Category: Bergen County

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Does healthcare trump the health of a community?

Jeff Voigt Ridgewood

April 7,2016
Village Council Candidate Jeff Voigt

Ridgewood NJ, This past Tuesday’s vote by the planning board sent a clear message to the Village of Ridgewood residents; that healthcare trumps the health and well-being of a community.  Pete McKenna of the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood said it best back in May 2014: The Village will be inextricably burdened in providing a benefit to the region. Is this fair?

The planning board majority (6 in total out of 9; Aronsohn, Nalbantian, Reilly, Joel, Abdalla, Thurston) who voted in favor of the settlement stated that the Village runs the risk of losing a further lawsuit and as well, if the Village loses the lawsuit would keep in effect the 2010 Master plan H zone, a more egregious plan.   However, in the settlement that was negotiated between the planning board and Valley, the terms appeared to fall squarely in favor of Valley, with Valley reducing its size (bulk) by only 3% (and gaining most of what it wanted – to the detriment of the health and well-being of the Village).  The total floor area is now going from 562,000 sq ft. (of hospital above grade structures) to over 1,024,500 square ft. of above grade structures which includes: 653,500 sq ft. for the hospital; 95,000 sq ft. for enclosed rooftop areas; 245,000 sq ft. for parking decks; and 31,400 sq ft. for atriums and courtyards.  I will get back to this.

The term inherently beneficial was used frequently throughout the Whispering Woods hearings (4 in total) and was used as a “stick” by Valley in gaining the expansion approval by the Planning Board.  It is unclear to many whether the concept of inherently beneficial applies to zoning or planning (including me).   However, it was used generously through-out these hearings. An inherently beneficial use of land serves the public good and promotes the general welfare.  As many may know, courts view hospitals under a more favorable light than other types of development (because it is an inherently beneficial use) and due to this, Village concerns about the size of the development may be discounted.  However, courts also view schools as an inherently beneficial used of land.   This was lost in the sauce but mentioned by Lorraine Reynolds back in May 2014.   So a question becomes: Does healthcare trump
education?  The negotiating team lead by Charles Nalbantian (Chairman of the Village Planning Board), who developed the terms of this agreement, thought so.

The Village’s Master Plan has suffered significantly in this process and; as well with other issues that have faced the Village including high density housing.  The primary objective as stated in Ridgewood’s Master Plan is the preservation of Village residential in residential neighborhoods.  Further, as defined in the Master Plan, building should continue to respect the neighborhood character and the rights of adjacent property owners.  These rights (while not explicitly stated in the plan) likely include quality of life, safety, security and a sense of belonging to a community.  Interestingly, these rights affect one’s health and healthcare. These rights have been violated by developers and by Valley.

John Hersperger, Village resident, at the 4/5 Whispering Woods hearing stated the following:  Developers through the use of Ordinance 3066 have ripped the Ridgewood Master Plan to shreds for the purpose of their own self- interests and not the Villages.  Developers as a group, petitioned the planning board at the same time and turned what should have been zoning issues into planning issues.   I would agree with John.  This Ordinance needs to be modified significantly or repealed.  The Valley decision by the planning board could not have come at a worse time for Valley and the Village because of this.

The 3 dissenting views on the planning board by Susan Knudsen, Wendy Dockray, and Debbie Patire all concluded the same thing – the Valley decision does irreparable harm to our Master Plan; calls into question what really is beneficial and; whether a hospital interests should trump the well-being of a Village.

Wendy also stated that the Planning board on behalf of the Village should stand up and fight for what is right, despite the risks.  If we go on to a lawsuit, there likely would be other opportunities to negotiate terms which would benefit both parties.

I was frankly surprised, with having several lawyers on the planning board, that no case law was cited.  A recent NJ Supreme Court case in Princeton called into question the concept of an inherently beneficial use of land by a hospital and whether functions in a hospital such as administration, billing, and marketing should be considered inherently beneficial.  If these are not inherently beneficial, they could be moved to other locations.  If this “concept” were applied to Valley it might lessen the bulk of the Valley expansion in a meaningful way.

