Let the Back-to-School Countdown Begin

The countdown is on. Only 7 days till the start of school!

Livingston Board of Education

The Livingston Board of Education will hold a voting meeting on September 12^th at 7:30 p.m. in the Livingston High School auditorium.

Important Dates

• September 6 – First Day of School for all students.
• Back-To-School Night Schedule:

Sept. 13, 2011: Mt. Pleasant Middle School

Sept. 14, 2011: Heritage Middle School

Sept. 15, 2011: Livingston High School

Sept. 20, 2011: Riker Hill and Harrison Elementary Schools

Sept. 21, 2011: Collins and Hillside Elementary Schools

Sept. 22, 2011: Burnet Hill and Mount Pleasant Elementary Schools

• Sept. 27, 2011: SEPAC meeting
• Sept. 29 and 30: Schools and offices closed, Rosh Hashanah

Construction Update

• Workers are busy finishing work in the middle and elementary schools to prepare for the start of school Sept. 6, 2011. Custodians are cleaning desks and chairs and polishing floors. Principals and staff are moving into their renovated offices. Work will continue on the middle school auditoriums, a few remaining  bathroom renovations, the new elevators at Harrison and Hillside elementary schools and an elevator lift at Riker Hill School. Phase two, work on the individual classrooms, will begin Sept. 1 with a completion date for all of the work on target for the summer of 2012. The $55.9 million facility upgrade, of which $22.4 million will be funded by state aid, brings energy efficiency, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and air conditioning to all schools. The upgrade also includes new windows, electrical writing, doors and Automatic Temperature Control Systems.

Custodians are finishing setting up the classrooms in the Learning Cottages at Mount Pleasant and Heritage Middle Schools and Mount Pleasant, Harrison and Hillside Elementary Schools. While cleaning will continue in the schools through next week, teachers will return to their schools to begin setting up their classrooms Wednesday following a  meeting for all staff at the high school.

District News

• Parents should have received Livingston Superintendent of Schools Brad Draeger’s welcome letter yesterday detailing changes to the District’s 2011-2012 Code of Conduct, important information about forms and STARS. A copy of the letter is available on the District website at www.Livingston.org.

• The Livingston Board of Education has amended the School District’s 2011-2012 calendar. For an updated version, visit www.Livingston.org.

• Livingston’s new teachers and administrators participated in a three-day new teacher orientation from Aug. 15^th   to 18th at Livingston High School where they received special introductions to curriculum and lesson planning, the code of conduct, pupil personnel services, technology, policies, the parent community, counseling etc. “We want all teachers to succeed which is why we hired you,” Superintendent of Schools Brad Draeger told the teachers. “Livingston is a great school District with great teachers. We have high expectations for all of you.” 

• Mount Pleasant Middle School’s Guidance Department will have a counselor available during lock distribution Aug. 31.

• The members of the SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Committee) would like to make sure that all parents of students with disabilities know how to contact the student’s home school SEPAC representative. If you have any questions regarding the navigation of the special education system, please contact your SEPAC representative.  A new representative list for the 2011-12 school year is now up on the website.  Please refer to the Livingston Public Schools website for a list and click http://www.livingston.org/Page/393. Also, please note that the date of the next SEPAC meeting has been changed to Sept. 27, 2011.

E-news will resume weekly on September 9th. Be safe this weekend with Irene’s pending arrival. Enjoy the remaining days of summer!

Allison Freeman is the interim manager, Communications and Community Outreach, for Livingston Public Schools.