Full-Day Kindergarten: Public Vote is Election Day, November 8
Ridgewood residents will see this full-day K question at the bottom of the ballot:
RESOLVED, That there shall be raised an additional $929,800 for General Funds in the 2016-17 School Year. These taxes will be used to employ additional personnel and to acquire additional equipment and supplies in order to implement the District’s full-day Kindergarten program. Approval of these taxes will result in a permanent increase in the District’s tax levy. The additional taxes authorized herein will be used exclusively for purposes described herein and to finance expenditures that are in addition to those necessary to achieve the Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Click here for a PDF of the public presentation.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions. Click here to view all full-day Kindergarten documents
BOE Approves REA Contract
At the October 10 meeting, the Board of Education approved the three-year contract with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA) that was ratified by the REA on September 28. Click here to read a letter to the Ridgewood community from the Board.
BOE Meets on November 7, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, November 7, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place. The public is invited to attend the meeting or view it live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website, or on Fios tv channel 33 or Optimum 77.
Click here to view the agenda for the November 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the minutes of the October 10, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
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Click here to view the 2016-2017 Budget presented at the May 2, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the Full Day Kindergarten Recommendation presented to the Board at their March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
They are definitely Aronsohn cronies. You should have seen them at those civility meetings Aronshon held. Some of those education people, some of the well-known ones were there, who are now pushing for full-day kindergarten, and they really catered to Aronsohm treating him like he was a favored king. I never saw anything like that before, such sycophants; such ingratiation; remember he was the mayor at the time. Yup, they want you to vote “yes” to full-day kindergarten. Well, do you really think that is best for our little kids?
Am I seeing things? Or did I just receive an email from my school essentially TELLING me to vote in favor of full day kindergarten?
My tax dollars PAID for an email influencing a vote? That I was already told at back to school night that if it does not pass, mandatory tuition based full day K would be implemented. Which is false last I checked.
Last I checked sending emails like this is actually a violation. It is unethical at LEAST. Our school administration should not have any influence, sway, or opinion on election matters and I will be bringing this to the attention of the state board of elections and any ethics board that could possibly be interested. And NOW I’ll be using my voice to make sure that anyone and everyone I can reach knows I will be voting NO to full day K, and I have a list of reasons why they should as well.
I unequivocally demand an follow-up email be sent to the parents informing them that this is a CHOICE and a tax increase is attached. And that we have already got one of the most expensive school budgets in the state. Find room in THAT budget, or take it off the table. Enough is enough.
This has gone far enough. When my high schooler can attend a full day of classes with all of his teachers in attendance and not one single “free period” because there is not a sub to be found, ask me for more money a school budget.
You all are educated, intelligent, well-paid individuals. I suspect you are qualified to implement and work within a budget. With all the free time you have now that the teacher contracts have been “settled”, go back to the drawing board, take a serious look at your astronomical budget, and find the solution you want.
Sincerely,
Melanie McWilliams
By Adam Clark | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 03, 2016 at 1:36 PM, updated November 03, 2016 at 3:39 PM
TRENTON — In reviewing the results of last school year’s state math and English exams, New Jersey’s Department of Education can point to plenty of positive trends.
Statewide, scores improved on nearly every exam in grades 3-11. More students exceeded grade-level expectations than the year before, and fewer students fell into the lowest-scoring category, those considered to have the most ground to make up before being ready for college or a career.
But while presenting 2016 test results to the state Board of Education on Wednesday, Deputy Education Commissioner Peter Shulman emphasized low scores he called “nothing short of shocking” among economically disadvantaged and minority students.
Compared to 2015, the state’s achievement gap for those students remained roughly the same or even improved on some tests. But it grew wider on other exams, and Shulman said the results underscore the importance of testing to ensure all students are making progress, he said.
“This is a civil rights issue,” Shulman said. “This is an ethical issue. Not just an academic one.”
Ridgewood NJ, Shortly after 4 PM on Thursday, November 3, the North West Bergen Central Dispatch Center received a telephone call from a female requesting a police response to Ridgewood High School, located at 627 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood. The caller informed the dispatch center that she was either sexually assaulted, or was the victim of unwanted sexual contact at the high school (a language barrier hindered communication).
Two (2) Ridgewood PD uniformed Patrol Officers and a uniformed supervisor were immediately directed to the high school and all arrived on scene within 3-5 minutes of being dispatched. The officers and their supervisor were observed interviewing two (2) females and two (2) males outside of the school’s main entrance. It is not known whether the female caller was one of those being interviewed, nor is it known whether the alleged perpetrator was one of those being interviewed.
Within 15 minutes after the arrival of officers, the civilians who were being interviewed were all observed entering the same vehicle, leaving the parking lot, and driving westbound on East Ridgewood Avenue. They were followed by the Patrol Officers and their supervisor, who had arrived in 3 separate marked police vehicles. Their destination was unknown.
