The NFL issued the following statement on “Deflategate
The NFL issued the following statement on Friday afternoon in response to inquiries about “Deflategate”:
“Our office has been conducting an investigation as to whether the footballs used in last Sunday’s AFC Championship Game complied with the specifications that are set forth in the playing rules. The investigation began based on information that suggested that the game balls used by the New England Patriots were not properly inflated to levels required by the playing rules, specifically Playing Rule 2, Section 1, which requires that the ball be inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. Prior to the game, the game officials inspect the footballs to be used by each team and confirm that this standard is satisfied, which was done before last Sunday’s game.
“The investigation is being led jointly by NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss. Mr. Wells and his firm bring additional expertise and a valuable independent perspective. The investigation began promptly on Sunday night. Over the past several days, nearly 40 interviews have been conducted, including of Patriots personnel, game officials, and third parties with relevant information and expertise. We have obtained and are continuing to obtain additional information, including video and other electronic information and physical evidence. We have retained Renaissance Associates, an investigatory firm with sophisticated forensic expertise to assist in reviewing electronic and video information.
“The playing rules are intended to protect the fairness and integrity of our games. We take seriously claims that those rules have been violated and will fully investigate this matter without compromise or delay. The investigation is ongoing, will be thorough and objective, and is being pursued expeditiously. In the coming days, we expect to conduct numerous additional interviews, examine video and other forensic evidence, as well as relevant physical evidence. While the evidence thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were under-inflated were used by the Patriots in the first half, the footballs were properly inflated for the second half and confirmed at the conclusion of the game to have remained properly inflated. The goals of the investigation will be to determine the explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all of the relevant evidence.
“Upon being advised of the investigation, the Patriots promptly pledged their full cooperation and have made their personnel and other information available to us upon request. Our investigation will seek information from any and all relevant sources and we expect full cooperation from other clubs as well. As we develop more information and are in a position to reach conclusions, we will share them publicly.”
Ridgewood NJ, Seven athletes from Taekwondo All In, a school in downtown Ridgewood dedicated to teaching the Korean martial art, recently traveled to Oregon to compete in the Pan American Open, a tournament that drew over 1500 participants from more than 30 countries. The All In athletes’ results were striking: Nine Gold medals and three Silver, twelve medals in all. Moreover, every member of the All In team earned at least one gold medal.
The results are especially impressive considering the competitive field present at the Pan American Open. The Tournament is a designated path for athletes to ultimately qualify for the Summer Olympics. Of the participants, only twenty percent received any medal.
The details of the athletes’ outcomes are as follows:
• Brandon Jinu Son – Gold in sparring and Silver in forms. Son continued his undefeated career sparring record.
• Jongyun Tony An – Gold in forms and Silver sparring. An’s demonstrated his prowess in the forms segment.
• Jihoon David Ahn – Gold in both sparring and forms. This was Ahn’s first major tournament. He dominated his age group. In sparring, he captured the gold medal with an acrobatic jump back kick.
• Jiho Jason Ahn – Gold in sparring and Silver in forms. Ahn easily defeated his sparring opponents with well-devised strategies.
• Suyeon Louis Kim – Gold medal in forms. Kim demonstrated grace and precision to capture her first gold medal at a major tournament.
• Yeonjae Lee – Gold in forms. This was Yeonjae Lee’s first tournament. He fought through a very competitive group to earn a gold medal.
• Yeongyu Lee – Gold in both sparring and forms. It was also Yeongyu Lee’s first tournament. He came through in the final rounds to outpace his competitors.
Youngmin Kim, the head coach and owner of Taekowndo All In, commented, “I would like to congratulate our team for their stellar results. It is very difficult to perform at the premier level, and this year’s competition was fierce. Our athletes came through adversity with superb energy, discipline and grit.” He also noted, “I want to thank the parents of All In students for entrusting us with their children. It is a true privilege.”
Having successes at tournaments is nothing new for Taekowndo All In. Just a month ago, the All In athletes had a strong showing at a New Jersey statewide tournament, earning 47 medals. Also, earlier this year, they made impressive strides at the U.S. Nationals.
