Ridgewood NJ, Ms. Justine Kawash, BFMS Choral Director, reports that seven Benjamin Franklin Middle School student musicians have been selected for Region I Choir, including: Francesca Alvidrez (Soprano 1, top score); Sydney Strauss (Soprano 2); Maeve Marron (Soprano 2); Sophie Hartstein(Alto); Nikki Bernabe (Alto); and Georgia Young (Alto).
February 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Super Science Saturday, is coming this Saturday March 4th, 9am to 1:30pm at Ridgewood High School 627 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07451.This is the 29th annual Super Science Saturday!
Super Science Saturday hailed as the “Greatest Science Extravaganza in Northern New Jersey,” brings fun and excitement to science through professional presenters and student projects. As a joint project of the Ridgewood Board of Education and the Super Science Saturday Volunteer Committee, we aim to bring all science lovers together for a day of fun and learning for all ages.
In an effort to make Super Science Saturday an even better experience, we have changed venues to Ridgewood High School, giving more space for student presenters in our “Hall of Science.” Our adult presenters will also have generous space throughout hallways, the Cafeteria, and the Campus Center.
Super Science Saturday will appeal to everyone from the casual observer to the aspiring scientists. Most of all, we hope to spark an interest in science among children, showing them the wonders of science. Through interactive exhibits such as a wheelchair maze, live animals, and demonstrations of chocolate making to more complex brain wiring demonstrations, Super Science Saturday will satisfy the scientific appetite of everyone.
We encourage everyone to join the fun! Check out our volunteer page to learn about getting involved. This day cannot happen without the support of dedicated volunteers. Sign up now and make this Super Science Saturday one to remember.
For information please contact :Super Science Saturday
201-300-2900
[email protected]
file photo by ArtChick
Posted on February 27, 2017 at 7:11 AM
By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist
By Barbara Harris
I’m headed to Trenton this morning because I need legislators to know what my grandsons’ public charter school means to them.
I’m raising two African American boys in Newark and we all know in this country what can happen to African American men, especially if they drop out of school.
Uncommon Schools’ North Star Academy is providing my grandchildren with an education like nothing that I experienced for myself or for my own children.
When I hear my elected representatives speaking negatively about charter schools, I want to ask them if they have ever visited North Star Academy. If they did, they would quickly see how well it is serving my grandchildren and the other kids who attend.
There are too many lawmakers who have never stepped foot in North Star Academy, or a school like it. They have never come for morning circle. They have not met with our wonderful teachers. They have not seen how well our children are doing in class.
photo by ArtChick
By Adam Clark | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 24, 2017 at 12:33 PM
TRENTON — Supporters of New Jersey’s charter schools are planning a major lobbying effort in the state capital next week as controversy and criticism surrounding the schools continues to mount.
A group of nearly 200 charter school supporters, mostly parents, will gather at the state house to deliver the message that charter schools are changing lives, adding value to children’s education and creating opportunities for students, according to the New Jersey Charter Schools Association.
“I wanted something better for my children and couldn’t afford to move or pay for private school,” said Haneef Auguste, whose four children attend KIPP New Jersey Schools in Newark. “No one should stand in the way of any child’s chance at a better life, especially when the circumstances in some of our communities are so dire.”
file photo Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop
Mayor Fulop addressed the Senate Select Committee on School Funding Fairness
By Alyana Alfaro • 02/22/17 4:01pm
NEWARK – Advocates of changing New Jersey’s school funding formula often cite the booming Hudson County municipality of Jersey City as a school district they feel receives outsized state funding due to old school funding policies that do not take into account the economic growth of the past few years.
Fulop said he does not feel Jersey City should be penalized for funding schools according to current regulations. Alyana Alfaro for Observer
However, according to Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, such arguments only take into account the affluent waterfront section of the city and ignore primarily minority portions of the Jersey City that are significantly less well off. On Wednesday, Fulop addressed the Senate Select Committee on School Funding Fairness with concerns about the dangers of reducing school funding.
https://observer.com/2017/02/jersey-city-takes-center-stage-at-school-funding-hearing/
By ED BARMAKIAN
February 7, 2017 at 12:13 AM
CHATHAM, NJ – Chatham Middle School parents questioned the emphasis being put on the teaching of the religion of Islam in a 7th grade social studies class on Monday night during the public portion of the Chatham Board of Education meeting.
