Liberty-Benton

We are excited to share some news that demonstrates our commitment to providing the best opportunities to our student-athletes. The Northern Lakes League has formally invited Liberty-Benton to join the NLL.   The NLL is structured into two divisions, the larger Buckeye Division and the smaller Cardinal Division, based on total enrollment numbers.  After thoughtful consideration and extensive discussions, Liberty-Benton Local Schools will be joining the smaller Cardinal Division of the Northern Lakes League (NLL) starting in the 2026-2027 school year.  

 

The Northern Lakes League, which is expanding to include Liberty-Benton, features two divisions based on enrollment: The larger Buckeye Division, and the smaller Cardinal Division.  Currently the divisions are as follows:

 

Buckeye: Anthony Wayne, Findlay, Northview, Perrysburg, Whitmer (exception in football which also includes Springfield)

 

Cardinal: Bowling Green, Napoleon, Clay, Fremont Ross, Southview, and Springfield for all sports except football.  

 

For many years, Liberty-Benton has been proud to be part of the Blanchard Valley Conference (BVC). However, as our district has grown, we have been actively exploring options for a new athletic conference that better aligns with our current needs and goals. Our focus has been on finding a conference that:

 

 

For the last three years, Liberty-Benton has been searching for a new athletics home that best fits our values and vision for the future.  We are thrilled to have been invited to join the Northern Lakes League (NLL), an organization that shares our values and vision.   Liberty-Benton has competed with many NLL opponents across multiple sports in non-conference competition over the past few years.  

 

We look forward to building on our strong tradition of excellence in athletics while creating new traditions within the NLL. Although we will miss the camaraderie and history we have shared with the BVC, we are excited about the opportunities this new chapter brings. Thank you for your continued support of Liberty-Benton Athletics as we remain committed to fostering opportunities that help our students excel in every arena—both in sports and in life.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Bruce Otley

Superintendent

 

 

Preschool Openings for the 2024-2025 School Year:  Liberty Benton is partnering with the Hancock County ESC to open an additional morning preschool room for Liberty Benton students at the ESC school on Sandusky Street in Findlay.  They are currently enrolling children who will be 4 years-old by August 1st.  Liberty Benton will provide transportation to and from preschool to this school location.  Please contact the Hancock County ESC Preschool Director, Donna Losiewicz, at 419-422-7525 ext. 208 to find out more information.

With the start of school just around the corner, we wanted to share the new traffic flow maps to ensure a safe drop-off and pick-up of students!

MS-HS Pickup

ES Pickup

Report tips on bullying, harassment, drugs, weapons, 

thoughts of suicide, or any other concern.

LBHS Alumni Veterans/Active Duty Military and Family Member Veterans of current students
The Liberty-Benton High School Action Team "Support Our Soldiers" is looking to collect names of currently living veterans of the military or those who are actively serving in the military.

Restraint and Seclusion, Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) in Ohio Schools.
What Parents Need to Know

Liberty-Benton District Policy 

Liberty-Benton Elementary and Middle School have been honored as Ohio Department of Education Purple Star Schools for the 2023-2024 for their outstanding contributions to students and families in the armed service.  They join Liberty-Benton High School who already earned Purple Star honors.  Elementary Principal Brian Burkett and Middle School Principal Kyle Leatherman will be recognized by the Ohio School Board Association at the Northwest Regional Fall Conference in Fostoria, Ohio on October 26 for this honor.  Both schools can proudly display the Purple Star logo on their respective websites.

Dear LB Community,

As we close out 2024, and look forward to 2025, I am reminded of how blessed we are to have new facilities on a single campus.  Construction continues on our new 15 bay transportation and maintenance facility, and thanks to the generous donation of 1958 LB graduate Mary Danchuck Cooley, and the amazing support of businesses, athletic boosters, and donors in our community, our turfed softball diamond renovation will be ready for spring play.   

It has been said, that a people who forgets their past, has no future.  With that in mind, here is a recap of the measures we’ve taken to preserve our proud LB heritage.

As you drive past our campus, you have probably noticed the new brick wall just off County Road 9.   This wall is the final preservation project from our old campus.  When the building was demolished in 2023, the original badging that once crowned the old school was carefully removed and preserved, along with bricks from the structure. These items now form this commemorative wall, honoring the legacy of the original school.  A bronze plaque will be added to the wall, telling the complete history of our district so that future generations of Eagles will have a tangible reminder of our LB heritage.  

With a firm grip on our past, and a clear vision for the future, we will work diligently in 2025 to continue to build on our proud Eagle legacy.

Sincerely,

 

Bruce Otley

Superintendent 

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year!  Cooler mornings, moderate afternoons, and the beautiful foliage on the trees mean we are well into the 24-25 school year.  As we reach the completion of the first grading period, much has already been accomplished!  Below are just a few of the highlights.

We’ve had a fantastic, memory filled first quarter, and I anticipate our students will continue to achieve great things as the school year unfolds.  Looking ahead, parent/teacher conferences are just around the corner and are scheduled for:

November 21, 5-8 pm

November 25, Noon-8 pm

November 26, 8 am-noon

 

Fly Higher!

 

Bruce Otley

Superintendent

Liberty-Benton Local Schools

I am pleased to share Liberty-Benton Local Schools earned the highest rating, a five-star rating, on the 2023-2024 state report card.  This means as a district, Liberty-Benton significantly exceeds the standards set forth by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.  Only 68 of 606 school districts in the state of Ohio earned a 5-star rating for the 23-24 school year, placing Liberty-Benton Local Schools in the top 11% of all school districts in the state of Ohio.  The grade card is comprised of 5 areas:

Achievement: A measurement of student academic achievement on the state achievement tests

Progress: A measurement of growth students are making based on past performance on state achievement tests

Gap Closing: Measures the reduction on educational gaps for students in subgroups

Graduation: Measures the four- and five-year graduation rate of our students

Early Literacy: Measures reading improvement and proficiency in grade 3

You can view the district report card here: Liberty-Benton District Report Card

I would like to congratulate our students, parents, teachers, and administrative team for an outstanding effort in accomplishing another excellent report card.  These results do not happen by accident.  As a Leader in Me school, we begin with the end in mind and deliver instruction with a focus on developing:

Moving forward with the 2024-2025 school year, we believe continual improvement is a process and will be looking for the little things that make big differences.

Congratulations again!   Let’s fly even higher in 2024-2025!   

Sincerely,

 

Bruce Otley

Superintendent