Here is what I would do if elected to the council: 1) Propose modification to or repeal  of Ordinance 3066; 2) Work with Valley and the CRR (if possible, as there is a 5/9 court date on the second count of the lawsuit – Valley v Village Council and the council may not have any ability to negotiate based on the results of this case) in crafting a fair and equitable resolution to the Valley expansion.

A follow on blog will address the issue of how Valley might improve its image with the Village.

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YWCA Bergen County April Vacation Day Program Includes Fun Trips for Kids

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April 4,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, YWCA Bergen County is offering its Vacation Day program for children in grades K-6 on April 11th through 15th from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Trips and activities include Bowling, FunPlex, Jump On In, Planet 301 and Movies. Transportation and lunch is included. For complete details, please visit https://www.ywcabergencounty.org/programs/youth-services/vacation-day-program/.

The YWCA Vacation Day program provides full day care from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on designated school holidays. Based at the YWCA’s 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood facility, the program is supervised by the YWCA’s trained child care staff. The fee is $65 per child per day for families that are current YWCA members, and $85 for non-members. Advance registration is required by Tuesday, April 5, 2016.

Forms not received by deadline cannot be guaranteed and will be charged a late fee of $25. To register call Mary Agnello at 201-444-5600, ext. 352 or visit www.ywcabergencounty.org for details and registration forms.

YWCA Before and After School Programs are offered at schools in seven Bergen County districts: Allendale, Cresskill, Dumont, Old Tappan, Oradell, Ridgewood, and Westwood. All programs are licensed by the State of New Jersey, Department of Children & Families.

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How To Help Your Son Or Daughter Realize Their Filmmaking Dreams

Jennifer Linch With Alexx Thompson

photo courtesy of Actress ?director Jennifer Linch

April 2,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, If your teen or 20-something thinks it would be amazing to work someday on the kind of films they love – don’t let anything or anyone stop them, says filmmaker Doug Vermeeren.

Often, budding filmmakers are discouraged by advice such as, “You have be realistic and get a real job.”

“But what’s ‘realistic’ about denying a deep passion that may give others the same joy that you’ve received from movies?” asks Vermeeren, whose documentaries have been translated into 23 languages worldwide. He is of the director of the new Calgary Smartphone Film Festival. 

“What if Spielberg or Scorsese – or anyone who has ever done anything great – took the ‘realistic’ advice and accepted a safe career? We wouldn’t have great things.”

Your son or daughter can do what they love for a career, says Vermeeren, whose latest film project is “Creepy Zombies” (www.creepyzombies.com). He offers pointers for parents who want to help their child realize their dream as a filmmaker.

• Help them polish their people skills. It’s all about relationships. How do you get people to work for you before you have money? How do you convince people to do you favors, such as loaning you a vintage car or allowing filming to take place on private property, essentially for free? Again, your kid will need to sell people on their vision, and show them they’re worth rooting for. Make your passion infectious!
• Make sure they monetize! Films are expensive, but so are medical and law schools. Does that mean aspiring lawyers and doctors shouldn’t make the investment? If they believe in their vision, there are various ways for your son or daughter to raise money for the project, including through Vimeo and YouTube.
• Have them seek education wherever they can find it. Film classes are great, but don’t stop there. They should read books about their favorite directors, and enter every film festival they can. Festivals often offer cash prizes. More importantly, judges will critique the project. Their criticisms may be difficult to endure, but they can also greatly improve a young filmmaker’s efforts. 

“There are many obstacles in the way of a film’s completion, so confidence is a must,” Vermeeren says. “The first film is the hardest because figuring out the initial logistics is complicated. The filmmaker needs to get people – actors and anyone with the necessary resources – to commit before there is enough money – and there’s never enough money. People, however, are drawn to passion and determination. They need to put their full heart into it and, eventually, they’ll succeed.”

About Doug Vermeeren

Doug Vermeeren is an internationally renowned public speaker, author, movie producer and director whose latest film project is “Creepy Zombies” (www.creepyzombies.com). He began his career in film as a background extra, actor, photo double and stunt performer on a variety of films, and his documentaries have been translated into 23 languages worldwide.

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Can We Liberate Our Kids From Traditional Schooling?

Childcare experts caution parents over amount of time their kids spend on tablets

March 31,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The last thing dedicated teachers want to think is that they’re fulfilling all the duties of a babysitter and not much else, says educator Mac Bogert.