Nancy Gayer, one of the parents to address the board, told a story about how her son had been prohibited from presenting a power-point to the class years earlier because the teacher objected to one panel shown for “three seconds,” which gave his own religious view.
Gayer said her son was not allowed to show his power-point to the class because it was “proselytizing.” She compared it to the “World Cultures and Geography Class” her son is taking at the middle school (see video below), which Gayer believes is outright “proselytizing” in violation of district policy No 2270.
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/articles/chatham-parents-question-emphasis-on-islam-in-7th
February 17,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, So, you’re a smart, imaginative, persuasive millennial and – contrary to the bad rap your generation usually gets – you’re willing to work REALLY hard. You’re just waiting for all those boomers and Xers to get the heck out of the way so you can have your turn at the brass ring.
But why wait?
You and your well-educated and connected friends are in a great position to create your own success – by creating your own business. Survey after survey finds that millennials have a true entrepreneurial mindset; you like flexibility and independence, and you’re determined to pursue your passions. And, thanks to the accomplishments of others before you (the young founders of Airbnb and Uber, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg), you’re likely to get more support and less eye-rolling should you strike out on your own.
“With more resources available to start-up founders, and a new respect for what innovative thinkers can do, there’s no need to wait around for your corner office and executive title,” says Matt Stewart, an entrepreneur and co-founder of College Works Painting (www.collegeworks.com/about), an internship program that provides practical business experience for college students. “Why sit and dream about climbing the ladder at someone else’s business when you can create your own?”
The idea of building something from nothing is daunting but doable, says Stewart, who started his company with just four employees in 1993 and now operates nationwide. Here are some of his tips for getting started:
If the fear of failing is holding you back, Stewart says, remember that there’s no better time to take a risk than when you’re first starting out.
“Meanwhile, you’re gaining work experience, learning to be a leader, and doing it on your own terms,” he says.
About Matt Stewart
Matt Stewart is co-founder of College Works Painting (www.collegeworks.com/about), which provides business experience for thousands of college students each year. The award-winning program also offers high-quality house-painting services for homeowners.
Michael W. Curley, Jr. , Staff Writer, @MCurleyGannettPublished 11:35 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2017 | Updated 1 hour ago
ENGLEWOOD — The Dwight Morrow High School principal and nine other high-level district employees were suspended with pay Thursday night after a review by an independent consultant turned up more than 3,000 graduation credit and grade changes in the previous year.
Superintendent Robert Kravitz read a letter from the Department of Education at Thursday’s meeting saying the Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance will conduct a review of the district’s high school transcript records with respect to allocation of credit hours. Later in the meeting, he said the 3,000 credit and grade changes were considered “extremely high” by the state.
February 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, tomorrow is the last day left to order for the RHS Band Program Citrus Sale. Sale runs through 2/16. Citrus will be delivered straight to your door on 3/4 by one of the awesome band members.
You can still choose from navel oranges, red grapefruits, a medley of apples, pears and navel oranges, or a sampler of navel oranges and red grapefruits.
To order or make a donation, please contact a band member, send in your mail order forms, or go online.
In February, citrus and mixed fruit packages are offered for sale. The sale begins with the students participating in a door-to-door campaign. On the designated blitz day, each four-student team with one parent driver is assigned a specific area of Ridgewood. The team canvases all of the houses in their assigned area and takes orders for the fruit, leaving mail order forms on the doorknob if nobody answers. The sale continues with the processing of mail orders and online orders over the following week. On the designated delivery day, students gather to distribute the fruit to homes where they were purchased.
Place an order through our online store by clicking here.
Citrus Sale Co-Chairs: Eileen Karanikolas, Laura Lutz
Saturday, March 4th: DELIVERY DAY, 9AM – 12 Noon
Pick up fruit at Ben Franklin Middle School
file photo by Boyd Loving
February 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, we read daily that drugs and alcohol have become a pervasive problem in New Jersey’s cities and suburban areas.
In a recently released New Jersey Department of Education list of substance abuse cases reported by each school district every year, the Ridgewood School district came in 137th in 2015-16 with an increase of 6 cases over last period 2014-15.
