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Category: Elementary News
Everyone counts! Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census will help officials plan funding for federal nutrition programs – including the National School Lunch Program – for the next 10 years. That’s why an accurate census is so important, and why everyone counts!
Child Care for Essential Workers Offered
By Executive Order, the public school districts of Sullivan County, in collaboration with the Sullivan County Child Care Council, have developed emergency child care plans for essential workers.
Essential workers include first responders, healthcare workers, food manufacturers, supermarket workers, food preparation workers, commercial truck drivers, transit workers, carriers of critical and essential materials, construction workers, manufacturing workers, specialized equipment workers related to health or safety of the public and nonprofit and social service agencies providing support to families, and employees in related fields.
The plan is meant to serve those essential workers for whom child care has become a burden during the response to COVID-19. If you meet the definition of an essential employee and have child care needs, access to free childcare via the CARES Child Care Scholarship from the Office of Children and Family Services is available to those who qualify.
Essential workers that currently have their children in licensed/registered child care or need child care may apply here.
You will be contacted by the Sullivan County Child Care Council, Inc., within one business day. They will follow up on the next steps to gather information about your household and help you identify a participating child care provider or work with your current registered or licensed child care provider.
Grades 3-8 assessments suspended for 2019-20 school year
The New York State Board of Regents and state Education Department announced Friday, March 20, that the elementary- and intermediate-level state assessments for Grades 3-8 have been suspended for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
“It is most important that during the time of closure, schools are able to continue to focus their efforts toward local school and community needs, as they have been doing, and not be concerned about state assessments. NYSED has applied for federal waivers for testing, accountability and reporting requirements,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and Interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe said in a statement.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that states may cancel any scheduled standardized tests for this school year.
This suspension applies to the following New York state testing programs:
- New York State Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Test;
- New York State Grades 3-8 Mathematics Test;
- New York State Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science Test;
- New York State Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test;
- New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) in Grades K-12; and
- New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) for students with severe cognitive disabilities in Grades 3-8 and high school.
The state has not yet issued guidance on end-of-June Regents exams and The College Board’s Advanced Placement exams.
March 19: School Closure Updates from the Asst. Superintendent
Dear Liberty Community,
This week, the Liberty Central School District distributed school work and student meals to our Elementary, Middle, and High School students.
If you were one of the many families who were unable to pick up your child’s school work, please be assured that we are working on a plan to get it delivered to you as soon as possible. We will announce those details shortly.
Here are a few additional updates:
- If you do not have access to the internet, please call 845-292-5400 ext. 2031.
- We are providing breakfast and lunch to our students while school is closed. Meals are available for pick up 9-11 a.m. each weekday morning at the High School and are being delivered by Rolling V bus drivers along their regular routes. If you have not been able to receive meals, please call 845-292-5400 ext. 2031.
- We have received inquiries regarding Third Quarter grades. More information pertaining to these topics will be shared soon.
Google Classroom for Secondary Students
The primary platform used at the secondary level is Google Classroom. However, some teachers are using additional platforms to support your child’s learning:
The Structure
Teachers are posting assignments and providing minimal deadlines of 2-3 days. If your child is having difficulty meeting deadlines please contact the teacher via email or through the Google Classroom platform. Please know that our teachers will be flexible as we are all learning a new way of educating.
Feedback/Assessment
Teachers will provide feedback and assignment grades as students complete their digital work. Depending on the assignment, the turn-around time for a grade may differ.
Educational Resources
Our teachers shared some helpful educational links to enhance at-home learning. We’ll continue to share more resources during the extended school closure:
Prek- Grade 8
If a student needs their login information for Freckle or MyOn, please email your child’s teacher.
- Freckle: (ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science)
- MyOn (online books and activities)
- Scholastic Magazine
- Starfall
Grade 9-12
-
- SORA: (Use the Technology Resources for Students Shared Drive to retrieve login information)
- Previous Regents Exams
- Khan Academy
- SAT Prep with Khan Academy
- Fitness
Social and Emotional Well-Being
- Talking to Children about COVID-19
- CDC Information on Managing Stress with COVID-19
- Sullivan County Department of Health Services
We thank everyone for their continued understanding, patience and support.
With Liberty Pride,
Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Assistant Superintendent
COVID-19 UPDATE from the Superintendent: Student meals, classwork while school is closed
Click here for the district’s previous COVID-19 updates
March 17, 2020: By order of the Sullivan County Manager, all Sullivan County schools, including the Liberty Central School District, are closed through April 3, 2020 to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
We recognize that this extraordinary situation presents an array of difficulties for our students, employees and families, and we know you have many questions about this extended closure:
Are you serving student meals?
Yes. Beginning Wednesday, March 18, student breakfast and lunch will be available Mondays-Fridays. To help us plan, please call 292-5400, ext. 2031 to let us know if you’ll be participating in the meal program.
- Students who walk to school can pick up meals 9-11 a.m. at the High School loading area (near the parking lot basketball court.)
- Rolling V drivers will deliver meals at their regular bus stops between 9:30-10:30 a.m. each day. Drivers will beep and wait two minutes before moving on.
What about homework?
Packets of work can be picked up 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19 at the Elementary, Middle and High Schools. Please stop by your child’s school during those hours. (High school teachers have also contacted students with details about specific assignments.)
Google Classroom assignments for Middle and High School students are available now. Students can access this work with their Chromebook.
We also suggest that you keep your children engaged in learning. Read with your children, help them with their classwork, and explore many free online educational resources available. We will be sharing links to our teachers’ favorite websites on the district website, too.
If you did not receive the classwork packet or do not have internet access, please call 292-5400, ext. 2031.
