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 (Send photos to jabbari.anna@iowacityschools.org)
• March 26- Senior Cap & Gown Pick-Up (10 AM- 1 PM) commons near main office
• 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)

In conversations about education, a phrase you will hear a lot these days is “school choice.” For those of you who are already part of our school district family: Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your loyalty.

For those of you considering us as the education home for your family, here is the big thing we want you to know: Simply put, Iowa City Community School District is your best choice.

We provide students with comprehensive and unique offerings, no matter their passions, needs, or goals— from preschool through high school graduation. And one of the best parts is that the Iowa City Community School District will always be tuition-free and accessible to all.

Our community sets a high standard: the very best for every student. We take that responsibility seriously. The outstanding quality of an ICCSD student experience is highlighted through:

Outstanding Schools

• City High, Liberty High, and West High are ranked in the top 10 high schools in Iowa by the U.S. News and World Report. This year, West High ranked first in the state of Iowa. No other school district in Iowa appears more than once on the top ten list. All three of our comprehensive high schools are accounted for. Additionally, each school is rated in the top eight percent nationally. There is no better place in Iowa to attend high school.
• We prioritize high-quality early childhood education by offering full-day and half-day preschool programs in all of our elementary schools. Every preschool teacher is certified in both general and special education, ensuring comprehensive support for all students.
• Our school facilities are top-notch – just step inside any of the following:
• Elementary schools, including new buildings and fully renovated original campuses.
• Newly expanded middle school buildings.
• High school facilities that lead the state include music wings, performance auditoriums, athletic competition and training spaces, common areas, and fully furnished art and technical education rooms.
• ICCSD leads the state in teacher pay. We diligently work to make our schools the best employers for the best educators.
• Our public schools serve all students with a profound commitment to special education.

Unmatched Academic Excellence

• Our high school students have access to over 25 in-person AP courses taught by content-expert, AP-certified teachers. AP courses are college-level courses developed by the College Board to help high school students earn college credit. We are proud to claim the most comprehensive AP offerings in Iowa.
• The AP Capstone program is available to our high school students. This two-year diploma program is the highest AP offering, allowing students to research and publish academic work over two years. We are one of two districts in Iowa that offer AP Capstone at multiple high schools. Just three percent of U.S. high schools offer AP Capstone.
• Beyond AP, students can earn college credit through dual enrollment courses offered in partnership with Kirkwood Community College and the University of Iowa. For example, Project Lead the Way classes introduce students to concepts in engineering, applied sciences, and STEM to earn college credit.
• We have the most comprehensive career and technical education offerings in Iowa, featuring interconnected shop and construction electives culminating in a year-long home build.
• Our college admissions and alumni network are unmatched. ICCSD diplomas mean something to elite colleges and universities. Recent graduates have attended Ivy League universities, U.S. Service Academies, top public universities such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and other premier institutions such as the University of Oxford and Stanford University. Our graduates work across thousands of industries. Nobel Laureate biologists, film and television writers, Major League Baseball executives, and tech entrepreneurs all hail from our community.

Exceptional Student Experiences

• Excellence in athletics is a crucial part of our story. Competing at the highest division in Iowa, our schools combine for well over 100 team state championships, the most in the state. Numerous professional athletes, high-profile coaches, and Olympians have passed through our halls. From facility upgrades to recent successes to elite competition environments, we are pleased to report that the winningest days are still ahead for the Little Hawks, Bolts, and Trojans!
• Music programs in our District consistently lead the state in terms of individual accolades, ensemble achievements, and unique experiences. This year, our district had over 100 All-State Music honorees, the most in the state. In recent years, our ensembles have performed around the world in places such as London, Rome, Prague, and at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
• Advisory times, elective offerings, and Makerspaces allow students to explore learning, from digital music to 3D printing to filmmaking.
• Our dance, debate, journalism, robotics, and mock trial programs all compete for state and national championships. Whether through clubs, courses, or co-curriculars, our students are able to learn and contend at the highest level.

In these areas —and countless others—we are committed to providing the highest quality education, countless opportunities, and the best experience for our students.

Every day, students from all walks of life come together within our schools. They learn. They grow. They achieve. And they leave our schools prepared to make their mark on the world.

Public education is our community’s most treasured, time-honored tradition. It brings us all together. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting our work. Thank you for supporting the best students. The best educators. The best schools. The best district.

Beginning in 2019, the Iowa legislature determined that all students in Iowa would be assessed each spring using an online test called the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). This assessment was developed by Iowa Testing Programs at the University of Iowa and delivered and supported by Iowa-based Pearson for the state of Iowa. The assessments are aligned with the Iowa Core standards and provide a clear and accurate assessment of student learning outcomes. Student growth, proficiency, and readiness indicators are reported.

All students in grades three through eleven are required to take this assessment. This year, there is no option for a remote administration of the test, so all students, including OLP students, will need to attend school on-site to complete this administration. The state does not allow parents to opt their children out of participating.

