Category: Ridgewood Schools

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Ridgewood’s Benjamin Franklin Middle School Goes Solar

BF Solar
August 19,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The solar panels were approved by the Board of Education in 2015, and were supposed to be erected last summer, but were pushed back for various reason to this summer.

According to the Ridgewood Board of Education ,Eight Ridgewood schools have been receiving a portion of their electricity from solar power since late 2012/early 2013 ; • Ridgewood High • BF Middle • Glen • Hawes • Orchard • Ridge • Somerville • Travell •

Total installed solar capacity of 841 kW • 2014 solar energy production of ~875,000 kWh • 2014 savings from using solar energy ~$70,000

BF Middle School will add • 329.4 kW Carport Mounted System • $0.125/kWh year 1 PPA Price with a 3% Escalator • Year 1 Savings ~$18,000 • 15-Year Savings Potential >$275,000

Information was pulled from March 25,2015 presentation from Verterra :https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/923620/File/solar/Verterra%20Solar%20-%20Phase%20II%20Presentation.pdf?7fcb75&d7f070&d7f070

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Ridgewood Police Arrest three adults and one juvenile on Orchard School property

Ridgewood _police_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

August 19,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood police report that on 08/09/16 ,Sgt. Finch arrested John A. Dougherty the 4th, age 18 of Ridgewood, N.J., Colin H. Parr, age 19 of Ridgewood, N.J., Kihyun Lee, age 18 of Ridgewood, N.J., and a male juvenile .

Sgt. Finch located the above persons on Orchard School property during the evening hours. The three adults and one juvenile were found to be in possession of C.D.S. and Drug Paraphernalia. All were transported to police headquarters for processing. The juvenile was released to the custody of parent with a pending juvenile complaint. The three adults were processed, served with complaint summonses, advised of the pending court date and released.

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Ridgewood High School Vandalism Captured on Video

RHS_BEST_theridgewoodblog

August 19,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, According to the Ridgewood police ,on 8/11/16 the staff at Ridgewood High School found a large amount of damage within the High School. Patrol units and the detective bureau responded to investigate the incident. The security video captured juveniles committing burglary by entering the school during the overnight hours and then commit criminal mischief and thefts within the building. The detective bureau is investigating the incident.

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No place for cursive writing in today’s digital world | Editorial

Dunce-cap

By Times of Trenton Editorial Board
on August 17, 2016 at 6:08 AM, updated August 17, 2016 at 10:18 AM

If the words on this page were written in cursive, chances are few people under the age of 18 could read them.

That’s not a lament – just an observation. The dependency on computers, email and texting for communicating has rendered what we used to call “script” all but obsolete.

In the not-too-distant past – say, 2004 or so – New Jersey’s third graders were required to “write legibly in manuscript or cursive to meet district standards.”

That requirement has gone the way of the floppy disc, photographic film and cassette tapes.

But now two state lawmakers are pushing a bill that would force every school district to teach reading and writing in cursive as part of the elementary school curriculum.

https://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/08/theres_no_place_for_fancy_writing_in_todays_digita.html

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Readers Not Buying into Full-Day Kindergarten

kinopoisk
August 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood

Ridgewood NJ, readers say ,”No full-day kindergarten. We have many user-paid options without getting taxpayers involved” and other accuse the BOE of ,”BOE’s ambition will single-handedly drive everyone without schoolchildren at home out of town. Too bad if they had pressure from parents. This is unacceptable. Most referendums do pass, so tell your friends to vote no. Since it will be on a ballot for the Presidency, voter turnout will be higher than for other elections, although still a paltry and pathetic number. As always, every vote counts.”

The Ridgewood Blog has included the Ridgewood Board of Educations FAQ: Shifting to a Full-Day Kindergarten Program in Ridgewood .
We see almost no mention of the value to students and or whether it is even appropriate for the Village other than ,”the everyone else is doing it” ,”more time in school” .

● Why is the District considering a full-day program after years of a successful half-day program?

○ The definition of success has shifted with the times, and although Ridgewood has a high-quality Kindergarten program, it is rushed and lacks adequate time for structured socialization and free play. Students who encounter more structured play around learning will better internalize that learning because at this age, play is how children learn. Additionally, social skills such as executive functioning and self-regulation of behavior are learned through play, often which is unstructured. A half-day program does not allow time for these essential learning opportunities for our students.