“I’m often reminded of Mark Twain’s quote: ‘I never let my schooling interfere with my education,’ ” Bogert says. “Learning is among the most exciting and enjoyable experiences we have in life, yet many students and teachers herded into our school systems view school as something to be endured, as if the school day is one long detention.”

Recent findings illustrate the problem. In 2015, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed a decline in math comprehension from fourth- and eighth-graders for the first time since 1990.

“If you want to know how effective schools are, ask a teenager,” Bogert says. “Why do smart kids who enjoy reading and learning find school boring? We don’t need to make people learn, we need to free them to learn.”

Bogert, author of “Learning Chaos: How Disorder Can Save Education,” (www.learningchaos.net), and president of AZA Learning, which encourages an open-learning process for all participants, says our educational system is outdated. He proposes new methods parents can use to resurrect a love of learning from their kids.

• Ban rote learning. When preparing to teach within a traditional framework, we aren’t stimulating a child’s curiosity. Rather, we’re serving the framework of control. This sort of top-down, listen-without-interrupting teaching is limiting and alienates many types of learning personalities. Instead, foster engagement, which means an open environment where kids feel free to participate.
• Encourage children to sound off. Ever see an interesting news discussion on television? If no one is saying what you want to say, you can become frustrated to the point of turning off the conversation. Students who are shy or otherwise discouraged from engaging can shut down in a similar way. But when they’re included and encouraged to participate in a lesson, their minds stay focused. They feel they have a stake in the lesson.
• Take a cue from the Internet. We’re not starved for information; we’re starved for stories, which have lessons embedded within them. Simply sharing a story invites learning. That’s why you should allow a child’s narrative of inquiry to be more democratic than controlled. Allow him or her to pursue a line of thought wherever it may go, rather than controlled, assigned resources.

“Ideally, your child will be a participant within a hotbed of ideas, rather than a passive listener in an intellectually sterile environment,” Bogert says. “That may not always be possible at school, but this kind of encouragement at home will help them later in life.”

About Mac Bogert

Mac Bogert founded AZA Learning to encourage teachers and students to become equal partners in the learning process, which he details in his book “Learning Chaos: How Disorder Can Save Education,” (www.learningchaos.net). He served as education coordinator at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts and is still active in the arts for his community.

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Economics 101 of the Hudson Street Village Parking Garage

parking_theridgewoodblog

July 15,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, normally we do not publish theses comments , because they lack even the most rudimentary understanding of basic economics and are an attempt to lie and mislead the public, but  from time to time we find it necessary to publish these types of comments to show how the powers that be attempt to manipulate
the local taxpayers.

“Ridgewood is being groomed for cash cow status by a handful of entrepreneurs who have invested in the old BoA building, the Old Post Office, Park West among others. They’ve spent a considerable amount of money to open establishments in the CBD, and now want to increase the foot traffic needed to make them profitable. Notice that Kidville has no parking? If the clientele is all based in CBD apartments, no parking will be needed.

I find it fascinating that the readers of this “Laissez-faire” blog have a problem with any of this. This is business at work, and the Master Plan is the only thing in the way. Or are we all NIMBY Libertarians here? Regulation is bad, unless it preserves something near and dear to our hearts? You can’t have it both ways.

Property values, especially those within walking distance of the CBD, will only go up as dining an recreation options multiply.

My only problems with the whole agenda is that it relies on New Jersey Transit’s deteriorating service to transport all the new residents to work in NYC. That, and the schools will suffer. I’m already making a backup plan for my daughter if the High School goes the way I think it will between now an when she is in 9th grade.”

This gave everyone and exceptional laugh .There is so much wrong with this comment showing the level of dishonesty that some are willing to go in an attempt to “get over”

first a definition :

lais·sez-faire
ˌlesā ˈfer/
noun

a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering.
synonyms:noninterventionist, noninterventional, noninterfering; More

ECONOMICS
abstention by governments from interfering in the workings of the free market.
“laissez-faire capitalism”
synonyms:free enterprise, free trade, nonintervention, free-market capitalism,market forces
“an agenda that embraces the concept of laissez-faire”

Humm no where in the definition of lais·sez-faire does it say taxpayers will finance , and bear the risk for ill conceived business ventures ,in exchange for campaign donations due to changes in existing laws making these ventures possible ie the change in the master plan .

