Category: Ridgewood Schools

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US News Ranks Princeton University Top US College

princeton

September 12,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, U.S. News provides nearly 50 different types of numerical rankings and lists to help students narrow their college search. From National Universities and Liberal Arts Colleges to A-Plus Schools for B Students.

New Jersey offers a mix of small liberal arts colleges, midsize colleges and large research universities are located throughout New Jersey. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick is among the largest colleges in the U.S., enrolling more than 31,000 undergraduate students annually. Some of the publicly funded colleges and universities in New Jersey are located in Newark and the capital of Trenton. Several notable private institutions are located in the state as well, including Princeton University.

 

Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
#1 in National Universities

The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was the first university to offer a “no loan” policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition. more

$47,140 Tuition and Fees
5,400 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

College of New Jersey

Ewing, NJ
#4 in Regional Universities North (tie)

The College of New Jersey, also known as TCNJ, is a selective, public school with many campus groups and activities for students to try. Home to theaters and an educational television station, TCNJ also hosts more than 150 student organizations and numerous recreational and competitive sports teams. more

$27,578 (out-of-state), $16,149 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
6,787 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Rutgers University–Camden

Camden, NJ
#25 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1927, Rutgers University–Camden is a public institution.

$29,381 (out-of-state), $14,238 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
5,021 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Monmouth University

West Long Branch, NJ
#28 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1933, Monmouth University is a private institution. Monmouth University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective. more

$36,733 Tuition and Fees
4,707 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Rider University

Lawrenceville, NJ
#34 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1865, Rider University is a private institution. The school has 48.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Rider University is 11:1. more

$41,310 Tuition and Fees
4,060 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Mahwah, NJ
#37 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Ramapo College of New Jersey is a public liberal arts institution that offers about 40 undergraduate programs in five schools. Students at Ramapo can get involved in more than 100 student organizations, Greek life, and campus media. more

$23,214 (out-of-state), $14,080 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
5,762 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Stockton University

Galloway, NJ
#41 in Regional Universities North (tie)

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey is located near the Atlantic shoreline in Galloway. About 5 percent of students at Stockton College participate in Greek life. more

$20,356 (out-of-state), $13,402 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
7,854 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Teaneck, NJ
#64 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Fairleigh Dickinson University has two campuses in New Jersey, the suburban College at Florham and the Metropolitan Campus, which allows students to select the type of college experience they’re looking for. more

$40,704 Tuition and Fees
7,870 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Piscataway, NJ
#69 in National Universities (tie)

Rutgers University—New Brunswick, the flagship campus of New Jersey’s state university, is split into five minicampuses, each with a unique setting and identity, student center and dining options. Freshmen are not required to live on campus. Students can join more than 400 student clubs and organizations, including more than 80 fraternities and sororities. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. Among its graduate offerings, Rutgers has a highly ranked Graduate School of Education. The university also awards one of the highest numbers of doctorate degrees a year among U.S. schools. As a public research university, Rutgers is home to unique institutions such as the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, where students take hands-on courses in the sciences and work on community projects. more

$30,023 (out-of-state), $14,372 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
36,168 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ
#69 in National Universities (tie)

Innovation and entrepreneurship is stressed at Stevens Institute of Technology, a research-intensive school primarily known for its engineering, science and management programs. The school also has a humanities division with eight majors. Undergraduate students are encouraged to get involved in research projects and develop new technologies through the school’s Technogenesis philosophy. Students can opt for a cooperative education track, which is a five-year program with mostly alternating semesters of class and full-time, paid work. Students complete a full first and fifth year at Stevens, and pay for only four years of school. On campus, in Hoboken, N.J., there are more than 120 clubs and organizations, including about 15 fraternities and sororities. Housing is guaranteed for four years, and more than 60 percent of students choose to live on campus. The campus lies along the Hudson River, and New York City is a boat or subway ride away.
The Stevens Ducks mainly compete in the NCAA Division III Empire 8 Athletic Conference, and, through the school’s Adopt-a-Team program, all student athletes have a faculty mentor to help them juggle sports and school work. Incoming freshmen also do not have the hassle of buying a new laptop; each student is given a notebook computer with software configured to his or her major. The school was exclusively for male students until 1971, and now, females make up close to 30 percent of the student body. more