● How will the curriculum of a full-day program differ from that of the half-day program?

○ A full-time program will include more time for learning centers, which are essentially structured play experiences designed to reinforce conceptual learning. Additionally, more time will be dedicated to free-play centers, in which students make up rules to self-created games and make-believe. This free-play socialization will be supervised by, not structured by, adults. Another change to the day is that students will remain in school for lunch and will have snack and extended time for key content such as shared reading and writing.

● What would be the daily schedule and hours of a full-day program? ○ Kindergarten will run on the same schedule as the other grades in the school (8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.). A daily schedule for the full-day program was shared with the Board of Education and the public at the June 28, 2016 Board meeting. That presentation can be found in the Board of Education Presentations folder on the Curriculum page of the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.

● How many other districts still have half-day Kindergarten programs? ○ Ridgewood is the only half-day program left in Bergen County. There are very few districts left in the state with a half-day program. The most common Kindergarten programs offer five full-days of school.

■ Those districts which were half-day have mostly moved to full-day programs in the last five years.

● In 2014, 73% of programs statewide were full-day. The percentage was even higher in Bergen County, where 65 out of 72 districts (about 90%) offered full day programs. Since 2014, Glen Rock, Fairlawn, Rutherford, Mahwah, Waldwick and Midland Park have moved to full-day.

● Currently, Ramsey offers a kindergarten enrichment extended day program and both Allendale and Wyckoff offer a modified half/full day program with two half-days in combination with three full days, but this model is also not very popular.

● Would parents be required to enroll their children for the entire day if Ridgewood moved to full-day Kindergarten?

○ Yes, if the Ridgewood Public School district shifts to a full-day Kindergarten program, all enrolled students will be registered for 5 full days each week.

● Where will Kindergarten children eat lunch? ○ This will be a building-by-building decision, based on space and what the principal deems best for the program in their building.

● Will Kindergarten students have recess with all other students and how will their recess be supervised? ○ Kindergarten students would have more than one “recess” play time in their schedule. The schedule, location, and supervision of that recess would depend on individual building schedules. However, in all buildings the recess/lunch period of 45 minutes would be extended to one hour for Kindergarten students. Classroom teachers would supervise the additional 15 minutes at the end of recess to settle students down and prepare them for afternoon learning sessions.

● What are the anticipated class sizes for a full-day program?

○ The Ridgewood Board of Education guidelines for Kindergarten are 22 children per classroom.

● How will the decision be made to move to full-day Kindergarten in Ridgewood?

○ On Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, Ridgewood voters will be asked to approve full-day K in the District. This vote will be done in the form of a “second question” on the ballot. All residents who are registered voters may participate. Voter registration forms may be found at on the Bergen Count website at https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/1224.

● What is the purpose of a second question on a ballot?

○ A second question can only be placed on the ballot when a school district is asking for something new, such as full-day Kindergarten or a new program. Since the costs of these additional services and associated personnel can exceed the state-imposed 2% cap on budget increases, the public must vote on them.

● What would be the tax impact on a “yes” vote for the second question on full-day Kindergarten?

○ The average Village assessed home of $693,904 would have taxes increase by approximately $111 if FDK were passed.

● Is there any possibility that the State will require Districts to provide full-day Kindergarten?

○ This is not known at this time.

● Where can I go for more information on Full-Day K in Ridgewood?

○ Full-Day K information may be found on the Curriculum page of the District website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.

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Ridgewood Board of Education Meeting August 29,2016 at 5pm

REA Members come out to greet our Board of Ed

BOE Meets on August 29 at 5 p.m.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, August 29, 2016 at 5:00 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 and addendum for the July 18, 2016  Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the June 28, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

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.

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Ridgewood “On Nov 8th, Say NO to full day K.”

"On Nov 8th, Say NO to full day K

August 14,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood

Ridgewood NJ, a new event has been launched via Facebook, “On Nov 8th, Say NO to full day K.” encouraging voters to reject the Full Day Kindergarten .

