Livingston Public Schools

Dear Livingston,

Hello everyone! I would like to introduce myself. My name is Allison Freeman and I am the Interim Manager, Communications and Community Outreach. For those of you who don’t know, I am filling in for Jess Lipper while she is out on maternity leave. Some long-time Livingston residents or school employees may recognize my byline. I was a reporter for The Star-Ledger for more than 20 years and covered West Essex County, including Livingston for about 10 years before moving to features where I wrote my own columns, The Young & Talented, all about New Jersey’s talented young artists, and Kid Stuff, covering family entertainment. After I left The Star-Ledger in December 2008, I started my own writing, editing and public relations firm and became a consultant with The Newark Museum. I have also worked with many small businesses in New Jersey, writing marketing materials, websites, newsletters, blogs and helping them develop successful public relations campaigns. I live in Randolph with my husband and two sons and I am happy to be back in Livingston!

In this edition:

• Livingston Board of Education
• Important Dates
• Upcoming Special Events
• District Achievements
• Student Achievements
• Community Opportunities

Livingston Board of Education

The Livingston Board of Education is having a special meeting with the Livingston Township Council on Monday, May 16^th at 6:30 p.m. in the Livingston High School Auditorium.   Board members and township officials will discuss charter schools and shared services. 

Important Dates

• May 30, 2011 – Schools closed; Memorial Day
• June 7, 2011  – NJ Primary Day, partial day for elementary school students

Upcoming Special Events

Save the date for some spring special events:

• LHS Band Concert – Thursday, May 26^th @ 7:30 p.m. in the LHS auditorium

District Achievements

• Livingston’s Science Research Program has been selected for inclusion in the Magna Best Practices Database. The program was one of only 114 highly-scored programs selected for this recognition from the 359 nominations received. The Magna Best Practices Database provides the education world with a valuable resource for innovative best practices, proven and practical solutions for big and small district problems, and new ideas. Each year, the highest-scoring programs are selected and added to the database, where they will be available for at least five years. Visit www.asbj.com/magna.

• Livingston’s 2010 Crossroads Yearbook is featured in the Josten’s 2011 Gotcha Covered Look Book, “a best of the best” publication recognizing excellence in yearbook design. The book highlights the best spreads, designs, copy, themes and photography from 400 of the best yearbooks in the country. Judges selected a two-page spread titled “Pep Rally,” for its “Living Through the Lens,” category. Yearbook advisor Monica Cohen said she is “ecstatic” about the award.

• Livingston Technology Department Supervisor James Novotny has announced that the Lowes Charitable & Educational Foundation Toolbox for Education has awarded a $5,000 grant to the high school technology department to purchase equipment for the Innovation & Design Studio. “This grant will allow us to purchase equipment to allow kids to build solutions to a wide range of design and engineering problems,” Novotny said. “The Innovation & Design Studio is a place for kids to design, build and create.”  Novotny said this grant is just the beginning of his plan to create a state-of-the-art studio at Livingston High School. “Kids will be able to generate solutions to problems,” he said.  The studio is used by students taking technical and design classes and independent study design projects, as well as students participating in the Science Olympics, Robotics Team, Technical Student Association and Stagecraft projects.

Student Achievements

Two LHS creative writing students will have their work featured in "The Apprentice Writer," Susquehanna University's journal featuring high school students' writing. Morgan Collins (grade 10) will have her poems “Witness” and “Drowning” printed in the journal while Li Ann Giordano (grade 11) will have her poem “Seven Ways of Looking at Bones” featured.  "The Apprentice Writer" publishes poems, stories and personal essays by high school students from 20 states. It has a circulation of 11,000 and is distributed each September.  This year, of the 3,000 submissions received, 65 were selected. 

Community Opportunities

• The Livingston Parent Academy presents “Reading at Home With Your Child” Tuesday, May 31 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Heritage Middle School. The informal program will be presented by Elaine Bakke, Livingston’s K-12 Language Arts Supervisor, and will look at ways that parents can encourage positive reading behaviors at home, both during the school year and over summer vacation. The presentation will address the value of literacy, tips for reading at home and summer reading. Please RSVP by Friday, May 27 by e-mailing gdipopolo@livingston.org or by calling (973) 535-8000 ext. 8029.