The schedule below provides a general overview of testing dates. More specific information will be provided by the school principals as the date nears. Makeups can begin the week of testing and continue through the following week.

Week of & Students Participating

April 7, 2025, All 3rd - 11th Grade Students

April 14, 2025, Makeup for students who were absent

The grade levels, tests, and recommended administration times are provided below:

Tests, Grade Levels, Recommended Administration Time

Reading, 3-11, 60-75 minutes

Language Arts and Writing, 3-11, 60-80 minutes

Math, 3-11, 60-75 minutes

Science, 5, 8, 10, 60-75 minutes

To ensure that your child is fully prepared to take these assessments, please assist with the following:

1. It is very important that your child be present during these test administration dates.
2. All 3rd through 11th grade students will need to have their fully-charged, school-issued Chromebooks for all days of the testing. The assessment cannot be taken on a personal device.
3. No other electronic devices will be allowed during the test administration time, including cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc.
4. Students should get plenty of rest during the week of the assessment and eat a good breakfast each morning.
5. You may assist your child in a practice assessment which can be found online at iowa.pearsonaccessnext.com, under the “Test Preparation” tab.

If you have any questions about these assessments, please contact the district curriculum office at (319) 688-1000.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate the winter season and its impact on our school schedule. While we hope the worst of the weather is behind us, we also recognize that spring can bring additional challenges.

As a reminder, Iowa law requires school districts to meet either a minimum of 180 days or 1,080 hours of instruction each year. Our school calendar is built with additional time to account for weather-related schedule changes, but after last week’s cancellation, we are now one hour short of the required instructional time.

To address this, we will cancel the one-hour early release scheduled for Thursday, June 5, 2025, to recapture the required hour.

If additional instructional time is lost due to future weather-related disruptions, we will evaluate further adjustments, including the cancellation of additional Thursday early releases as needed. At this time, the only change to the calendar is the cancellation of the early release on June 5, 2025.

We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we work through these adjustments. We truly understand the heavy impact schedule changes can have on families, and we don’t take these decisions lightly. If any further changes are necessary, we will communicate them as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We are excited to share that, for the first time, the USDA is allowing students who are fasting for Ramadan to take their meals off-site at the end of the school day. Our Nutrition Services Department is working with each school to ensure that students requesting this option receive both breakfast and lunch in a convenient grab-and-go format.

If your child would like to participate in this program, please reach out to the school’s main office at (319) 688-1350 or contact the Nutrition Services Department at (319) 688-1021 for more details.

Recently the District Community Relations Department wrote a feature story and produced a video about a success story that occurred recently at Liberty High School. The video and article tell the story of P.E. teacher Tom Cronk and the collaboration that occurred between him and one of his advisory students, sophomore student John Galvez. Mr. Cronk and John worked together and engineered different devices that enable another student, Anna Bilskemper, to enhance her abilities and more fully engage with her peers in her Adaptive P.E. class.

The link to the District article and video can be found here. The video may also be viewed on Facebook, Instagram, or X.

Please see the ISASP Testing information specific to Liberty below:

• Testing will take place on Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9
• Testing is for all students in grades 9-11
• Students will need to bring their fully charged Chromebook for testing each day
• Students will test in their Advisory classroom, unless notified by email of an alternate location
• Kirkwood students must attend for ISASP, and should communicate with instructors prior
• 12th grade students can stay home during testing, but those who show up to school will be assigned to the large study hall room until testing is completed
• CPR will also be available for seniors that still need to complete this state requirement prior to graduation

On Wednesday, March 12 author Tatiana Schlote-Bonne visited Liberty during Liberty Time. During her visit she shared information about herself and her books. She also discussed her journey with publishing and writing with a group of students who participated in the discussion.

Her visit was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Liberty Fund.

This is an additional reminder that Liberty will host our first ever College and Career Fair on Wednesday, April 16. This college and career fair will take place at Liberty, will run from 5:00-7:30 PM and will coincide with our Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences. For conferences, teachers will be available for one on one in-person conferences from 4:15-7:45 PM. These conferences will be scheduled using PTC Wizard which will allow guardians and students access to the college and career fair and to meet with one or more teachers as well. Parent-Teacher Conference sign-up information will be sent out by email around the second week of April.

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.

On Monday, March 10, four Japanese students from Sado Island in the Sea of Japan and their teacher, Molly Hakes, who is an Iowa City West High graduate, visited Liberty High School.

In January, the Japanese students began pen-pal writing with 12 of our Liberty students. On March , the Japanese students attended classes with their Liberty pen-pals. This was a great opportunity for this small group of Japanese students to work on their English writing skills, but it also provided our Liberty students with a unique opportunity to connect with other student's their age from a different culture, and learn more about Japan. In addition to experiencing a day in the life at an American high school, our Japanese visitors also presented on their Japanese homeland and culture, were interviewed by Liberty journalism students, and prepared traditional Japanese food for culinary arts students.