“Ridgewood schools have over 100 Million $ ANNUAL budget. They can raise the taxes upto 2% without your vote, without your agreement. The Board of Ed has to put a question on November ballot and ask the tax payers only if they have to raise the taxes by more than 2%.
If they cannot accommodate full day K with 2 Million ANNUAL increase, please don’t approve full day K.
Vote “NO” for the Full-day-K question in November. Don’t give them the power to increase our taxes above and beyond 2% which they can do without our vote.
Once it’s increase, every year they can add 2% on TOP of that, without your approval.
On Nov 8th, Say NO to full day K. – Vote NO on question 2.”

https://www.facebook.com/On-Nov-8th-Say-NO-to-full-day-K-284454918579804/

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Your Zip Code Should Not Determine Your Success in New Jersey

kids- ArtChick

file photo by ArtChick

August 14,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Franklin Center, a non-profit, public-interest media and public policy organization invited the Ridgewood blog to attend  their “Amplify School Choice” conference in Denver.

The conference took place all day Thursday, August 11 through noon on Friday, August 12 at the SpringHill Suites in downtown Denver. Over 50 of America’s top bloggers and citizen journalists attended the event .

While we are advantaged with quality schools in Ridgewood , it is simply not true for so many parents and so many young people in New Jersey . We have all read about chronically under preforming schools  all over New Jersey . The reality is your zip determines your educational opportunities and success.

The fact is urban education, despite 30 years of New Jersey Supreme Court required intervention by the state, is still failing students and their parents at an alarming rate.  The theory from the Supreme Court was that money would solve the problem.

“But as we have all become aware is , “The Abbott school experiment is a colossal failure because it is based on the theory that throwing money at a problem fixes it. Problems facing urban schools are cultural and socio-economic. When people in power face up to that, we can make progress.
There’s not a lot of political profiles in courage because it is easier to toss tax money or make excuses than to say until underlying causes are dealt with, it won’t get any better, just more expensive with more kids’ lives wasted. A few politicians do get it.  (Ingle, Gannett)
https://www.app.com/article/20110821/NJCOLUMNIST06/308210033/-1/NJCOLUMNIST/BOB-INGLE-Nutter-delivers-a-message-to-youth”

Not only have the policy been a abysmal failure but the cost to non “Abbott School” tax payers has been astronomical.

Governor Chris Christie pointed out recently the , ” New Jersey spends the 3rd most in the nation per pupil on K-12 education.  For the upcoming fiscal year we spend 13.3 billion dollars on aid to K-12 education.  How do we spend it?  $9.1 billion goes back to school districts in direct aid.  $3.25 billion is to pay for the pensions and health benefits for retired teachers.   $936 million goes to pay the debt on schools, mostly in urban districts, to build new schools.  $13.3 billion—and that does not count the money paid in local property taxes.

Who gets the $9.1 billion? Well, that begins to tell the story.  By order of the Supreme Court, and coerced acquiescence by the elected branches of government, this coming year $5.1 billion goes to the 31 urban or SDA districts.  $4 billion goes to the remaining 546 districts.  That’s right.  58% of the aid from the state’s taxpayers goes to 5% of the state’s school districts. 42% of the aid goes to the remaining 95% of our districts. This is absurd.  This is unfair.  This is not working.  And it hasn’t been working for 30 years.”

This is why Govenour Chris Christie has proposed giving all school districts same amount of aid, and provide some towns like Ridgewood property tax relief.

It is clearly time for some new ideas , and new student centered education policies . Here are a few we discussed at  the  “Amplify School Choice” conference in Denver.

School choice: a wide array of programs offering students and their families alternatives to publicly provided schools, to which students are generally assigned by the location of their family residence.

Open Enrollment : the process by which parents/guardians residing in a district may enroll their children into any school district in New Jersey.

Charter Schools:  a publicly funded independent school established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority.

Home Schooling : A “must read” for new homeschoolers! In New Jersey, the Legislature under the compulsory education law (N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25) has permitted children to receive “equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school,” including the home.

