State law requires school districts to sample all water outlets currently or potentially used for drinking or cooking purposes in buildings that may be occupied by students and to submit those samples to a state-approved lab for analysis. Testing must be completed every three years, unless the state Commissioner of Health requires testing sooner.

The state established an action level of 5 micrograms per liter or 5 parts per billion (ppb). If a sample from a water outlet exceeds this level, schools must take steps to prevent the use of the outlet for drinking or cooking purposes until it is remediated and follow-up testing confirms it is no longer above the action level.

School districts are required to report the results of all water testing to the state Department of Health, the state Education Department and the local health department, and to post the results — along with remediation plans, if required — on the official district website.

Testing took place at the middle and high school on April 8, the elementary school on April 9 and the White Sulphur Springs building on April 10.

• At the high school, a hand washing sink in the Nurse’s Office returned a 10.1 parts per billion level.
• At the middle school, a second-floor pass-through storage hand washing sink returned a 175 parts per billion level.
• At the elementary school, eight sinks were found to be above 5 ppb
  • Between 16 & 17 Teacher space hand sink: 20.6 ppb
  • Room 30 class sink: 14.7 ppb
  • Room 42 class sink: 9.5 ppb
  • Room 43 class sink: 25.6 ppb
  • Room 45 class sink: 59.1 ppb
  • Room 46 class sink: 6.3 ppb
  • Room 48 class sink: 67.6 ppb
  • Room 53 class sink: 9.1 ppb
• All outlets at the White Sulphur Springs building returned levels below 5 ppb.

Signs have been posted at all impacted sinks that water is not to be consumed from that outlet. Remedial actions will be taken and the outlets will be retested.

More information and links to the full reports are available here.

On Tuesday, April 22, Liberty Central School District Board of Education approved a $68.5 million budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year that maintains programs while enhancing goals and procedure alignment as well as efficiencies district-wide without increasing the tax levy.

This is the seventh consecutive year there is no proposed tax levy increase.

The vote will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the high school media center.

There will be a series of budget information sessions, to which the public is encouraged to attend:

• May 5: Budget presentation to the Liberty Town Board, 6:30 p.m., the Senior Citizens Center at 119 N. Main St.
• May 6: Budget hearing, 6 p.m., High School Auditorium
• May 8: Budget, Dinner and a Concert, 5:30 p.m., HS Media Center
• May 9: Budget talk, 8:30-11:30 a.m., New Munson Diner, 12 Lake St.

The proposed $68,508,362 budget increases spending 0.70%, or $474,068 and would fund all current student programs and services.

Based on the governor’s budget proposal’s state aid projections, the district expects an overall slight decrease in state aid, with the tax lex levy remaining at $17,760,162, the same as the 2024-25 budget.

Also on the ballot is a nearly $7.5 million capital project proposal that would add air conditioning to the elementary school to address recent state legislation that sets 88 degrees as the maximum temperature in educational and support services spaces. There is no expected tax levy impact, as fund balances would be used to offset the costs not covered by state reimbursements. More information is available at the district’s 2025 capital project webpage.

There also will be three board of education seats on the ballot. On the ballot, in the order they will appear, are Miriam Rivka Singer, incumbents John L. Nichols and Timothy Hamblin, Miriam Heimlich and incumbent Matthew DeWitt.

The elected candidates will serve three-year terms running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.

For more information on the budget, including voter information, visit the district budget information page on the website.

SUNY Sullivan is hosting several events over the next few weeks to which Liberty families are invited.

Earth Day Celebration

On Thursday, April 24, the college will host an Earth Day Celebration, supported by the Liberty Partnership Program, to give prospective students the opportunity to experience sustainability in action on campus. The event, which will run from 9:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., will feature a vendor fair with more than 25 local community members, each showcasing their efforts in conservation and sustainability.

In addition to the vendor fair, the celebration will include a guided tour of the campus, highlighting key sustainability features such as the apiary, Hope Farm, and the geothermal and solar energy system.

Visitors will also have the chance to participate in interactive workshops, offering hands-on learning experiences in organic farming practices.
For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu/event/earth-day-celebration/

Open House

On Saturday, May 3, the campus will host an open house. There will be campus tours at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with an admission presentation at 1 p.m. The event is open to students who have been accepted and those who are interested in attending.

Registration is appreciated at sunysullivan.edu/open-house, but walk-ins are also welcome. For more information, email admissions@sunysullivan.edu or call 845-434-5750, ext. 4287.

SpringFest

Also on May 3 will be SUNY Sullivan’s SpringFest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more than 30 years, the festival has brought kites, crafters, food vendors, community organizations, and family-friendly activities to campus.

Attendees can take in dance and theater performances, an art show, a professional kite demonstration with candy drops, free bouncy houses, and free kites for the first 300 children.

Participants can explore the campus hiking trails, check out Hope Farm, visit with live farm animals and tour the campus apiary.

The SUNY Sullivan community also welcomes alumni back to campus to reconnect and see how SUNY Sullivan has grown. Alums can stop by the alumni table for a special gift.

For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu/springfest/

The campus is at 112 College Road in Loch Sheldrake. For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu.

Registration for kindergarten at Liberty Elementary School opened April 1.