What we DO know:
What the caller reportedly told the 911 operator
That police were dispatched and responded immediately
That no ambulance was observed arriving at the scene or attending to a victim
That no one was observed being placed in handcuffs at the scene
What we DON’T know:
Exactly what the caller said to the 911 operator
What was said to arriving police officers by those being interviewed
Whether the victim or the alleged perpetrator(s) were among those being interviewed
Where the civilians and police officers were going after they left the RHS parking lot
Whether or not a crime of any sort was committed
Whether RHS administration was informed of the incident and what action, if any, was taken by them
As more details of this incident become available, if they are made public, The Ridgewood Blog will report them to you.
BY HANNAN ADELY AND DAVE SHEINGOLD
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD
The majority of schools across North Jersey improved their scores in the second year of new state exams, according to state figures released Wednesday, a trend that officials expect to continue as more students take the tests and get used to them.
Of the 367 regular public schools in Passaic and Bergen counties, about 83 percent showed gains in the tests known as PARCC that were given in math and English in Grades 3 to 11.
Call for Entries and Save the Date: Annual RHS Alumni Art Show 12th Annual Alumni Art Show Exhibit Dates: December 12, 2016 – January 5, 2017 Location: RHS, Carroll Art Gallery – Room 137 Reception: January 5, 2017 at 7 p.m.
Alumni Artists: We will be collecting your current, ready-to-hang creative works the week of December 5. Please consider sharing your talent! Please forward to you alumni friends….help spread the word!
I have been so lucky to find dedicated and interested and motivated teachers for my kids from k all the way through the high school. There have been one or 2 who are absolutely apathetic or just plain bad at their jobs. 99% have gone way above and beyond for my kids.
At every turn I am disappointed with the majority of the administration, the BOE and their never ending ability to pass the buck. Nothing changes. Nothing gets done. Spend more give less. Just playing in to the business side of education. No one I can locate in the BOE or main offices of the Ridgewood schools takes ANY responsibility for Ridgewood schools or seems to give a leap about children or education.
That stumps me and THAT never had changed. Ever.
I am completely disappointed and disillusioned with many of our teachers. I agree ,it goes to the problem with tenure. It protects hacks earning good salaries when we have enthusiastic, energetic and able bodied folks working in retail or Starbucks because they can’t find teaching jobs. I wish all those teachers with the signs and smirks would move on but they won’t because despite their protests they know they have a great deal in the Ridgewood School System.
During Monday’s Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Assistant Superintendent Stacie Poelstra made a presentation about the performances of Ridgewood students in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests.
She noted that Ridgewood did very well, explaining that the district’s students “far exceeded the cross state (the eight states that still partake in PARCC testing) and New Jersey’s passing grades.”
Those supporting it on Facebook probably are surprised that there are few coming forward against it. I am not gong to argue with anyone on Facebook and I am voting NO.
I admire Martin Walker for clearly articulating his views on issues. I agree with him 100% about full day K. I just can’t be bothered arguing with neighbors about this. There is a middle school teacher posting about this all the time. How would you like to go on record against full day K and then get her for a teacher?
Ridgewood NJ, the big local question for Ridgewood voters on November 8th will be to expand to a full-day kindergarten .
Detractors of the idea feel it’s nothing more than socialized babysitting at taxpayers expense , with little or no long-term benefit for students ,particularly in a town like Ridgewood where there are so many activities for young people and what many perceive as a need for more family time .
Proponents feel the current half day Kindergarten is more like a 1/4 of a day , and it is far too short to accomplish much of anything and even the proposed full-day kindergarten is still a short day leaving plenty of time for family activities . Proponents also feel a change in the current inconvenient hours
The reality seems to be somewhere in the middle ,with a change in current inconvenient hours lessening the financial pressure on families , balanced by a healthy skepticism over the idea of children spending far too much time with one point of view and not nurturing them with a diversity of experiences .
Full-Day Kindergarten: Public Vote is Election Day, November 8
Click here for a PDF of the public presentation.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions. Click here to view all full-day Kindergarten documents.
Ridgewood NJ, Students today grow up in a technological society. Social platforms have replaced in person or on phone conversations andthe thought of traveling is on almost everyone’s mind. So, a commonplace or what is better know as ‘An Innovation Lab’ was developed to share their stories and journeys while collaborating on projects.
The Zonopact Innovation Lab (https://www.zonopact.com/zlab/) provides education, sparks inspiration, and enables kids across the globe to follow their aspirations.
Mayur Ramgir, President & CEO Zonopact, Inc. is the creator of the Zonopact Innovation Lab (ZIL). It provides a social platform like Facebook for students to mingle with other like-minded people, work on real world projects, share ideas and see the impact, it creates an opportunity to travel worldwide and make a real impact in someone else’s life. ZIL also provides an opportunity to work on industry sponsored projects so students can earn money as well. Colleges can even partner with ZIL to extend these benefits to their students without investing too much money on setting up their own platform.
I am writing this tonight because the gravity of what happened today seems to have been lost in the shuffle of the weekend l, and impending Halloween festivities.