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art with a rich tradition of teaching self defense, mental discipline, and respect. The sport has been a part of the Summer Olympics since 2000. Taekwondo All In, located at 33 Chestnut Street in Ridgewood, was founded in 2012 by Youngmin Kim, a Taekwondo master and former scholarship recipient and professional athlete in the sport. (201) 857-0445
Local Author, MIKE DOYLE,at Bookends This Sunday (January 25th) at 2:00pm
Local Author, MIKE DOYLE, will sign his new book: BEAUTIFUL LEGO 2: DARK ($39.95). This Sunday (January 25th) at 2:00pm
Beautiful LEGO 2: Dark showcases dark LEGO masterpieces from artists around the world. From realistic sculptures of creepy crawlers to impressionist works of shadowy nightmares, this collection will leave you marveling at every turn. But dark has its lighter side, too—with sculptures of dark chocolate as well as plenty of black humor on display.
Gothic fantasies and sci-fi horrors come to life in scenes created entirely with the simple LEGO brick. Step into a world of pure imagination in Beautiful LEGO 2: Dark.
“Far from child’s play. An astonishing collection.” —Publishers Weekly praise for Beautiful LEGO
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.
While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
JANUARY 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015, 12:30 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
‘There is room for beneficial change’
To the editor:
For four years now – two as a resident observer and two as a consultant to the Enclave development – I have been following the dialogue around developing luxury residential units in Ridgewood’s downtown. The process will conclude in the next month or so with a vote at the Planning Board on amending the master plan to allow greater density for residential on four underutilized sites including two former car dealerships.
It has been fascinating to see this process unfold in my town after providing services to developers in similar scenarios over the last 30 years. The most common opposition to these plans comes under the umbrella of “Ridgewood is Different.” Yes, we’ve somehow persuaded ourselves to say it with a capital “D” and that is why this process, which should have taken no more than six months and been an exercise in information and logic, instead has dragged in for six years and tangled us in an unnecessarily wrenching dialogue.
The testimony from the developer’s side has been about what you’d expect – perhaps more intense in response to the opposition, but professional and comprehensive. The testimony from the village planner has been conclusive as to the planning issues: there is not better solution for these sites than what has been proposed if benefits are measured against impacts and if professional planning standards are imposed. Truly a masterful job was performed that the village should take pride in.
Where this process has had its breakdowns is not in its structure, which is part of well-established law. The hallmark of this process has been disingenuousness and political messaging – neither of which is appropriate when such critical issues as the village’s strategy to protect the viability of its downtown and its affordable housing obligation are at stake.
Our school populations are falling and even the most dire predictions of added school children have been called a non-issue by the school superintendant. The traffic consultant assures us that impacts from the proposed developments are less than previous uses and less than other options. The planner has worked to prevent additional sites from being subject to unwanted development.
And yet my friends – on the podium and in the audience – who don’t want the development are accusing developers of lying and village professionals of malfeasance. And they also are intimidating my other friends, who would like to move a parent into a nice apartment downtown or move there themselves when their housing needs change – from expressing their opinions by intimating social consequences.
Really people? It’s time to accept that on the edges of our own “Ridgewood is Different” visions and biases – and despite some downright racial prejudices that we very unexpectedly saw emerge – there is room for beneficial, if imperfect, change. When the Planning Board asks for your public comment, try and not use the capital D to Denigrate or Destruct; it should mean Distinguished.
For those of you who still believe that luxury apartments in Ridgewood’s Central Business District would not attract families with school aged children, this word from Board of Education officials in Edgewater regarding the number of school aged children living in the fire scorched Avalon apartment complex.
From nj.com:
“Of those displaced, school officials said Friday approximately 165 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 resided in the Avalon complex.”
NJ’s annual job growth slow, with some bright spots
JANUARY 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY HUGH R. MORLEY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
* State’s growth trails well behind nation’s
Four years after New Jersey reached its post-recession employment low, figures released Thursday show the state’s economic recovery continues to be slow.
The state added a modest 29,000 jobs in 2014, leaving employment far below its pre-recession peak and lower even than the level 14 years ago, according to the monthly employment report released by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The report showed New Jersey shed 400 jobs last month, even as national employment forged ahead strongly, adding 252,000 jobs in December. And although the state’s jobless rate dropped from 6.4 percent to 6.2 percent, it remains above the national figure of 5.6 percent.
The report, nevertheless, contained some positive elements, including the fact that the state added more jobs in 2014 than the previous year, despite the loss of thousands of casino jobs in Atlantic City, a very harsh winter and the lingering effects of Superstorm Sandy.
