Category: Ridgewood Schools

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Europe debates whether to reopen schools and how to best protect students and teachers

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, according to Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, like most of the rest of the world, European countries have been debating whether to reopen schools and how to best protect students and teachers. Public Health England conducted enhanced surveillance among schools that reopened between June 1-July 31 in order to provide better information regarding SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk in school settings. While approximately 80% of schools remained open in some capacity during the UK lockdown to support certain priority groups (eg, children of healthcare workers), the vast majority of children did not attend in-person classes. In June, the number of students attending schools increased from 475,000 to more than 1.6 million.

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Teacher says, “Don’t diminish teachers, they are the ones who are with your kids all day”

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photo credit https://writix.co.uk/

“As a teacher this is so discouraging to read. If you feel your tax money is going all to the school and the teachers are “ineffective” move elsewhere. My districts teachers have zero say in the decisions happening. It is sad you place blame on teachers being lazy when several go above and beyond to help children succeed and please parents. Remote learning in the spring was far from a vacation for me, it was difficult but I would rather do that than potentially get sick or infect a family member. Don’t diminish teachers, they are the ones who are with your kids all day.”

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Reader says, “Fact is there are some awesome teachers and great educators who can pivot under any circumstance, but unfortunately the fact is there is no shortage of those that can’t”

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“Fact is the Ridgewood’s school rankings have been on a downward slide for a while now, before COVID. Fact is when the schools closed last year, many kids slipped in their performance relative to benchmark because teachers weren’t able to get the kids to thrive in those circumstances (not the teachers fault per se, but some were notably disengaged). Fact is there are some awesome teachers and great educators who can pivot under any circumstance, but unfortunately the fact is there is no shortage of those that can’t. Fact is the rate of transmission in NJ, Bergen County, and specifically Ridgewood are all materially down since the peak, with only a miniscule number or new cases in the last month. Fact is parents aren’t paying taxes for full time teachers to teach part time. Fact is if all-remote implemented, there is a plethora of excess teachers/administrators that can be furloughed until school resumes normal operations, yet the fact is no such plan was ever contemplated.
Fact is the truth sometimes hurts when pointed…”

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More College-Bound Students Leave New Jersey than Any Other State

RHS 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ , Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean sponsors legislation, approved today by the Senate, to study why so many New Jersey high school graduates choose to attend college out of state.

“Too many of our bright and talented high school graduates are deciding to pursue college degrees in other states,” said Kean (R-21). “The ‘brain drain’ hurts our state. Most of them never return to their home state to help bolster our workforce, contribute to communities, and help support their families. This study will help us better understand what we can do to reverse the trend.”

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One Village One Vote Group Heads to the Courts to Fight the Village Clerks Rejection of their Voter Suppression Petition

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the vote suppression group One Village One Vote has now headed to the courts to fight the Village of Ridgewood’s rejection of their voter disenfranchisement and voter suppression petition .

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UK Public Health Report : Re-opening of schools was associated with very few outbreaks COVID-19 infection

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,a new report released yesterday from the United Kingdom is the most comprehensive look yet at students returning to class.  The reported concluded :

“In conclusion, re-opening of schools was associated with very few outbreaks after easing of national lockdown in England. SARS-CoV-2 infection and outbreaks were more likely to
involve staff members, highlighting a need to improve education and infection control measures for this group. The strong correlation between COVID-19 outbreaks and regional
SARS-CoV-2 incidence highlights the importance of controlling the disease in the community to protect the staff and students in educational settings.”

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/911267/School_Outbreaks_Analysis.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2w-j5Hc9KYdfmPJQxkbAp_BVNntlmN-MgUXq3SN36pM6-OiuGPMmqX3Pc

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Ridgewood BOE Special Public Meeting on Friday August 28th at 3pm

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood BOE Special Public Meeting on Friday August 28th at 3pm and  the Ridgewood BOE will also meets on Monday August 31st.

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Reader says ,”Some of my kids’ teachers were … obviously putting in a great deal of time and effort to make remote learning as good as possible. Others – crickets”

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“In my opinion CoVid has only exacerbated a dynamic that exists in any place of employment: Some people going above and beyond (whatever the motivation may be for their extra efforts), a lot of people meeting expectations and doing the job they are paid to do … and then the people I would describe as the Takers. No place of employment, public or private, is immune to this. Some of my kids’ teachers were very much present and obviously putting in a great deal of time and effort to make remote learning as good as possible. Others – crickets. Posting assignments, assigning kids to watch YouTube videos in lieu of teaching and just not interacting w/kids even remotely during the spring. In my (private company) – no different. Some decided to take advantage of WFH to not do all too much. I’m not speaking about people who had to care for sick family or step in to school their own kids. I hate to break it to people, but there are always Takers in society. The issue is if there is a tipping point, and productive people start to feel that they’ve been ‘had’ and decide why bother. In the private sector, it probably isn’t the right decision (in the long run) to so obviously show that you’re not really needed for the success of your enterprise.”

