Category: Ridgewood Schools

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Reader says , “The NJEA has been working overtime to make sure the state offers all parents the option of keeping their children at home indefinitely”

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“The conditions the NJEA are on the verge of forcing the state to impose on life in the public schools are so draconian as to cause normal parents to recoil in horror. This is intentional. The NJEA has been working overtime to make sure the state offers all parents the option of keeping their children at home indefinitely from the start of the school year based on generalized COVID-19 fears and anxiety. The one-two punch routine is completed by the NJEA pushing school re-opening guidelines that are so drastic as to cause parents to conclude that the schools will end up becoming glorified detention centers or penitentiaries. The NJEA figures most parents love their children too much to force them to endure the degrading and dehumanizing treatment the public schools are certain to have in store for them.”

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Reader says , “the decision is being taken in each individual state to convert the student population into a ready supply to fuel flash mobs”

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photo by Boyd Loving

“The NJEA and the political puppet string-pullers that control it and every other state teacher’s union in this country must have determined that collective coordinated student walkouts and protests in favor of all things BLM and AntiFa would be too hard to instigate and organize in time to effect the November national election. So the decision is being taken in each individual state to convert the student population into a ready supply to fuel flash mobs. The school districts will be forced to keep the little shock troops at home with mommy and daddy who will be able to drive them to wherever they are needed at the drop of a tweet.”

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Reader says , “Teachers and administrators should get over themselves “

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“the costs to bring our school buildings to an adequate level of safety for students and staff are astronomical.”

There’s no need to do any of that.

New Jersey’s top high school graduates, as a group, outstrip the academic achievements, performance, and potential of those of every other state. This is borne out by the fact that the cutoff for National Merit Semifinalist status, which in every state consists of the top half of the top one percent of PSAT test scores among Junior Year PSAT test takers in that particular state (the Junior year being the only year that counts for purposes if National Merit competition), is higher in New Jersey than it is for every other state, year in, year out. In fact, in recent years, the PSAT cutoff in New Jersey for achieving National Merit Semifinalist status has typically been only one point away from a perfect score. Mind you, every Junior in every U.S. state who elects to take the PSAT to get involved in the National Merit competition takes the exact same version of the PSAT test on the exact same day. So there is no funny business involved, and it becomes possible to do a perfect apples-to-apples comparison data between states to see which states are producing the greatest number of top-shelf college-ready students as a proportionate to the total number of high school graduates they certify in a given year.

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Parents Take 2nd Look at “Home Schooling” in Era of COVID-19

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, with the discussion on back to school heating up many concerned parents  are looking for alternatives. On of those options are home schooling, which some parents are investigating after positive experiences with remote classes this spring after most schools closed. While these options may appear similar on the surface, remote classes and home schooling are very different. Home school options vary widely, including utilizing existing curricula or developing personalized course work, and the standards and requirements vary from state to state.

While online classes and home school may be effective, they may not be viable options for everyone. These options may require computers, tablets, or smartphones and reliable high-speed internet service to fully participate, particularly for live-streamed classes or video sessions. Availability for both computers and internet services may not be feasible for lower-income families or those living in remote areas, and many parents may not be able to continue to work remotely or remain at home in order to supervise their children during the day.

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NJEA: “there is no way the state can push to re-open schools in a way that would account for the health, safety, and educational integrity of our schools and all that enter them”

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Steve Beatty Secretary-Treasurer of the NJEA  said in a Facebook post  ,”At our meeting with the acting commissioner of the Department of Education and his staff last week (and our on-going meetings), we engaged in a discussion, albeit mostly one-sided, on the issues and concerns surrounding the re-opening of schools in September.
Our clear message was that there is no way the state can push to re-open schools in a way that would account for the health, safety, and educational integrity of our schools and all that enter them.
We have been consistent in our guidance and growing insistence along with our education stakeholder partners and an ever growing chorus of our members.
Keep the pressure up. On the local level by joining and/or communicating with your re-opening committee. On the state level by calling and emailing your elected representatives and the governors office as well as the commissioner and state board. We know the power of sustained and organized collective action. Our voice is being heard and must be heeded! New Jersey Education Association New Jersey Department of Education Governor Phil Murphy”

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Ridgewood Board of Education Special Public Meeting July 23, 2020 5:00 p.m.