“It was a sustained, moderate pace of growth,” said Patrick O’Keefe, director of economic research at the accounting firm CohnReznick.
Icahn: Oil will go lower, Saudi Arabia blindsiding the world
Everett Rosenfeld | @Ev_Rosenfeld
The price of oil will go lower as supply and demand remain unbalanced, activist investor Carl Icahn said Thursday.
Icahn, who spoke with CNBC’s “Fast Money: Halftime Report,” said that Saudi Arabia’s decision not to cut oil production blindsided the global market, and that he expects the commodity’s price will keep sliding.
“I think [oil’s price] will continue to go down unless there is some outside event,” Icahn said.
MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH DAYBREAK WITH
SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR. THIS WILL RESULT IN 2 TO
5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL ACROSS THE AREA…WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER
AMOUNTS. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO MIX WITH SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN
TOWARD DAYBREAK AT THE COAST.
MOTORISTS NEED TO BE ALERT FOR SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADWAYS AND VISIBILITIES OF LESS THAN A HALF MILE AT TIMES.
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS
EVENING…
* LOCATIONS…MUCH OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT…THE LOWER HUDSON
VALLEY…AND INTERIOR NORTHEASTERN NEW JERSEY
* HAZARD TYPES…SNOW AND ICE.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 3 TO 5 INCHES…WITH
LOCALLY 6 INCH AMOUNTS. 1 TO 2 TENTHS OF AN INCH OF ICE.
* VISIBILITY…ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES SATURDAY
MORNING.
* TIMING…SNOW WILL BE MODERATE TO HEAVY EARLY THIS MORNING…THEN
MIX WITH AND CHANGE TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN DURING
THE MID TO LATE MORNING. PRECIPITATION SHOULD THEN GRADUALLY
CHANGING BACK TO SNOW MID TO LATE AFTERNOON BEFORE ENDING IN THE
EVENING.
* IMPACTS…HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS DUE TO REDUCED
VISBILITIES AND SNOW/ICE COVERED ROADS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CA– USE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY…AND — USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
Lenore Skenazy’s New Show Brings Free-Range Parenting to Your TV Screen
Show airs Thursdays at 9 pm on Discovery Life
Robby Soave|Jan. 22, 2015 3:52 pm
Reason contributor and super-star Lenore Skenazy will be dousing the flames of parental paranoia on her very own show, “World’s Worst Mom,” beginning Thursday (tonight) at 9:00 p.m. EST on the Discovery Life channel.
The title is a satirical jape at Skenazy, who has embraced that distinction as a form of protest against helicopter parenting. Readers of her work here at Reason—and at her blog, Free-Range Kids—know that Skenazy is dedicated to the cause of helping parents put aside irrational (often debilitating) fears regarding their children’s safety. On her show, Skenazy meets with real parents whose anxieties have made them stifle their kids’ independence—such as a mother who spoon-feeds her 10-year-old son because she’s afraid he will choke, and won’t let him ride a bike. Skenazy’s mission is to show these parents that the healthiest thing they can do for their children is let them try new things, spend time alone, and discover that the world isn’t such a scary place, after all.
“World’s Worst Mom,” is real: the hyper-protective parents featured on it are real, worries and all. And while they represent the far-end of helicopter parenting, too many adults share some of their fears—even though kids are growing up today in the safest time in world history.
Is Homeschooling Right for You?
Jan 23, 2015
Jessica A. Bush
10 THINGS TO CONSIDER: PART 1: The prospect of homeschooling is a daunting task as it has many advantages as well as some disadvantages. We know you want what is best for your children, and so if you are thinking of homeschooling, here are some things you should consider before making your final decision.
Why homeschool?
There are always a number of schooling choices in every neighborhood, so you need to have a really strong idea of why you want to homeschool. Homeschooling takes an enormous amount of your time, requires organization and a whole lot of work on your behalf, so having really strongly formed reasons for why you want to embark on this is important to keep you going.
What are the legal requirements?
Contact your local school boards for curriculums and the legal requirements you have as a parent. Each school board has materials and books for homeschooling that make it easier for you to create and follow a curriculum that covers everything your child needs to learn in each semester.
Join homeschooling groups in your area as they will have a wealth of information too. Register your family for homeschool and ensure that you know your legal responsibilities.
