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.

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.

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/.