RHS Bands in annual Winter Concert
Wednesday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m.
RHS Campus Center
Free
The public is invited to this annual free concert featuring the school’s three curricular bands — the Symphonic Band, Concert Band and Wind Ensemble. Please click here for more information.
Mini New Players Program for grades K-4
Friday, December 15
4-7:30 p.m. (performance at 7 p.m.) Click here for details and registration form.
The Mini New Players Program offers students in Kindergarten through Grade 4 an opportunity to explore the world of theater. Under the supervision of New Players Company adult staff, the children will work with high school theater students playing fun-filled and stimulating games designed to spark their creativity and introduce them to the basics of drama. The program culminates in a brief performance for parents.
RHS New Players
The 2017-18 season continues with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever December 7-10, New Players in Concert, 42nd Street, Twelfth Night, and Student Written One Acts.
Click here for information on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
Click here for more information on the whole season.
RHS Maroon & White
Student Recital and Art Exhibit
Thursday, January 18 at 3:45 p.m.
RHS Learning Commons (recital), Carroll Art Gallery (exhibit and reception)
Ridgewood NJ, The Bergen County Coaches Association selects the 2017 All Bergen County football team. Ridgewood had four players selected .
The Ridgewood players are Coleston Smith DL, Aidan Toomey P, Paul Calvetti LB, Dylan Black OL .
Ridgewood’s season ended with a bit of disappointment when the Maroons lost in the sectional semifinals.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood school district will host a hands-on technology and smart phone program for parents and guardians. Given the events of the last couple of weeks parents need to pay attention.
Last year, Catherine Steiner-Adair, Ed.D., author of The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, addressed parents and guardians as part of our Community Outreach Program – Wellbeing Speakers Series. Following her talk, Ridgewood Public Schools administrators began follow-up discussions that continue today. One outcome of these talks is the selection of Dr. Steiner-Adair’s book for a One Book, One District initiative that will encourage the entire community to read The Big Disconnect. Additionally, the following programs have been scheduled for this school year.
January 11, 2018, Ridgewood High School Campus Center, 7:00 PM Ridgewood Public Schools will host a hands-on technology and smart phone program for parents and guardians.
Ridgewood NJ, according to Lenore Skanazy in , “The Helicopter Parents Have Good Intentions But Have Stolen Their Children’s Freedom And Created A Snowflake Generation.” Skanazy goes on to describe the loss of autonomy of our children and the negative impact .
The “helicopter parents” is a new term but the concept dates back over 45 years , and there has been a massive shift and the numbers are startling .
In 1971: 80% of kids age 7 and 8 walked to school or arrived independent of parents. In 1990 only 9%.
In 1971, approximately half of children’s journeys were made on foot. 80% of 7- and 8-year-old children got to school unaccompanied by an adult. This included buses, bicycles and mass transit.
In 1990: 30% of children under ten years old are allowed to travel alone to places (other than school) within walking distance. 9% of 7- and 8-year-old children got to school unaccompanied by an adult, whilst levels of car ownership and use were fairly similar.
13 percent of American elementary schoolchildren walked to school in 2009.
Skanazy asks , “Why don’t we see this for what it is? A heist! We have stolen children’s freedom. They are transported from locked space to locked space like prisoners. And we are expected to be their jailers.
Why is it so important for kids to walk around and play outside, independently?”
The loss of these mean:
• Considerable loss of autonomy.
• Decline in physical condition potentially leading to obesity and other health problems.
• Gaining insufficient practical and social skills owing to inexperience in acting independently.
Look there are 160 homes on the market in the village Ridgewood as of today. Senior citizens and other residents are moving out we’re downsizing because of the taxes they will not retire in town on the realtor and this is what I’m told every single day. Don’t let anybody give you any kind of bullshit story the taxes are way too high in town. Yes there are buyers coming from Europe and all major cities throughout the United States because they all want to work in Manhattan People are following the money but days of working for someone for 25 years is pretty much over there is no more loyalty. For few between. Make the money and run.
Ridgewood NJ, given the recent finding of ethics violations against the former Mayor Paul Aronsohn and his side kick former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld for promoting instead of educating the public ,did the Ridgewood Board of Education unlawfully use taxpayer dollars by erecting this sign on the lawn of a taxpayer owned building in an attempt to influence voters prior to the Fall 2016 General Election?
Ridgewood NJ, At a recent NYU debate, psychologist Jonathan Haidt was one of several panelist who discussed free speech and the exchange of ideas on college campuses, as well as the rise of microaggressions (ideas or statements that might be subtly offensive to some people or groups).