What is your homeschooling style?
As homeschooling develops, so does the number of homeschooling styles. From classic to eclectic to unschooling, select your style and ensure it fits with your child’s learning style.
Who will help you?
Most people have academic strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps you and your husband have different talents and can share the workload or perhaps you will need tutors to guide your child through those subjects that you don’t excel at. Ensure that you have a plan that covers the entire curriculum and don’t be afraid to ask for help; you don’t have to do everything on your own.
Another possibility is to share classes with other homeschooling families in a homeschooling co-op. This will help to reduce your work load and will ensure that your children are getting a great education from like-minded individuals.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
It’s really important to be honest about this; sure we would love to do everything ourselves, but we have to provide the absolute best for our children. If you are poor at discipline or schedules, then ask for help making one that the family has to stick to. Know your strong points and play to them; know your weaknesses and illicit help from your family members, homeschooling community and tutors.
What is your support base?
Create a support base for yourself that will create a community of learning that supports your children. Friends, family members, other homeschooling families and tutors will help you to create a community in which your children are free to learn, grow and play. This community is also there to help you and to provide the support you need to enjoy your homeschooling experience and to provide advice and ideas that you can adopt so your homeschooling practice evolves and grows with your family.
Michael Kaminski’s response to the 1/20 @NJSBA memo
Michael Kaminski is a high school history teacher with 23 years of teaching experience. He is also the president of the Delran Education Association.
I’ve read the January 20, 2015 release from the New Jersey School Boards Association, “Your Local School Board, Your Students and PARCC: Frequently Asked Questions” and quite frankly, it’s not worth the internet bandwidth that it takes up. I’m still trying to figure out why you’re speaking up now – on this issue – in support of PARCC and sit and stare, when your silence has been deafening on so many other important educational issues. Nevertheless, your FAQs require some more appropriate answers, so here they are.
Are school districts required to administer the PARCC assessment?
NJSBA says yes, and on that lone point we can agree. Unfortunately, no one in educational leadership seems to understand what the term “administer” means. Does it mean “manage the operation or use of,” “to provide or apply; to put something into effect,” or even “to give ritually?” Apparently, the NJSBA believes that the term means “to force children to take” and if they don’t take it the first time, “to give habitually and repeatedly until they finally submit and take the darn test” because that is precisely what the majority of school administrators across the state are intending to do come March and May: administer and then re-administer the PARCC for as long as it takes to achieve compliance.
Must students participate in the PARCC assessment?
NJSBA says yes. Interesting enough, they correctly assert that state regulations contain the following provision: “…all students at grade levels 3 through 12…shall take appropriate Statewide assessments as scheduled.” Interesting because the Supreme Court has weighed in on the use of the term “shall.” In Cairo & Fulton R.R. Co. v. Hecht, the US Supreme Court sated: “As against the government the word “shall” when used in statutes, is to be construed as “may” unless a contrary intention is manifest. In George Williams College v. Village of Williams Bay, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin stated that “shall” in a statute may be construed as “may” in order to avoid constitutional doubt. In Gow v. Consoliated Coppermines Corp, a Delaware court stated “If necessary to avoid unconstitutionality of a statute, “shall” will be deemed equivalent to “may.” I think this sufficiently makes the point – but let’s see if a “contrary intention is manifest.” Even Commissioner Hespe stated in his September 30 memo that “…these advanced students are not expected to take a PARCC End-of-course assessment in mathematics, but must still demonstrate competency in mathematics to receive a state-endorsed diploma.” So, the Commissioner has acknowledged that “shall” is “may” and not “must” – at least in this case. But how about in others? According to his October 8 memo, the Commissioner said that “The NJDOE is not requiring students to take any commercial test as a condition of graduation but will allow schools to determine graduation readiness in a number of different ways.” Doesn’t sound like “shall” means “must” to me… But let’s pursue one other avenue. From that same memo: “Is a student who does not pass a PARCC end-of-course assessment required to retake the assessment”? Hespe’s DOE says “No. A student is not required to retake an assessment or retake the course.” Huh? So you “shall” take this completely meaningless test that you’ll only be “required” to retake if you refuse to respond to the questions. But no one else will. It doesn’t sound like the NJ DOE meant “must” when they said “shall.”
Do statutes, regulations or court decisions permit students to opt out of the state testing program?
