February 29 is Leap Day.
Love of Reading 2016: Engaging in Literacy
This week, February 8 – 12, 2016, schools and libraries all over the country are celebrating Love of Reading week. We are having special readers—city officials, police officers, servicemen and women, librarians, curators, parents, athletes, and other community members—come in to share their favorite books with students. For more information, check our newsletter and calendar of events.
Literacy and literacy education remain at the forefront of parent and teacher concerns. In our increasingly digital world, literacy is an indispensable commodity. Being able to read and write fluently is vital to participation and success in the current state of our world. Between text, email, and the time we all spend online, much of the information we consume is in print, so strong reading skills are a must for success today and in the future.
Kinder Counts: Welcome To Liberty Traditional Kindergarten
We believe that high-quality early childhood education is essential for a strong academic foundation that advocates lifelong learning.
Full-day kindergarten programs:
- allow youngsters to develop strong academic, social, and emotional skills
- produce better reading and math skills than half-day programs
- yield students with higher retention and lower dropout rates throughout their academic careers
That’s why we offer FREE all-day kindergarten, plus free before- and after-school care.
Welcome 2016
Students at Douglas charter school, Liberty Traditional School, learn about and are encouraged to embody the Six Pillars of Character:
- Trustworthiness: able to be relied on as honest or truthful
- Respect: a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements; due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others
- Responsibility: the state or fact of being accountable or to blame for something; the opportunity or ability to act independently and make decisions without authorization; a thing that one is required to do as part of a job, role, or legal obligation; a moral obligation to behave correctly toward or in respect of
- Fairness: impartial and just treatment or behavior without favoritism or discrimination
- Caring: (adj.) displaying kindness and concern for others; (n.) the work or practice of looking after those unable to care for themselves, especially sick and elderly people
- Citizenship: the character of an individual viewed as a member of society; behavior in terms of the duties, obligations, and functions of a citizen*
Thawing the Winter Brain Freeze
Most parents today are well-aware of the studies showing that children lose knowledge and skills over long breaks from school. The holidays are a time of fun and relaxation for most, but, with a little planning, you might just be able to halt the loss of some of those skills and engage your children in inspiring ways.
Be True to Your School
You can help your school by taking advantage of the Arizona School Tax Credit. Arizona law allows taxpayers to receive a tax credit of up to $400 for donations that benefit our students. A tax credit reduces what you owe in state taxes, dollar-for-dollar. For more information and a printable tax credit form, click below.
Understanding AzMERIT for Parents
Something new is on the horizon … and not just a new year. Before you know it, it will be time for the 2016 AzMERIT test. It may still be a little new, and it’s definitely different from AIMS, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be intimidating.
The Red Planet: 50 Years of Successful Mars Exploration
Mars regained the world’s attention this fall, with recent news of the discovery of liquid water on the planet and a new blockbuster film set on Earth’s nearest neighbor, The Martian. This is a timely moment to focus on Red Planet Day, November 28.
Holiday Volunteerism in Douglas
This holiday break, consider volunteering with your Liberty Traditional student, and help someone else in need. Volunteering within the community is a great way to instill the values of citizenship and compassion, which can last your child a lifetime. The season of giving is the perfect opportunity to introduce kids to or reinforce these character concepts.
Volunteerism teaches kids to appreciate what they have. Children oftentimes learn best by seeing and even experiencing a situation for themselves. Helping out in a soup kitchen or touring a homeless shelter after donating allows kids to visualize the contrast compared to their own lives. Your child can appreciate that he or she is able to have a meal and home while others may not be so fortunate.
Harvest Fest: Fall Fun for the Whole Family
The entire community is invited to celebrate Liberty Traditional Charter School’s Harvest Fest on Friday, October 30 from 6-8 p.m. Enjoy fair games, a petting zoo, haunted house, “Pie the Principal” and more! Admission is free, but there is a charge for all games and food. Hope to see you there!
Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences
With fall, the first report cards and parent-teacher conferences of the academic year arrive. Liberty Traditional School, your Douglas charter school, is no exception to this rule. Information on these one-on-one sessions with your child’s teacher will be going home shortly, making this the perfect time to discuss how to ensure these meetings are successful and useful for all involved. Every year there is more research documenting the connections between academic achievement and parental involvement in schools. Liberty believes firmly that parent engagement in education is vital to the academic success of every student, and encourages parents to be active participants in their student’s academic growth. We all—parents, students, teachers, staff, and administration—play important roles in the achievement of a shared goal: academic and character achievement.
Fire Prevention Week
October is Fire Safety month. During the week of October 4-10, Liberty Traditional School will be participating in Fire Prevention Week.
A Nod to the Past
Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. Woodrow Wilson, in 1920, proclaimed the first Fire Prevention Week. Since 1925, presidents have signed proclamations calling for a national observance every year.