• The community dialogue continues at Heritage Middle School Wednesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m., as parents and their children (sixth grade and up) discuss the Race to Nowhere, a documentary film examining the pressures faced by young people, teachers and parents in our high-stakes, high-pressure public and private education system and culture. The discussion will be led by Rhoda Alekel, L.C.S.W., B.C.D., and psychotherapist and Vincyne LaCapra, former Livingston Public Schools guidance counselor. The event is free and sponsored by the Livingston Municipal Alliance Committee, Livingston Public Schools, PT Council, Jewish Family Service of Metrowest JCC and YMCA. For questions, contact Pam Chirls (pchirls@verizon.net) or Jane Hecht (jyhliv@hotmail.com.)

• Celebrate America with a Livingston Symphony Orchestra family-friendly concert featuring music by our country’s composers as the (LSO) performs its fourth and final concert of the 2010-2011 season Saturday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at LHS. The evening will feature a range of music from “Star Wars” to “Porgy and Bess.” Tickets are $20; $15 for students and seniors, and are available in advance or at the door. Admission is free for children under 12 when accompanied by an adult. Call (973) 980-1809. For information, visit www.lsonj.org.

• The Shriners Circus will take place at the Mennen Sports Arena (161 E. Hanover Ave., Morristown) from today  to Sunday, May 15, 2011.  For more information visit www.salaamshrinecircus.com or call (973) 992-2860.

• The Livingston Public Library Teen Zone and the Livingston High School Invisible Children Club will present “The Rescue of Joseph Kony’s Child Soldiers,” on May 18^th at 7:00 PM at the Livingston Public Library.  This documentary profiles the tragic stories of Africa’s longest running war in Uganda, and the thousands of children who have been kidnapped in the process.  A question and answer session will follow the film. 
• Cub Scout Pack 16 is accepting registration for new scouts for the 2011-2012 scouting year and will offer an informational presentation June 2 at 7 p.m. at the Livingston Senior/Community Center. All boys currently in kindergarten through 4^th grade are eligible to join. For information, e-mail committeechair@livingstonpak16.org.

• It’s never too late to start thinking about Halloween!  Lancer Theatre will sell period and contemporary costumes at reduced rates on Thursday, May 19, 2011 from 3 to 6 p.m. in the LHS Cafeteria.  The Lancer Theatre dressing rooms are over-flowing and in need of paring down.  Donations will not be accepted.

• A mother and daughter will recount their perspectives of an abusive dating relationship in “Dating Abuse: It Could Happen to MY Child” a special program planned by Columbia High School’s Teen Dating Abuse Club and the NCJW Center for Women. Parents and their children are invited to attend the program May 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia HS Auditorium, 17 Parker Ave., Maplewood. For information, visit   dgbeni@Verizon.net.

• Livingston resident, parent, activist, volunteer and Livingston Social Studies Supervisor Chris Bickel will speak about “The Power of One” at the HCHY General meeting May 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Livingston Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave. For information, visit www.hchylivingston.org.

• Global Friendships is seeking host families for 15 junior high school and high school students from the northern region of Spain for a cultural exchange program June 30 through July 27. The students have knowledge of the English language and will attend ESL classes week days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the day at Anthony Franco’s Pizzeria. Host families will be asked to provide a bed, three meals a day and transportation and make the student feel like they are part of the family. For information, call Yvette A. Borondy at (973) 992-5177 or e-mail nyuci@aol.com.

Until the next edition of e-News…

Have a wonderful week!

Take care,

Allison Freeman

Interim Manager, Communications and Community Outreach Livingston Public Schools

11 Foxcroft Drive

Livingston, NJ 07039

(973) 535-8000 ext. 8036

(973) 535-1254 - Fax

AFreeman@Livingston.org

(Originally posted on May 13, 2011)