Sprin
g is just around the corner. With it comes a sense of hope and excitement for new things, and this is certainly the case for Liberty-Benton Local Schools.
Our staff will receive their first COVID vaccine on Saturday, February 27. This comes after weeks of declining positive cases and quarantining across our school community. After winter weather further disrupted our learning throughout February, our students finally got a full 5-day week in the buildings this past week. These factors are combining to make things feel more normal again. I am so grateful for how this district has come together over the last year to keep one another safe and support our students’ emotional and educational growth.
Soon, we will be turning our attention to begin planning for the 2021-2022 school. Construction, budgeting, staffing and always looking for ways to meet our school community’s expectations are just a few things on the list. We are excited to use the lessons learned this year to brainstorm new ideas to expand our students’ learning experience.
Being able to have winter sports seasons was one more step in our return to normalcy. Our athletes did not let COVID slow them down! Congratulations to our varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball teams as well as our high school wrestling team, who secured Blanchard Valley Conference championships. And as always…Go Eagles!
It wasn’t just our students who had outstanding athletic performances. Our very own custodian, Joe Orians, went viral with his nothing but net half-court shot. Captured on camera as he went about his daily tasks, he was featured on Sports Center’s Top 10 and Good Morning America just to name a few. Thanks for putting us on the map, Joe!
As we approach our one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope you can find time this spring season to reflect on the past year and look to the future with cautious optimism.
With Gratitude,
Mark Kowalski