NJSBA says no. But that’s not the whole truth. While there is no provision for “opting out” in New Jersey, other states do have such provisions. Somehow, those states are able to violate the conditions of the federal NCLB Act (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) and the 95% that the NJSBA refers to later in its document with impunity, but in New Jersey, they want us to believe that we cannot. So…we can’t opt out. Technically true. But WE COULD REF– USE.
What action should a school district take if a student refuses to participate in PARCC?
NJSBA cites Hespe’s memo that says that districts are “not required to provide an alternative educational program for students who do not participate in the statewide assessment.” So they are not required to…but they can. Here, the Commissioner clearly understands the concept that “shall” means “may” but not “must.” Districts absolutely can provide an alternative educational program. Just ask Bloomfield, Delran, Robbinsville, Milburn, Woodbridge, West Orange, Little Egg Harbor, Mahwah, Berlin Borough, Union Township, Waldwick, Washington Township, Swedesboro, Montville, and Princeton. Even the NJSBA admits that “districts have the discretion on how they will address situations” related to test refusal. Clearly. Thank you.
The NJSBA goes on to state emphatically that “the Spring 2015 PARCC Test Coordinator and Test Administrator Manuals provide guidance on what NJ school districts should do when a student refuses to take the state assessment.” No doubt they do. I completely agree with you. Pearson has stated that test refusals are “non-tested students” and the PARCC manual clearly states that non-tested students are prohibited from even entering the testing environment. So, on this issue, we agree. Students who refuse cannot enter the testing environment, meaning that they cannot be forced to “sit and stare.” Doing so would be a violation of testing security and would put school administrators at risk of losing their certification – since they are the ones who are insisting – on the behalf of the DOE – that students must “sit and stare.”
What is the impact on the school district if students do not participate in PARCC?
According to the NJSBA, the sky will fall. They cite the Commissioner’s October 30th memo and claim that districts must meet the 95% requirement. For some reason, both he and the NJSBA fail to mention that NJ has an NCLB waiver. School districts that do not receive federal Title I monies have NO OBLIGATION to meet the 95%. See FairTest.org’s piece on this. We are under NO obligation to meet those testing requirements. Even schools that receive Title I funds are not at risk of LOSING funding for failing to meet the magical “95%” – they would simply be told to re-direct a small percentage of their Title I funds for “remediation” purposes. So, let’s not get fooled by them holding funding over our heads, because honestly, even if this were true – if we’re only testing because we’re afraid of losing funding, what does that say about the testing itself? Threaten – Test – Punish. What a wonderful educational climate we’re living in.
But what about the Average Daily Attendance? Well, the NJSBA got it right. Schools could be adversely affected if their average daily attendance over a three-year period falls under 96%. All I can say to this is – perhaps the NJSBA and Commissioner Hespe and some of the more heavy-handed Superintendents in our state should not be suggesting that we keep our children home from school during testing days unless they want to risk losing funding as a result of their own advice. Better yet, maybe test refusals should consider keeping their children home during testing as leverage against Draconian “sit and stare measures.” You want my child to sit and stare? My response will be to keep them home and then you might actually risk losing your precious testing dollars. Race to THAT top.
NJQSAC? Low participation rates “may” negatively affect your QSAC outcome. There are too many variables here to consider…and the NJSBA took a page out the Hespe playbook here. They were so intentionally vague you can’t even tell if there’s any shred of truth to this. Well played, NJSBA. I challenge you to offer proof that districts will lose funding for failure to meet PARCC participation levels specific to QSAC. As a matter of fact, I challenge you to offer proof that ANY DISTRICT ANYWHERE IN NEW JERSEY will lose funding under ANY of the conditions that you mention in this portion of the document. (Waiting patiently…)
What is the impact on students who do not participate in PARCC?
NJSBA wants us to believe that there’s some “valuable information about his or her academic progress and needs that will not be available.” Um…like what? What is PARCC going to provide that your child’s teacher cannot provide? What is PARCC going to provide that is any different or better than what Hespe’s last failed attempt at standardized testing (NJ ASK/HSPA) provided? And while I’m on that point – why should we believe that Hespe can suddenly get this testing thing right when he admitted during his presentation at the NJEA Convention that ASK and HSPA failed to provide us with the data we needed to really assess how we’re doing. So we tested for a decade based on his recommendation and now he returns to the big boy seat in the DOE to tell us all he was wrong all that time – but, seriously, this time he really knows that he’s gotten it right? Or, that PEARSON has gotten it right? Sorry. I just cant buy that.
