Liberal USD 480

There will be a regularly scheduled USD 480 Board of Education meeting today at 6:30 PM in room C107 at LHS East Campus. View agenda here: https://tinyurl.com/USD480BOE

​This Week at USD 480 - Week of February 23, 2026​

Due to the high winds there will be NO out of town activities today for ALL USD 480 schools.

In observance of Pancake Day, there will be NO SCHOOL and all USD 480 offices will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Get out and enjoy the festivities of this tradition unique to our community!

This Week at USD 480 - Week of February 16, 2026
NO SCHOOL TUESDAY - PANCAKE DAY

What a fun-filled, pancake-flippin' Friday full of friendly competition at our USD 480 elementary schools. It is a tradition unlike any other, unique only to Liberal. Congratulations to the winners at each of our elementary schools! Here is the list of each school's K-5th grade winners!
Cottonwood Winners - Kinder- Alexander M., 1st- Logan S., 2nd- Fernando O., 3rd- Cristian M., 4th- Bryanna R., 5th- Camila P.
MacArthur Winners - Malaika O., Eli W., Oakley C., Luis C., Eli M., Oliver M.
Meadowlark Winners - Kinder - Sevastian V-S., 1st - Johana G., 2nd -Jovani G., 3rd - Dayner L-V., 4th - Adrian E., 5th - Damian E.
Prairie View Winners - Kinder - Lukah, 1st - Michael, 2nd - Everest, 3rd - Jacquelyn, 4th - A.J., 5th - Easton
Sunflower Winners - Kinder - Jayden R., 1st - Emilio E., 2nd - Santiago F., 3rd - Jorge, 4th - Matteo, 5th - Taelyn

USD 480 Board of Education Special Meeting - 2/12/2026 - 6:00 PM - District Office - Hatcher Absent 1.5 Approval of Agenda - Passed 6-0 3.1 Adjournment 9:21 PM - Passed 6-0

Lately, we have seen an increasing number of drivers not following the Kansas School Bus Stop Arm Law around Liberal. Our bus drivers activate the warning lights (amber lights) as a warning they are about to stop prior to activating the red flashing lights and stop arm, which allows other drivers time to slow down and stop. When the red lights are flashing and the stop arm is activated you may not pass or go around the bus. Motorists approaching buses from the opposite direction must also stop to allow students to safely cross the street if needed. The safety of our students will remain our top priority from the moment they enter our care. Please take time to review the attached document and continue to remain vigilant around our buses and buildings. Our bus drivers do a tremendous job navigating our streets and schools and they deserve to have a community that helps them and follows the law. In the near future, we will be working with the Liberal Police Department to ensure all motorists are following this law in the mornings and afternoons to make sure our students are as safe as possible. We appreciate your cooperation!

🍎📓 USD 480 Educator of the Month | January 2025 ✏️🍎
🎉 Mrs. Cassidy Zielke 👏
📚 4th Grade | Sunflower Elementary School 📗

"Cassidy has a natural ability to connect with her students and create an environment of trust and respect in her classroom. Her passion for teaching is evident in every lesson she delivers. She encourages her students to work collaboratively and engage in meaningful conversations with one another and has created a dynamic learning environment that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and innovation. Cassidy's leadership with the Leader in Me program has helped to create a positive school, classroom, and community environment. Cassidy is a dedicated educator who has helped her students set many goals in her classroom to help them achieve academic success." - Mrs. Ashley Lehnert, Sunflower Principal

USD 480 Board of Education Meeting - 2/9/2026 - 6:30 pm - LHS East Annex - Room C107 - Lopez Absent
1.5 Approval of Minutes 1-26-2026, Passed 6-0
1.6 Approval of Agenda, Passed 6-0
3.1 Approval of Consent Agenda, Passed 5-0. Baeza Abstains
4.1 Monthly Bills, Passed 5-0. Riggs Abstains
5.1 Early Graduation, Passed 6-0
5.2 Canvas Stipend, Passed 6-0
5.3 Cottonwood and Sunflower toilet partitions, Passed 6-0
5.4 Custodial Supplies, Passed 6-0
5.5 HVAC Repair, Passed 6-0
5.6 2026-2027 School year Calendar, Passed 6-0
5.7 Faxcom Contract - dies for a lack of motion
5.8 Seed Financial Support Agreement, Passed 6-0
5.9 Seed agreement, Passed 6-0
8.1 Adjournment 7:31 p.m. Passed 6-0

This Week at USD 480 - Week of February 9, 2026
This is a big week across USD 480: LHS Winter Sports Senior Recognitions and pep rally, various conference and regional meets, elementary Valentine's Day Parties and Pancake Day Festivities on Friday!

Happy School Counseling Week to this incredible group! Thank you for all that you do for our students! Our counselors play a key role in helping our students achieve school success and plan for their futures. Join us in celebrating our USD 480 Counselors for all they do! #NSCW26

February at your USD 480 elementary schools and Bright Start1

This Week at USD 480 - Week of February 2, 2026
LHS HOMECOMING WEEK

REMINDER: There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 2, 2026 for a Professional Development Day. Here is another look at the 2025-2026 District Calendar. Pancake Day on February 17th is the only other scheduled day off in February. Parent-Teacher conferences are right around the corner, the week of March 9th, just before Spring Break.

This year, KASB introduced Board Clerk Appreciation Day for January 28! Which is good because we have a great duo serving as our board clerks and they deserve recognition. They play a vital role in keeping our district running smoothly, supporting board operations, and making sure things stay organized. These two are constantly keeping accurate records, preparing meeting materials, and supporting the board and district administrators so everything is ready and accounted for at each meeting. Their organization, expertise, and steady leadership make a tremendous difference to our board members and the district. Thank you both for all you do!

This Week at USD 480 - Week of January 26, 2026.
We are back to normal schedules and activities tomorrow!