$50,554 Tuition and Fees
3,021 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Saint Peter’s University

Jersey City, NJ
#97 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1872, Saint Peter’s University is a private institution. Saint Peter’s University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered less selective. more

$36,402 Tuition and Fees
2,672 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Caldwell University

Caldwell, NJ
#102 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1939, Caldwell University is a private institution. The school has 62.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Caldwell University is 12:1. more

$33,900 Tuition and Fees
1,637 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ
#102 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1855, William Paterson University of New Jersey is a public institution. William Paterson University of New Jersey offers a Greek system, where 2 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 2 percent is involved in a fraternity. more

$20,842 (out-of-state), $12,804 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
9,103 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Drew University

Madison, NJ
#112 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Drew University is located in Madison, New Jersey, not far from New York City. Students can take advantage of the school’s location through intensive semester-long programs on Wall Street and more. more

$49,168 Tuition and Fees
1,521 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more
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Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ
#124 in National Universities (tie)

A private, Catholic school in South Orange, N.J., Seton Hall University is about a 30-minute train ride to New York City. Many students take advantage of the university’s location by interning and job hunting in the nearby city while still enjoying the clubs, Greek life, and Division I sports on campus.
more

$40,588 Tuition and Fees
5,956 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Rutgers University–Newark

Newark, NJ
#133 in National Universities (tie)

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey—Newark is located in the largest city in the state. More than 60 percent of students complete majors in the Newark College of Arts and Sciences. more

$29,480 (out-of-state), $13,829 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
8,170 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ
#135 in Regional Universities North

Founded in 1867, Centenary University is a private institution. Centenary University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered less selective. more

$32,580 Tuition and Fees
1,518 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more
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College of St. Elizabeth

Morristown, NJ
#137 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1899, College of St. Elizabeth is a private institution. The school has 82.9 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at College of St. Elizabeth is 10:1. more

$32,282 Tuition and Fees
763 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Georgian Court University

Lakewood, NJ
#137 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Founded in 1908, Georgian Court University is a private institution.

$32,260 Tuition and Fees
1,591 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Kean University

Union, NJ
#137 in Regional Universities North (tie)

Students at Kean University in New Jersey can choose from nearly 50 undergraduate majors and more than 30 master’s programs. Outside the classroom, students can visit the school’s two cougar mascots, named Sage and Scout, in a nearby zoo. more

$19,009 (out-of-state), $12,107 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
11,812 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more
Compare

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ
#140 in National Universities (tie)

Founded in 1881, New Jersey Institute of Technology is a public institution. New Jersey Institute of Technology follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective. more

$31,034 (out-of-state), $16,430 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
8,211 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ
#171 in National Universities (tie)

Rowan University started out as a teacher preparation college and is now a leading research institution for eco-friendly initiatives. Since 2007, the school has received at least 13 awards for green initiatives. It also offers a range of degree options for undergraduate and graduate students. Students study a host of subjects, such as whether blood tests can reveal Alzheimer’s and how to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries. The school also promotes diversity in science, technology, engineering and math. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus unless they can commute from a nearby guardian’s home, and many upperclassmen live off campus. Student athletes can represent the Rowan Profs in the NCAA Division III New Jersey Athletic Conference and intramural sports. more

$21,378 (out-of-state), $13,108 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
14,344 Undergraduate Enrollment

 

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ
#187 in National Universities (tie)

Located about 14 miles west of New York City in New Jersey, Montclair State University offers about 300 academic programs. Students can make the most of their studies by visiting the school’s Center for Career Services and Cooperative Education to get help planning for their future. more

$20,566 (out-of-state), $12,454 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
16,810 Undergraduate Enrollment

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New Jersey Department of Education Teacher Evaluations for Ridgewood Schools.

RHS

file photo by Boyd Loving

September 10,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey Department of Education Teacher Evaluations for Ridgewood Schools.

