Liberty is led by Principal Justin Colbert and Assistant Principals Emily O'Donnell, Keaton Rickels, and Tunisia May.
Facilities
The school building, designed by SVPA Architects, Inc. in 2014, began construction in May 2015.[2][3][4] The cost of construction was $75 million.[5]
Liberty High opened to the public on August 12, 2017. The first day of classes began on August 23, 2017.[5]
Liberty High features two gymnasiums, an 800 seat auditorium and classroom space for 1,500 students. The school also features a state-of-the-art media center and other student spaces to facilitate collaboration.
Library
The Liberty Lightning Library is comprehensive library that is part of the ICCSD Library Program. The Liberty Library contains upwards of 14,000 items as well as several online databases. The Liberty Library also counts with two collaborative labs, two integrated classrooms and three conference rooms.[6]
Student Body
The Iowa City Community School Board voted in January 2015 to open Liberty High as a comprehensive high school.[7] In May, it was announced that North Central Junior High School would become the feeder school for Liberty High.[8][9] However, the decision was overturned a year later.[10] North Central later became the feeder school for Liberty High School.
Approximately 700 students, most of whom were slated to attend Iowa City West High School, will be enrolled at Liberty High School for the 2017–18 school year.[11][12]
In 2023, US News & World Report ranked Liberty as the #6 public high school in the State of Iowa.[16]
In 2023, US News & World Report ranked Liberty as the #2 high school in the Iowa City Community School District.[16]
Niche
In 2023, Niche (company) ranked Liberty High School as the #20 best public high school in the State of Iowa out of 326 ranked.[14]
Music
Liberty features ensembles in Orchestra, Choir, and Band.
Choir is co-directed by Robert Williams and Judy Duncan and is divided into 4 curricular choirs:[17]
Treble-Clef Choir, all soprano and alto choir, non-auditioned.
Bass-Clef Choir, all tenor and bass choir, non-auditioned.
Bella Voce, all soprano and alto choir, auditioned.
Liberty Singers, mixed-voice choir, auditioned.
Band is co-directed by Ryan Arp and Nick Carlo and divided into 3 curricular bands:[17]
Concert Band, non-auditioned band.
Symphony Band, auditioned band.
Wind Ensemble, auditioned band.
Orchestra is directed by Johanna Kennedy and is divided into 2 Orchestras.[17]
Symphonic Orchestra, non-auditioned.
Philharmonic Orchestra, auditioned.
Athletics
The school mascot, the Lightning, was announced in November 2014.[18] Athletic teams bearing the moniker began practice in December 2015 competing at the freshman level with students that would be moving to Liberty from West High.[19] Full membership in the Mississippi Valley Conference was granted in the 2018–2019 school year, when Liberty began fielding a varsity football team.[20] During the inaugural year, Liberty had varsity programs in volleyball, girls’ and boys’ cross country, boys’ golf (fall), girls’ and boys’ basketball, wrestling, girls’ and boys’ soccer, girls’ and boys’ track and field, girls’ golf (spring), baseball and softball competing as an independent while football was only offered at the freshman and sophomore levels.[21]
During the 2022-2023 Volleyball Season, the Liberty Volleyball Team finished ranked #1 in the state of Iowa and undefeated.[citation needed]
