SUNY Sullivan taking part a new program for New York residents ages 25–55 who do not have a college degree. The purpose of SUNY Reconnect is to provide individuals with the opportunity to earn an associate degree and expand their career opportunities. One of the available degrees is an Associate of Arts degree in Childhood Education, which offers aides a pathway to become certified teaching assistants and may inspire them to pursue teaching careers in the future.

The program covers tuition, fees, books and supplies, making it essentially free for eligible participants.

Who is eligible?

• New York Residents ages 25-55 without a high school diploma or with a diploma but no college degree.
• Those who enroll full- or part-time in an eligible associate degree at SUNY Sullivan:
  • Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counseling, Associate of Applied Science
  • Childhood Education, Associate of Arts
  • Green Building Technology, Associate of Applied Science
  • Computer Information Systems, Associate of Applied Science
  • Computer Programming, Associate of Applied Science
  • Respiratory Care, Associate of Applied Science
  • Medical Assistant, Associate of Applied Science
  • Nursing, Associate of Applied Science

What does “free” mean?

The SUNY Reconnect program covers the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies after all other financial aid is applied. Housing is not covered.

How do I get started?

Visit https://sunysullivan.edu/and select APPLY to complete a free application. Choose one of the programs listed above and start your free journey with SUNY Sullivan.

How do I enroll?

After you’ve submitted your application, SUNY Sullivan will send you a letter and an email with details on the next steps.

• Submit final high school or GED transcript
  • Please contact the high school guidance office of the high school you graduated  from and request that they send your official transcript to admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
  • If you have earned a GED, please email photos of your certificate and transcript to admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
• Submit official Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP, and/or college transcripts
  • If you’ve earned credits at another institution or through AP, IB, and/or CLEP, please request that your official transcript(s) be sent to admissions@sunysullivan.edu. The Registrar will review your transcript(s) and transfer any equivalent credits earned with a grade of “C” or higher that are required for your program of study.
• Apply for financial aid and scholarships
  • Be sure to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), and Excelsior Scholarship Program (if applicable) applications. Links are available at studentaid.gov.
  • If you’re unable to complete the FAFSA, don’t worry—you can still apply for TAP and the Senator Jose A. Peralta application at hesc.ny.gov/.
  • SUNY Sullivan’s Federal School Code is 002879 and New York State School Code is 2225.

Need more information?

• Call 845-434-5750, ext. 4287 or email admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
• Visit 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with extended hours until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

There will be a special meeting of the Board of Education at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2025,  in the District Office at 115 Buckley St., Liberty NY.

The board will vote on a very brief agenda and the meeting will be open to the public. There will be no regular business. The agenda will be available at Board Docs on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.

The next regular meeting of the board will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in the HS Media Center.

While not much physical progress has been seen over the last few weeks on Liberty Central School District’s capital projects, there has been movement behind the scenes.

The initial capital project was approved by voters in January 2024, with additional HVAC upgrades approved in the 2025 project to address state-mandated temperature limits in classroom spaces.

Phase 1

The largest was the approval of contracts for the construction of the maintenance building on Winthrop Avenue near the softball and soccer fields.

At a meeting last month, the Board of Education approved contracts as follows:

• General Construction: Standback General Contractors LLC
• Mechanical Construction: C.R.Wolfe Heating Corp.
• Plumbing Construction to S&O Construction Services Inc,
• Electrical Construction to Hewitt Young Electrical LLC,
• Site Construction to NGS Construction
• Construction is expected to begin this spring.

In other aspects of Phase 1:

The turf field, lights, goal posts and goals have been installed on the athletic fields, as has the foundations for the bleachers and pressbox. The bleacher and pressbox installation is expected to take place early spring, with the installation of the track and track and field components this spring. The field is expected to be completed in time for graduation.
The bid for door replacement in the middle and high schools was also finalized last month, with the replacements expected to be completed in the spring.

