Ridgewood NJ, according to the Ridgewood League of Women Voters because of the seriousness of the coronavirus, the New Jersey State League of Women Voters has strongly urged local Leagues to cancel any League face to face interactions including Candidates Forums. In addition, the Bergen County Executive, Jim Tedesco, has declared a Bergen County shutdown of all schools and public places.
I want to thank parents and caregivers for partnering with us to continue educating our students. We fully recognize the heavy lift we are asking of you and appreciate your assistance and input on how we can do things better. In the days and weeks to come, news about the spread of COVID-19 will likely intensify due to increased testing. However, by practicing social distancing and following preventive measures, we can flatten the curve of coronavirus. Our actions now will contribute to our recovery later.
According to the National School Boards Association, kids who study art are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. Studies show that art helps kids earn higher report card grades because skills developed through art lead to better learning in other areas.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! First, I would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming expressions of gratitude towards our teachers and administrators for the planning and execution of the home instruction plan. This was truly a team effort, and everyone has exemplified what it means to be part of the Ridgewood Public Schools community. Our entire staff has displayed critical thinking, resilience, empathy, and creativity, setting a fine example of the qualities we strive to foster in our students. I would be remiss if I did not also recognize our families for accepting this new challenge with such grace, patience, and understanding.
The response to this public health emergency changes daily, as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise. Today, the Governor announced his Executive Order mandating the closure of all New Jersey schools with no end date provided, along with numerous other measures that will be implemented statewide. On March 15, 2020, the Village of Ridgewood signed a Proclamation of Local Emergency, which states that all public and Board of Education recreational fields, all school grounds, all tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts, and playgrounds within the Village of Ridgewood are closed.
“The fact that the BOE members let this go to a legal matter is shameful on the part of the entire Board. This started off as a perfectly lawful request that they decided not to respond to, which in-turn forced the lawsuit. I’m sure they were hoping that Dani would let sleeping dogs lie. They made a strategic blunder. When a Board does not respond to a perfectly lawful request under the laws of the state, and then they are forced to respond by way of a lawsuit, the Board should resign. The court’s decision shows that they wasted time, money, and ran afoul of the law, specifically the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), which used to be called “Right To Know Law”, which governs the public’s access to government records in New Jersey. So, they were holding back on every citizens “right to know”. Time, money, and public records, is what they are there to provide oversight over, and be good stewards over. If they cannot do that for themselves, they cannot be expected to provide financial oversight and governance over a school system. It’s total irresponsibility of their roles as board members, and the board speaks with one voice, a resolution for the entire BOE to step down is in order.”
It is critical that everyone in the community sign up for the Village of Ridgewood E-Notice System at https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/village-info/enotices-and-alerts-registration. Please do this immediately so that you can get vital notifications and information about the Village as it pertains to this public health crisis. Information about our schools as it relates to this emergency will come directly from me. Instructional information will be sent from the teachers and your child’s school. Additionally, I will be sending daily email notices to keep you up-to-date and informed. I ask that you also follow the district on twitter @RwdPub Schools and @RWDSupt, and please follow your schools. We send a lot of important information through our twitter accounts, as well as the district Facebook page @RidgewoodPublicSchools.
Ridgewood NJ,Superior court judge orders Ridgewood BOE to produce certificates from board members, to certify the manner in which they access Board of Education emails:
On Friday, March 13th, Superior court judge, Bonnie Mizdol ordered the Ridgewood BOE to produce certificates from two members of board, within 7 days attesting to the manner in which they access Board of Education emails from any and all non-Board devices and/or non-Board email accounts. These certifications shall be detailed and specific, including but not limited to::
“I was unable to make it to today’s Hawes HSA meeting with HyunJu as my children are sick, however I sent a letter in my stead. I know HyunJu represented us well, and her posting sure shows that! I have pasted below my letter to the Hawes HSA for everyone.”
Hackensack NJ, In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco just announced that the county schools will close and transition to online learning until further notice, starting tomorrow at 3pm. The county executive and officials had been discussing throughout the day the potential of closing the school districts. On Tuesday, Tedesco declared a state of emergency in the county, where there are 13 presumptive positive cases of coronavirus, which has resulted in 1 death.
“In light of this weeks announcement declaring a State of Emergency in New Jersey due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the rapidly evolving events, we feel it is prudent to cancel the coffee scheduled for this Sunday, March 15th. Given the anticipated turnout, the dialogue would have been robust and lively, but safety is obviously a top priority.”
Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco today issued the following statement concerning the status of Bergen County’s 75 school districts:
“Today I hosted a meeting with Executive Leadership of the Bergen County Association of School Administrators (BCASA) to discuss the possible transition from on-site learning to off-site distance learning. In conjunction with the Bergen County Health Officer, further updates will be forthcoming either later today or into tomorrow regarding the status of all Bergen County’s 75 school districts. We are confident in the ability of Bergen’s teachers, staff and administrators to take action as necessary.”
Ridgewood NJ, as per the County Executive, Bergen County schools will be closed effective Friday, March 13, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at the end of the school day through March 27, 2020. The remote learning plan will go into effect on Monday, March 16, 2020.
Trenton NJ, With 23 novel coronavirus cases now identified in New Jersey — including one associated death — Higher Education Secretary Dr. Zakiya Smith Ellis today announced guidance specific to colleges and universities that includes considerations for institutions as they make decisions that impact campus life.