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Reader says Ridgewood probably did not participate in Newsweek School Rankings because they knew they would rank poorly

Tradition_of_excellence_theridgewoodblog

Ridgewood probably did not participate because they knew they would rank poorly.
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Face it – RW schools have dropped significantly in quality.
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RW is a “good,and solid” school, but not a “great” school anymore.
There is too much “social engineering” bloat in the school curriculum and too many tutors in the home.
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The only reason that the students do as well as they do is because the parents instill the value of education in their children and hire tutors to support their children when the school system falls short and fails them.
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Also RW parents and students are savvy enough to build an attractive “portfolio” of the correct types of extra-curricular activities, sports and “community outreach” activities as well as building a positive social media profile in order to get accepted into one of the “right” colleges.
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RW Schools reputations are resting on the work of the parents and students… It used to be the other way around

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Reader says The county poaches all the best students for an elite education , time for vouchers for all kids

RHS_BEST_theridgewoodblog

The county poaches all the best students for an elite education, stripping the local district, charging the sending district and the county taxpayers for the education. If a student and family wants an elite school for their kids, let them pay for it – full boat. Otherwise, vouchers for all kids. It’s a scam the county has played since the late school power broker John Grieco concocted. You may want to notice that they have no mandate to accept any special needs students like the local district – just an observation.

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Newsweek releases its 2016 Rankings of Nation’s Best Public High Schools

traditionofexcellence_theridgewoodblog

August 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in Newsweek’s annual ranking of public high schools 51 in N.J. made the cut. Noticeable absent was Ridgewood High School and Tenafly High School.

Ridgewood’s slip has not gone unnoticed, as many long time residents have commented ,” Years ago it was ranked highly in the nation.  It fell from that to being ranked highly in the state, then down to County level and now basically is ranked no where. ”

Newsweek looked at six measurements and weighted them to come up with a “college readiness index.” The rankings are meant to show how well high schools do at preparing students for college.

Those measurements and their weight are:

Holding power: 10 percent
Ratio of counselor/full-time equivalent to student enrollment: 10 percent
Weighted SAT/ACT: 17.5 percent
Weighted AP/IB/dual enrollment composite: 17.5 percent
Graduation rate: 20 percent
College enrollment rate: 25 percent

Here’s a look at all of the New Jersey high schools that made Newsweek’s list and where they came in on the national list (in parentheses):

(2) Academy for Math, Science and Engineering, Rockaway
(4) Union County Magnet High School, Scotch Plains
(10) Middlesex Cty Acad. for Sci,, Math, & Engineering Tech., Edison
(11) Bergen County Academies, Hackensack
(12) Academy of Allied Health and Science, Neptune
(14) Biotechnology High School, Freehold
(20) High Technology High School, Lincroft
(21) Academy for Allied Health Sciences, Scotch Plains
(23) Academy for Information Technology, Scotch Plains
(27) Communications High School, Wall
(31) Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health & Biomedical Sciences, Woodbridge
(40) Chatham High School, Chatham
(41) Bergen County Technical High School – Teterboro, Teterboro
(67) Westfield High School, Westfield
(71) Ridge High School, Basking Ridge
(76) Summit High School, Summit
(84) Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science, Manahawkin
(88) Bernards High School, Bernardsville
(91) Holmdel High School, Holmdel
(108) Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School, Bridgewater
(112) Moorestown High School, Moorestown
(115) Madison High School, Madison
(127) John P Stevens High School, Edison
(131) Watchung Hills Regional High School, Warren
(137) Glen Rock High School, Glen Rock
(144) Rumson-Fair Haven Regional HS, Rumson
(158) Morris County School of Technology, Denville
(181) Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Highlands
(189) Union County Vocational Technical High School, Scotch Plains
(192) Governor Livingston High School, Berkeley Heights
(198) Montville Township High School, Montville
(203) Academy for Performing Arts, Scotch Plains
(210) Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Scotch Plains
(217) Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough
(222 Wayne Hills High School, Wayne
(226) Allentown High School, Allentown
(227) Northern Valley Regional High School Old Tappan, Old Tappan
(233) North Hunterdon-Voorhees, Annandale
(234) Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest, Demarest
(237) Pequannock Township High School, Pompton Plains
(365) Hanover Park High School, East Hanover
(366) Mahwah High School, Mahwah
(377) Cranford High School, Cranford
(383) Livingston High School, Livingston
(417) Wayne Valley High School, Wayne
(421) Marlboro High School, Marlboro
(425) Cresskill High School, Cresskill
(429) Whippany Park High School, Whippany
(473) Kinnelon High School, Kinnelon
(482) Mount Olive High School, Flanders
(497) Middletown HS South, Middletown

https://www.newsweek.com/high-schools/americas-top-high-schools-2016

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4 Tips For Helping Your Child Disconnect From The Electronic World

ScreenTime

August 10,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ever since Nintendo made the Pokemon Go video-game app available, young people have been exploring their communities with their eyes firmly fixed on their smartphones rather than on the wonders of the world.

