• Requests from immigration officials to access information or communicate with a student will be immediately referred to the Superintendent’s Office. We will work closely with legal counsel to ensure compliance with the law while safeguarding students' privacy and rights.

Our Safeguards:

• Any law enforcement action involving our schools must comply with proper legal authority.
• Building principals know the policies and processes in place to protect our students.
• While following the law, we will prioritize protecting students' constitutional and legal rights. We will not share student information or grant law enforcement building access unless legally required to do so.

Important note: Please review and update your contact information in Infinite Campus to ensure we can communicate effectively with you. Accurate information helps us maintain our comprehensive school safety plans. Please take a moment to verify the following:

• Personal contact details (phone numbers and email addresses).
• Emergency contact information.
• Approved individuals who can pick up your child from school.

Please visit our Supports for Immigrant Students and Families webpage for more information. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance.

I wanted to remind you about the Ombuds Office as a resource for all Iowa City Community School District students, parents/guardians, and employees. The Ombuds Office plays an important part in the District's efforts to raise awareness of concerns, promote a civil, equitable, and inclusive organization, and improve organizational culture.

The Ombuds serves as an informal concern and conflict resolution resource regarding school and district-related matters. For example, if you don’t know who to talk to or what to do, the Ombuds provides a safe space to discuss options for resolving your concern or conflict.

Ombuds Guiding Principles

• Independence: Operates independently of other District departments.
• Impartiality: Does not take sides. Works collaboratively with all parties involved.
• Confidentiality: Communications with Ombuds are confidential to the extent permitted by law.
• Informality: A voluntary, supplemental resource; does not participate in formal processes, investigations, or complaints.

You may contact the Ombuds by phone at (319) 688-1312 or by email at ombuds@iowacityschools.org. For more information on the Ombuds role, please visit www.iowacityschools.org/Ombuds.

The Iowa City Community School District is conducting a survey to understand the experiences, thoughts, and opinions of our students, families, and staff about the district’s science program(s). Your input will help us support and improve these program offerings.

This survey will only take about 15 minutes to complete. When answering the questions, we would like you to think of the programs in a typical school year.

This survey is confidential. No identifying information or individual responses will be shared. The results will be shared as a total summary.

Thank you for your participation!

Survey Link:
https://iowacityschools.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0emBGN1FlEsh0mG

We are in the early stages of planning Liberty High School's first ever College and Career Fair. This event has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, will take place at Liberty, and will coincide with our Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences. The fair will start at 5:00 PM and run until 7:30 PM. Teachers will also be available for one on one in-person conferences from 4:15-7:45 PM. These conferences will be scheduled using PTC Wizard so guardians can access the college and career fair and/or meet with one or more of their student(s) teachers too if desired.

The College and Career Fair is intended for all high school students (grades 9-12) and their guardians. Whether your high school student plans on attending a 4-year college or university, enlisting in the military, beginning an apprenticeship, or directly entering the workforce following their high school graduation, this event will have something for you and them. We are currently working on inviting representatives from college and university admissions, internships, apprenticeship, the military, local employers, and various other post-secondary support resources to present information on important topics such as financial aid and the FAFSA application.

Although we still have five weeks remaining in 2nd Trimester, we wanted to share the Trimester 2 Finals Schedule so students can begin to plan accordingly. Teachers will also begin sharing course specific information with their students, so students are aware of what to expect in each of their courses. The current finals schedule was designed as an effort to not overload students with all of their final exams occurring on the same day. We have divided our finals schedule into two days, with each designated testing block lasting 84 minutes. Please note that there is no expectation for teachers to have a traditional summative final assessment at the end of a trimester. However, if teachers are planning an assessment in the final two weeks of the trimester, the assessment needs to be scheduled on a class periods designated finals day.

Athletic Director Brent Sands has begun regularly meeting with student-athlete leaders who comprise our student-athlete leadership council. These student-athletes provide Mr. Sands with feedback regarding their experiences in athletics at Liberty, and also come up with fresh ideas to promote their sports and support the greater school community. One of the things they decided to do recently was create the Liberty Student-Athlete Buddies Program. In this program, Liberty student-athletes visit our feeder elementary schools and interact with younger students. Their first visit occurred last week and it was a huge success. They read a few books, played math card games, conversed, laughed, and inspired our younger students in our community.

Prom is right around the corner, and we are excited to hold the 2nd Prom Dress Pop-Up! Come shop at the Pop-Up, sell your dress at the Pop-Up, or both.

There will be dresses of all sizes, styles, colors, and price ranges. The Pop-Up is open from noon – 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 16th in the lower level of the North Liberty Rec Center. Payment options are cash or Venmo, directly to the seller. Fitting areas will be available.