The state Department of Education cautioned that while districts are required by law to report them these numbers are reported by each district, so each district is responsible for reporting its results fairly and accurately.
February 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, BFMS Orchestra Director Ms. Carol Sharar reports that six BF string players have won placement into the prestigious Region I Intermediate Orchestra for 2017. They are: Catherine Park (8th grade Violin) ; William Stewart (8th grade Bass); Ashley Kim (7th grade Violin); Isabella Harelick (7th grade Violin); Ludia Kim (7th grade Viola) and Karis Han (7th grade Viola).
file photo by Boyd Loving
By Adam Clark and Erin Petenko | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 13, 2017 at 5:26 PM, updated February 13, 2017 at 11:18 PM
TRENTON — New Jersey schools reported fewer bullying incidents for the fourth straight year in 2015-16, but violence in schools climbed to a five-year high, according to new state data.
The state Department of Education on Monday released its annual look at incidents in schools involving bullying, violence, vandalism, weapons and substances, which includes drugs and alcohol, a comprehensive report based on data submitted by school districts.
Confirmed incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying dropped to 5,995 in 2015-16, down from 6,214 in 2014-15, continuing a decline that’s happened every year since New Jersey implemented a strict new anti-bullying law in 2011.
By Michael Symons February 14, 2017 3:45 AM
New Jersey lawmakers took a first step toward blocking the state Department of Education from requiring high-school students to pass the PARCC test in order to earn a diploma.
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers is currently among an array of graduation requirements, but qualifying scores on alternative exams such as the SAT or ACT are being phased out. Starting with the Class of 2021 — currently in the eighth grade — students will have to pass the PARCC’s Algebra 1 and 10th-grade English tests.
Only about half of students are doing that so far in the PARCC’s first two years of use.
“I do not believe it was ever the intent of this Legislature to make PARCC a graduation requirement,” said Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, D-Essex.
“Most states have stopped using it altogether. The decision of state Board of Ed to make PARCC a graduation requirement was, in my view, designed to thwart the opt-out movement,” Jasey said.
Read More: Putting PARCC in reverse, NJ lawmakers look to block graduation requirement | https://nj1015.com/putting-parcc-in-reverse-nj-lawmakers-look-to-block-graduation-requirement/?trackback=tsmclip
Read More: Putting PARCC in reverse, NJ lawmakers look to block graduation requirement | https://nj1015.com/putting-parcc-in-reverse-nj-lawmakers-look-to-block-graduation-requirement/?trackback=tsmclip
file photo
February 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Ski Team competed in the Ridgewood Alpine Ski Team against Ridge, Morristown-Beard, Highpoint, West Milford, Jefferson, Newton and DePaul. The girls’ team finished in first place: Individual results (top 10): Meg Devir (1st), Kaitlin Devir (2nd), Jane McKinley (4th), Vanessa D’Angelo (8th) and Sarah Pilson (9th). Girls are now 17-3 and have qualified for States. Boys’ team finished in 2nd place: Individual results (top 10): Sloan Ruhl (2nd) and PJ McKenna (5th). Congratulations to all the skiers.
(photo credit Susan Traina Knudsen)
February 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the RHS Jamboree 2017 has wrapped up and in a statement released the 2017 Jamboree producers;
“A Big THANK YOU to everyone who supported the 2017 RHS Jamboree “World Tour”. Through Ads, donations, tickets and sales a whopping $141,500.00 was raised for the Jamboree Scholarship Fund for scholarships for the Class of 2017. This is an incredible achievement and one that could not have been accomplished without YOUR continued support.”
Mayor Susan Knudsen came up on stage to read the Proclamation!!!
THANK YOU !!!
Finally we wish to thank our amazing 2017 RHS Jamboree producers, Linda Aktar, Gail McCarthy, Vivienne & Mike Muldoon who’s continued believe in us took Jamboree to new heights, thank you guys !!! But as per tradition the Jamboree baton must be passed on and it’s our pleasure to welcome and congratulate our 2018 RHS Jamboree Producers Meghan Bracken, Tony Cambria, Carrie Johnson & James Sharo.
#RHSJamboree2018″