Then, NJSBA adds a threat about “excessive absences.” You’re the one telling us we should be absent to avoid testing. Just you – and the Commissioner – and his cronies.
May a school board adopt an opt-out policy?
NSBA says “there is no explicit statutory or regulatory prohibition against such a policy.” Thank you. Good day.
But what about the “Code of Ethics for School Board Members?” I’m pretty sure that treating both tested students and non-tested students compassionately is in direct alignment with the Code of Ethics. Our schools are entrusted to care for our students – every single one of them – whenever they are in their care. It’s incomprehensible to me that this could somehow mean that school boards “can’t” or “shouldn’t” create opt-out/refusal provisions, but SHOULD enforce sit and stare policies. I challenge the NJSBA to explain to me how “sit and stare” jives with the Code of Ethics.
There’s no reason to discuss the remainder of the NJSBA document. But, I would make some recommendations to the NJSBA:
Start attending the DOE open public testimony sessions. There, you’ll come to the realization that NJ residents are NOT happy with the PARCC and are not pleased with the Commissioner’s response to test refusals.
Attend the PARCC Study Commission open public testimony sessions. There will be hundreds of citizens testifying about how bad the PARCC is – and about how they want the Commissioner and school boards across this state to come up with non-punitive, educationally sound responses for test refusals. It will be overwhelming. Trust me.
Listen to NJ 101.5. I can’t believe I’m suggesting anyone listen to this station which has been notorious for its bashing of public school teachers, but even they get it. This test is bad. Sit and stare is bad. Pearson is the devil.
Ask your members…your own local BOE presidents. Ask them what’s been happening in their own districts. They’ll tell you the same thing. People want answers. And they are not the answers you’re giving them. They’re not the answers in your January 20 document.
New Jerseyans want responsible, student-centered, educationally-appropriate activities for test refusers, and while that’s the most immediate concern connected to the upcoming PARCC administrations, New Jerseyans also want to have a say in what has been a completely one-sided conversation on testing. I believe that they, like me, are fed up with the over-testing of our children and they want it to stop.
________________________________
*Adding: In response to a number of public posts–primarily from parents–criticizing the 1/20 memo, the NJSBA posted this response on its Facebook page:
New education standards emphasize technical reading skills over an appreciation for literature and the deeper values it can instill.
Michael Godsey Jan 22 2015, 10:00 AM
When I was in high school, I chose to major in English in college because I wanted to be wiser. That’s the word I used. If I ended up making lots of money or writing a book, great; but really, I liked the prospect of being exposed to great thoughts and deep advice, and the opportunity to apply them to my own life in my own clumsy way. I wanted to live more thoughtfully and purposefully. (Also, I hoped literature would help me understand girls.) Now I’m a veteran English teacher, reflecting on what’s slowly changed at the typical American public high school—and the word wisdom keeps haunting me. I don’t teach it as much anymore, and I wonder who is.
As a new teacher at San Luis Obispo High School in California more than a decade ago, I asked my principal about his expectations for my students’ Advanced Placement scores. He said, “Just make sure the kids are ready for the next part of their lives. They’re going to be on their own soon, and forever. Prepare them for that. Literature can help.”
His idea of how to prepare kids for their futures was significantly different, in both meaning and tone, from how teachers are now being informed by the Common Core State Standards—the controversial math and English benchmarks that have been adopted in most states—and the writers and thought leaders who shape the assessments matched to those standards. It all amounts to an alphabet soup of bureaucratic expectations and what can feel like soul-less instruction. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium—referred to in education circles simply as “SBAC”—is the association that writes a Common Core-aligned assessment used in 25 states, including mine. The consortium has established four of what it calls “major claims”; the first purports that students are “college and career ready” if they “can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of complex literary and informational text.”
Christie at Edgewater fire scene: “I’m here to make sure” displaced not forgotten
EDGEWATER – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, criticized in recent weeks for spending too much time traveling to set up a potential 2016 Republican presidential nomination bid, made sure that in the wake of Wednesday night’s devastating fire in Edgewater, he was front and center to offer the state’s help.
