Category: Ridgewood Schools

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Updated Ridgewood Board of Education and Ridgewood Municipal Election information due to COVID 19

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education Election (to vote on the Board of Education budget and elect one Board of Education member for an unexpired 1-year term and two Board of Education members to three-year terms) and the Ridgewood Municipal Election (to elect three Village Councilmembers to 4-year terms) will be held on the same date, May 12, 2020.  These elections will be a Vote by Mail election only.  There will be two separate ballots in the envelope sent to you, one for the Board of Education and the second one for the Village Council.  Vote by mail ballots will be mailed to all registered voters, no later than April 24, 2020.  The Vote by Mail ballots must be postmarked by May 12, 2020 and received at the County by May 14, 2020.  Therefore, please vote your ballot and mail it back, as soon as possible so that your vote will count.  The envelopes included with the ballots are postage paid.

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RIDGEWOOD ARTS FOUNDATION OFFERS SPRING 2020 SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT PROGRAM!

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Dear Fellow Art Enthusiasts:
The Ridgewood Arts Foundation (RAF) hopes this note finds you and your families well, and that you are finding many artistic projects to embark upon as we are all sequestered at home. During this unprecedented time, RAF feels the obligation to help our community maintain a semblance of normalcy and routine. Therefore, we are honored to announce that we will be moving forward with our Spring 2020 scholarships and grants program for students, individual artists and arts organizations. The Spring application deadline has been extended to June 1, 2020. Middle school, high school or college students who are involved in fine or performing arts, and adult artists and/or arts organizations with a connection to Ridgewood are encouraged to apply.

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Student Assessment Requirements Waived for 2019-2020 School Year

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 117, which waives 2019-2020 statutory school year assessment requirements for eighth grade students and twelfth grade students who have not yet met the graduation assessment requirement due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 15 ,Due to COVID 19

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April 3, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

Over the past three weeks, I have received dozens of emails from parents and videos from schools about all of the great experiences our students have been having. Remote learning is undoubtedly different from our regular school day and full activity schedule, and this has demonstrated the significance of our schools and our Village to who we are as a community. I could not start the break without thanking our teachers, administrators, support staff, and custodial/maintenance workers for adapting to these circumstances and performing their roles with dedication and professionalism.

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What Will be the Long term Impact of Coronavirus “accidental homeschooling”on Public Education ?

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, currently, 124,000 schools are closed nationwide, forcing more than 55 million children to school from home for the time being. In an effort to slow the spread of the pandemic, some states have even decided to keep schools closed for the remainder of the school year. More than ever, “ We’re All Homeschoolers Now.”
Something to think about with a $115 million Ridgewood school budget vote coming up >

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 14 ,Due to COVID 19

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April 2, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

During times of adversity and stress, I find myself thinking of others who are going through the same experience, but in this case, I am particularly aware of those who are on the front line in a much riskier position than myself. I think of the medical community who took an oath to treat any patient who needs care, even when that care puts them in harm’s way.

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Orchard School Soil Remediation Update

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April 1, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

Yesterday, I received a Letter of Health Consultation (LHC) from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) addressing health concerns related to possible exposure from contaminated fill at the Orchard Elementary School. As you may recall, we had been in consultation with the NJDOH to schedule a public meeting; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a public meeting is no longer an option. Please click here to view a copy of the NJDOH Letter of Health Consultation (LHC). The conclusion of the 11-page document is as follows:

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 13 ,Due to COVID 19

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April 1, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

So many April Fools’ jokes come to mind today…unfortunately, none are funny. I wrote this sentence first thing this morning; then, many people called, texted, and even forwarded an April Fools’ Day letter allegedly from my office saying we have no April break and are going to be in school until July 21st…not true! But, it was kind of funny and “got” me and many others. People are creative.