New Jersey Teacher Evaluations 2015-2016

The database shows the number of teachers at each school who were rated ineffective, partially effective, effective and highly effective under the state’s teacher evaluation system. The state did not name the teachers or release their individual evaluations to protect their privacy.

 

Ridgewood High School   89 Effective 45 Highly Effective 134 total rated
Benjamin Franklin            36 Effective  20 Highly Effective 56 total rated
George Washington         36  Effective 19 Highly Effective 55 total rated  
Hawes                                 11Effective 18 Highly Effective 29 total rated
Ridge                                  25 Effective 9 Highly Effective    34 total rated
Somerville                        19Effective 13 Highly Effective 32 total rated
Travell                              10 Effective16 Highly Effective 26 total rated
Orchard                            18Effective 6  Highly Effective 24 total rated
Willard                              29Effective 4 Highly Effective 33 total rated

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It’s Not That Football Anymore , its a whole new style of play

jack Tatum

photo Jack Tatum

September 9,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, it is back to school and the start of High School Football season .The latest media rage is the continued focus  on player safety and concussions . While many parents continue to voice concern about football safety . Other sports like soccer and lacrosse have proven to be equally as dangerous .

On September 5th Dr. Bennet Omalu  told the Today show : “Knowing what we know today, there is no reason whatsoever that any child under the age of 18 should play the high-impact, high-contact sports. The big six are: American football, ice hockey, mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling and rugby. Blows to the head are intrinsic to the game. That truth could be inconvenient, painful and difficult, but we should not deny it. “https://www.today.com/health/concussion-doctor-warns-against-contact-sports-kids-t115938

So is no sports really the answer ? After all On August 18, 1967, the Red Sox were playing the California Angels at Fenway Park. Tony Conigliaro, batting against Jack Hamilton, was hit by a pitch on his left cheekbone and was carried off the field on a stretcher. He sustained a linear fracture of the left cheekbone and a dislocated jaw with severe damage to his left retina. The batting helmet he was wearing did not have the protective ear-flap that has since become standard. So even baseball can be dangerous .

Perhaps it is my age or just a different point of reference  but growing up we never wore helmets on bicycles , we drank water from a hose , swam in Saddle River ,ate trout we caught  and some how all lived to tell about it .

I can still remember August 12, 1978,  “Oakland Raiders free safety Jack Tatum levels New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley with a helmet-to-helmet hit in a preseason game, leaving Stingley paralyzed for life. Despite the sport’s hard hits and reputation for roughness, this was the first and only time a player was permanently paralyzed as a result of an injury sustained in a National Football League game.” -history.com.

So is it really true as Dr. Bennet Omalu said that “Blows to the head are intrinsic to the game”  ? We placed a call to councilmen Ramon Hache who is very involved in Village sports programs especially football to get his take . Ramon reminded us that things have changed , that do to the size ,speed and weight of the players its not the football we grew up with . That players got bigger and faster and equipment didn’t seemed to up grade as quickly. Ramon stressed that awareness and training is the key to safety and reminded me the new game is often played more like Rugby or the old leather helmet football when tackling was or is much less dependent on equipment then technique .

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photo Raised a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Jim Thorpe was America’s original crossover athlete. As an Olympic champion, football player and baseball star, he excelled in nearly every sport he tried.

Even RJFA PeeWee Football coaches now have to have a Youth Tackle Coach Certification even before they take the field. It is also It is mandatory for all RJFA coaches to be certified for HUF (Heads Up Football)  .

Shoulder Tackling and Blocking
Health and Safety
Fundamentals of Coaching

Coaches also must be Rutgers S.A.F.E.T.Y certified  . As we figured Ridgewood parents would do everything possible to assure the safety of their children , so mothers can feel confident everything is being done and then some to keep your child safe .

Let face the value of team sports for children has been well documented and it would be a shame to lose these benefits

Children who take part in organized sports receive many social, mental and psychological benefits over and above those that come from general physical activity.