Private enterprise works because it rewards and punishes risk takes .

What you have hear is better known as Crony Capitalism

Crony capitalism is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, or other forms of state interventionism.

Which the above comment carefully avoided saying  and we corrected : “you missed the Hudson county democrat machine which our mayor represents and is here to milk this town for all its got , the only business people getting deals down town are those contributing”

Our suggestion for the above poster is to move back to Hoboken , its a far better fit for the kind of place you want to live .

For those looking to enlighten themselves on basic economic theory we recommend :

Economics in One Lesson: 50th Anniversary Edition Paperback – September 25, 2008
by Henry Hazlitt  (Author), Steve Forbes (Foreword)

Available on Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Economics-One-Lesson-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0930073193

 

 

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Reader Calls full day kindergarten gross overreach for the state to mandate

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Everything that the council is doing affects our schools

Schools are the largest part of our tax bill – that is a fact. That does not mean that the schools are not accountable.

It will be a gross overreach for the state to mandate full day kindergarten. I am starting to agree with Rick Perry that we need to abolish the Department of Education. Government is best which governs least.

Many parents actually enjoy spending the AM/PM with their children. We had activites and time with friends when the kids were in kindergarten. My kids did very well in elementary school, high school and college. Your kids will not go to Harvard because they had full day kindergarten.

NYC has preschool and middle school after care programs. The need for these programs in a city is not the same as for programs in Ridgewood. In the city the schools are the place where many students receive two meals a day and get health screening. Working parents do not have the time for homework and reading to the kids. Children need the time in school as a social safety net.

I paused my career to be home with my kids and never regretted it. If working parents need babysitting then they should hire someone. My taxes should not go to support someone’s child care needs. Maybe dad/mom can work from home or with flex time. You will never look back and say that you wished that you spent more time at work.

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Discussion misses on key points about concussions

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Letter to the Editor: Discussion misses on key points about concussions

JUNE 19, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015, 9:20 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print

Discussion misses on key points about concussions

To the Editor:

With four grandchildren in the Ridgewood school system and an epidemiologist’s interest in athletic health, I attended the June 1 session on “What You Should Know About Concussions in Youth Sports” at Benjamin Franklin Middle School.

The session was for the most part limited to concussion recognition and management, rather than the increasingly clear long-term risks, including premature dementia. There was no effective critique of the current “Return to Play after Concussion” protocols, which, for a variety of well-documented reasons, simply will not work. Essentially, these protocols allow us to feel good that something is being done while they enable denial of any serious short or long term risks.

There was no serious discussion of the inception of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and the accumulation of tau protein in the brain following some concussions, or multiple concussions. This cannot now be evaluated by scanning, but we know from autopsy studies the process can begin at a young age, especially in pee-wee leagues and high school football. In the settlement with the players union, the NFL has conceded the relationship of concussion to a variety of neurogentive conditions, including premature dementia.

The magnitude of the association is as yet unclear, although a study commissioned by the NFL suggests that premature dementia is five times more common by age 50 in NFL players who can remember their past concussions. The connection was easier when boxing was a much more prevalent amateur sport. “Dementia Pugilistica” is the main reason why boxing disappeared as an undergraduate sport by about 1950. The long “incubation” period between concussions in youth sports and dementia has given rise to much denial. If we drew an analogy to the devastating smoking and cancer story, long resisted as a “mere statistical association” by the tobacco interests, it seems we are at 1955, with about 10 years to go before the Surgeon General’s report, “Smoking and Cancer,” appeared in 1964.

There was talk of child athletes taking “big hits” to head and body, but no one asked why that was necessary to impart the values of team play, discipline, character, etc. The 15-year athletic injury surveillance project of the NCAA, 1988 to 2003, and published in 2007, establishes the rates and patterns of serious injury by gender in several commonly played sports. With young men, football causes about half the serious injuries, including concussion, for all the sports covered in the study. The public health impact of these relationships is even greater than they seem, since football teams are much larger than the others and thus more children are exposed to higher risk.

