Liberty-Benton Elementary recognized its top readers at the annual AR Banquet held on Thursday, May 17th at Gateway Church. Over 450 students, staff, parents and grandparents attended to celebrate reading excellence.
Category: Elementary
LB Fine Arts Festival showcased over 2000 works of art
The artwork featured at our annual Fine Arts Festival was an amazing display of colorful, vibrant, beautiful art produced by our students. The event showcased over 2,000 artworks made by elementary students, as well as a middle school and high school artists. May 7th was a wonderful night for our school community drawing a large crowd of appreciative parents, and students who support and value the arts. The fifth grade art students raffled three beautiful fuzed glass plates. All the proceeds from the raffle ticket sales will be donated to the kids care club in order to purchase art supplies. Thank you to everyone who contributed to ticket sales, the kids care club earned 300 dollars! Congratulations to the winners of the glass art: Trevor Weyer, The Weadock Family and Nora Cicaldo!
Liberty-Benton Arts Festival 2018
Liberty-Benton Designated Purple Star District
I am pleased to announce that Liberty-Benton High School has received the Purple Star designation from the Ohio Department of Education. We acknowledge the outstanding commitment that military families make in serving our great nation. We are here to applaud and support them in any way we can throughout the educational process. I would like to recognize Mr. Chad Marzec, a Purple Heart recipient in his own right, as being instrumental in helping Liberty-Benton High School receive this designation.
Sincerely,
Mark Kowalski
Liberty-Benton Salutes Our Veterans
A very special thanks to Mr. Otley, Mr. Burkett, and their staffs for a very moving Veteran’s Day Program. I would like to commend our Middle School Band and Choir on their fine performances and our entire student body on their behavior during this solemn event. We would especially like to recognize all of the veterans who took time out of their day to attend our program and help us celebrate this special day in our nation’s history.
Sincerely,
Mr. Kowalski
The Academic Boosters invite you to BINGO!
The Academic Boosters invite you to BINGO!
Come join the FUN! Play to win one of our great prizes at our annual night of Family BINGO!
April 28, 2017 7:00pm
LBHS Gymnasium
Home Security System–Football Tickets–Golf Rounds-Hotel Nights–Baseball Tickets–Massage–Gas Cards–Elks Membership–Cash–Popcorn–Fast Food–Ice Cream and LOTS MORE!
Awakening Minds visits LBES classroom
On February 7, 2017 Awakening Minds made a return visit to Mrs. Hamilton’s classroom. This time Miss Megan, our art instructor, helped us paint a beautiful Valentine’s Night sky. The children are always so proud of their artwork, even naming each painted piece that they create. This experience has been enlightening and exciting for the children and teachers involved. We are so grateful to Awakening Minds for providing this wonderful therapeutic art experience for the children. Mr. Burkett, Mr. Horstman, and Mrs. Smith have all had the opportunity to visit during these amazing art sessions. A huge thank you to Awakening Minds and Miss Megan who provide this terrific experience for the students.
Mark Kowalski Selected as New Superintendent for LB Schools
The Liberty-Benton Local School District Board of Education will take action during the next regularly scheduled meeting on February 20, 2017 at 6:00 pm, in the High School Library to employ Mr. Mark Kowalski as Superintendent of schools, for the 2017 – 2018 school year. A small reception with Mr. Kowalski will immediately follow the meeting. Mr. Kowalski, who will be awarded a three-year contract, is currently the Director of Operations for the Harrison Hills City School District. He will replace Larry Cook, who is serving as Interim Superintendent of Liberty-Benton through July 31, 2017.
The Board of Education has been conducting a search which began in October, 2016. The board received assistance in the process from K-12 Business Consulting. After developing a superintendent profile that was based on information provided by parents, teachers, administrators, support staff, senior citizens/major stake holders and students, the board reviewed twenty-one (21) highly qualified individuals. Interviews with eight semi-finalists were conducted by the board and a community committee on January 24 and January 25, 2017. Four finalists returned for second interviews with the board on February 1 and February 4, 2017. After the interviews the board negotiated a contract with one of the finalists.
Mr. Kowalski has served as the Director of Operations for the Harrison Hills City Schools for the past three and a half years. His experience in the Harrison Hills City School District includes Elementary School Principal, Middle School Principal, High School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director and High School Principal. He taught high school learning disabled students (social studies) in Coshocton City Schools for four years. He also taught social studies in Newcomerstown Exempted Village Schools, Chillicothe City Schools and Morgan Local School District and has athletic coaching experience in basketball, golf, football, baseball and track.
He led Harrison Central High School to an Excellent Rating on the Local Report Card in 2012 as High School Principal. While at Harrison Central High School he collaborated to open a school for at-risk youth called Harrison Central Opportunity School to help students graduate and be successful in life.
Mr. Kowalski is a 1986 graduate of Buckeye West High School in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. He received his Master’s degree from Ashland University in educational administration in 2015 and his Bachelor’s degree in social studies education in 1990 from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In addition to his superintendent license, Mr. Kowalski holds a school business manager license and a vocational education license.
Board President, A.J. Granger spoke for the board and stated, “We believe Mark has the expertise to work with the board, the staff, the students and the community to establish an exemplary vision and direction for our future.”
Mr. Kowalski and his wife, Lisa, currently reside in Cadiz, Ohio and have been married for 25 years. They have a son, Austin, who is a sophomore at Kent State University.
Wild About Reading Safari Fun Night
On January 12, Liberty-Benton Elementary students in grades PreK-3rd traveled to literacy night on a Wild about Reading Safari. We had an exciting night transforming our elementary into a Safari. Without the help and assistance from Literacy Coalition, The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, L-B PTO, and L-B teachers, this night would not have been possible for our parents and students. Students visited different safari stations to listen to a storyteller, move to multiple reading Safari Stations, incorporate reading into movement and music and as well as take some memorable selfies at the famous Safari photo booth. This quality time between parents and their children were spent learning new ideas that parents can easily practice at home. Literacy plays an important foundation for students. Liberty-Benton Elementary is happy to be Wild about Reading.
Mazza Art Exhibit Features LB Elementary Students
Twenty-four Liberty-Benton Elementary students will be participating in the Mazza Children’s Art Exhibit. The program was developed to promote students’ awareness of the art of established and published illustrators of children’s literature. During art class, students studied the work of American Artist, James Dean, and imitated his “Pete the Cat” illustrations on paper.
The “Pete the Cat” inspired illustrations will be on display at the University of Findlay Mazza Museum from January 9 until March 10, 2017. Please be sure to stop by the Mazza Museum to support our students and the arts!
Be sure to congratulate the following students:
Grade K
Danika Ebert (K-S)
Devyn Ebert (K-S)
Audrey Johnson (K-S)
Brady Ruetz (K-S)
Jonah Todd (K-S)
Grade 1
Griffin Austermiller (1-MC)
Leah Lemons (1-MC)
Grade 2
Abbigale Glidden (2-V)
Lucy Coughlin (2-V)
Grade 4
Lydia Hendricks (4-R)
Camryn Oswalt (4-R)
Sydney Ruetz (4-E)
Grade 5
Leo Mead (5-B)
Gavin Sanderson (5-B)
Alyssa Hanni-Wells (5-S)
Lauren Gerken (5-N)
Trinity Williamson (5-R)
Addyson VanHorn (5-B)
Riley Cupp (5-B)
Riley Poe (5-B)
Lori Sanchez (5-P)
Emma Spears (5-S)
Kyan Martin (5-N)
Alexis May (5-B)