A massive, tree-sized, tree branch fell across part of the playing field, the entire sidewalk and half of Bogert Ave at about 11:35 or so this morning. The entire 3rd grade was playing outside- 2 of whom are my children.
I am the Travell safety chair, and while this may seem frivolous, or decorative, it is in fact, a role I take VERY seriously. Twice in the last month, thanks to my persistent pressing of the safety issues brought to me by my fellow Travell parents, Travell safety has been on the agenda for the village council. I’ve attended the Citizen Safety Advisory Committee meetings to address them. I am the only parent in attendance to address the issues. I am the only person at all to represent our school and it’s safety issues.
I take this role very seriously, evidenced by the fact that in my own free time I have walked the streets surrounding the school, and I look for safety issues within the neighborhoods. Broken sidewalks, overgrown shrubs, parking issues, speeding concerns, sight triangles issues, property maintenance issues. These are just some of the issues I have seen. I bring them some times repeatedly- to the attention of the code enforcement officer. Sometimes she sends them on to a more appropriate party. Many, many violations have been addressed in the last few weeks thanks to our combined efforts.
I have mentioned several concerning trees to her. Many that are dead and overhang designated safe walking routes, or heavily traveled walking routes to Travell.
I walked all of the streets surrounding Travell with the assistant village engineer last spring. I mentioned several of the trees including the one which fell today. I was told trees really aren’t their department. A huge part of this tree fell in the early fall across the exact same area!! A Travell parent roped off the area until it could be addressed. This was on the walk to the school in the morning. Prime drop off time for hundreds of students. Another near miss. What else is it going to take?
Do we need a child to actually be struck and hurt- or worse, by a dead tree limb ON actual school grounds in order to take a very serious look at where there needs to be some work done?
We can have forum after forum about full day kindergarten. Spending God only knows how much money, just to spend more money, and then say we don’t have any money??
We can send newsletters and we can print signs and yet we can’t find it in the budget to hire a tree expert, an actual arborist, for the day, to ensure that the school grounds and the sidewalks surrounding them are safe? Or hire a safety expert to do a study of the area and see where we need some change? Often it’s small changes, signage or enforcement, that make ALL the difference. It doesn’t always have to be large ticket answers. It just requires some attention and concern.
I’m actually incensed at how close MY daughter was to this tree falling today.
Feet. She was feet from this. I happen to pass down this street EVERY day between 11:35- 11:45 on the way home from another school pick up. Many many days my daughter and her best friend see me and come run to the fence to yell hello to me as I pass. Today, I was running a touch late. I very literally went to turn left down Bogert and instead went the other way. It is absolutely chilling to know, unequivocally, that they would have been standing IN this exact spot saying hello to me had I made a left turn and not a right.
We need to stop addressing every other issue as if it is life and death and pay closer attention to the ones that actually are.
I heard from parents over the last weeks, as we begged parents to walk their children to school for walk to school month, a myriad of safety complaints. Several times I was informed that they no longer have crossing guards to cross their elementary school children (ages 5-11 as a reference) at Van Dien and Glen because the BF one now leaves too early due to new changes with the outsourcing.
I am on record for EIGHT years at CSAC meetings requesting advice and help about the repeated parking on the Bogert/Cambridge ave curves which force dozens of students to walk in to the center of the street on a blind curve to walk to their school. Eight years and I’ve been brushed off and given every answer or response you can possibly imagine. Not one has made the situation safer. Not one suggestion stopped my daughter from being thrown from her stroller in an attempt to get out of the way of a speeding, texting driver last year with no where to go due to cars parked in the long documented, dangerous spots along the curve.
We are year after year refused even the conversation of a crossing guard at Bogert and Glen where no less than 65 school children LIVE, and dozens more use as a pass through-it’s too expensive! It’s $8k! We can’t even get simple pedestrian crossing signs at that crossing or another along Glen (Northern Parkway) because the town refuses to pay for them (they’re about $400 each!!!imagine!) so the Generous Travell HSA, at my request, will pay for them. So to actually break that down, these parents will pay some of the highest taxes in NJ, we have one of the highest per student spending budgets in NJ, and then we are going to pay EXTRA, out of pocket, for the signage that allows for our kids to have a way to cross the street safely to access their school.
What is next? What will it take before all of YOU put the safety of these students ahead of an agenda, or just the belief that “it’s not really our department”??
Today, any number of children were FEET from this massive tree branch falling, and a complete tragedy. What will you do to ensure that this doesn’t happen again? What will you do now that a documented issue has now presented itself so many times? I guess we could give them hard hats, or we could solve the actual problem.
I know we can’t solve every safety problem at every school without which a miracle occurs, but we have repeated, documented safety issues that are being ignored or shuffled off to someone else to deal with. There are hundreds of children in YOUR care and we expect that that is something you take seriously enough to ensure their safety.
I am sure you’re all familiar with the areas in question, but I implore you to come and walk these streets with me, and any other interested parent.
In fact, at this point, I can’t see why you wouldn’t.
Thank you for your sincere attention to this matter.