“At times like this, what people are most concerned about is being forgotten,” said Christie on Thursday as residents of the Edgewater apartment complex that was gutted by fire on Wednesday streamed into the borough’s community center seeking relief, some greeting the governor. “That’s why I’m here – to make sure that people know we will not forget. We will make sure that we do everything we can to try to assist them, and to have this transitional period be as short, safe and comfortable as it can be for themselves and their families, and then to move on from there.” (Bonamo/PolitickerNJ)
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA AGUILAR Little Taylor Aguilar is shown enjoying a happy day at the beach.
Runners in Ridgewood remember Taylor Aguilar
JANUARY 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY GAIL KISLEVITZ
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Every year for the past three years between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a group of Ridgewood residents participate in a mile challenge. Starting on Thanksgiving, the goal is to run at least a mile a day until Dec. 25. This year, what started out as a way for people to keep off the weight gain during the holiday season turned into an uplifting act for a Ridgewood family’s tragic loss.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA AGUILAR
Pictured on Christmas morning celebrating the memory of Taylor Aguilar are: Julie Greaney, Emery Flannery, Meredith Sullivan, Luke Pash, Yishane Lee, Rich Cariddi, Mike Aguilar, Pat Pash, Kathy Pash, MJ Aguilar, Keith Tobias, Jamie Cariddi, John Aguilar, Alex Cariddi, Brandon Ho, Champa Ho, Anna Aguilar, Paola Shaddow, Charlie Shaddow, Amelia Shaddow and Gabe Shaddow. Participating that day but not pictured: Harrison Cariddi, Christine Tobias, Colden Tobias, Kennedy Tobias, Mike F. Aguilar, Marianne Aguilar, Max Aguilar, Mike Shaddow and Josie Shaddow.
Pictured on Christmas morning celebrating the memory of Taylor Aguilar are: Julie Greaney, Emery Flannery, Meredith Sullivan, Luke Pash, Yishane Lee, Rich Cariddi, Mike Aguilar, Pat Pash, Kathy Pash, MJ Aguilar, Keith Tobias, Jamie Cariddi, John Aguilar, Alex Cariddi, Brandon Ho, Champa Ho, Anna Aguilar, Paola Shaddow, Charlie Shaddow, Amelia Shaddow and Gabe Shaddow. Participating that day but not pictured: Harrison Cariddi, Christine Tobias, Colden Tobias, Kennedy Tobias, Mike F. Aguilar, Marianne Aguilar, Max Aguilar, Mike Shaddow and Josie Shaddow.
For the past three years, Jamie Cariddi of Ridgewood, along with her brother Keith Hollander of Ho-Ho-Kus, both Ridgewood High School graduates (’95 and ’96 respectively) have organized the Mile a Day Challenge. Conceived by Hollander, a marathoner and triathlete, with the idea that participants would run at least a mile a day but no less, he states that “the initial motivation was to provide a challenge to keep people accountable to maintain their fitness during the holiday season.” This initial intent still stands, but this year, the event became something more. The Mile a Day Challenge raised $1,000 for the National Down Syndrome Society in memory of Taylor Aguilar, who passed away in October at age seven from lung disease. Taylor, who was born with Down Syndrome, was the daughter of Anna and Michael Aguilar of Ridgewood, a triplet to her brothers, Michael and John and sister to her brother Max.
JANUARY 22, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015, 2:40 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
In drafting a working definition for the term “civility,” participants of Tuesday’s Civility Roundtable discussion harkened back to the sermon of this week’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.
“It’s OK to be angry, but do not sin,” said the Rev. Thomas Johnson, pastor at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, repeating the biblical verse quoted by the Rev. James Forbes Jr. on Monday.
“To sin,” added Robin Ritter, program coordinator at the Ridgewood Library, “that’s the disrespectful behavior. If we look at it that way, what’s the appropriate response? I’m angry, we’re talking about it, how do we have that dialogue?”
Finding the answer to Ritter’s question is the roundtable’s overriding goal, to create more civil behavior in Ridgewood’s public discourse. During their conversation this week, the panel members took the next step in promoting civility by recognizing what goes into civil discourse.
“Civility is not only the right thing to do and the decent thing, it’s the smart thing to do,” said Mayor Paul Aronsohn. “[By being more civil] this enriches the conversation and probably helps us to get to where we need to be.”