To sell your dress at the Pop-Up, use this Google form to register your dress. https://forms.gle/x1hEA9JBAAJwFAuW8 Dresses need to be dropped off at the North Liberty Rec Center between 11:30 – noon on February 16th. Any unsold dresses need to be picked up between 3:00 -3:30 that day or they will be donated. The cost is $5 per dress to offset costs of the event.

Follow the Facebook event, get more information and share the event at: https://www.facebook.com/share/19iaBKxoR9/?mibextid=wwXlfr

Text 319-331-2735 with any questions. And we look forward to seeing you at the Pop-Up!

Tatiana Schlote-Bonne will be visiting Liberty on Monday, February 17 during Liberty Time.

Students can sign-up using this link if you are interested in attending. Please sign up by Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The next Senior Student-Athlete Signing Day will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 5th at 4:30 PM in the cafeteria. Please utilize this Sign-Up Form if you are committing to a specific college or university to continue your academic and athletic career. There will be one additional signing date offered in late spring.

Please reach out to Mrs. Sievers in the Athletic Office with any questions. sievers.tristan@iowacityschools.org

Assistant football coach and science teacher Mitch Wieland has been named the 2025 Broyles Award Winner for the State of Iowa. In 2018, the Broyles Award added to their 25-year tradition of honoring the nation’s best collegiate assistant football coaches through the creation of the High School Broyles Award. This award honors the top high school assistant football coach in every participating state, projecting their excellence onto the national stage.

The Broyles Award was created in 1996 recognizing Coach Frank Broyles’ legacy of selecting and developing great assistants during his almost two decades as head coach at Arkansas.

Save the date! The girls Tennis Preseason Meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 12. The meeting will take place in the Grand Commons/Cafeteria at the end of the school day.

If you are unable to attend or have questions, please direct them to Coach Postman (postman.james@iowacityschools.org).

After a successful day at their District Speech Contest on January 25th in Camanche, IA, the Liberty Speech Team advanced 8 Large Group events onto the State Contest. These events include Ensemble Acting, Group Improv, Radio Broadcasting, Readers Theatre, Short Film, and Television Newscasting. This year’s Large Group State Contest will be held at Cedar Rapids Washington High School on Saturday, February 8th. Friends, family, and the community are invited to attend! The Liberty Speech Team is coached by Schuyler Fynaardt and Olivia Gonzalez. For more information or details regarding Liberty Speech, contact Schuyler via email: fynaardt.schuyler@iowacityschools.org

Is there an upcoming athletic event you need to find additional information about? Can't remember what day of the week the upcoming choir concert is being held on? Look no further than the Iowa City Liberty Bound Calendar. All athletic events, and all other events such as curricular music concerts and extracurricular events are now listed in one place. You can access our Bound calendar here, and these events are also pulled in and embedded in the calendar available on our Liberty website.

You and your family are invited to attend a U.S. Naval Academy Admissions Forum; a unique opportunity to learn more about the Naval Academy, student experience, and the admissions process. You will also be able to meet your Regional Director of Admissions, Admissions Counselor, Blue & Gold Officer, ROTC Recruitment Coordinator, and Congressional Staff members.

Quad Cities (East IA / West IL) Admissions Forum

Saturday, February 22, 2025

12 PM - 1:30 PM

Check-in will start at 11:30 AM

Moline Public Library - Silver & Bronze Room

3210 41st Street, Moline, IL 61265

UPDATE: CLICK HERE TO RSVP - Quad Cities (East IA / West IL)

Applications for their summer programs are currently open. For information and to apply, please visit: https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Programs/index.php

Summer Seminar kick-starts your Naval Academy application by giving you a taste of life at the Academy. For one week in June, you will experience first-class academic, athletic, and professional training while building lifelong friendships with campers from all over the world. Current 11th graders can apply for this program.

Summer STEM at the Naval Academy is a vibrant week of problem-solving, exploratory learning, critical thinking, and team building for students interested in a future in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Current 8th - 10th graders can apply for this program.

Hey! Is your child a future Bolt?
Step into the Flag Football Tournament hosted by the North Liberty Youth Council and sponsored by the North Liberty Rec Center at the Liberty High School football field! Complete this registration form and see additional details below.

Details:

When: Saturday, May 10th

Check-in Time: 9:30 AM

Game Start Time: 10:00 AM

Game Rules: 5v5, 20-minute running clock per game, 10-minute halftime

Game Info: Losing the first game will not automatically take your child out of the tournament

Registration Deadline: May 5th

Location: Liberty High School Football Stadium

Registration Cost: $5 per player or $25 per team

Cash only collected during check-in

Proceeds: All proceeds will be donated to the Liberty High Athletics Booster Department

Prizes: Winner receives fame and a trophy!

