Liberty Newsletter: Volume 176

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

DANCES

• April 18 - Prom @ The Highlander Hotel (7:30-10:30 PM)

SENIORS

• March 2 - Senior photo due to Yearbook (Send photos to jabbari.anna@iowacityschools.org)
• May 20 - Senior Awards & Scholarship Recognition Evening
• May 28 - Senior Elementary Graduation Walk-Through (8:15 AM)
• May 29- Senior’s Last Day
• May 29 - Graduation Rehearsal (Xtream Arena @ 8:30 AM-10:00 AM)
• May 31 - Liberty High Graduation (Xtream Arena @ 12:00 PM)

MIDTERMS & END OF TRIMESTERS

• April 23 - Midterm
• June 5 - End of 3rd Tri. & Last Day of Classes (2-hr. early release)

Looking for something fun to do over Spring Break? Join us for Liberty Night with the Iowa Heartlanders — Luck of the Landers!

With the recent announcement that the Heartlanders will be suspending operations after this season, this might be one of the final chances to see the team in action and be part of the excitement.

Come out on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00 PM as the Heartlanders take on the Kansas City Mavericks. It’s a great opportunity for Liberty students, families, and friends to enjoy a high-energy night of hockey, show some school spirit, and help send the Heartlanders off with a great crowd.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the action and support the team while you still can!

Grab your tickets here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Libertypsto2

The Iowa BPA Leadership Conference is an annual event that brings together high schoolers from around the state of Iowa to put their business knowledge and professionalism on display in 72 business-related competitions. These competitions have varying formats: research papers, tests, speeches, presentations, computer coding challenges, as well as many combinations of the aforementioned formats. The events are performed for and judged by business professionals from the Des Moines area, providing students with relevant experiences and exposure to the business world.

52 Liberty High students attended the 2026 Iowa BPA Leadership Conference in Des Moines from February 15th-17th. Over the 3-day conference, our students participated in 47 of BPA’s 72 different events with record-breaking success! 50/52 members were recognized on stage as medalists, and 41/52 members (bolded above) punched their ticket to attend the 2026 National BPA Leadership Conference, May 6th-10th in Nashville, TN. Additionally, Liberty BPA placed 1st in 13 different events! This amount of 1st place awards nearly DOUBLES our club’s previous record. It is also 28% of the events we competed in and is just over 18% of all BPA events.

Congratulations to all 52 BPA competitors from Liberty High on an incredible showing at the 2026 Iowa BPA State Leadership Conference. Mr. Hammes and I are extremely proud of all of the dedication and hard work you put into preparing for the state competition, and we are even more proud about how you all represented Liberty High School at the state level. On to Nashville!

Right before spring break Liberty's AP Human Geography classes finished up their unit 5 on Agricultural and Rural Land Use Patterns. Topic 5.12: Women in Agriculture asks students to explain the role of women in agriculture. Since the UN declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer, they took the opportunity to celebrate the role women play in agriculture.

Students were asked to select one country from four different world regions and research specific facts about women’s roles in agriculture in their chosen country. Using that information, they had the creative freedom to design a paper doll representing their country, with their research included on the back. These projects were displayed in the social studies hallway and classrooms right before students left for spring break.

Visit https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain.action or click on the image below to order your Liberty Yearbook for the current school year!

Additionally, head over to The Live Wire and read the various student written articles. The Live Wire is Liberty's student news source, and the website is updated regularly with timely stories that are all written by current Liberty students.

This year our student Prom Committee set up a fundraiser with local North Liberty business, Naomi's Kitchen. Naomi's Kitchen creates homemade, pre-made family meals.

The Prom Committee is raising money on orders placed for pickup the Tuesday after Spring Break, March 24th. Interested in supporting us? Here's what you have to do:

1. Visit this webpage: https://www.naomiskitchen.com/calendar

2. Select the event on March 24th to order for Liberty Prom Fundraiser & order what you would like!

3. Pick the meals you want and submit your order! Our Prom Committee will receive a portion of the money.

Then, all you have to do is go to Naomi's Kitchen on March 24th between 2pm - 6pm to pick up your food :)

The Liberty Colorguard is holding clinics on March 23, 26, and 30 from 7:00pm-8:00pm in the Liberty Band Room to prepare for auditions for the 2026 season! Color Guard auditions are open to any current 8th-11th grade student attending Liberty next Fall.

For those that are unfamiliar, 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 1st 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.

