What's New at Livingston Public Schools?

Believe it or not, there is less than one month until the first day of school!

Livingston Board of Education

The Livingston Board of Education will hold a voting meeting on August 15th at 4:15 p.m. in the Board of Education Administrative Offices, 11 Foxcroft Drive. The next meeting will be September 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Livingston High School auditorium.

Important Dates

• August 22-Middle School Schedules and Elementary School teacher assignments will be available on STARS.
• 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. 29 and 30-Schools and offices closed, Rosh Hashanah

 Construction Update

• Just a reminder that is continuing at Livingston Public Schools this summer. We are asking all families to stay away from the schools during this period unless students are participating in an activity at a school. Business Administrator Steven Robinson said he anticipates that the first phase of the project should be completed on schedule. 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.

 have arrived at Mount Pleasant and Heritage Middle Schools and Mount Pleasant, Harrison and Hillside Elementary Schools and workers are preparing them for classroom use for the fall.  Workers are installing elevators at Harrison and Hillside Elementary Schools and an new elevator lift at Riker Hill School. The elevators and the wheelchair lift are required improvements so the District can comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Also at Riker Hill, laborers are building a new storage room.

Other improvements include new HVAC units, new Automatic Temperature Control Systems, electrical wiring, windows and doors as well as renovations to the middle school auditoriums. For a full update, visit http://www.livingston.org/construction_updates.

District News

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

• More than 100 teachers and administrators participated in special last month at Livingston High School and learned how to use a document camera, smart board basics and integrated Microsoft Office applications among several programs offered.

• The Livingston High School Guidance Department will have special summer hours with one counselor in the office  Aug. 16-18 and 23-25. The Heritage Middle School Guidance Department will have a guidance counselor in the office Aug.  22-26. Mount Pleasant Middle School’s Guidance Department will have a counselor available Aug. 29.

• 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.

Community Opportunities

• 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 youth understand the importance of youth 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 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.

• A “Ceremony of Remembrance” will mark the 10^th anniversary of Sept. 11^th at the Township of Livingston 9-11 Living Memorial Garden at the Oval on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m., rain or shine. This traditional service will remember the seven Livingston residents who were among the thousands who lost their lives on this tragic day. The ceremony will feature performances by high school musical groups and participation by local officials, clergy and girl and boy scouts. For information, call Bonnie Ratner at (973) 992-3987.

• A new “” Sports League: A League for Exceptional Children, offered by the new Senior, Youth and Leisure Services League for children with special needs, is accepting registration for its fall soccer program. The program is open to residents and non-residents and will run from Sept. 17 to Nov. 6, 9:30-10:30 a.m. for the junior league for ages 5-9 and 11 a.m. to noon for the senior league for ages 10-16 at the Monmouth Court Community Center. Other programs to be offered include basketball, floor hockey and t-ball/baseball . The cost is $75 per sport. To register, visit http://livingstonsyls.org or enroll at the SYLS office at the Livingston Senior/Community Center on 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 or email msilance@livingstonnj.org.

E-News will not be sent out weekly during the summer, however there will be a few editions with pertinent information to prepare you for the upcoming school year.

Thank you and enjoy the remaining days of summer!

Allison Freeman, Interim Manager, Communications and Community Outreach