Does anyone believe that Fishbein and Gorman are the right leaders for our schools? Are they capable of driving the innovation and dynamic change needed to improve our schools, and help prepare our students for the challenges of the world and workforce ahead? If the answer is no, why are they still employed?
Yeah, reality is we’re not producing competitive, top tier students anymore despite top tier taxes and spending $110 mm a year. Better change the slogan from “Tradition of Excellence” if you don’t think rankings matter. Reality is the best universities aren’t competing for graduates of RHS. Twenty years ago we produced a lot more students matriculating to the best colleges in the country.
file photo by Boyd Loving
Ridgewood schools were ranked nationally in the 1980s and 1990s. No more. As the “CEO” of a school board with a $110 mm annual budget, 10 “offices” and 500 employees, he has overseen the demise of our schools over the past decade. The “product” is in secular decline apart from very niche & expensive “special needs” education. Surely with a budget like that, we can attract world class & innovative leaders and educators that can improve our schools? Instead we get weather updates from Fishbein. If he’s so great, let him destroy another school system instead of ours.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the website NICHE put together their annual list of New Jersey’s best public high schools . Ridgewood High School placed #26, Tenafly High School #20 , Northern Highlands #22Fair Lawn High School #34, Northern Valley Demarest #39 , Northern Valley Old Tappan #40, Mahwah High School #48, Ramapo High School #49 in the rankings.
Continue reading Ridgewood High School Places 26th in the NICHE 2019 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey
Photo credit Zigi Putnins
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The stars are out this week! Ridgewood’s very own J. Mark McVey, Ciarán Sheenan and Eugene Thomas will be performing with over 140 cast members in this year’s Jamboree 2019 “Long Way Home.” J. Marc McVey made his Broadway debut as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables.” Ciaran Sheenan, Irish born and acclaimed actor and singer has performed in Phantom of the Opera as The Phantom and as Raoul and currently performs with The Four Phantoms. Eugene Thomas was the lead singer of the musical groups “Megatones” and “Epitome of Sound” in the 1960’s and recently released a 45 LP which is widely celebrated here and internationally. RHS Jamboree’s “Long Way Home” welcomes these amazing performers to their cast! Jamboree has given out over $1 million dollars in college scholarships to graduating seniors since its inception over 70 years ago! Come on out and support this great cause!
Performances will be held at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 N. Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ. Thursday and Friday February 7th and 8th at 7:30pm. Saturday February 9th at 7:00pm. Tickets can be purchased online through Brown Paper Tickets: https://bpt.me/3922247 Or go to www.rhsjamboree.org for more information
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Please help support the RHS Alumni Association by honoring your favorite alum, teacher, local business, coach, team or academic club.
Ridgewood High School is built on a tradition of excellence. You can continue to support and inspire students by purchasing your own brick paver today. Commemorate an event, reunion or significant milestone by purchasing a brick. You can memorialize a treasured individual or simply declare your love of RHS through this program. These bricks will line the walkways of our campus and honor the past and the future of RHS.
Continue reading RHS Commemorative Brick
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Due to the extreme cold temperatures and potentially icy roads and walkways expected tomorrow morning, all Ridgewood Schools will operate under the delayed opening schedule Thursday, January 31, 2019. Under the delayed opening schedule, the school day will begin two hours later than usual.
School bus schedules will operate two hours later. Elementary school children who have not ordered lunch must bring a bag lunch to school as there will not be sufficient time for children to go home for lunch when there is a delayed opening.
For students who walk to school, please dress warmly and allow extra time and caution while walking
file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Mr. Kaufman appeared to drop the ball at Monday nights Ridgewood Board of Education meeting when failed to ask for a motion to drop the trustee term lawsuit.
Board observers say that a motion to dismiss the lawsuit would have put
BOE members on record supporting or opposing term extensions.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, despite previous allegations from a parent of a 9-year old who revealed that her son and one of his classmates were, and still are, able to surf porn and other “age inappropriate” videos using their school issued Chrome Books, via the school’s WiFi network, and during school hours.
Dr. Fishbein reported at last nights BOE meeting that there were no changes to the policy since last year. Following the opportunity for public comment, the Board approved the certification that the Ridgewood Public Schools, including media centers/libraries in the district, are in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act and Neighborhood Protection Act and that the school district enforces the requirements of these Acts and the Policy.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) has posted the 2019 April Election Candidate Kit online.
This year’s annual school election will be held on April 16, 2019. The deadline for candidates to submit their nominating petitions is at 4 p.m. on Feb. 25.
School board secretaries and residents interested in board member candidacy can download the free kit, which includes information on:
Continue reading NJSBA’s 2019 April Election Candidate Kit Now Available Online
“How and why was Gorman allowed to nurture and later celebrate a mass student walkout and protest with utter impunity? This kind of crap caused the University of Missouri to tank. Why should anyone believe that RHS is immune to that kind of fate? “
Funny how teachers & staff only go to a board meeting when THEIR interests are effected, for example, when THEIR contract expired. How come they don’t appear at other Board Meetings? Funny how RBOE isn’t in the top 10 public school districts according the the State of NJ. Keep paying those high taxes for tenured teachers that can’t get reprimanded or fired. The teachers union sounds more like mafia. How about Ridgewood teachers spend a day in Newark or Jersey City classroom and see what a REAL school day is like.
“Tradition of Excellence” ?
OK, let’s look at the numbers, shall we…
Out of the 70 municipalities in Bergen County, we in Ridgewood pay the 37th highest property tax rates. This is to say that we pay *slightly less than* the average property tax rate. We certainly do *not* pay “high taxes” relative to some municipalities.
These guys pay the most (expressed per $1,000 of assessed value):
Bogota (Borough) 3.8
Ridgefield Park (Village) 3.723
Dumont (Borough) 3.525
Hackensack (City) 3.415
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR
NEW STUDENT ONLINE ENROLLMENT STARTS JANUARY 18, 2019
Registration Completion at Elementary Schools
Tuesday, February 5th and Thursday, February 7th from 3:30 – 4:30 P.M.
for more information click here to see Dr. Fishbein’s letter
“Hmm. I wonder. Once the lawsuit became public and social media users started hammering Board members, did they ask Fishbein to take the fall for them, or did Dan the Man actually pull the trigger himself. I wonder. My money is on Dan being told to take a bullet on their behalf.”
