More Room For Excellence, Fairness

Liberty Common School is not big enough for all students already in it.  Plus, more families want their kids in.

 

Recently released academic-performance data compiled from the last school year shows LCS students in the top tier of achievement in multiple categories spanning all grades k-12.  When it comes to college readiness – the SAT – LCHS seniors are Colorado’s apex.  

 

It is noteworthy our school does not teach to these tests.  Scoring highly on them is not the goal.  Consistently doing so is a byproduct and a rather wonderful one to be sure.

 

Our mission identifies knowledge, inclusiveness, excellence, fairness, professional instruction, and other noble goals as foundational objectives which we pursue with relentless fidelity.  Acing standardized tests is not among them.

 

Nonetheless, when our students do register in the top academic strata, they absolutely deserve to be celebrated – publicly, joyfully, proudly.  After all, they exerted the most strenuous effort.  They are thriving and should be cheered onward.

 

Parents, grandparents, instructors, administrators, and alumni of Liberty are totally justified to revel in our students’ stellar achievements.  Whether in sports, cocurricular contests, artistic performances, or academic rankings, raucous encouragement is definitely in order.

 

Given it is the natural right and responsibility of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children, Liberty reveres the role of parents as primary teachers who furnish the greatest leadership toward student success.  For some families, the contrast is a game changer and worthy of celebration, too.

 

This kind of respect-based educational culture, properly understood in its entirety, is the vision discerning parents in Northern Colorado tell us they are searching for.  They tell us so when registering their children on LCS’s lottery in hopes of eventual enrollment.  At public-info nights, they describe aloud their belief that Liberty might be the ideal school for their family. 

 

Discerning parents often admit they do notice Liberty’s consistently high academic rankings on government tests.  They notice how rigorous learning includes students of all races, ethnicities, income levels, and neighborhoods. 

 

Observations parents make of Liberty’s academic results, plus its attractive school culture, are among the reasons the school is growing.  Liberty’s year-to-year growth plan entails moving more hopeful children and families from the waitlisted lottery into classrooms they seek. 

 

For example, at the k-6 Aristotle campus, now in its third year, we’ve added three more classrooms this semester.  We’ll add one more classroom per year for the next five years.

 

Last year, Liberty educated ninety 6th graders in preparation for 7th grade.  This year, there are around 140 6th graders with just as many 5th graders right behind them at both elementary campuses.  There will not be enough room for them at the high school.  Looking further out, we plan to educate about 165 6th graders in 2029 and yearly thereafter.  

 

So, where will we accommodate so many rising 7^th graders starting next year?  Ah, that’s the astute question a dozen or so curious parents asked me at recent back-to-school nights.  Answer:  We’re making good progress but it’s premature to celebrate anything more just yet.

 

 

Liberty is in discussions toward buying properties adjacent to the Plato campus – just south of us at 1825 Sharp Point Dr., and 1901 Sharp Point Dr.  If all goes as envisioned, Liberty Common Junior High School will open there next August.  “If,” however, entails dozens of crucial variables including city permitting, final-contract terms, and a complicated debt-financing structure. 

 

For perspective, we are working to coordinate new debt with existing bond debt on our high-school and Plato campuses; and, we may want to buy the Aristotle campus which we are currently renting.  While I’m optimistic enough to name a property location for our standalone junior-high facility here and now, please keep in mind we were at this same juncture with a different property just a few months ago, and that fell through. 

 

For cushion, we do have a fallback-contingency option.  It’s not ideal but would suffice in a pinch for a year or so.  So, say to those whose hearts are frightened:  Fear not!

 

“The mission of Liberty Common School is to provide excellence and fairness in education for schoolchildren through a common foundation…”  To ensure we indeed always have sufficient room for more excellence and fairness, the school’s administrators, educators, parents volunteering on the Board of Directors, members of our Building Corporation, and many other dedicated parents have a long history of doing whatever it takes for Liberty students.   

 

Oh, we’ll surely need everyone to pitch in to pull this off.  Please everyone, be opened for when the urgent call goes out.  The outcome will be glorious.