Finally, schools exist to nurture minds, not put them at risk – short and/or long term. It seems time for a prudent review of the objectives of sports activities sponsored by publically funded schools and the sports we choose to sponsor to achieve these goals.

Nicholas H. Wright, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACE

Williamstown, Mass.

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-discussion-misses-on-key-points-about-concussions-1.1359400

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Tyler Clementi’s family unveiling new anti-bullying initiative

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JUNE 7, 2015, 3:40 PM    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2015, 9:39 PM

BY LINDA MOSS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Tyler Clementi’s family is still shattered and struggling with his 2010 suicide. In his memory, Tyler’s heartbroken parents are stepping up their battle against bullying, trying to prevent it before it even starts.

In an emotional interview with “CBS Sunday Morning,” Ridgewood residents Joseph and Jane Clementi discussed how hard life has been since the death of their youngest son, who was an 18-year-old Rutgers University freshman when he jumped off the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 22, 2010. Tyler took his life days after learning that his college roommate had used a webcam to secretly live-stream his romantic encounter with a man in a dorm room. His death drew national attention to the issue of online bullying.

Soon after their son’s death, the Clementis formed the anti-bullying Tyler Clementi Foundation, which describes its mission as promoting “safe and inclusive spaces for LGBT and vulnerable youth and families.” This week the foundation is rolling out “Day One,” an initiative to get authorities in workplaces, schools, universities and athletic programs to immediately demand tolerance for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation, appearance, dress or religion.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/tyler-clementi-s-family-unveiling-new-anti-bullying-initiative-1.1350980

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What Do You Think? Girls Lacrosse should USA Lacrosse rework its stick check rule?

RHS_Girls_Lacross_therigdewoodblog

file photo

by Richard Greco | For NJ Advance Media
on June 05, 2015 10:31 AM, updated June 05, 2015 1:59 PM

Julia Persche of Summit scored the game-winning goal with 3.4 seconds remaining in the Hilltoppers 6-5 win over Ridgewood in the NJSIAA/Investors Bank/The Lacrosse Ball Store Tournament of Champions’ first round.

The goal came just over a minute after a Jordan Ford goal was disallowed because she was using an illegal stick. Ridgewood challenged the legality of Persche’s stick and it was deemed legal allowing Summit to earn a trip to the TOC final three seconds later.

On Thursday a video was released on youtube, which has sense been taken down by the user, that showed a Summit player appearing to adjust Persche’s stick prior to the stick check being called.

https://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-8558911231105824753/what-do-you-think-girls-lacrosse-highlights-controversial-stick-check-rule-in-ridgewood-vs-summit-toc-first-round/

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Readers talk RECALL !

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1,000 signatures on a petition is clearly enough given the number of votes in our town elections.

We need to vote out of office those who are pushing this through. Unfortunately, next spring’s election may be too far away to stop this insanity.

The Board was hoodwinked by the developers, Gail Price and Blais Brancheau. Blais’ only concern was what he could do for the developers. Gail literally spent an hour telling the board why they should not listen to any of the comments from the Villagers who spoke out.

Its an outrageously sad day for the Village.

Time to recall, starting with the mayor…or maybe Hauck?? Let’s start with the weakest…

According to NJ law (https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/recall-of-local-officials.aspx)
“Recall may not commence during first year in office.
No specific grounds are required
Time for gathering signatures is 160 days.
Signature requirement is number equal to 25% of the registered voters of the district”
After getting the required number of signatures the question to recall would be put on the November Ballot.

Based on 2014, Ridgewood has 17,056 registered voters so we need a little more than 4,200 signatures or less than the number of children in the schools. Completely doable and will be done if they think they can shove this down our throats and we will go away quietly.

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Reader says the developers are either stupid or were told by those involved in the process (council, planning board?) that it would be approved

misterrogers02

I will not sign the petition only because I have no idea what kind of backlash I might face by doing so. But I wholeheartedly object to their 35 unit/acre proposal. The developers knew the rules when they bought the properties. The rules allow 12 but let’s be generous and go with the 18-24 existing standard – they asked for double that and by their own admission were surprised by the resistance they’ve faced. So they are either stupid or were told by those involved in the process (council, planning board?) that it would be approved. They say the economics don’t work under the current rules – so who in their right mind would take that kind of risk? These developers do not have the best interest of the village in mind, they want more traffic (foot or otherwise) downtown. Who does this help? In some ways the businesses generally but much more so and longer term it helps the landlords. For years they have been jacking up the rents on businesses (driving many away) in a time where retail spending as a whole has moved online making brick and mortar stores less valuable. The landlords see this and are happy to support this over-expansion because there is no other way to fill that revenue hole than to extract it from current residents of Ridgewood.