Haidt offers several explanations as to how campuses transformed from places where ideas were freely exchanged into “safe spaces” where professors cannot interject ideas that might be deemed controversial.
People born before 1980, Haidt said, generally accept the following principles regarding life on a university:
“You are here to come to terms with ideas that might be upsetting or disconcerting.”
“We need opposition to help us learn and help us grow.”
“We know we are imperfect and prone to bias and ad hoc reasoning.”
These are individuals who generally grew up in environments in which they often were forced to confront challenges and dangers on their own. “If someone called you a stupid idiot, you either called him a stupid idiot back or you punch him,” Haidt said.
That is in stark contrast to how children were raised by helicopter parents after 1980, he said, when children were given less independence. They were taught to resolve conflicts through figures of authority. Another words they “rat” on the perpetrator of the perceived wrong .
Haidt claims , “People born after 1980 are much more likely to be in a state of moral dependency,” he said. “If somebody has done something to me, I won’t deal with it myself. I will get an adult authority, a bureaucratic authority, a diversity a department, something to punish the person who did this to me.”
American campuses are now overwhelmingly made up of students born after 1980, many of whom are incapable resolving conflict on their own.
The result is a process Haidt calls erasure, in which universities and educators strip away anything that could possibly be construed as unsettling or offensive. Eventually, ideological conformity (on campuses that implies progressivism) replaces original thought.
“This makes it impossible to teach. This makes it impossible to have an intellectual community,” he said. “I’m a liberal Professor and my liberal students scare me.”
Ridgewood NJ, according to Kerry McDonald is a Senior Contributor for Intellectual Takeout , ” Parents are fed up. As mass schooling becomes more restrictive, more standardized and more far-reaching into a child’s young life, many parents are choosing alternatives. Increasingly, these parents are reclaiming their child’s education and are refocusing learning around children, family, and community in several different ways.”
It started as a trickle but now over two million U.S. children will be avoiding the school bus altogether in favor of homeschooling, an educational choice that has accelerated in recent years among both liberal and conservative families.
On top of homeschooling, an additional two million children will be educated this fall in charter schools. According to recent U.S. Department of Education data, the number of students currently enrolled in charter schools increased from 0.9 million in 2004 to 2.7 million in 2014, while the number of children enrolled in traditional public schools declined by 0.4 million during that same period. Taxpayer-funded but administered by predominantly private educational organizations, charter schools allow parents flexibility in choosing a school that is better aligned with their expectations and their child’s needs. Charter schools are often exempt from district policies and collective bargaining agreements that can halt innovation and experimentation, allowing them more instructional and organizational freedom. Demand for charter schools often outweighs current supply, with statewide charter caps, admissions lotteries, and long waiting lists leaving many parents discouraged and angry.
When Gov. Chris Christie leaves office , one of his clear legacies will be the growth of charter schools in New Jersey, with school enrollment more than doubling in his eight years in office.In July , his administration finished the job, announcing the final approval of five more schools to open this fall. That brings to 89 the number of charters that will be open when Christie steps down in January.
There will be close to 50,000 students enrolled in charters this fall, according to the state, up from less than 25,000 when he took office. More than 56,000 seats will be authorized with the latest approvals.
Advancing technology has also played a key roll . As online learning improves and expands, more parents are choosing virtual schools for their children over traditional public schools. Data from the non-profit organization, International Association for K-12 Online Learning, find that 310,000 young people in grades kindergarten through 12th grade participated in fully online programming in 2013, up from 200,000 in 2010. In addition to homeschoolers, charter school students, and virtual learners, more than four million children will avoid a traditional district school this fall to attend a U.S. private school.
Strange letter from our great communicator. What is he saying? About forgiveness. Should we forgive him for that Alice in Wonderland mad queen letter about the INCIDENT that has no name and that we should not talk about even to ask what happened. Should we forgive him for not saying one word, no response, to the anxious and desperate residents of Ridgewood at board of ed meeting when parents pleaded questions to him about what happened and how and if school faculty is going to address the student body as a whole, the student body many of whom do not know what happened and many of whom are frightened. Should we forgive Fishbein for letting his mouthpiece, board of ed president accuse the concerned , anxious residents of Ridgewood for insulting himself and Fishbein for asking relevant questions, sincere from the the heart questions about the unnamed incident, at board of ed meeting. Or should perhaps a competent communicator be the new school Supt. of Ridgewood
The following column appeared in The Ridgewood News on November 24, 2017.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
It’s been quite a month in our idyllic community. Faced with the fallout from a serious student incident that occurred on district property after school hours, our Village has been challenged to ponder some equally serious questions. How is that Ridgewood children chose to resolve their issues with serious physical violence rather than civil mediation? Why did bystanders feel motivated to record the incident rather than rush to intervene? What part did social media play in fueling the dispute and shaping the community’s reactions, rumors, rants and pointing of fingers?
