Steven Aldrich

Liberty Public Schools (LPS) details its strategic initiative focused on enhancing student readiness for future careers and post-secondary education through "Real World Learning." The plan centers on students acquiring "Market Value Assets" (MVAs), which are industry-recognized skills and experiences gained in high school. Beginning with the Class of 2025, a minimum of one MVA will be required for graduation. The initiative aims to equip all graduates with comprehensive academic, personal, entrepreneurial, cultural, and professional skill sets to achieve their post-secondary goals.

This document from Liberty Public Schools details significant changes to graduation pathways, introducing a tiered diploma system designed to personalize high school experiences and prepare students for diverse post-secondary options. The plan outlines three distinct diploma seals—Silver, Gold, and Platinum—each with specific credit and 'Market Value Asset' (MVA) requirements. A key objective is to ensure 100% of students graduate with at least one MVA, aligning with the district's graduate profile and real-world learning initiatives. Additionally, the document details a new cum laude graduation ranking system to recognize broader student achievement.

The strategic plan for Liberty Public Schools outlines initiatives across five key areas: Learning, Teaching, Leadership, Professional Development, and Community. It focuses on fostering diverse learning metrics, implementing portfolio-based systems, integrating ethical Artificial Intelligence, providing entrepreneurial opportunities, and offering flexible schedules for students. The plan also aims to enhance teaching through interdisciplinary collaboration, real-world learning experiences, and multi-tiered support systems. Leadership initiatives include promoting physical and emotional wellness and developing a unified approach to district goals. Professional development prioritizes externship programs for staff, while community engagement seeks to involve families in student learning and foster a sense of belonging. The overarching goal is to provide personalized, real-world learning experiences aligned with student and staff success.

The Missouri Seal of Biliteracy program, managed by the State of Missouri, outlines a strategy to recognize and promote linguistic proficiency in K-12 students. Its core strategic pillars include standardizing English and foreign language assessment, encouraging local district development of socio-cultural competence projects, and enhancing student marketability for future educational and career opportunities. The program aims to foster a culture that values linguistic diversity, supports home languages, expands K-8 language education pathways, and promotes cultural understanding across the state.

The meeting began with the approval of the agenda. A significant portion of the session was dedicated to honoring excellence, including recognition for recent state champions from Liberty North Cross Country and Liberty High School Boys Swim Team. Additionally, three students from Heritage Middle School received LPS awards for displaying love, positivity, and strength. Dr. Moore provided reports from Innovation and Learning, detailing the completion of the second round of iReady testing and the upcoming presentation on 'Encore,' a creative arts academy. Planning for the February Professional Development Day, which will feature a real world learning exhibit, is underway. Discussions also covered strategic plan items related to secondary programs, advisory, student support, learning schedules, and real world learning experiences in middle level education. Highlights from the board report included Spanish heritage students providing language instruction to emergency responders and Liberty Public Schools receiving the Keystone Award from the Northland EDC. The successful completion of the first semester of the Cypher cybersecurity program was also reported.