Phase 2

The second phase of the capital project, which includes work at the high school and middle school, has been submitted to the state Education Department for approval, with work expected to begin in the early  summer

The work at the high school includes renovations in the 300 wing and cafeteria, creation of the Innovation Lab, a generator replacement, stair removal, and upgrades to the HVAC controls, carbon monoxide alarm system and code-mandated items.

The work at the middle school includes site drainage improvements, replacement of the electrical main distribution panel and some internal doors, upgrades to the HVAC controls and carbon monoxide alarm system and a new emergency generator.

Phase 3

The final phase of the project includes work at the elementary school and the district office. The project is in the design phase with work expected to take place in 2026 and 2027.

The work at the district office includes carbon monoxide alarm system upgrades and a new emergency generator.

The work at the elementary school includes roofing repairs and upgrades, asbestos flooring abatement and replacement, wood flooring replacement, new complaint railing on the interior bleachers in the gym, and carbon monoxide alarm system and gym ventilation upgrades. HVAC work includes unit ventilator upgrades in the classrooms, boiler conversion to accommodate the additional air conditioning and HVAC control upgrades.

LAN Associates, the project architect, has completed all major architectural and mechanical site survey work, with additional visits to the school needed as the design is developed and finalized. The HVAC load calculations were finalized earlier this year, and the preparation of demolition drawing is ongoing. The options for providing ventilation air in the gymnasium are being reviewed and coordinated. LAN has also been in communication with Day Automation, which provides energy services to the district, in regard to the boiler replacement in the original building or expansion of the existing boiler plant.

“We thank LAN and our construction manager Schoolhouse Construction Services for their work on these projects,” LCSD Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “These projects will provide our students with the best environment to help our students contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential.”

As Liberty Central School District proceeds into the fourth year of its strategic plan, the district is seeing progress toward our goals.

The district launched its five year-strategic plan in the fall of 2022 to enhance the educational opportunities it offers by coherently aligning its purpose, especially after COVID disrupted traditional learning methods.

The district reported, as evidence of its progress, a 6 percentage point increase in reading scores in state testing for Grades 3-8 over the previous year.

District officials attribute this to implementation and adherence to their intents in each of the four pillars of the strategic plan:

Curriculum: Our reading/English language arts curriculum is Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)’s Into Reading/Into Literature, ensuring that the same material is used across grade levels and builds upon previous levels.
MTSS: Our multi-tier systems of support have been implemented to help identify students who may be struggling, academically, behaviorally or emotionally, and have plans and procedures in place to provide an environment where they can thrive.
Coherence: Beyond refining our MTSS analysis and practices, we have strengthened collaborative and professional development opportunities for our staff.
Culture: We recognize that everything we do is based on our mission to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential and our vision of cultivating trust and courage to be innovative and to persevere.
The entire five-year strategic plan, stories highlighting the plan in action, updates and related plans can be found on the strategic plan page on the district’s website.

“I am so proud of the progress we have seen so far, but recognize that we still have more to do,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said, noting the continued implementation of the HMH Into Math as well as the Algebra for All program with a goal of improving math testing scores.

“I am positive our faculty, staff, students and families will continue to work together to help our Redhawks soar.”

Full state test results can be found on the New York State Education Department data website.

The All Things Liberty Winterfest is coming soon.

The annual Liberty Central School District event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24,  in Liberty Middle School and High School Gymnasiums. Snow date is Saturday, Jan. 31.

All are welcome for games, crafts, prizes, hot cocoa, music and a variety of community vendors. It is free to enter and play games. There will be some local vendors selling items for all who are interested. Those interested in becoming a vendor should email Community Schools Coordinator Katlyn Rusin at krusin@libertyk12.org.

 

Earlier today, Nov. 14, the district was made aware of a notebook containing concerning material that was discovered in the middle school.

The notebook included inappropriate drawings and threats against members of the Liberty school community. The owner of the notebook was identified, and it was determined that the student was not in school today.

Liberty administration and Liberty Police Department immediately began an investigation. It was determined that the threats were noncredible and that at no time was anyone in danger.