Importantly, too: With the investigation now completed and behind us, where do we go from here? How can this incident be used as an opportunity to do better?
We are asking all of those questions at the school district level, starting by examining our student policies, as you already have heard us say. I invite you to look at the policies, especially 5512, which covers Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, and also 5600, our Student Discipline Code of Conduct. The policies, which also detail how often they are revised, may be found on our website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.
As important as the policies are, to a large extent examining them is the not-so-difficult part of the task ahead. I say this because policies are generally rules for dealing with the aftermath of incidents or instructions in how to do certain things, and we are equally intent on finding ways to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place.
Equally important is the need for all of us as individuals, as parents and guardians, mentors and coaches, residents and neighbors, to ask the above questions of ourselves. Such incidents challenge us to examine our own personal policies and behaviors, to look at how we can do better at modeling the behaviors we want our children to adopt as they grow into mature adults and assume the responsibilities as our society’s leaders of tomorrow.
For the most part, I think it’s fair to pat ourselves on the back. We do a terrific job in this community of raising responsible kids, and that is because we really are good people ourselves. We clearly have big hearts that are in the right place, proven by the endless list of ways we teach our children to try to make a difference. The full coin jars for hurricane relief, overflowing shoe collections for the needy, piles of coats and bags of groceries that are regularly collected, successful Pink Outs and Pajama Days for worthy causes, all point to the success of our parents and guardians, our teachers and administrators, in modeling strong values that align with Thanks and Giving, a favorite theme of mine and so many others at this time of year.
So how is it that a community so good at doing Thanks and Giving is facing such difficult questions at the moment? While I do not have that answer, nor the answers to the other challenging questions above, I will suggest that just as Thanks and Giving are important to our health and wellbeing as individuals and members of society, the practice of for-giving is vital, too.
Forgiveness. It takes humbleness and swallowing of pride and can be difficult. But as we know, forgiveness is also a very cathartic act, as well as the foundation for reconciliation, which is why we teach our children to say they are sorry from their earliest days.
At this time of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the magical holiday season when there is always much talk about counting our blessings and peace on earth, I’d like to encourage us all to think about forgiveness, too. It just may help us move forward, to grapple as a community with our issues in an honest and loving way.
I maintain hope that this incident and our reflections together will result in shaping us into even worthier citizens, an even stronger community, and yes, ultimately a better world that lives in peace.
Go Cowboys! And remember the Kelly Creegan Foundation’s annual Coat Drive this Saturday at Graydon parking lot!
As always, please feel free to contact me with your questions or concerns.
Unfortunately, there are some parents of bullying kids that still swear by “not my child” and refuse to come into school to meet with authority. Yes, this has been a personal experience. How can any school force any parent to come to school? My child finally stopped it by slugging the other kid. Certainly not a desired solution but it caused the other kid to think twice before taking him on.
I am really really concerned about all of the things I hear happen at the high school . It seems that the BOE is only involved or concerned about situations that fall under the state mandate of HIB. If an incident doesn’t fall unde the guidelines of HIB then nothing is done . I want to send my kids to catholic school for high school . The environment at RHS seems toxic. This was a chance for our “leaders” and I use that term lightly , to actually take a stand , implement new programs and actually lead! Shame on them
A very good point was made by Fishbein, he and his administration are responsible for monitoring a powerful device that is put in the students hands (smartphone) by the parents. When are we going to start holding parents accountable for their kids and what they do? Also, I have heard so many complaints of the BOE not doing their jobs in taking a stand (which I highly disagree with – my kids who are at 3 different schools in the district have been coming home talking about their bully – HIB presentations since I can remember), but I have yet to hear anyone come forward with what they think should or can be done in addition to what is already being done. Anyone? I bet if more parents were policing their kids and their phones, this would help the administration A LOT. They can’t’ do it alone, and they shouldn’t be held entirely accountable for 6,000 kids and their actions. This is a group effort people. Teaching our kids accountability for their OWN actions is an amazing life lesson. Placing blame has not benefit to anyone – not helpful.
Ridgewood NJ, at the Monday night school board meeting , the Ridgewood Board of Educations was once again challenged by parents on the perceived lack of action on what some parents are calling a bullying epidemic at Ridgewood schools.