Healthy habits

Starting a child in an organized sport gives them a healthy habit of physical activity to see them right through to adulthood and help them ward off many age- and weight-related ailments. Even before adulthood, teens who take part in sports are less likely to smoke, do drugs or abuse alcohol.https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/PhysicalActivitySportsandFitness/Pages/participating-in-organized-sports.aspx

Self-discipline

Learning the rules and techniques of a new sport and training for a particular purpose can give a child self-discipline that they can employ both on and off the field. Sports often help children learn that working hard helps them to achieve a goal.https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/PhysicalActivitySportsandFitness/Pages/participating-in-organized-sports.aspx

Social skills and teamwork

When many people think of organized sports, team sports often spring to mind. Sports such as baseball, hockey or basketball can teach children to trust and rely on others to achieve common goals, value everyone’s individual strengths and put collective needs before individual wants.https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/PhysicalActivitySportsandFitness/Pages/participating-in-organized-sports.aspx

Improved mental health

Taking part in a sport can greatly improve a child’s sense of self-worth. Whether it is the satisfaction of mastering a dribble or beating a personal best, sports-related exercise enables children to gain confidence in their skills. In an era of excessive focus on appearance, sports also provide an outlet for children, especially girls, to focus not on what their bodies look like but on what they can do. This has the knock-on benefit of improved body image.https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/PhysicalActivitySportsandFitness/Pages/participating-in-organized-sports.aspx

Sportsmanship

Taking part in anything competitive requires an ability to handle disappointments and accept personal responsibility for any mistakes. It can take a while for children – and some adults – to learn not to blame others when things go wrong. However, organized sports can teach important lessons about the value of taking part rather than winning and about using setbacks as learning opportunities.
https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/PhysicalActivitySportsandFitness/Pages/participating-in-organized-sports.aspx

 

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Ridgewood Schools Conduct Coin Drive for Texas School Supplies

quarters-19060569

September 7,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Schools  are conduction a district wide coin drive to collect school supplies through the Red Cross for Texas school children from September 7th to September 12th .  Then on September 12th the district will join forces with Ridgewood AM Rotary to collect shoes .

 

Coin Drive for Texas Disaster Relief
Benefits school relief through the American Red Cross
September 7-12
All schools
Click here for details. https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=9840676

Soles 4 Souls Shoe Collection
September 12 through October
All schools
Click here for details.https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=9840676

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Former Miss New Jersey Says “stop complaining about back to school”

Deana Blizzaed Miss New Jersey

September 5,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, yes those back to school lists cant be rather daunting, but former Miss New Jersey Dena Blizzard says suck it up and deal with it . In Her words what many parents are just afraid to say.

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More Details Emerge on This Years Ridgewood Schools District Service Award Winners 

Colleen Gieniec, Kathy Kiedaisch are honored at Convocation with the Ashby Award (Colleen) and Tradition of Excellence Award (Kathy)

September 4, 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Schools releases more details on the annual service awards were announced on Friday by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein at Convocation, the district’s all-staff gathering that annually kicks off the new school year.

The 2017 winner of the coveted Ashby Award is Colleen Gieniec, First Grade Teacher at Somerville Elementary School. Ms. Gieniec has been a teacher for over 35 years, with service in the Ridgewood Public Schools for more than 30 years. Ms. Gieniec has an undergraduate degree from Immaculata University and a Master’s Degree from William Paterson University as a Reading Specialist. The 2017 Tradition of Excellence Award for Support Staff was presented to Kathy Kiedaisch, recently retired from the Ridgewood Public Schools as Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent. Ms. Kiedaisch was an employee of the district for 31 years, starting at Hawes School then serving as the assistant to three superintendents and four interims over the years.

In addition, she was the dedicated Evening Coordinator of the Ridgewood Community School for over 15 years. The Ashby Award was established in 1966 to honor former Superintendent Lloyd Ashby and his wife, Lois, for their distinguished service to the community. The recipient is selected from nominees submitted by staff members and is someone who, in the opinion of his or her peers, has upheld the Ashby tradition of service and contribution. This is the highest award that can be bestowed upon a Ridgewood staff member. The Ridgewood Board of Education established the Tradition of Excellence Award in 2014 to honor a member of the support staff, who in the opinion

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Ridgewood High School’s  Younghoe Koo named Chargers’ starting kicker

Younghoe Koo

September 3,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Los Angles CA, The Los Angeles Chargers are making a change at kicker this season.The Chargers released third-year kicker Josh Lambo on Saturday, ceding the starting kicker job to rookie Younghoe Koo.