There were 3 primary considerations for moving to Ridgewood (many years before our first child was even born btw so the “empty nester” argument is invalid here – we are 2nd generation Ridgewood).
1) Great schools
2) Safety – outstanding police and fire response
3) Charming, Beautiful place to raise a family and hopefully retire

Allowing this over-expansion enhances exactly none of those considerations. Ridgewood’s restaurants thrive, retailers do not and likely will not when even the high-traffic areas of 17 have been forced to close. Stop arguing that we need to draw bigger retailers into this town – I can drive to 17 if I can’t find what i’m looking for online. Enough with the nonsense arguments, and enough with Blaise trying to figure out how to stuff the maximum density into our limited space (all this based on his “expert” opinion even though he has zero ability to think about a broader common sense plan for development).

in short – just say No to the developers. It is not our responsibility to tell them what’s allowed – they knew that when they bought the property. Cutting your request from 4X what is allowed to only 3X is not a compromise, it’s still a snow job.

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Congratulations Dr. Fishbein for Revving a New Jersey Press Association award

Dan-Fishbein-10

May 6,2015

Ridgewood NJ, Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein has won a New Jersey Press Association award for his monthly columns in The Ridgewood News. Dr. Fishbein won Second Place in the category of column writing for a weekly newspaper in the organization’s annual Better Newspaper Contest 2014. The winning columns were Schools Cannot Do It Alone and Taking the Mask Off Addiction.The columns were submitted by Edward Virgin, Editor, The Ridgewood News, as part of its package of contest entries encompassing a variety of reporting categories. Ed accepted the award for Dr. Fishbein at the organization’s annual Press Night on April 23 .

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There’s good reason to opt out of PARCC

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MAY 8, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

There’s good reason to opt out

To the editor:

On April 2, all district parents received from our Superintendent of Schools a status update on the first round of Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) testing.

The letter tallies the students whose parents refused the PARCC tests (opting out is not technically an option): 1,135 out of a total of 4,111 students, or nearly 28 percent. The refusal rate for grades 3-8 was over 11 percent.

In line with NJ Education Commissioner David Hespe’s recent threats, the letter states that Ridgewood Public Schools may suffer ill effects as a result, including losing federal grant money and losing our status as a high-performing school district.

The letter does not mention that no district has ever lost federal grant money as a result of low participation, nor does it question why a brand-new assessment should carry such weight in terms of evaluating our district’s schools.

I, along with no doubt all Ridgewood residents who are shouldering 95 percent of the $101 million school budget via property taxes, wish to maintain Ridgewood’s status as a high-performing district. I do not think that the way to do this is to sit by as corporate-led reform, the stated goal of which was to create a “national uniform market” for standardized tests and prep materials, attempts to convert our public schools into profitable test factories without corresponding benefit to students.

We’ve always had standardized tests. However, the low-stakes, sporadic CAT and Terra Nova tests took up a fraction of instruction time as compared to the high stakes, annual standardized testing that began in 2001 with NJ ASK under NCLB.

PARCC and PARCC test prep take excessive standardized testing to a new level.

Further, like other standardized test results, PARCC scores will not tell teachers what they don’t already know. The delay in receiving them exacerbates this: Results from the March testing won’t be out until October 2015 at the earliest. Relying on such data for student placement or special needs or anything else seems more than a bit delayed.

The bottom line is, as Dr. Fishbein stated in an op-ed piece last summer, ever-increasing state mandates including PARCC are objectionable because they displace instruction time and shunt teachers into offices and behind desks to fill out reports and pore over data.

Many parents agree and are acting, in a lawful and respectful way, to try to roll back the intrusion of corporate “reformers” and politicians under their influence in the classroom.