The school seemed unable or unwilling to confront the issue. The Board continues to claim they are following the anti bullying policy , but recent events would fail to confirm that . The school board maintains that bullying is not an issue at Ridgewood Schools, while recent events again suggest otherwise . Parents as well as students seem to lost confidence in the BOE on this issue .
Ridgewood NJ, This past week’s mass shooting at a California elementary school once again raised questions about safety protocols in schools northern New Jersey and our own schools in Ridgewood .
Early safety focused the duck and cover mode and hope for the best , but with all these high profile incidents many school systems look to be better prepared .
Along come a company called ALICE Training Institute , their Mission: To Improve Chances of Survival .
Right from ALICE’s website , “The threat of an active shooter attack is rare but very real. We aim to eradicate the “It can’t happen to me” mentality and change the way people everywhere respond to armed intruders. At the ALICE Training Institute, we believe that individuals should be prepared for active shooter events and empowered to make their own life-saving decisions. Once empowered to make their own life-saving decisions, individuals must be trained in proactive active shooter response options, rather than a passive, mandated, one-size-fits-all response. We want all Americans to have the knowledge and skills to survive when shots are fired. We can achieve this by training as many people as possible and implementing training in drill form across all organizations. We have seen the successful results of fire drills. It’s time to start anticipating man-made disasters.”
ALICE Training Institute is dedicated to promoting proactive strategies to improve the chances of survival during an active shooter event. We’ve worked with hundreds of thousands of individuals in Police/LE, K-12 Schools, Healthcare, Higher Education, Business, Government and Houses of Worship organizations and empowered their people using ALICE Training.
The Bergen Record cited Denville’s School Superintendent Steven Forte who said the district implemented a strategy four years ago called ALICE to prepare students for “an active shooter” emergency.
The ALICE training program, an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate, was created after the Columbine shooting , by law enforcement professional Greg Crane who was worried for the safety of his wife, a school principal.
Alert is your first notification of danger.
ALERT is when you first become aware of a threat. The sooner you understand that you’re in danger, the sooner you can save yourself. A speedy response is critical. Seconds count.
Alert is overcoming denial, recognizing the signs of danger and receiving notifications about the danger from others. Alerts should be accepted, taken seriously, and should help you make survival decisions based on your circumstances.
Barricade the room. Prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER if needed.
If EVACUATION is not a safe option, barricade entry points into your room in an effort to create a semi-secure starting point.
Our training explains scenarios where Lockdown may be the preferable option and dispels myths about passive, traditional ‘lockdown only’ procedures that create readily identifiable targets and makes a shooter’s mission easier. ALICE trainers instruct on practical techniques for how to better barricade a room, what to do with mobile and electronic devices, how and when to communicate with police, and how to use your time in lockdown to prepare to use other strategies (i.e. Counter or Evacuate) that might come into play should the active shooter gain entry.
Communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real time.
The purpose of INFORM is to continue to communicate information in as real time as possible, if it is safe to do so. Armed intruder situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly, which means that ongoing, real time information is key to making effective survival decisions. Information should always be clear, direct and in plain language, not using codes. If the shooter is known to be in an isolated section of a building, occupants in other wards can safely evacuate while those in direct danger can perform enhanced lockdown and prepare to counter.
Video surveillance, 911 calls and PA announcements are just a few of the channels that may be used by employees, safety officers, and other personnel to inform others. An emergency response plan should have clear methods outlined for informing school employees, hospital workers, or any other employees of the location of a violent intruder.
Create Noise, Movement, Distance and Distraction with the intent of reducing the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Counter is NOT fighting.
ALICE Training does not believe that actively confronting a violent intruder is the best method for ensuring the safety of those involved. Counter is a strategy of last resort. Counter focuses on actions that create noise, movement, distance and distraction with the intent of reducing the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Creating a dynamic environment decreases the shooter’s chance of hitting a target and can provide the precious seconds needed in order to evacuate.
When safe to do so, remove yourself from the danger zone.
ATI provides techniques for safer and more strategic evacuations. Evacuating to a safe area takes people out of harm’s way and hopefully prevents civilians from having to come into any contact with the shooter.
Did you know that you should break a window from the top corner as opposed to the center? Many useful techniques that civilians do not know exist and can save your life. ALICE trainers teach strategies for evacuating through windows, from higher floors and under extreme duress.
While this may seem extreme to many , its seems that in this day and age you cant be to careful, and like fire drills you always want to be prepared .
