December 9,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ in a recent study for the Ridgewood Board of Education , Demographer Ross Haber conducted a population survey that projected that the district’s student population will decrease by a little under 3% or 169 students over the next five years.
The decline in student population is being touted by the BOE as an opportunity ie the necessary facilities to accommodate a much prized full-day kindergarten program and perhaps continue to justify the $100 million plus school budget.
The same declining enrollment numbers are also being used in an attempt to mitigate the possible strain on the school district for the proposed building of high-density housing in four different locations in the central business district.
School Enrollment 2010-11 2015-16 – Percent 2020-21
District Total 5,753 – 5,527 -169 -2.97%
Hawes 408-435 7.14%
Orchard 343 -283 -20 -6.60%
Ridge 496-441 -2.65%
Somerville 524-401 -6.74%
Travell 405 -380 -0.78%
Willard 489 -486 -2.61%
How many more proposals to increase the endless Burden on the overburdened Taxpayers. Many of my neighbors openly talk of selling homes after 10 to 20 years inevitably to Younger couples with many young children also due to good schools here at great Taxpayer burden 73 percent taxes to schools
I, along with many friends like living here and do not have children in schools.
We subsidize those who do, many of whom make a lot more money than we do.
If the tax burden increases it will simply chase those of us long time residents out of town to make room for the new residents, most of who remain here for 10 years or so before moving back to NYC when their last kid graduates rhs.
With few exceptions our homes will be sold to families with children.
Enrollment will then increase. As will your taxes….exponentially.
Theres a LIMITED ACCESS TO MY WALLET
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH PRIVATE SCHOOLS AVAILABLE PLS ELECT YOUR OWN FUNDS UNTIL GRADE 1
I agree totally! With the LARGEST school system in all of Bergen County, the ONLY to redress the terrible imbalance is by building over 55 age restricted apartments.
The town could help right away by buying all of the houses in foreclosure in Ridgewoood, and reselling them with over 55 deed restrictions.
It’s time to STOP driving our parents out of town and start making it affordable for our kids to live here!
More like a full time baby sitters club at tax payer expense.
WE definitely need full day kindergarten. It is ridiculous that we do not have it now. And my kid has been out of high school for going on 20 years. But…..and read this carefully……there will be no room for the kids who will be moving into the high density housing projects.
Ridgewood, Get a Grip..Talk about Needy Parenting..
Move to Brooklyn to a 1 m dollar condo which is one crappy floor in a cheesy brownstone…Deblasio has your needy full day kindergarten covered..now Parking..that’s gonna cost alot
We don’t need a full day kindergarten. I worked part-time, my kids went to morning kindergarten then went over to Bethlehem Church for kindergarten enrichment on days I worked (school age day care). There’s no data to support any advantage to sending kids to full day kindergarten in our socio-economic cohort. Ridgewood moms will just have to continue to schedule their tennis lessons and lunches according to their kids schedules as they have done for decades.
Awesome, enrollment is down. So where is my tax refund? Where are the smaller classes? Where is the teacher contract? If enrollment stays down this should be a time to get the house in order, not add more kids!
Space? The teachers and aides hired will be an expense that will never end. Salaries and benefits cost the most because they will go on until the district goes bankrupt.
They WANT full day because, like a 10 year old, “everyone else has it.”If this were an urban district where kids were receiving meals, health services and social services in the schools then it would be a different story.
Full day will not get all of the Einsteins of Ridgewood into Ivy league. Give up that Fantasy. The learning will have no discernible lasting impact past third grade. Pay for enrichment if it is important. Kindergarten enrichment is a huge industry. There are a lot of great choices and at the end of one school year your problem is over. You paid for one year of enrichment and you did not impose a permanent expense on your neighbors.
Your temporary “problem” should not be a permanent part of the school budget.
I am finished with the schools. My 5 bedroom house will be very attractive to a young family. I am ambivalent about staying, a school tax increase may be the spark that I need. An exodus of empty nesters will not be good for the town.
when my kids were in Somerville there were two K classrooms and 2 am and 2 pm classes. Has enrollment gone down far enough to convert that area to 2 full day classes rom 4 half day classes?
Hawes is the only one having an increase in students: Hawes 408-435 7.14%. All other schools enrollments are down, with that, shouldn’t the pie be sliced and accommodation be given where regular classes are needed the most? Why does the BOE feel a need to continue justifying a $100 million plus school budget by providing full-day kindergarten for all 6 schools? The budget will only go over $100 million plus, 6 schools with full-day kindergarten equates to additional teachers, aides, plus benefits.
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If making money is more important than raising your own child then drop them in day care and pay for it yourselves.
As for the $100 mill budget – some of that must go to the administrators inflated salaries. There is so much dead weight at Cottage Pl……