To qualify, children must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2025, and a resident of the Liberty Central School District. Students that are in the Liberty Central School District universal pre-k program at LES or G&D do not need to register.

To register, parents or guardians must fill out a registration packet and provide a copy of parent/guardian’s photo ID; custody papers, if applicable; proof of residency, such as a utility bill or rental lease; and the child’s birth certificate, immunization records and a copy of recent physical exam, which must include all school physical exam requirements. Parents and guardians are encouraged to check with their child’s doctor for details.

To register, email haustin@libertyk12.org or call 845-292-5400, ext. 2331.

The Liberty Public Library will host a Speed Puzzle Contest from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3.

Teams of four or five people of all ages may participate. One person will register the group online. Each team will receive a 300-piece puzzle (each puzzle will be the same) and will have two hours to complete it. The first team to finish will win. There will be prizes for the winning team.

The Liberty Public Library is at 189 S. Main St. For more information, call 845-292-6070 or visit https://www.libertypubliclibrary.org/

On Monday, March 31, the Liberty Central School District Board of Education approved a capital project to go before voters during the annual budget vote and school board election on May 20.

The nearly $7.5 million project would add cooling units to portions of the elementary school to address recent state legislation that sets a maximum temperature of 88 degrees for educational and support services spaces.

The district is working with architecture and engineering firm LAN Associates and construction management firm Schoolhouse Construction on the project.

The capital project is not expected to have a tax impact as $1,125,000 would be used from available fund balance and the remaining amount reimbursed through state capital project aid.

The project would be done in conjunction with HVAC work approved by voters in a capital project vote in January 2024.

Rather than adding just heating units to 38 classroom spaces, a counseling and AIS space, if approved on May 20, the units would be heating and cooling units in the original section of the building. The main office, faculty area and nurses office will also be upgraded.

“It is more cost effective to build this into an ongoing project, rather than retrofitting units at a later date,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said.

Studies have shown that students who have a comfortable learning environment have more success. If classroom temperatures cannot be kept to below 88 degrees, it could cause disruptions, including possible school closures.

“We are aware that portions of the Elementary School can get hot during extreme heat days,” Sullivan said. “While this project would not be completed until after the law goes into effect on Sept. 1, this would help us in the future.”

If approved, the project, which also includes electrical and boiler upgrades at LES as well as ancillary work, would be scheduled for possible completion before the 2026-27 school year. More details on the project will be shared later on the district’s website, www.libertyk12.org.

Voting will take place between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the Liberty High School media center. For more details on voting, visit https://www.libertyk12.org/department-services/business-office/.

This afternoon, April 2, a parent reported that a threatening statement was made on a bus during the afternoon run. The statement was reported to the district and Liberty Police Department for investigation. Following the investigation, the threat was deemed noncredible. The district is taking appropriate action in accordance with the LCSD Code of Conduct.

“The district takes all reports of potential violence very seriously,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “Thankfully, this was found to be noncredible, but it is important that if you hear something say something.”

Liberty Central School District will have a familiar face as its new assistant superintendent starting July 1.

High School Principal Derek Adams was approved to serve the role by the Liberty Central School Board of Education on Tuesday, March 25.

“Dr. Adams has had a great impact as principal of Liberty High School,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “I look forward to working with him now at the district level, as we continue to make progress in achieving the goals of our five-year strategic plan.”

Dr. Adams will replace Marianne Serratore, who has served as interim assistant superintendent since October 2023.

“I also want to thank Ms. Serratore for her work over the past nearly two years, helping streamline our curriculum mapping and making strides in implementing our strategic plan,”  Dr. Sullivan said.

He is a graduate of Livingston Manor High School, Sullivan County Community College and SUNY Cortland. On Jan. 31, 2025, Dr. Adams earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from American College of Education.

He started his teaching career in 2005 at Sullivan BOCES, teaching physical education, before serving as the assistant principal and director of physical education, health and athletics at Tri-Valley Secondary School.

In 2016, Dr. Adams was appointed high school assistant principal and athletic director at Wallkill Central School District.

In 2020, he earned an excellence in administration award from the Mid-Hudson School Study Council.

“I am both honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the district on a larger scale to support the students of Liberty as an Assistant Superintendent. Having spent the past seven years as a high school principal in this district, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of our educators, the resilience of our students, and the strength of our community,” Dr. Adams said. “I look forward to reaching our vision through collaboration, strategic planning and execution to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality, rigorous and inclusive education. Together, we will build coherence across all schools, strengthen instructional practices and foster a culture of continuous improvement that empowers both educators and students to reach their full potential.”

Registration for kindergarten at Liberty Elementary School will open April 1.

To qualify, children must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2025, and a resident of the Liberty Central School District. Students that are in the Liberty Central School District universal pre-k program at LES or G&D do not need to register.

To register, parents or guardians must fill out a registration packet and provide a copy of parent/guardian’s photo ID; custody papers, if applicable; proof of residency, such as a utility bill or rental lease; and the child’s birth certificate, immunization records and a copy of recent physical exam, which must include all school physical exam requirements. Parents and guardians are encouraged to check with their child’s doctor for details.

To register, email haustin@libertyk12.org or call 845-292-5400, ext. 2331.