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Lambo was 2-for-2 in the preseason with a long of 53, while Koo was 1-for-1.

Koo ,a graduate of Benjamin Franklin Middle School and Ridgewood High School ,is a rookie out of Georgia Southern, was born in South Korea before moving to the United States in 2006. The first-year pro was Georgia Southern’s first All-American and ranked second in the country in field goal percentage (95 percent).

Koo is probably best known on the for this insane trick kick.

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Ridgewood Schools Open Wednesday September 6th Drive Carefully

schools Open Drive Carefully

September 3,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Public Schools will open on Wednesday, September 6th. Please be mindful of excited children walking to and from school and always be prepared to stop for school crossing guards.

Everyone should expect delays and congestion around the schools as parents and commuters learn to navigate through the increased school-related traffic at this time of year. If you are driving in the area, leave yourself a little extra time and please be patient.

The next Regular Public Meeting of the Ridgewood Board of Education will be held on Monday, September 11, 2017 at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be aired live on television, FiOS channel 33 and Optimum channel 77, and streamed via the “Link in Live” tab on the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us. Meeting webcasts are generally posted to the district website within 48 hours.

2017-2018 Back-to-School Nights BFMS: Tuesday, September 12 at 7 p.m.

GWMS: Thursday, September 28 at 7 p.m.
Hawes (Gr. 2-3): Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Hawes (Gr. K-2): Thursday, September 14 at 8 p.m.
Orchard: Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m. RHS: Wednesday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Ridge: Tuesday, September 19 at 7 p.m. (revised)
Somerville: Thursday, September 14 at 7 p.m.
Travell: Thursday, September 14 at 7 p.m.
Willard: Wednesday, September 27 at 7 p.m. (revised)

 

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Ridgewood Teacher and Staff Personnel Honored at Convocation with the Ashby Award and Tradition of Excellence Award

Colleen Gieniec, Kathy Kiedaisch are honored at Convocation with the Ashby Award (Colleen) and Tradition of Excellence Award (Kathy)

photo courtesy of Ridgewood Schools

September 2,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  Colleen Gieniec, Kathy Kiedaisch are honored at Convocation with the Ashby Award (Colleen) and Tradition of Excellence Award (Kathy).

The Ashby Award was established in 1966 to honor former Superintendent Lloyd Ashby and his wife, Lois, for their distinguished service to the community.  The recipient is selected from nominees submitted by staff members and is someone who, in the opinion of his or her peers, has upheld the Ashby tradition of service and contribution.  This is the highest award that can be bestowed upon a Ridgewood staff member.

The Ridgewood Board of Education established the Tradition of Excellence Award in 2014 to honor a member of the support staff, who in the opinion of their peers has made an outstanding contribution to the excellence of the Ridgewood Public Schools.

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Ridgewood board hears special education audit

BOE_theridgewoodblog

Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban Published 12:41 p.m. ET Aug. 31, 2017

RIDGEWOOD — According to a third-party audit presented this week, the Ridgewood school district special education programs exceed national standards, but staff training and guidelines could be improved.

The firm of Bryant, Gemza, Keenoy and Kozlik reported that “Ridgewood ranks consistently well when compared with similar districts in most categories.”

Based on a combination of their own reviews and observations, along with staff and parent surveys, the auditors noted that Ridgewood’s special needs programs, which serve children ages 3 to 21, offered some form of support services in each of the district’s schools. The report commended the dedication of specific classes for students with autism.

