Dear Liberty families,

I am proud of our diverse community here at Liberty Central School District. Every one of you brings a unique perspective to our district that enriches us all.

I understand that some in our community may be concerned about changes that may occur in the coming weeks and months with a new administration.

We just want you all to know that we are committed to providing all of our students a quality education. As part of the commitment, we embrace the Parent Bill of Rights for New York State’s English Language Learners.

The document guarantees access to free public education in the school district where a student lives, regardless of the immigration status of the parent/guardian or student and the language that the family speaks. It also allows for families to enroll students without submitting paperwork that may reveal immigration status. The document also makes provisions for providing interpreters, a bilingual education and more. For more information, you can call the ELL Parent Hotline at 1-800-469-8224, email nysparenthotline@nyu.edu or mail New York State Education Department, Office of Bilingual Education & World Languages, 55 Hanson Place, Room 594, Brooklyn, NY 11217.

We also understand our rights and responsibilities in protecting and helping all of our students.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the state Office of Attorney General and the state Education Department also recently issued guidance and reminders regarding the educational rights of immigrant families and the responsibilities of school districts in regard to bullying and harassment, law enforcement actions, detainment and deportation of family members. The document also listed numerous resources available to families. The full document is available on the SED website here.

It is important for us to educate our students and their families, beyond the classroom, so they can learn and grow here in Liberty.

To that end, I want to make you aware of an upcoming event to which Liberty families are invited. The New York Immigration Coalition will present a workshop on immigrant rights from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at Fallsburg Central School District’s Benjamin Cosor Elementary School Cafeteria at 15 Old Falls Road in Fallsburg.

We are also updating our English as a New Language webpage to provide more resources.

Please reach out to our Student Services and School Counseling/Guidance Offices for more information and resources, and as always, if you have questions, please email questions@libertyk12.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Sullivan
Superintendent