What if my student left an important item at school?
Chromebooks, instruments and vital personal belongings can be picked up 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wed., March 18 and Thurs., March 19. Parents and students will not be permitted in the school buildings, but we will do our best to get it for you.
What does “closed” mean?
Only essential LCSD staff are reporting to work, so it may take us longer than usual to answer your messages.
All school events cancelled through April 3, and the closure includes all school grounds, playgrounds and fields. Spring athletics are cancelled through May 1.
Will the Board of Education meet?
BOE meetings will be held via video conference through May. We’ll share an access code so the public can join from home.
How will you keep us updated?
We will continue to share updates on our website (www.libertyk12.org), our Facebook page, and through our school messaging system.
What we don’t know
The governor has stated that in order for schools to apply for the 180 day waiver, schools must use their vacation days and snow days. This may change. It remains unclear how spring break and other school holidays will be affected, and we don’t know for certain when school will reopen. Other possible variables include SAT, ACT, and Regents scheduling. We will share updates as soon as we know more.
Thank you again for your continued patience as we navigate this challenging time together.
With Liberty Pride,
Dr. Augustine E. Tornatore
Superintendent of Schools
School is CLOSED March 16-April 3
To our Liberty Schools community,
March 14, 2020: Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek has issued an emergency order closing all schools, including the Liberty Central School District, now through April 3.
Given that this is a rapidly evolving public health issue, school leaders have decided that this is the most prudent action available to limit the spread of COVID-19.
As the coronavirus continues to disrupt our day-to-day lives, the topmost priority of the Liberty Central School District remains steady: To keep our students and staff healthy and safe.
We will provide further updates soon regarding student work and meals. As always, we appreciate your patience and understanding. #LibertyPride
COVID-19 UPDATE: Teachers Prepare “Just In Case” Homework
The Liberty Central School District is prepared to meet the needs of our students and staff in the event of a school closure as a result of COVID-19.
There have been no reports of coronavirus in the Liberty community, but as a precaution teachers will send students home with packets of homework on Monday, March 16. Middle and High School students will also receive instructions on how to complete work electronically. Please set the packet aside; it only needs to be done if Liberty schools are closed for a period of two weeks or longer.
If you are a parent or guardian of a middle or high school student and you do not have internet access, please call 845-292-5400, ext 2031 during school hours so we can make sure your child has academic materials.
We thank you for your understanding and patience as we all work to keep students safe and educated during this challenging health situation. We will continue to keep our parents and guardians informed through our website, Facebook page, and school messaging system.
SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE: Protecting our students, staff from the spread of COVID-19 (March 10 Update)
With the recent news of confirmed cases of COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus in the Hudson Valley, Liberty Central School District officials are continuing to monitor information from local, state and federal officials.
Health officials emphasize that the general risk to the public remains low but we all need to be vigilant and cautious. There are many steps that students, staff and community members can take to minimize the spread of all respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. The NYS Department of Health urges the following:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
LCSD school nurses, teachers, and other faculty members are regularly reminding students about the importance of the above measures. Additionally, our custodial and maintenance teams are sanitizing our schools daily. High touch areas – such as door handles, handrails and elevator buttons – are cleaned and sanitized several times each school day. Rolling V, the district’s transportation company, has also stepped-up cleaning protocols and is sanitizing school buses every day.
Meanwhile, the district is preparing to meet the needs of our students and staff in the event the virus affects our community. Should a student or staff member be diagnosed with or presumed to have come in contact with COVID-19, it is anticipated that the district will close the effected buildings for 1-2 days to thoroughly sanitize and disinfect. The district is also prepared to provide students with classwork and is reviewing methods of remote instruction should an extended closure be necessary.
In the event of a school closure related to COVID-19, the district will first use our remaining “snow days.”
The state Department of Health has made quarantine mandatory for individuals returning to the U.S. from a known high-risk exposure area. Based on this, any Liberty student, family member or employee who has traveled to such an area should notify the school principal before coming to school. If the district becomes aware that a student or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19 we will notify staff and parents.
Please also note that exposure to COVID-19 can occur from any person-to-person contact and is not limited to a particular race or ethnicity.
More information about COVID-19 is available from the state Department of Health.
We appreciate the support of our Liberty families and will share more information as it becomes available. As always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to help prevent the spread of this illness.
Sincerely,
Dr. Augustine Tornatore
Superintendent of Schools
What parents need to know about the 2020 ELA and math tests
Every spring, the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests are administered to students in the Liberty Central School Distict and to all students across New York State.
These annual ELA and math tests for students are required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. The tests are designed to measure how well students are mastering the learning standards that guide classroom instruction and help to ensure that students are on track to graduate from high school with the critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning skills needed for success in college and the modern workplace.
The tests also show how schools and districts are progressing with the learning standards and can support professional development for teachers.
You can learn more about the tests here, on the New York State Department of Education’s website.
Student entrepreneurs enjoy Market Economy Day at LES
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a market economy?
What skills are needed to be an entrepreneur?
How can I balance creating a quality product while making a profit?
These are the questions our young entrepreneurs at Liberty Elementary School asked themselves leading up to their Market Economy Day on June 14
Market Economy Day is a third grade tradition that seeks to increase the financial literacy of the next generation of future entrepreneurs. By using a school store as a means to teach challenging subjects like finance, business and investing, teachers seek to train a new group of future business owners and creative thinkers.
In this unique form of instruction, students frequently encounter situations that provide the opportunity to relate economic terms and concepts to real classroom situations. The instruction leading up to Market Day focuses on the basics of economics, entrepreneurship customer service and money management.