Ridgewood was found to have a rate of classification below the statewide mean, referring to the percentage of students in a district with a disability or receiving special-needs services. Superintendent Daniel Fishbein said a high percentage can raise the state’s eyebrows, as over-classification can be a means to increase a district’s funding.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/08/31/ridgewood-board-hears-special-education-audit/613009001/

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Ridgewood Places 6 Elementary Schools in the Top 100 best in New Jersey

Hawes School

2018 Best Public Elementary Schools in New Jersey 

August 31,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Niche put together a list of the best elementary schools for 2018. The 2018 Best Public Elementary Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district.

Ridgewood School District placed very well with 6 schools in the top 100. Interesting to many residents they may not have placed in the order you would expect. The Six Ridgewood public schools are :

#32 Hawes
#42 Orchard
#56 Travell
#61 Ridge
#66 Somerville
#83 Willard

The Ridgewood Public School district placed a total of #15

Glen Rock School district placed 3 schools in the top 100

#63 Alexander Hamilton School
#70 Clara E Colemen
#94 Richard E Bird

Glen Rock School District placed #32

 

Ho Ho Kus district

#64 Ho Ho Kus Public School

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BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR DISADVANTAGED NEW JERSEY STUDENTS

School Choice by ArtChick

file photo by ArtChick

Expanding Educational Opportunities For Children And Families

August 29,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Governor Christie has improved the authorizing and application process, encouraged more charter school applicants, created greater flexibility with administration and finances, and allowed districts to convert failing public schools into charters. The Christie Administration has increased the overall number of charter schools in New Jersey to 89 in the current fiscal year, while relentlessly focusing on quality and holding all schools accountable for results as 21 low-performing charter schools have closed during the past eight years.

The Host District Support Aid funding category created in fiscal year 2017 continued in fiscal year 2018, and ensured the base per pupil funding provided to charter schools is not less than the prior year base per pupil funding. In addition, the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program is increasing educational opportunities for students and their families by providing students with the option of attending a public school outside their district of residence without cost to their parents.

The Fiscal Year 2018 budget is projected to support more than 52,000 charter school students and more than 5,000 choice students in 129 choice districts in the 2017-18 school year.

Governor Christie continues to support educational options for our children by providing over $51 million for Charter School Aid in fiscal year 2018. This funding supports over 52,000 students projected to be in our charter schools in FY2018. This is in addition to the tens of millions of dollars in State Aid that flow through the districts to charter schools. In certain districts, like Newark and Camden, charter and renaissance schools are educating more than 1 out of every 4 of the public school population.

Easing The Regulatory Burden Facing Charter Schools

In 2016, Governor Christie announced a series of reforms at the 8th annual New Jersey Charter Schools Conference born from input received through meetings with charter school leaders in the fall of 2015. The New Jersey State Board adopted these reforms in 2017. Among the reforms adopted were:

•       The state will allow single-gender charter schools that meet appropriate criteria and single-purpose charter schools for educationally disadvantaged students, such as a school serving over-age, under-credited students who, because of life circumstances, are unable to graduate in four years.
•       Charter renewal will be expedited for schools with a track record of high academic performance and no fiscal or organizational issues.  Charter schools that do not meet fiscal management/ compliance standards or present concerns regarding their fiscal viability will remain subject to deeper review.
•       Weighted lotteries will be expanded by adding language explicitly allowing weighted lotteries for educationally disadvantaged students.  Redundancies will be reduced by removing the requirement that charters send corrective action plans to the Executive County Superintendent as they already are submitted to the DOE Charter Office.
•       The funding monitoring requirement will be relaxed since it has become unnecessary because of the new charter performance system.  DOE will continue to monitor if charter schools are adequately allocating funds to impact what is happening in the classroom.  And, cash fund procedures, which are difficult to navigate, will be updated and simplified.
•       Districts will be required to report to DOE, on a rolling basis, any closed, unused or unoccupied school facility available for lease that would be posted online in order to facilitate cooperation between districts and charter schools.
•       Satellite campus regulations will be redefined to allow charter schools to operate on multiple campuses within their approved district or region of residence.  The requirement that charter leases cannot exceed the length of the charter – a barrier to obtaining financing – will be removed.
•       New regulations will clarify renovations, expansion and reconstruction exemptions from the Charter School Act’s restriction on construction with State of local funds.
•       The Christie Administration approved the expansion of several of the state’s highest performing charter schools.
•   In March, 20 charter schools were approved to expand to provide more than 5,000 additional seats in high performing schools in the coming years.
•       According to an independent report by The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), “Compared to the educational gains that charter students would have had in a traditional public school (TPS), the analysis shows that students in New Jersey charter schools on average make larger learning gains in both reading and mathematics:

In Newark: “When we investigate the learning impacts of Newark charter schools separately, we find that their results are larger in reading and math than the overall state results.”

