DISCOVER
Livingston Public Schools
 Empowering all to learn, create, contribute and grow.

Feature Photo: "Music to Our Ears"
Student musicians "brought the house down" at the Collins Winter Concert! Shown getting ready to go on stage are fourth graders Annabelle Krom Hernandez, Aviya Naor and Mikayla Narouz.

New This Week
Don't stop scrolling!
Find information on the following news, and more, in this week's DISCOVER.

  • Lunch With the Superintendent
  • Puma Pride Awards
  • GT Passion Projects
  • Zero Waste Challenge at LHS
  • Students Participate at Town Hall Event
  • Elementary School Happenings
Superintendent Matters
Over the last few weeks, superintendent Dr. Matt Block has spent time sharing lunch with middle and high school students as part of his efforts to connect and communicate with all of the stakeholders in the Livingston Public Schools community. Dr. Block’s “Lunch with the Superintendent” tour included stops at Mt. Pleasant Middle School, Heritage Middle School and Livingston High School. The students had the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns with Dr. Block, as well as provide feedback on their LPS experience. See more photos HERE.
Student Matters
“Rainbow bridge, cargo net, rock wall, crossover, A-Frame…” These are all words to describe the challenges that students at MPE faced on the Whittle, an apparatus that challenges their ability to climb over, climb under, go around and try to do something they couldn't do the week prior! Shown conquering their fears under the watchful eye of physical education teacher Mr. Raz Blau are fourth grade students Jenna Reed, Talia Feldman, Julia Schulof, Arden Ginsberg, Zackery Kim, Shubhada Bhoyar and Arielle Kadouri.
Burnet Hill’s Student Council led a school-wide collection of items to be donated to the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter. They collected blankets, dog and cat food, dog and cat toys, kitty litter, and leashes. Shown with the items collected are Student Council secretary Shona Kumar, Vice-President Oscar Huang, and President Zachary Eckstein.
Kindergartners in Caroline Dugan’s class celebrated the Lunar New Year. They made dragon puppets after learning about the traditional dragon dancers that perform in parades. Students also decorated rat headbands in honor of the Year of the Rat! Shown are Malia Aminzia, Andrew Shen, Patrick Shyu, Sadie Gill, and Mackenzie Cherisier.
Student musicians brought the house down at the Collins Winter Concert! Shown getting ready to go on stage are Annabelle Krom Hernandez, Aviya Naor and Mikayla Narouz.
Aryan Jain and Ilan Sundick worked on a Year of the Rat-themed project in honor of the Lunar New Year celebration. They are second graders in Mrs. Tara Lockwood’s second-grade class at Riker Hill.  
Nicole Edelson's first grade class at Harrison is learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of kindness. They read “All Are Welcome,” and wrote and painted on the theme of the book. Shown are Charisma Thomas, Faiza Siddiqui, Willa Platt, Morgan Nachtome and Alex Lee.
Puma Pride Awards
Students who demonstrate outstanding “Puma Pride” to their team and school community at Mt. Pleasant Middle School are recognized with Puma Pride Awards. The award honors those who exemplify the traits that make up MPMS’ Pillars of Character Education: Caring, Respect, Responsibility, and Trustworthiness. As a school, teachers and administrators discuss with students what each of these character traits mean and what they look like in the classroom, cafeteria, hallways, and on the bus. The goal is to build a community that is responsible, respectful, trustworthy, caring, and kind!

The most recent Puma Pride Award winners include Reid Snow, Jack Liu, Ciara McGuirk, Sienna Elichman, Emma Liu, Abby Cetta, Eve Parrott, Aarav Srivastava, Austin Schragen, Mika Duvivier, Danny Nugent, Mishtha Goswami, Mary Kate Marino, Nesta Oji, Jesse Petchers, and Ethan Liu.
"What Do You Do
With An Idea?"
Sixth graders at Mt. Pleasant Middle School were presented with this question on their first day of GT classes this year after reading the book of the same name by Kobi Yamada. The students were then given the unique opportunity to take their ideas, questions, and interests and turn them into a passion project!
Making Their Voices Heard
US Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill held her first Town Hall meeting of 2020 at Heritage Middle School on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Livingston High School Student Government and Heritage Middle School Student Council members were invited to attend the event as special guests and ask questions. Read more HERE.
Zero Waste Challenge
Livingston High School students recently had the opportunity to participate in the Zero Waste Challenge. Those who signed up for the school-wide challenge competed to see who generated the least amount of trash in one school week. 

Find out who the winners were HERE!
Music Matters
Jazz Band Dinner Dance
Buy your tickets now for the 10th annual Livingston High School Jazz Band Dinner Dance! Proceeds support all of the LHS bands. For more information, email JazzDance@LHSBandBoosters.
School Matters
The Battle of the Hills
It's been a long time coming....