The district is addressing this matter in accordance with the LCSD Code of Conduct.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “We take every report of a potential threat seriously and will investigate fully.”

Dr. Sullivan  also emphasized the importance of vigilance, encouraging everyone to speak up if they see something concerning. Students should report any issues to a trusted adult immediately. Reports also can be made via Liberty’s Anonymous Alerts platform

For the past several weeks, the District and the Liberty PD have been planning a drill that helps us evaluate our safety practices and protocols. Earlier today, Nov. 13,  an individual (who is a police officer from another county) attempted to enter our buildings to help us identify any safety measures we need to address and/or enhance.

We will review the findings and will address and communicate any changes needed.

Please know that this type of drill is used throughout our neighboring counties, and our School Resources Officers were monitoring the drill the whole time.

We’ve already had our first weather delay of the 2025-26 school year. Now, we are taking this opportunity to remind parents, guardians and the community how they will receive notice if school will be operating under a delay, will be dismissed early or will be closed due to inclement weather.

The district will contact parents and guardians directly by phone, email and text if there are any changes in the daily school schedule. Those who wish to verify their contact information is correct should reach out to the main office of their child’s school, as well as sign up for ParentSquare and download the app. Closing, delay and early dismissal information will also be posted on the district website and shared with local media outlets. Calls may also be made to the district at 845-292-5400. Any schedule changes will follow the initial greeting.

When there is early dismissal, all after-school activities are canceled.

The district has scheduled eight snow days. If more than eight emergency closure days are used, any additional days needed will be virtual learning days. Please refer to our Districtwide Safety Plan regarding remote learning.

Dear Liberty families,

We know our students are at their best when they feel secure at home. We also know many of our families are suffering hardships from the government shutdown. And with the pending cut to SNAP benefits, the impact will be felt even more.

We do our best to work as partners with our families to ensure that our students can perform their best inside and outside the classroom.

To help ensure our students have enough to eat, we offer free breakfast and lunch to all students. We also operate our Snack Pack program, which provides healthy meals over breaks and weekends to students who face food insecurity. For more information on the program, or to donate, contact Community Schools Coordinator Katlyn Rusin.

Our families can also reach out to our Student Services and or their school’s counseling department for more information about what services may be available.

There are also several organizations in the community that can assist families in need.

Sullivan County Department of Health and Family services offers a list of local food pantries. Scroll down the page to find English and Spanish versions of their brochure.

The regional food bank is also offering a free Thanksgiving food distribution. Locally the distribution will be at 10 a.m. Nov. 22 on a first-come first-served basis at the Government Center in Monticello. Learn more at the regional food bank’s Thanksgiving food distribution page.

New York State has also created a list of resources available to families:

• FAQs regarding SNAP benefit cut
• Find Your Local Food Bank
• The Food Pantries Food Connect Map
• Resources for Working Families
• Find Services that Can Help
• Stay Connected With NY State of Health
• Social Services by County

I also encourage those who can to volunteer at or donate to our community organizations that are working to help our families in need.

We are proud of our Redhawk family and know that working together we can get through this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent

The Liberty High School National Art Honor Society will offer holiday family photo sessions from 4 to 8 p.m. Nov. 13 and 14.

For $20, families will get three edited image files in time for holiday greetings sent to their emails. . There will be a choice of black, white or a holiday background shot at the LHS studio.

The fee includes two different settings, so families can choose to use both for the full family or perhaps use one just for the kids. The three images can be mixed and matched from the two settings.

For an additional $5, families can also receive an 8″-by-10″ print of one file, or more of the files edited.

The event is a fundraiser for the group to purchase art kits for Liberty’s Children’s Home.

Sign up can be done on the Holiday Photo Shoot Appointment Page. Click on “Next available booking date” choose a time and date, and input your name, email address and choice of background.

Payments can be made with cash, check or use pay by credit card via the NAHS fundraising donations portal

For more information, contact adviser Kath Johansen at kjohansen@libertyk12.org