A Final Schools News Blast from Allison Freeman

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Back-to-School nights.

In this edition:

• Livingston Board of Education
• Important Dates
• District News
• Student Achievements
• Community Opportunities

Livingston Board of Education

The Livingston Board of Education will  hold Workshop/Voting meetings on October 10  and October 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Livingston High School auditorium.

Important Dates

• Sept. 29 and 30: Schools and offices closed, Rosh Hashanah
• Oct. 6: Coffee Hour for Parents of BSI Math Students in Grades 3-5
• Oct. 13: Progress reports  will be available for LHS, HMS and MPMS students on STARS beginning at 3 p.m.
• Oct. 19-21: Elementary School conferences, partial school day

District News

• The Parents of students in the grades 3-5 Basic Skills Instruction Program for Mathematics are invited to a “Coffee Hour” Oct. 6 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the media center at Hillside Elementary School, 98 Belmont Dr.  The BSI Teachers and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Mary Oates will discuss the goals and purpose of the program. The Basic Skills Instruction program offers students supplemental instruction in either Language Arts Literacy or Mathematics. Instruction and support are provided in the basic concepts and skills that students need in order to be successful in their classroom.

• Progress reports will be available on STARS for all Livingston High School, Heritage Middle School and Mt. Pleasant Middle School students beginning Oct. 13  after 3 p.m.

• The State Department of Education has designated next week as a “Week of Respect” in all public schools. As part of the special week, Mt. Pleasant Middle School has planned a series of events including special team-building activities in advisory. Teachers will also integrate the respect theme into their class work. The theme also ties into the MPMS new character education program that is based on the four pillars: caring, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness. “We want to make Mt. Pleasant Middle School a great place to learn not only academics, but good personal character in Livingston and for the rest of your life,” said Principal Debra Ostrowski. The principal and other staff introduced the program to students at a special assembly earlier this month and then talked to students in more detail about the four pillars during advisory. For a full press release on the program, click here http://www.livingston.org/Page/11376.

Student Achievements

• LHS Principal Mark Stern today commended the six LHS Semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Competition. The semifinalists are: Daniel Chi, Arianna Gorkowitz, Zachary Lustbader, Si Ming Shang, Kevin Sun and Jenny Yeung. The semifinalists, who scored among the top in the country on the PSATS in 2010, can apply to be finalists and receive special scholarships. Stern also announced the 38 LHS commended students in the competition, scoring among the top 5 percent of students taking the test in the country. For a full list and press release, click here.

 Community Opportunities

• The Livingston PPEC will host a workshop on Basic Rights for Special Education Oct. 5  at 7 p.m. at the Livingston High School Media Center. The program will be led by Nicole Spratt of the Statewide Parents Advocacy Network (SPAN).  The workshop will help parents  identify goals for their children, learn laws and advocacy strategies and help children reach these goals. For information, contact DeeDee Pulver, PPEC president  at dee.bar@verizon.net. Registration is required. http://bressex2011-eorg.eventbrite.com/

• The Livingston Volunteer Fire Department is inviting the public to a free open house Sunday, Oct. 9 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the department’s main headquarters at 62 S. Livingston Ave. Sparky the Fire Dog will greet children. There will also be food, displays and talks about fire safety. Children will  be able to climb aboard the fire trucks. For information, call (973) 992-2373.

• The Saint Barnabas Health Care System will offer free screenings for young athletes on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center, 200 South Orange Ave., Livingston. Athletes ages 6 to 18 can make an appointment for a free cardiac  screening while athletes ages 12 and up can make an appointment for a concussion screening. Registration is required. To register and schedule an appointment time, call (888) 724-7123, then press prompt #4.

• Get some exercise next Wednesday Oct. 5 on National Walk to School Day. The Nursing Division of the Livingston Health Department wants residents to put on their sneakers, get some exercise and reduce air pollution. Lack of physical activity is a major cause of chronic disease with obesity rates more than doublings over the past 20 years. About 10 percent of children walk to school in the United States.