What to bring: Water, cleats, gloves, etc

Don't have a full team? No problem! Just register your child, and we'll help place them on a team

Z102.9’s Gown Town is a 100% FREE opportunity for high school students to come select a prom dress, shoes, or an accessory for their prom night! To learn more, please check out our website at: https://www.kzia.com/z102-9s-gown-town/

Sunday, February 23, 12-3 PM at the Kirkwood Linn County Regional Center

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation is excited to share information about their upcoming Business Horizons 2025 Program! This years program will be returning to the campus of Drake University from July13-17.

Here are three things to know about this year’s program:

1. Spots are available for students to join (at a discounted rate until May 30). All students who register before May 30, receive $50 off. The full cost to attend the program is $400, this includes all lodging, meals, activities and materials for the week at Drake University. Students join from every area of the state and students who attend the 2025 program will even have the chance to earn three transferable college credits! If you think a student would benefit from this program, we would love for you to nominate them using this link.

2. Many students attend at little or no cost. Program sponsorships and needs-based financial assistance are provided by business and community organizations. Students interested in these resources have the ability to request them on their registration under the “Financial Aid” section. Here is the link to register.

3. Educators are invited, too! The ABI Foundation and the Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship are partnering to provide an opportunity for professional development. On July 17th, educators are invited in on the excitement of the final day. Attendees will learn about the additional in-classroom curriculum and resources. For those interested, graduate credit is available with extended coursework at an additional cost through the University of Iowa.

The Iowa Insurance Division in Des Moines is offering a 10-week paid summer internship to high school students in their junior or senior year. Interns will receive one-on-one mentorship, personalized training, early exposure to a possible career pathway and the opportunity to earn an Associate Professional in Insurance Regulation Designation. The internships will begin in the summer of 2025 but the time to apply is now. Please submit your resume by February 15, 2025. For more information or to apply please send your resume and cover letter with attention to Linda Heintz at internships@iid.iowa.gov.

Click on the attached letter for additional information, or visit the Iowa Insurance Division Website.

Fields of Faith is a nonprofit farm dedicated to growing and sharing fresh produce with local churches, food banks, and community organizations. They are currently looking for volunteers to assist on the farm on Saturday mornings from 8-10:30 AM form the spring planting season to fall harvest. The farm is located 15 minutes west of Iowa City in Oxford, and volunteers are needed to plant, weed, harvest crops, sort and pack produce, and maintain the beautiful farm. If you are interested, please see the flyer attached below.

Penn Elementary's biggest fundraiser of the year is back! Fun Night will be held February 21st from 5:30-8:00pm. We need over 100 volunteers to make Fun Night a success. There are so many fun ways to volunteer that evening. You can volunteer on your own or make it a fun activity with friends. Please look over the sign up below and see if this is something you are able to help with. Penn Fun Night 2025 Signup

If you have any questions please email the Fun Night volunteer coordinator at bulman.angela@gmail.com.

Do you have a Cap & Gown from an older sibling or someone else that is taking up space in your closet? We would like to begin collecting lightly used purple Liberty cap and gowns to offer to students and their families who may not currently have the resources to purchase a new one for graduation. All donated cap and gowns can be dropped off in the main office during regular school hours.

Quarterly the District Cultural Diversity & Equity team produces a newsletter. Click here to access this quarter's Cultural Diversity & Equity Newsletter. You can also visit our District Equity website for additional information and links to previous newsletters.

Take a moment to check out the new Liberty High Spirit Store provided by BSN Sports. This store offers a large number of options for Liberty gear. You can search by your favorite brand and customize your own items.

Check it out by clicking on this link: https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/iowa/northliberty/liberty-high-school or by clicking the image below.

Support Student Programs. Leave a Legacy. Donate today!

The Liberty Fund needs your help! We want to ensure all Liberty students can participate in school activities where belonging and school pride come together through both academic and co-curricular activities.

The Liberty Fund has provided grants to students and groups to support student access to opportunities through fundraising. Here are a few program examples that grants have supported:

• New Student/Freshman Orientation
• National French Competition Exam
• Liberty Lightning Technical Theater
• Garden Club
• African American Literature Classes & Black Student Union
• Business Professionals of America Leadership Conference

Make a tax deductible donation to The Liberty Fund today! Donate at The Liberty Fund Website or email for more information at libertyhighfund@gmail.com.

Liberty High PSTO (Parent Student Teacher Organization) welcomes all new and returning families to Liberty for the 2024-2025 school year. Please follow us on Facebook: Liberty High PSTO to stay up-to-date.

The next PSTO meeting will occur on Thursday, January 16 from 12:00-12:30 PM via Zoom. The passcode for the meeting is CEDwk1

Questions?

If you have any questions, please send them to libertyhsPSTO@gmail.com

The PSTO has an ongoing fundraiser with our Amazon Smile account. Please consider using this with your next Amazon order.

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Jeremy Tabor, Director of Equity and Employee Relations, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, 319-688-1000, howard.eric@iowacityschools.org.