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood BOE member Mike Lembo said in a Facebook post  ,”The Ridgewood School Board has called for a Special Meeting this coming Thursday July 23rd at 5pm. The topic will be the school reopening plan for the district. We know that parents, teachers, and students have many concerns, questions, and comments on the issue. Please let your voice be heard, as we called this meeting for all of you.
The meeting is going to be held remotely, you can find the BOE Webcast link to the meeting on our website homepage. Members of the public can call in comments during the public comment period of the meeting or write-in comments online prior to, and during, the Board Meeting. These comments will be heard, but any offensive, lewd, or obscene language will not be tolerated. There will be two public comment portions, one at the beginning of the meeting and one at the end. Do not forget to mute your broadcast when speaking to minimize sound feedback and do not forget to identify yourself before speaking!This is a special meeting concerning the school reopening plan only, the regular Board of Education meeting will be held on Monday July 27th. Comments, questions, and concerns related to other issues besides the reopening will be more appropriate then.”

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Superintendent of Schools , ” It is a busy summer for the district as we prepare for the reopening of school in September and complete a few facilities projects”

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Superintendent of Schools Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. in his latest email commented on the summer facilities projects. Dr. Fishbein said , ” It is a busy summer for the district as we prepare for the reopening of school in September and complete a few facilities projects, including the Orchard School soil remediation, the remediation and replacement of the Gym 3 floor at Ridgewood High School, and the Stevens Field turf replacement. All three projects are underway, and I would like to provide a brief update on their status.”

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Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Giving Go A Head to School Sports

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 168, allowing the resumption of contact practices and competitions in outdoor settings for organized sports defined as “high risk” by the New Jersey Department of Health’s “Guidance for Sports Activities.” Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 149 on May 29, 2020, allowing organized sports to resume on a phased-in schedule as defined by the Department of Health as “low,” “medium,” and “high risk” activities.

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Parents Weigh Return to In Person Classes , Remote Learning and Home Schooling

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, As the US school year rapidly approaches, federal, state, and local government officials are working to develop and implement plans to resume classes. Proposals range from full-time, in-person classes to online/remote classes only, including a myriad of hybrid options in between. Much of the uncertainty and debate revolves around the direct risk to children and the role they play in community transmission. It is generally understood that children are at lower risk for severe COVID-19 disease and death than adults—although, certainly not zero risk—but it is much less clear how easily children transmit the infection to others, including adults or other high-risk individuals at home or in the community.

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Lets Put Reading Back in the Forefront of Public Education

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to Tom Corley, an accountant and financial planner, who surveyed 233 wealthy individuals, mostly self-made millionaires, on their daily habits. He compared those answers to responses from 128 lower-earning individuals, or those with less than $35,000 in annual gross income.
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2 Ridgewood High Schoolers Create A Virtual Summer Program for Special Needs Kids

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, after several months of isolation it is so important for us to stay connected and engaged . Ridgewood High Schoolers , Daniella Granin, Sophie Sklyar in conjunction with  Estie Bryski-Orenstein created a virtual summer program for special needs kids .  There are classes on cooking, music and one on one chats.

The Friendship Circle’s unique approach brings together teenage volunteers and children with special needs for hours of fun and friendship. These shared experiences empower children with special needs, while enriching the lives of everyone involved.

 

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School Districts should have Immunity from COVID-19 Lawsuits

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, When Gov. Phil Murphy closed all the schools in New Jersey due to the coronavirus pandemic, distance learning was implemented to make sure the educational process could continue.  Now that New Jersey has flattened the curve, school districts across the state are working diligently to ensure a safe and healthy reopening in the fall.

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Ridgewood Board of Education Ignores Residents Goes Rogue with Steven Field

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photos courtesy of Anne Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  a reader commented ,”They are in the process of ripping out the old turf at Stevens after a questionable process that Dr. Fishbein orchestrated. As a result of his misinformation to Board members, they went with a product that is inferior to other products offered at a competitive price with a firm with multiple law suits filed against them in New Jersey alone. I would have settled for the recent turf replacement which was installed at Maple Field as it was an improvement over RHS Stadium and now Stevens. I am not disappointed in Dr. Fishbein because I expected his poor behavior. I just don’t know why except it is a bad case of administrative obstinance: my way or the High way.”

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School districts across the country are beginning to release their school reopening plans

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, School districts across the country are beginning to release their school reopening plans. Many plan to remain online throughout the fall. As the next several weeks unfold,  The Ridgewood School district and many of our neighboring  districts will start to roll out their plans.

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Data Says Opening Schools Poses Very low Risk to Students and Teachers

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the staff of the Ridgewood Blog

Ridgewood NJ, Dr. Scott Atlas, senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and former chief of neurology at Stanford University Medical Center appeared on Martha MacCallum’s FOX News show to discuss the “hysteria” of opening schools in the fall despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Scott Atlas told Martha MacCallum on Fox News , “there’s two points that I want to make. One is that teaching is a young profession. In the United States half the teachers are 40 or less and a quarter of them are under 30. Ninety percent are under 60 in public schools.

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