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Reader says ,”what an overwhelming majority of parents want for their kids, which is more in-person learning”

rhs 2020 schools out

“If the BOE wants to be taken seriously (including those at the top with very obvious and unethical conflicts of interest, who shall not be named), they should remain keenly focused on what an overwhelming majority of parents want for their kids, which is more in-person learning…5 days a week. The taxpayers already pay way to much for the school budget, and while we may tolerate some non-sense and waste in the spirit of town civility, the one thing that will most certainly cause residents to “storm the castle” is if we are forced to spend our hard earned dollars to incentivize lazy and ineffective teachers, who are using COVID as a tool for their personal agenda. Every profession is exposed to the risks of COVID, so why should they be preferentially treated at our expense? Either opt out if you are truly scared, or just follow the damn protocols…”

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Superintendent of Schools Updates on Orchard School Soil Remediation Project Update

Orchard Elementary Soil Remediation Project

photo courtesy of the Ridgewood school District

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

I hope this letter finds you healthy and relaxed from what may be the most unusual summer of our lives. Many of you have walked by the Orchard School property to view the progress of the soil remediation project, and I would like to provide an update, as we are quickly approaching the start of the school year.

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The Case for High School Sports

RHS fields

photo by Boyd Loving

By  Colleen Maguire, NJSIAA Chief Operating Officer NJSIAA

Ridgewood NJ, During the past five months, the lives of our student-athletes have changed drastically.  Last March, NJSIAA made the difficult decision to shut down high school sports.  That decision was necessary to slow infections and to allow for mitigation efforts to be established.  However, cancelling high school sports has come at a significant cost – the emotional and social well-being of our student-athletes.  We need to return to sports this fall.

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CDC UPDATES GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS

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photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

The CDC has published updated guidance regarding school openings. The updated guidance provides additional recommendations for a myriad of topics, including ventilation, food service, and mask use as schools continue to prepare and implement their plans to start the 2020-21 school year. The guidance also expands on previous iterations regarding students with “special healthcare needs and disabilities” with a new section dedicated to these challenges. Schools may need to develop individualized plans for some students and staff, including those with limited mobility, those with visual or hearing impairments, those with underlying health conditions, or those who may have difficulties understanding or adapting to new routines. The information notes that some individuals may struggle with social distancing or isolation or mask use, or they may need additional visual or verbal reminders or assistance implementing the school’s social distancing protocols. The information also links to guidance regarding protections related to service animals.

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Reader says , “last thing taxpayers can afford is subsidize 20th century style “public servants.” Especially those who teach their children how to hate their own family and nation”

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photo by Boyd Loving

“Public unions gotta go. Unionizing against the public is a travesty. Ppl turned a blind eye while good times rolled, but we’re in a right spot now. And the decade of transformation has just started!

Expect fewer white collar jobs, normalization if demand for IT specialists and entertainers, high inflation and much higher taxes on top earners as well as property owners.

Covid merely accelerated the existing trend. With these issues, last thing taxpayers can afford is subsidize 20th century style “public servants.” Especially those who teach their children how to hate their own family and nation.”

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Reader says , “Should Corona last for the long run, the intelligentsia and NJEA unions will be toast”

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“residents here in Ridgewood know more about what happens than the eggheads at the BOE & REA who theorize on how to control thoughts as they trade bon mots at their cocktail parties. Should corona last for the long run, the intelligentsia and NJEA unions will be toast as they cling to their days gone by like the Luddites they are. I pity the truly great teachers in the district who have been lumped into the mix with the Marxists.”

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Reader Suggests Teachers Want Full time Pay for Part Time Work

rhs 2020 schools out

“So REA, if the Ridgewood BOE installs high efficiency HEPA filters in each classroom , will you agree to return to teach? These are recommended for critical healthcare applications like anterooms, isolation wards and COVID-19 patient rooms. When educational institutions reopen after the coronavirus outbreak, ASHRAE recommends a portable HEPA and UV air cleaner for each classroom, with at least two air rotations per hour. Will that, in addition to the already planned health, cleaning and physical distancing protocols, be enough for you to return to the physical classroom this fall? Or do you just not want to have to work full time but still receive full pay?”