I understand that Commissioner Hespe has directed administrators to encourage participation in PARCC. The Department will view such attempts as a “mitigating factor” in how districts with high non-participation rates are evaluated, as Commissioner Hespe stated at an April 29 hearing in Trenton.

At the same hearing, the Commissioner claimed not to understand why parents are refusing permission. Rather than merely carrying out the Commissioner’s directives, our administration would serve us well by helping to explain that to him and the Department publicly.

Anne Burton Walsh

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-there-s-good-reason-to-opt-out-of-parcc-1.1329244

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N.J. pedestrian deaths rise , but the Village Seems a Safer Place to Walk

car_vs_bike_theridgewoosdblog

file photo Boyd Loving

April 21,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Road Warrior Reported in 2014  reported safer on the road but deadlier on foot

https://www.northjersey.com/news/road-warrior-2014-safer-on-the-road-but-deadlier-on-foot-1.1191509?page=all

Ridgewood NJ, In Ridgewood ,there seemed to be far less accidents involving pedestrians and automobiles  this past year? I do not know the  numbers .

So we asked Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward if we did have decrease what in your mind was particularly effective in mitigating pedestrian incidents. If we had an increase  what policy can the Village , the Schools or the Ridgewood PD do to increase awareness of public safety and make our streets safer ?  

The Chief took time out to respond , “We did have a decrease in pedestrian related accidents in 2014. I can say we have experienced a significant decrease in the level of injury to pedestrians. That being said in December (2014) we did have several but again still well below last year. As far as why, I can say we have increased our efforts in the areas of education and enforcement as well as the efforts in the area of engineering to enhance safety. As you know there are too many variables to attribute a causal nexus between our efforts and the reductions in pedestrian crashes , but one could argue that there appears to be a correlation. 

While according to the Record there has been an increase state wide , the Chiefs efforts in Village suggest that simply “awareness ”  from both drivers , walkers and cyclist may be the key .

N.J. pedestrian deaths rise; police look for reasons

APRIL 21, 2015    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015, 6:47 AM
BY JOHN CICHOWSKI
RECORD COLUMNIST |
THE RECORD

Sad to say, each time you read your favorite newspaper, there’s a good chance you’ll learn about someone like Anila Lluka or Lisa Borsellino or Donna Marie Wine, whose lives were cut short at the rate of one every other day in New Jersey — twice a month in Bergen County.

These deaths happen so routinely that we often barely recognize their significance because the victims were doing something as common as crossing River Street in Hackensack, where Borsellino was struck down last October, or Paramus Road in Paramus, where Lluka was killed last November.

Tragically, such passings have become much more frequent lately, according to updated figures recently released by the New Jersey State Police fatal accident unit.

Pedestrian deaths totaled 169 statewide last year, including that of Ms. Wine, a beautician who was standing with others on Grand Avenue at an outdoor market in Hawthorne last August when a truck plowed into her. In Bergen, walking deaths peaked at 24 last year. Victims included Stephen Petruzzello, a 22-year-old Cliffside Park police officer who was run down crossing Walker Street two days after Christmas while on the job with his partner.

With Bergen now accounting for more pedestrian fatalities by far than any other county in the state, traffic cops in many of its 70 municipalities have begun digging into their files to find better ways to prevent such deaths.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/pedestrian-deaths-rise-police-look-for-reasons-1.1313666

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Planning Board Public Meeting Tonight – Village Hall Court Room

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Please join us tomorrow night for the next Planning Board Meeting Available

Tuesday, April 21 at Village Hall  (not the HS)
Deliberations to begin at approximately 8:45 to 9 pm.
(The meeting starts at 7:30 pm, but the discussion on High Density Housing is not the first item on the agenda)

Agenda:   The Planning Board will continue deliberating and Village Planner, Blais Brancheau, will provide some detail regarding issues put forth by Planning Board members last month.  We are hoping Blais addresses concerns raised by several Planning Board members — concerns also shared by CBR.

To refresh your memory, below is a reprint of our reap from the 3/17/15 Planning Board Meeting:

CBR’s recap of 3/17/15 Planning Board Meeting

CBR Note:
The first condition of this amendment, aside from density and height issues, is changing the usage in the zones from commercial to residential. Keep in mind that when the planning board members state that they support the usage change, that does not necessarily indicate that they approve the densities that are proposed. Changing the zoning in an area of our CBD from commercial to residential is a big step in itself, as presumably once residential is built, there is no turning back to commercial usage on that site.