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 12 ,Due to COVID 19

March 31, 2020

 

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

 

Good afternoon! I hope this update finds you and your families doing well. Although we are not together in school, we are continuing to find creative ways to maintain some of our traditions. This week is Spirit Week! For me, I have celebrated our Elementary School Spirit Week as follows:

Maroon Monday: Ridgewood gear! As Superintendent of the Ridgewood Public Schools, I have plenty. Back in the good old days when my wife, Sue (she asked me not to only refer to her as my wife…. done) and I cleaned out some closets, we found 17 Ridgewood sweatshirts, dozens of t-shirts, and much more. We did not donate any. My kids participated in sports at RHS, so we had plenty of gear to go around.

Team up Tuesday: I am a Dallas Cowboys fan. Ok, stop rolling your eyes and muttering under your breath. For all of you Giants fans, Jason Garret is your problem now.

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Superintendent of the Ridgewood Public Schools Says ,”School budget supports the district’s mission and vision”

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School budget supports the district’s mission and vision
This year’s election faces many challenges due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, which has resulted in the closure of schools, businesses, and public spaces across the country. On Thursday, March 19, Gov. Murphy announced that Annual School Elections scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, will be postponed until Tuesday, May 12, and will be conducted solely via vote-by-mail ballots, which will be sent to all registered voters.
These unprecedented yet necessary measures to flatten the curve and lessen the burden on our health care system have already had a significant impact on our daily lives. Parents are juggling work schedules and remote learning for their children. Grocery stores are scrambling to restock items as quickly as possible, but shelves continue to be emptied. Our beautiful, vibrant downtown is still and quiet; our businesses are being hit hard. People are feeling isolated and disconnected. As the district leader and a community member, I empathize with the students who miss their classmates, teachers, and school activities, the elderly who are alone, the individuals who are being laid off, and the health care workers who are on the front line of this crisis.

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 11 ,Due to COVID 19

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March 30, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

In response to recent updates, I have received several emails asking that we teach through the spring break. First and foremost, parents, students, and teachers are tired. This weariness is not necessarily from the hard academic work, but most likely from the stress we are all experiencing. While our intent is not to add pressure to this already difficult situation, remote learning is stressful for everyone involved nonetheless.

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 10 ,Due to COVID 19

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March 27, 2020

 

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

Thank you for all that you have done to make week two of this historic situation in U.S. public education so successful. You may have heard that yesterday, Governor Murphy tweeted:

“Let me be clear: The decision to reopen school districts rests with me. We will not be prepared to revisit the closure until at least April 17th, at the very earliest. The decision to reopen will be based on careful discussion with our public health and safety experts, and with our educators and districts. We will be guided by facts on the ground. “

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 9 ,Due to COVID 19

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March 26, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

We are starting to receive calls and emails concerning RPS families and employees with positive COVID-19 results. From what I hear, these individuals started having symptoms after school was closed. When someone tests positive for the virus, the appropriate public health department is notified and follows up with the individual. These investigations are private, and only the public health department determines who must be contacted. How individuals release personal health information is their decision. COVID-19 is an illness, and there is no shame in being diagnosed. If you are diagnosed and need help, we are here for you and so are your neighbors. People can shop for you and your family and leave packages at your door.

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New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) is cancelling all statewide student assessments for the spring

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to the NJ Department Of Education due to continued school closures, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) is cancelling all statewide student assessments for the spring 2020 testing window. This includes the springtime administration of the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA), ACCESS for ELLs, and the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) assessment. The NJDOE has been granted a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to forego federally mandated statewide testing, accountability, and reporting requirements for this school year. The NJDOE is working to address the impact of canceling assessments on other aspects of education, including educator evaluations and school and district accountability. The cancellation of statewide assessments will not prevent students from meeting their graduation assessment requirements.

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Ridgewood School Home School Day 8 ,Due to COVID 19

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March 25, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

This is a very dynamic and ever-changing situation, and as expected, the number of reported cases of COVID-19 continues to rise. While I have not received any “official notice,” I am comfortable saying that we will be closed the week of March 30-April 3. Spring break is the following week, and, as in the past, it will be homework free. This will allow families time to regroup, organize home schedules, and get recharged for the resumption of probable home instruction on April 13th. Based on the trajectory of reported cases, and most unfortunately, deaths, I presume our closure will continue for a while.

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