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LSC Family,
We have had a strong start to the new year at LSC, and it’s only getting better! As an organization committed to “chasing love and excellence” through continual improvement, we are constantly looking for ways to increase our overall effectiveness. In response to recent Possip feedback, you can expect several family engagement events in March outside of our weekly spirit nights and Friday Community Culture Celebrations. I hope to see each of you at the upcoming Books & Breakfast and Bingo for Books family events. Make sure to RSVP today using the links posted in this newsletter and on Dojo. Field trips are also in the works, so stay tuned for more information!
I am proud to say that we will soon welcome a School Resource Officer to the Primary Academy Campus in the coming weeks. I want to give a shout-out to our amazing Parent Teacher Organization Officers and Board Vice-Chairman Dexter Davis, who played key roles in helping to make this happen. Make no mistake: this is a testament to the power of collaboration in our learning community, and I could not be prouder!
Due to staggered terms on our Board of Directors, we have an election this month, and we will have at least one new face on the Board to replace the seat vacated by Ken Lee. I want to take this opportunity to express our collective appreciation to Mr. Lee for his nearly two years of service. Of the four seats in this election cycle, two are appointed seats by our Executive Committee, while the other two are elected seats. Going forward, all of our board director terms will now be on two-year rotations. Under state charter law, only parents and staff members are entitled to vote in charter school board elections. The call for candidates is currently open and closes on Friday, March 3. The election will take place by email ballot March 21-23, and SCPCSD Superintendent Chris Neeley will be on hand for the swearing-in of all new directors on March 27 at the regularly scheduled board meeting.
Our leaders have been hard at work engaged in planning for the launch of the 2023-24 school year. Renovation continues at the mall, which will house grades 2-3 next year for our new Elementary Academy Campus. To date, 65% of staff needed for the expansion alone have been hired, and we are excited about the exceptional caliber of talent being added to our team. What makes our third year of hiring truly special is, for the first time, we have now had several concrete parent referrals of candidates who have gone through our extensive hiring process and are joining the team. Planning for the 3rd Annual Welcome to Liberty event has kicked off with an overwhelming majority of the 270 newly admitted scholars fully enrolled and receiving a special treat in the mail this week to welcome them to the Liberty family officially.
We have never been in a better position to make a difference in the lives of the children in Sumter County that we serve than we have at this. Make no mistake about it: the LSC mission is one that will pay dividends for generations - this is our shared legacy, and I continue to be fueled with excitement in the fight for doing better for the children here in my hometown community.
Let’s continue to embrace the moment, seize the opportunity, and relish the good works that we will achieve by working together. Your love, guidance, and encouragement have created an invaluable foundation for our scholars to continue to thrive and grow. Together, as one team, we will continue to win one for the children of Sumter County. We are #LibertyForAll.
Sincerely,
Dr. Trevor Ivey, NBCT
Interim Executive Director
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Let’s share the end-of-the-year field trip
experience with a scholar!
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Help us make field trips a reality for our scholars! A donation of $25 takes care of the costs of providing one scholar with an end-of-the-year field trip experience. Please click here to sponsor a scholar or two today to bring an enriching experience to them that many of our scholars otherwise would not receive! |
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- Board Elections, March 21-23
Under state charter law, only parents and staff members are entitled to vote in charter school board elections. The call for candidates is currently open and closes on Friday, March 3. The election will take place by email ballot March 21-23, and SCPCSD Superintendent Chris Neeley will be on hand for the swearing-in of all new directors on March 27 at the regularly scheduled board meeting.
- Invitational Tour - Tuesday, April 4, 2023, 6:00 - 7:30 pm @ LSC Primary Academy Campus
If you would like to attend and learn more about the story, mission, model, and future of LSC, please RSVP by contacting Sally Harris at SHarris@libertysteamcharter.org.
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The Classroom Spotlight for this month features The Reading Rainbow Fish. This classroom is led by Lead Teacher Tatiana Reyes and Teaching Fellow Megan Soper, where scholars know they can “go anywhere and be anything.” Recently, The Reading Rainbow Fish just began a deep dive into how living things depend on trees to meet their needs. As researchers, they are combining Reading, Writing, STEAM, and Social Studies, as they build up to presenting their own research to the class.