“On average, charter students in New Jersey gain an additional two months of learning in reading over their TPS counterparts.  In math, the advantage for charter students is about three months of additional learning in one school year. Charter students in Newark gain an additional seven and a half months in reading and nine months in math.”

Among Black Students: “Black students enrolled in charter schools show significantly better performance in reading and math compared to Black students in TPS.”
Among Hispanic Students: “In both math and reading, Hispanic students in charter schools perform significantly better than Hispanic students in TPS.”
•       According to a 2015 independent report on Urban Charter Schools by The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), students enrolled in charter schools in Newark, on average, make statistically significantly greater gains in both reading and math compared to their counterparts enrolled in Newark’s traditional public schools.  While, in Newark, charter schools on average are doing a better job of closing achievement gaps than are traditional public schools.

K-8 Schools:
From 2009 to 2014, charter schools serving K-8 students improved 6 percentage points in Language Arts Literacy and 15 percentage points in Mathematics, in the aggregate, on the NJASK.

Based on NJASK data in 2014, 64 out of 74 charter schools outperformed their comparative districts in language arts literacy.
Based on NJASK data in 2014, 64 out of 74 charter schools outperformed their comparative districts in mathematics.
°   High Schools:
From 2009 to 2014, charter schools serving high school students improved 17 percentage points in both Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics, in the aggregate, on the ‘Banked’ HSPA.
Based on HSPA data, in 2014, 15 out of 15 charter schools outperformed their comparative districts in language arts literacy.
Based on HSPA data, in 2014, 12 out of 15 charter schools outperformed their comparative districts in mathematics.
Across all charter schools in 2014, the graduation rate was 90% compared to a state-wide graduation rate of 89.

•       2016 Charter Schools PARCC Data

Charter schools continue to outperform their district counterparts.  In the elementary grades 3-5, 63 percent of charters outperformed the average across their district elementary schools in Math and 84 percent did so in ELA.  In the middle school grades 6-8, 84 percent of charter schools outperformed their district middle school average in Math and 89 percent did so in ELA.
Charter schools serving grades 6-8 showed impressive gains in academic performance, as measured by median School Growth Percentiles (mSGPs).  Almost half of all charters serving grades 6-8 achieved growth scores that are better than those of two-thirds of all public schools serving grades 6-8 in the state.

•       Newark Charter Schools PARCC Performance

Charter schools in Newark are effectively accelerating student learning: in a district typically underperforming statewide achievement results, for two consecutive years students in grades 3-8 in Newark charter schools have met or exceeded expectations on PARCC assessments at the same rate as their peers around the state. For example, in 2015-16, the last year with available data, 51 percent of students in grades 3-8 in Newark charter schools met or exceeded expectations on a PARCC assessment in ELA compared to 50 percent of students in grades 3-8 across the state. In the same year, the percent of students in grades 3-8 who met or exceeded expectations on a PARCC assessment in math was 43 percent for Newark charter school students compared to 43 percent statewide.
Charter schools in Newark are effectively accelerating student learning for traditionally underserved subgroups: Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and minority students enrolled in grades 3-8 in Newark charter schools are meeting or exceeding expectations on PARCC assessments at a greater rate than their counterparts across the state. For example, in 2015-16, 63 percent of Hispanic students enrolled in grades 3-8 in Newark charter schools met or exceeded expectations on a PARCC assessment in ELA compared to 36 percent of Hispanic students statewide.

