COVID 'Has Become Endemic,' Livingston Superintendent Notes In Welcome-Back Letter

LIVINGSTON, NJ — With schools reopening in Livingston on Thursday, Superintendent of Schools Matthew Block released a welcome message that touches on COVID safety procedures and other matters. With the pandemic now a fact of life, he said, there will be "very few specific protocols related to Covid-19 in the Livingston Public Schools this year."

He noted, "We recognize that the pandemic has now become endemic. The virus that has taken so much of our time and energy over the past two plus years is something we now need to learn to live with as we move ahead with our educational life."

There will still be a covid reporting form on line and other procedures.

"Masks remain optional," he wrote, "and students and staff who choose to mask or not to mask, will continue to do so in a safe and non-judgemental environment."

(While most districts in New Jersey are making masks optional, Newark schools will still require them this year.)

Block also touched on school security: "Our community should know, whether it is on the news or not, safety and security is a constant focus of ours." He said the district is planning a school security "conversation" with the public later this year.

Information about the Livingston school calendar for 2022-23 can be found here. As calendars sometimes change, it's important to check the district website for the most up to date information.

Here Is The Superintendent's Full Letter:

Hello Livingston Public Schools Community. This is Matt Block, Superintendent of Schools.

The weeks of summer always go so fast. It is hard to believe we were on the high school field congratulating the Class of 2022 only two months ago. Since that time, we hope you had the chance to rest, rejuvenate, relax and reflect. Here in the district, we are already busy preparing to open our doors for what we are confident will be the most exciting, enjoyable, and healthy year of school in several years.

I know that the members of our LPS Team of Educators are anxious to begin this regular school year, with smiling faces, spirited events, and active and engaging learning experiences in classrooms across the district each day. We are excited to see our district come alive once again in just a couple of weeks.

There are a few items I wanted to mention as our students and families begin to get ready for the return to school. Our custodians and maintenance staff have completed multiple projects in our schools this summer, and our facilities look great! Schools are cleaned and ready to welcome you back. Thank you to our amazing custodial maintenance team. We have been running academic and recreational programs throughout the district this summer, and they have been hugely successful. Thank you to our LPS educators who continue working with groups of our students over the summer.

This year we will be communicating our new five year strategic plan for the Livingston Public Schools.We will also be presenting our new LPS Profile of a Graduate, which is a vision-oriented document.Stay tuned for opportunities to hear all about our plan and the profile later this fall.Just a couple of weeks ago, we had a “School Security Summit” with members of our administrativeteam, Board of Education, the Livingston Police Department, Fire Department, Health Department, and others. We discussed a broad range of issues related to school security in preparation for the upcoming school year. I know that school security has been in the news a lot lately. I want to assure our community that the safety and security of our school community is always a top priority and at the forefront of our planning, training, and conversations. While many of our security measures are kept confidential in order to maximize their effectiveness, our community should know, whether it is on the news or not, safety and security is a constant focus of ours. Our security meeting this summer is just one example of how we work closely with our community resources to keep our school safe. Please stay tuned, as we are planning to hold a “Conversation on School Security” program in September with me and leaders from our Police and Fire Departments in order to answer as many community questions as we can on this important issue.

We recognize that the pandemic has now become endemic. The virus that has taken so much of our time and energy over the past two plus years is something we now need to learn to live with as we move ahead with our educational life. Therefore, there will be very few specific protocols related to Covid-19 in the Livingston Public Schools this year. We are simply asking those who are sick to stay home like with any other illness. If someone tests positive for Covid-19, simply fill out the Covid reporting form online, and our talented and caring nurses will contact you and help you through what to do in terms of isolating and when it is safe to return to school. Masks remain optional, and students and staff who choose to mask or not to mask, will continue to do so in a safe and non-judgemental environment. Absences for Covid-19 will be handled like any other absences for illness, and schoolwork will be provided as it would be in the case of any other illness or absence from school.

We could not be more excited to see our students and staff in our hallways and classrooms once again. We know that our educator team has a track record of exceeding expectations, and focusing on empowering all to learn, create, contribute, and grow. We are excited to continue the educational journey with you, our LPS family. Thank you, and we can’t wait to see you on September 1st for the first day of school.

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