In Eureka Math, scholars are working on addition and subtraction with objects, number sentences, as well as word problems. The Reading Rainbow Fish are getting familiar with “Gus the Plus” and “Linus the Minus”, as they become Mini Mathematicians. They are making Math stories come to life through differentiated small group instruction and hands-on activities with manipulatives.
American Sign Language is infused throughout the day. From morning greetings to letters and sound recognition, scholars continuously learn to communicate inclusively. Ms. Reyes and Mrs. Soper prioritize Social and Emotional Learning in the classroom and give their scholars the space to express their emotions, needs, and ideas. They encourage scholars never to give up and “just keep swimming.”
Ms. Tatiana Reyes, Lead Teacher, is a Teach For America corps member and proud USC alum. This is her second year in education. She is actively expanding her knowledge of ASL as she shares her passion for the language and culture with her scholars. Ms. Reyes enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, and exploring new restaurants and coffee shops. As a military child herself, she loves working in a military community.
Mrs. Megan Soper, Teaching fellow, is a proud military spouse and mother. She is originally from Georgia and is happy to represent the Shaw Air Force Base community. She is working towards her certification in Elementary Education. This is her seventh year in Education. She is excited to continue her career here at Liberty, where she is also a proud parent of a second-grade scholar. When Mrs. Soper is not at LSC, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, attending sporting events, and exploring new places.
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Demo Finished at the Elementary Academy
Demolition is now finished for LSC’s Elementary Academy, which will serve 300 scholars in grades 2-3 this fall. The construction crew will get back in this week to start the next phase.
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Sumter Walks the Red Carpet at Family Engagement Event
We rented out the Sumter Opera House for our family engagement event for both current and incoming families! We watched Bad Guys with concessions provided by our PTO.
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How Sweet it is to be Loved By LSC
What special memories our amazing families made at the first-ever Liberty Family Valentine’s Dance! Thank you to all of our LSC family for making this one to remember.
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Black History Wax Museum
Our second-grade scholars celebrated Black History Month by putting on a wax museum exhibit. You can view the exhibit here. Our scholars came dressed to impress!
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Saturday Robotics Squad & Step Team has Started!
40 scholars are participating in current Saturday enrichment areas with plans for added options in the near future! Scholars in the Robotics Squad are using the Lego Spike Kits to learn the basics of coding while Step Team scholars are learning the basic formation techniques.
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Community Culture Celebrations
These celebrations take place every Friday, where we spotlight the achievements of our scholars who show exceptional SOAR behavior in upholding our three core values - power of team, growth mindset, and stand up and own it. All kindergarten scholars have an opportunity for their moment in the spotlight to earn their official Liberty Golden Shirt, but first and second-grade scholars have to work much more consistently in illustrating the core values for a rare opportunity to earn their official Liberty Coat. Taking a page from the playbook at the Ron Clark Academy, earning the Golden Shirt or Coat is a HUGE deal at LSC, where everyone gathers together as one learning community to cheer on these special scholars, including their parents.
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Board Elections
This cycle, we have two elected seats and two appointed seats that are open. Click here to read through the election timeline approved by the Public Charter Alliance of South Carolina.
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Sumter Students Observe in the Eagle’s Nest
We enjoyed having a few extra scholars in the building for Sumter School District’s Shadow Day. We hope they all continue to desire education as their career pathway.
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Sumter Author Visits LSC
We love exposing them to local authors! At LSC, we are on a journey to read one million words over the school year to help nurture a love of reading at the earliest of ages. To do that, we have love to bring in as many guest readers as we can so our scholars can see and hear from as many role models as possible. Even more special is when a real author visits the Eagle's Nest. Thank you, Shani Taylor, for sharing your book, Tori, with our scholars!
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Folk-Telling for African-American History Month
Scholars and staff enjoyed a phenomenal assembly that incorporated a look into African-American History with folk-telling. Mrs. Bowen-Davis engaged the crowd by reading books and telling stories to remind our scholars that we are beautiful in all colors and hues of the rainbow. So many of us know her from working with her and being a former student of hers.