• Rainbows, a support group for children who have suffered a significant loss in their lives, either through death, divorce or other painful transitions, will begin its 10-week fall session on Monday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 3. The peer support group is guided by caring, trained adults. For information, call the NCJW, Center for Women at (973) 994-4994. This program is free.

• The Livingston Rot Squad will host an informational workshop Sunday Oct. 2, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Livingston Public Library. Composting is an important way to reduce waste, conserve water and enrich gardens and lawns. Compost bins and tools can be ordered prior to the workshop. Contact Pia Gutierrez at rotsquad@livingston@gmail.com or at (973) 535-2749.

• The West Essex YMCA would like to welcome all seventh graders to take advantage of free membership. The Y offers this free program to help young people understand the importance of exercise and fitness during early adolescence. Come visit the West Essex YMCA and register your seventh grader for a free one-year membership. (A parent or guardian must register the child in person.) The Y is located at 321 South Livingston Ave., Livingston. For information, call (973) 992-7680 or visit www.westessexymca.org.

• The Livingston Education Foundation hopes to bring Livingston Public Schools, alumni and the community together with its Second Annual Homecoming Weekend Oct. 14-Oct. 16 which will include the Hall of Fame dinner.  The LEF will honor five LHS alumni at the dinner and also recognize five retired Livingston educators for their efforts towards the creation and success of the LHS Hall of Fame and present them with LEAD Awards. For more information and dinner invitation form, visit www.livingston.org/lef or e-mail lef@livingston.org. Proceeds from the dinner will support Technology for the 21^st Century Classroom in Livingston Public Schools.

• The U.S.-China Cultural and Art Exchange Center of Guizhou will present The Winds of Colorful Guizhou, a large song and dance performing show focused on the culture, art and daily life of Guizhou, China Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. at the State Theater, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. The center would like to donate performance tickets to the Livingston Public Schools community. For information or free tickets, contact Gary Han at garyh@sunels@yahoo.com.

• The Livingston Youth and Community Services (LYCS) program is accepting registration for LYCS Leaders for 2011-2012 school year. Registration is ongoing throughout the school year, and classes start in October through May, with end of year parties in June. New for 2012 will be LYCS Young Leaders (grade 2) which will teach age-appropriate social and leadership skills. Classes include Leaders (for grades 3-5) after-school program at the Elementary schools, and evening programs (5:30-7:00 pm) at Monmouth Court Community Center for Grade 5 Leaders, Peer Leaders (for grades 6-8), and Peer to Peer (for grades 9-12). Registration is through the Township of Livingston: Senior, Youth, and Leisure Services. For more information visit www.livingstonlycs.org or email: lycs@livingston.org.

• The JCC MetroWest Kids Club is accepting registration for its year-round after-school program open to Livingston Public Schools students in grades K-5. The JCC Metrowest offers transportation from all Livingston Elementary Schools and their location on Northfield Avenue in West Orange. For information, call (973) 530-3490, e-mail kidsclub@jccmetrowest.org  or visit http://www.jccmetrowest.org/kidsclub.

• The Senior, Youth & Leisure Services (SYLS) “Shining Star” Sports League: A League for Exceptional Children,  designed for children with special needs, is accepting for its Shining Star Basketball Program, which begins Nov. 19th. The program is open to residents and non-residents, ages 5 to 16,  and will run Saturdays at the Monmouth Court Community Center.  Other programs to be offered include floor hockey and t-ball/baseball. The fee is $75 per sport. To register, visit http://livingstonsyls.org or enroll at the SYLS office at the Livingston Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Avenue, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, including program qualifications, and volunteer signup (training will be provided), contact SYLS Adaptive Recreation Coordinator Mark Silance at (973) 535-7925 ext. 267 or email msilance@livingstonnj.org.

I am very sorry to say that this will be my last edition of the e-News. I have loved working for Livingston Public Schools these past five months and meeting so many wonderful people. I hope everyone has a wonderful school year. Jessica will return from her maternity leave Monday and I will start my new full-time position as the Manager of Communications and Community Outreach for the West Essex Regional School District in North Caldwell.

Happy New Year everyone! If you have an e-News submissions, concerns or questions, please send them to Jessica at JLipper@Livingston.org. 

Take care, Allison