Newark charter schools have virtually eliminated the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students. In 2015-16, statewide proficiency rates for students eligible for free or reduced price lunch trailed those for non-eligible students by 30 percentage points in both ELA and math.  Those gaps shrinks to 3 and 2 percentage points, respectively, in Newark charter schools.

 

•       Since taking office, state funding to support the local share of funding for students transferring out-of-district to approved school choice districts has increased by over $40 million.

 

•       School choice funding has increased commensurately, and has surpassed $55 million in fiscal year 2018.

•       Announced pilot educational program between Harlem Children’s Zone and City of Paterson.

Improving Oversight

The Christie Administration has worked to improve accountability for charter schools by instituting an oversight program that sets clear expectations for charter school performance and serves as the basis for school evaluation, monitoring, and intervention.

The Performance Framework sets the academic, organizational and fiscal standards by which all New Jersey public charter schools are evaluated, informing officials about school performance and sustainability.
NJDOE officials expanded the rigorous standards and metrics by which each and every public charter school is evaluated. This enabled NJDOE officials to take multiple factors into account when evaluating public charter schools across the state.

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Top 20 Count Down Ranks Ridgewood High School Number 5

RIDGEWOOD MAROON FOOTBALL12976921_810105139122012_7749683283141002550_o

August 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood HS Football kickoff dinner was August 26 . The Ridgewood Football season kickoff dinner was hosted by the scholarship committee. .Ridgewood Scholarship Committee President Rich Barclay remarked that Ridgewood football will surpass $1 milion in scholarship money this season.

The Legendary Ridgewood Football Head Coach Chuck Johnson spoke at kickoff dinner along with Senior starter Vincent Riggio and Senior Tight End Pete Marshall spoke to the crowd.

According to Varsity Aces the Football Public School Top 20 Countdown ,Ridgewood ranks Number 5 in our pre-season poll.

Schedule :

9/8 @ Hackensack (Hackensack, NJ)
Location: Hackensack High School

9/15 Paramus (Paramus, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

9/28 @ NV – Old Tappan (Old Tappan, NJ)
Location: NV – Old Tappan High School

10/6 Passaic (Passaic, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

10/13 Bergen Tech (Hackensack, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

10/20 @ Kennedy (Paterson, NJ)
Location: Kennedy High School

10/27 Passaic County Tech (Wayne, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

11/4 @ Eastside (Paterson, NJ)
Location: Eastside High School

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Ridgewood Board of Education Regular Public Meeting Monday 5pm

BOE_theridgewoodblog

August 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, BOE regular public meeting Monday August 28,2017, 5pm-7pm .

At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments. The public comment periods will be scheduled after presentations and approximately 6:00 p.m. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer to conclude at about 5:30 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda.

The second opportunity will occur at about 6:00 p.m. at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda.
At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics. At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times. Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, rise, sign in, and state their names and addresses. Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes. The Board Recorder will note the time. A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the presiding officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds. Comments shall be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop. No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.

BOE agenda:

https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_207516/File/Our%20District/Board%20of%20Education/Board%20Business/08-28-17.pdf

Board Members
Mr. B. Vincent Loncto, President
[email protected]

Mr. James Morgan, Vice President
[email protected]

Ms. Sheila Brogan
[email protected] 

Ms. Christina Krauss
[email protected]

Ms. Jennie Smith Wilson
[email protected]​

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Reader says Ridgewood Residents have never had a tax increase they didn’t like

BOE_theridgewoodblog

Yes , everyone payes taxes but it is the long time residents who are burdened with the annual tax increases. Were you around when Ridgewood had the bright idea of adding a pool to the high school so the snowflakes did not have to travel to the YMCA? Fortunately, common sense prevailed and the pool was voted down. Not everyone has a bottomless bank account.
Take a look at the curriculum and see where some non-essential classes could be eliminated.
The all-knowing Board of Education eliminated shop class and an auto mechanic class a number of years ago because the residents thought these classes were below “Ridgewood educational standards ” and “decreasing enrollment”. These career paths can lead to financial independence as young adults. But I digress…

Final thoughts…Ridgewood never had a tax increase they didn’t like and they definitely don’t believe in the term ” budget neutral”.