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Liberty Street Elementary Alumnae Visit LSC
As part of Black History Month, we were so excited to have two Liberty Street School alumnae with us for a tour and even snagged an interview, which was led by our second-grade scholars from the Class of 2033. You can watch their full interview here.
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The Sanders Family
Travin Sanders, parent of Kasyn Sanders (7, 1st Grade)
What attracted you to LSC?
The first thing that attracted me was it was totally different than any other school that I had ever seen. The overall atmosphere of this school is phenomenal.
Why do you believe LSC is the best fit for your children?
I believe it is the best fit because not only has he made a change drastically as far as on the school level, but also in his personal life. I am forever thankful for the staff at Liberty for helping me and my son with his transition.
What have your children enjoyed the most since attending LSC?
The staff. The staff has made him feel very welcome and at home to the point where they gave him his own nickname of “Coach K”.
What are you looking forward to the most about your children attending LSC?
To continue to perform to the best of his ability; to continue being a phenomenal, amazing student and person that he is.
What would you share with those looking to become involved with LSC by donating time or resources?
Give all that you possibly can! Giving your time is the biggest thing ever–the more time you can give, the more you will see why it is such an amazing school, not only for your child but also for yourself as a parent. You will see that your child is in great hands!
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Instructional Team Spotlight
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Mrs. Julie Jeffcoat, Academic Interventionist
What's your role at LSC?
I am an academic Interventionist who provides additional assistance in small groups to scholars in reading and math.
What inspired you to be an educator?
I was inspired to become an educator when I was in Third Grade and have never lost the desire or calling. Along my educational path, I was encouraged and inspired by enthusiastic and dedicated teachers who modeled how to use our strengths to embrace a growth mindset in life.
What is most exciting about opening LSC's first Academy?
The most exciting part of working at LSC is knowing I am supported by a TEAM of staff, leaders, and scholars who are ALL IN to do whatever it takes to accomplish the same mission!
What is one fun fact about you people wouldn't know?
A fact about myself that I am proud to share is that I am a three-time cancer survivor, so I make finding the LOVE and JOY in every day a priority for myself and those I have the privilege of spending time with!
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Upcoming Events in February
- Feb. 28-Mar. 3: Read Across America Week
- Mar. 1: Read-a-Thon Starts, Sweet Frog Spirit Night (2:30-7 pm)
- Mar. 2: Eagle Token Store Open
- Mar. 3: CCC
- March 4: Robotics Squad (10:30-12 pm) & Cheer Camp (9-11 am)
- Mar. 6-10: Book Fair & National School Breakfast Week
- Mar. 7: Progress Reports
- Mar. 7-9: Books & Breakfast (7:30-8:30)
- Mar. 8: Book Mobile & Mon Cafe Spirit Night (3-9 pm)
- Mar. 9: Book Mobile
- March 11: Robotics Squad (10:30-12) & Step Team (9:30-10:30 am)
- Mar. 13: Bingo for Books (5-7 pm)
- Mar. 15: 750,000 word check for Million Word Challenge
- Mar. 15: Sonic Spirit Night (McCray's Mill Location only) 5-9 pm
- Mar. 16 & 19: Winter Intercession Break
- Mar. 22: Cookies w/ the Counselors (1:00-2:00)
- Mar. 22: Bingo for Books (5-7 pm)
- Mar. 22: Buffalo Wild Wings Spirit Night (4-11 pm)
- Mar. 24: Kona Ice Truck (750,000 Word Challenge)
- Mar. 24: Chuck E. Cheese Spirit Night (3-9 pm)
- Mar. 27: Board Director Swearing-In (5-5:30 pm) & Board
- Meeting (5:30-7 pm)
- Mar. 30: Spring Pictures (Dress Down or Up)
- Mar. 31-CCC/Womens' History Month Celebration & Read-a-Thon Ends
For important school-related dates such as when school is in session or when report cards are released, please reference our academic calendar.
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