On Thursday, February 6, teachers from Riker Hill and Burnet Hill Elementary Schools will face off in a much anticipated competition and display of their basketball skills!

The highly anticipated "Battle of the Hills" will be held on Thursday, February 6, at 6:30 p.m. The game will be played on the court at Heritage Middle School.

While the competition will be fierce, the heart of the "Hills battle" will benefit the community. All proceeds will be donated to Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors!

Come out to support your school, cheer on your teacher-athletes, and give back to the community at this ultimate fight for bragging rights!
District Matters
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration is now open! Please note that you need to complete the entire kindergarten registration process by May 15th in order to be notified of your child’s school placement by June 1st. This includes families with older siblings already attending a school within the District.

Click HERE for details on the three-step pre-registration process.
Parent Matters
How to Develop the Confidence And Self-Esteem of Our Children
The Department of Student Services will hold a parent workshop, "How to Develop the Confidence and Self-Esteem of Our Children" on Wednesday, February 12. The program, which is for parents of PreK-8th grade students with disabilities, will be held in the Media Center at Heritage Middle School from 7 to 8 p.m.
K-5 SEL Parent Program
Please join us on February 26, 2020 at 7 p.m. for a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Parent Academy at Riker Hill Elementary School! Sinead Crews, Director of School Counseling, and the elementary school counselors will present an informative program devoted to exploring social emotional learning with K-5 parents! During the program, parents will have the option of attending two break-out sessions on specific topics relates to students' social and emotional development, as well as learn about resources and strategies.
Student Services Newsletter
The mission of the Department of Student Services is to identify students who meet the federal and state guidelines as a student with a disability. The department is focused and committed to providing a program to meet the diverse academic, social, and emotional needs of our students.

Read about "Social Emotional Learning in Our Schools," as well as upcoming parent programs in the department's most recent newsletter!
Parent Development Programs
Livingston Public Schools offers a variety of parent development programs throughout the school year. Click the link below for a list of programs that will be offered for the 2019-2020 school year.
Mark Your Calendars!
Find Important Information
LPS invites parents to visit our "Parent Resources" page to find information regarding the Genesis portal, academic calendars, food services, new student registration, transportation, district communications, forms, and more.

In addition, to subscribe to news based on your child's school and your interests, visit our "District Communications" page and sign up for newsletters, e-blasts, and more. 
Parent Academy
Our Parent Academy website is designed to ensure that all resources provided at our events are accessible to all community members. We hope you find these helpful as you engage in your child’s education!
Follow, Like, and Please Share!
What's On Your Mind?
We're interested in hearing what's on your mind. Share a story. Ask a question. Let us know about your concerns, anything from school safety and security to budget matters. Give a shout out to a special teacher. Talk with the Superintendent or Board of Education. Email your message c/o the Communications and Community Outreach Coordinator.
Community Matters
The Livingston Advisory Committee for Disabilities (LACD) offers great programs, free of charge, for people with special needs and their families. See below for more LACD programs!
Shining Stars offers "funtastic programs for exceptional individuals." Learn more HERE!
ATTENTION LHS STUDENTS!
SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Employment Opportunities
Playground Aides Needed
Livingston Public Schools is looking to hire early arrival and lunch time playground aids. Do you have a few hours to spare at the beginning or in the middle of the day? Would you enjoy being responsible for the well-being of our students before school in the morning and during their lunch hour? Successful candidates will provide supervision of PreK-5 students both in the school and on the playground. Starting salary begins at $15.50/hour. Download the application, or stop by the Central Office at 11 Foxcroft Drive to pick up an application!
Substitute Nurses
Livingston Public Schools is seeking substitute school nurses. Applicants must hold current license issued by the NJ Board of Nursing as a professional registered nurse (RN) and possess or be eligible for a Substitute Nurse Certificate. CPR/AED certification is required ($200/day). Interested candidates should contact Carolyn Ross at cross@livingston.org

Substitute Teachers
Livingston Public Schools is seeking substitute teachers ($100/day). Applicants must either possess certification as a teacher in New Jersey or a substitute certificate. 

For more information, please visit our website, www.livingston.org, or contact Annette Ferreira at aferreira@livingston.org.  
Crossing Guards
The Township of Livingston continues to look for crossing guards for its many posts throughout town. Crossing guards provide an important service to our students, helping them navigate the streets around our schools safely each day. Click HERE for application.
DISCOVER is the e-newsletter from Livingston Public Schools with stories about students, teachers, and programs, and news about recent accomplishments and awards.