Once usage is addressed, the next issue is how much residential do you allow? Currently, most residential properties in the CBD have commercial usage on the first floor. Under this amendment, commercial usage on the first floor is no longer required. Allowing housing in our downtown at density higher than the 12 units per acre that is currently permitted makes sense, and anything over 12 units an acre constitutes “higher density.” Considering that the average density that currently exists in our downtown now is actually 22-24 units per acre, CBR would be quite comfortable with setting 22 or 24 units per acre as the new limit for density. We feel that doubling those numbers is too much, and that 35-40 units an acre and beyond would significantly alter the character of our Village. It is very important that our planning board finds the right balance in this amendment.

CBR ReCap:
We took notes on each of the Planning Board member’s comments and would like to share them here. Our notes are not direct quotes.

Absent from this meeting was Nancy Bigos. She has yet to weigh in.

Charles Nalbantian, the Chairman of the Planning Board, agrees that the usage (housing rather than commercial) is good, but said the “devil is in the details.” He expressed reservations about the height and RSIS (state mandated parking requirements), and indicated that he is not sure yet about the density.

Richard Joel, the Vice Chairman of the Planning Board, agrees with the usage (housing in our CBD) and believes it will promote the general welfare. He feels that we need to develop these under-utilized sites and there is a need for a variety of housing. He said that he doesn’t know what the right balance between height and density should be.

Kevin Riley, supports the use of housing in our downtown but is concerned with height and density. He said he would like to see the density reduced from what is currently put forth in the amendment.

Wendy Dockray, thinks concept of multifamily housing is a good one but has her “yellow flags” or reservations. She is not sure this is actually what seniors are looking for in terms of space and affordability. She is concerned that the height and scale will negatively impact the historical character of Ridgewood. She said going from 12 units per acre to 40-50 is a “huge jump” and she is not sure if building 40 – 50 units an acre is necessary or appropriate to achieve housing. She is also concerned with the fiscal impact and noted that our schools are “at capacity.”

David Thurston, supports the amendment AS IS. He doesn’t want to “play chicken” with developers by giving them less than what they want. He said this is his business and if the Planning Board comes back with less than the amendment, it may not be “economically sound” for the developers. He is in favor of the 40 – 50 units in our CBD and is worried about what our town will look like in 40 years if we don’t allow the developers to build.

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen, not in favor of the amendment as it is written. She is concerned with the density, height, impact of adding more pedestrians that will impede traffic, open space and the changing character of Ridgewood. She said the she would like to see developers move forward with something, but would like to see a balance.

Mayor Paul Aronsohn, feels this is an opportunity for Ridgewood. He feels like we have enough information to make a decision and we should move forward soon. He said that people who don’t want their big houses could move to these apartments, but we need to strike the right balance. His stated that his issues are 1) density, 2) amenities (he would like to find a way to incentivize the developers to build high end apartments), 3) housing for special needs residents, 4) parking (he wondered if developers not providing sufficient parking could be forced to pay money into a fund to use for public parking), and 5) can separate amendments be crafted to address each zone individually?

Michele Peters, concerned about the density. Not in favor of the current amendment. She questioned whether the parking that was being considered as part of the proposals in the redevelopment zone on N. Walnut would alleviate some of the parking deficit in Ridgewood, but was told the deficit is beyond what could be added in the redevelopment zone.

Isabella Altano, (1st alternate on PB) wants to see more consideration given to the impacts. She feels we need a lower density. She asked about the potential costs to our infrastructure, if projected school enrollment could be provided that included approval of 400+ new apartments and what could be done to address our open space deficiency.

Khidir Abdalla, (2nd alternate on PB) said that we shouldn’t be afraid of change and supports the amendment. He is not concerned with the density and scale and feels that this type of housing fits in well to an URBAN downtown. He feels we need increased density in order to get pedestrian traffic that is needed to revitalize our downtown.

Thank you for your continued support.

Citizensfora BetterRidgewood
citizensforabetterridgewood@aol.com