Students who applied to NHS received an email in early March detailing when they are scheduled to have a conference with NHS Advisors. In this five minute meeting, advisors will provide feedback from the faculty council, which is made up of five faculty members at Liberty. This council does not include the NHS advisors, as they are only there to gather feedback for the individual meetings. At the conference, advisors will walk students through each portion of their application and help each candidate better understand the difference between a strong segment and an area of growth. Advisors can also answer any questions one may have at that time. Keep in mind, no application is perfect, so each student will be given an "improvement handout" to help them identify how to make a future application stronger. We encourage all parents and guardians to review the handout with their child in order to prepare for future college, scholarship, or job applications.

Congratulations to Science Bowl Coach Mr. Oswald and the Liberty Science Bowl Team. The team earned a 4th place finish at the 2026 Iowa Regional High School Science Bowl.

This competition was held in Ames on the Iowa State University campus earlier in March.

Huge congratulations to Liberty High senior basketball student-athlete Natalie Ramsey. In addition being a star on the court, she is also a top performer in the classroom.

Natalie was honored at the Girls State Basketball Tournament last week. She was one of 24 girls in the state selected to the prestigious Academic All-State Team! This selection is based on athletic and academic success.

Drake University's BullD.O.G.S. in Healthcare camp will introduce you to careers in the health professions. You will get to participate in hands-on laboratory experiences, educational sessions, and interactive discussions with students and faculty in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to understand how to best prepare for a career in healthcare.

Drake Opportunities for Gaining Skills in Healthcare

In-Person Overnight Camp

• When: Thursday-Saturday, July 9-11, 2026
• Where: Drake University
• Cost: $200, which includes overnight accommodations in a residence hall. Financial assistance may be available to students who qualify.

Who is Eligible:

• Students enrolled as a 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grader during the 2026/2027 academic year
• Students who are 2025 or 2026 high school graduates

Space is limited, so sign up today!

Learn more or register for BullD.O.G.S. in Healthcare here.

Massaki's Closet, a local custom menswear brand led by CEO Jeremie Massaki, is proud to give back to the community that helped shape him. A graduate of the Iowa City Community School District Class of 2016, Jeremie is passionate about using fashion to empower young men in the Iowa City area, helping them look and feel their best as they celebrate proms, weddings, and other meaningful life moments.

Over the years, Masaaki's Closet has provided custom suits for students across the district, combining fine-quality fabrics with expert craftsmanship and personalized fittings. For this year's prom season, the company is offering special student pricing to make custom tailoring more accessible for families. Each student receives a custom suit tailored to their measurements, perfect not only for prom but also for future special events, with a comfortable fit and no tailoring inconvenience.

To further support students, Massaki's Closet is hosting a Massaki's Suit Drive featuring gently used, Dry-cleaned, no-rip, no-stain suits. Donated suits will be given free to students who cannot afford formal wear for prom or other special events. As a thank-you, students who donate a suit will receive $100 off a new custom suit from Massaki's Closet.

Because every student deserves to show up looking sharp, confident, and ready to shine. for more information visit us at https://massakiscloset.com/#promotional

Instagram: @massakiscloset

Students, Families, and Employees - The Ombuds Office is here to help. Check out our Ombuds webpage to learn more!

The Ombuds Office is a general concern office and conflict resolution resource for District constituents, including students, parent/guardians, and employees regarding school and/or District-related matters.

Take a moment to check out the 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.

What are Liberty’s PSTO meetings like? Fun, efficient, and worth your time. You’ll hear quick updates from our Board (President, Treasurer, and Teacher Appreciation) along with an informative principal update.

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SAVE THE DATE: Luck of the Landers with the Iowa Heartlanders
Wednesday, March 18 | 7:00 PM

Not traveling for spring break? Sticking around town? Looking for something fun to do mid-week? Join us for a night out supporting Liberty’s PSTO!

This special “Luck of the Landers” game is a fundraiser for PSTO and a great way to spend an evening of break with friends and family.

Purchase tickets here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Libertypsto2

We’d love to see you there!

Follow us on Instagram: @libertyhighschoolpsto

Want to stay in the loop about important updates and upcoming meetings?
Join our email list: https://forms.gle/pCqK3q2U99dk75Lu8 or email us! libertyhspsto@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.

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 (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its 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:

• Laura Cottrell (Executive Director of Educational Services & Student Success) for programming at cottrell.laura@iowacityschools.org
• Nick Proud (Chief Human Resources Officer) for employment at proud.nick@iowacityschools.org, 2255 N. Dubuque Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52245, (319) 688-1000; or
• If you are unsure how to proceed or would like assistance in discussing your options, you may also contact Janet Abejo-Parker at ombuds@iowacityschools.org or (319) 688-1312