NHS students are once again volunteering time during their school day to provide assistance with homework, projects, test prep., presentations, and more. See the details provided on the poster below:

Representatives from Jostens will be at Liberty on Wednesday, March 26 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM for cap & gown distribution. Tables will be set-up in the grand commons near the main office. Items not picked up during the designated time will be available in the main office.

Yesterday, two Liberty students competed in the Educators Rising State Conference and Competition. We are proud to announce that every competitor placed in their respective categories!

Frey Kellogg won 2nd place in the Children Literature event where they illustrated and wrote their own children's book. Additionally, Quinn Kempenaar placed 3rd in the EdRising Moment category with a speech over their spark for education.

Both of these students qualify for the national conference this June in Orlando, Florida! Please congratulate these students for their fantastic performances!

The Liberty Speech Team is celebrating a successful day at their District Individual Speech Contest, which was held on March 1st in West Burlington, IA. Out of 27 entries, the Liberty Speech Team advances 20 events onto the State Contest. These events include Acting, Expository Address, Improvisation, Interpretive Poetry and Prose, Original Oratory, Radio Announcing, Reviewing, and Spontaneous Speaking. This year’s Individual State Contest will be held at North Scott High School on Saturday, March 15th. 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

The Liberty Color Guard is holding clinics on March 25 and 27 and on April 1 from 7:00pm-8:00 PM in the Liberty Band Room to prepare for their auditions. Color Guard auditions are open to any current 8th-11th grade student attending Liberty in the Fall. For those that are unfamiliar, the color guard is a mixture of dance and choreographed routines using flags. They perform with the Lightning Marching Band in their halftime shows for all of 1st Trimester (and earn elective credit for doing so). No previous experience with band or Color Guard is necessary, although a background in dance is helpful!

Auditions will be held on April 3rd at 7:00pm. Attendance at all three clinics is not required but is highly recommended to prepare for the audition. If you have any questions, please reach out to our coach, Mrs. Carlo, at carlo.amanda@iowacityschools.org.

In only their fourth year as a club at Liberty, one of our two Mock Trial teams has qualified for the state competition. Qualifying for state was a goal set by the team, and the team is excited to have met their goal! The state competition is held at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines on March 27 and 28.

Mock trial is designed to introduce students to our legal system by providing a challenging, academic competition. The program offers students an opportunity for personal growth and achievement, emphasizing the importance of research, presentation and teamwork.

The Liberty Jazz Ensemble has recently been busy performing and competing across the state. In early March, the Liberty Jazz Ensemble competed in the Coe College Jazz Festival and earned their highest ever ranking, placing 3rd. The Coe College Jazz Festival in the largest jazz festival in the state of Iowa.

Additionally, The Liberty Jazz Ensemble also qualified as one of the top 15 bands for the Iowa Jazz Championships. The Iowa Jazz Championships are held in Ames on April 8, and the Liberty Jazz Ensemble will perform at 10:00 AM.

On Thursday, March 13 the Liberty Jazz Choirs traveled to Waukee and Des Moines for a special collaboration and performance opportunity. Liberty High partnered with Waukee High for a joint performance at the State Historical Museum in Des Moines that evening.

Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa is seeking volunteers for their upcoming Spring 5K. There are many different opportunities from set-up, tear-down, cheer stations, and more! The 5K will be held on Saturday, May 24th at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area. We anticipate 500+ event attendees and need as much help as we can get.

This can be used as an approved silver cord activity, and you can click here to register to volunteer.

Check out the ICAN Future Ready Career and College Fair in Cedar Rapids on March 30! The ICAN Future Ready Career and College Fair is unlike any other in Eastern Iowa, bridging the gap between career exploration and college/training selection, to help students make informed decisions that align career interests with education and training selection.

Students of every age have something to gain at ICR Future. From learning about different career fields from Iowa employers, to speaking with more than 100 colleges, universities, apprenticeship representatives, and career experts, there’s something for everyone. There are even breakout sessions on employer expectations, career training, college planning, Iowa’s job outlook and more.

ICAN Future Ready Career & College Fair

The Hotel at Kirkwood Center

7725 Kirkwood Blvd • Cedar Rapids

Sunday, March 30, 2025

1 – 3 p.m.

In addition to an expansive selection of colleges and universities, ICR Future will also feature Career Clusters represented by Iowa businesses, a section of exhibitors that specialize in ‘Earn As You Learn’ apprenticeship programs, military options, and college and career planning and preparation.

• Register for event reminder and get your barcode

• See a list of exhibitors at the fair

Visit www.ICANsucceed.org/futurereadyfair for all the event details and updates of exhibitors and breakout sessions.

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, April 17 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 Nick Proud, Chief Humans Resource Officer, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, 319-688-1000, proud.nick@iowacityschools.org.