If endless hours spent capturing imaginary creatures seems like an electronic addiction, it very well may be, but that’s nothing new. Many children have been plugged into electronic devices for a long time now, rarely looking up as they help virtual animals save the day, keep race cars on track and watch endless loops of videos on YouTube.

And that can be a concern, says Elaine Fogel Schneider, Ph.D., a therapist and author of “7 Strategies for Raising Calm, Inspired & Successful Children” (www.askdrelaine.com).

“They are so attached to technology at such an early age and it’s changing their brain circuitry,” Schneider says. “They begin to lose the back and forth communication with their parents, and/or siblings, and the whole notion of empathy. For really young children, these devices have become the babysitter. I fully understand that parents need a break (as do grandparents), but there have to be limits.”

Schneider has tips for parents who worry about how they can control their child’s electronic pastime.

• Set rules. Limit the amount of time your child can spend on an electronic device and be consistent in enforcing those rules. This way your child knows that when you say he or she only has two minutes left, then there really is only two minutes left, not three or four hours.
• Use a timer. A timer does not “lie” and can take the blame away from you when you’re limiting your child’s time on the device. Use the timer that measures down the time your child is spending on the tablet, smartphone, and/or technological game, so that your child knows the end for using that device is approaching, and it won’t be a surprise when time is up. You can even have your child select a tone on the smartphone that he or she likes.
• Be ready with another activity.  Plan an alternative way of engaging your child so when the device is turned off, some other interest can be provided and take his or her mind off the electronic device. “Describe what you’re going to do so the child’s interest is piqued into doing something else that he or she enjoys,” Schneider says.
• Use these tips in your home at first. As with everything, at first there’s a learning curve, so there may be tantrums, tears, melt downs and even depression. That’s why Schneider recommends following these tips at home first. “I wouldn’t think of trying this out in public right away since I don’t think you want to endure the wrath or glances of diners or shoppers as they hear your child scream,” Schneider says.  In time, though, the child will know what is expected, she says, and will be able to disconnect from a smartphone, tablet, or other electronic device without major meltdowns.

“In the long run, you’re doing a service for your child by limiting the amount of time spent on an electronic device,” Schneider says. “I can remember hearing my own mother’s words, ‘I’m doing this for your own good!’ And that’s really true.”

About Elaine Fogel Schneider, Ph.D.

Elaine Fogel Schneider, author of the Amazon bestseller “7 Strategies for Raising Calm, Inspired & Successful Children” (www.askdrelaine.com), is one of the country’s leading authorities on touch therapy, and founder of Baby Steps, preparing young children for educational readiness and providing parent coaching. As a sought-after speaker and trainer, she offers interactive presentations and workshops for educators, parents and healthcare professionals.

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Ridgewood Schools : Start is on September 6

RHS_BEST_theridgewoodblog

August 9th 2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood schools will be open and students will return to school on Tuesday, September 6 (minimum day schedule). Opening Day for teachers and support staff is Thursday, September 1.

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Reading to you Child Creates a Successful Adult

Bolger_theridgewoodpublic_library_theridgewoodblog

August 8,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Before they even understand what words and books are about, young children still benefit from listening to you read aloud. And by making books a part of your daily routine, you’re setting the stage for future success in school, work and life.

Benefits include:

Boosting School Readiness – Reading is one of the easiest ways to increase school readiness. When you read to your child, you’re building their vocabulary, language and literacy skills, while improving concentration, curiosity and memory. Watch the video below to learn more about how reading builds comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Success in School – Studies show that children who grow up with lots of books in the home tend to go farther in school.
A Love of Books – Reading together builds strong family relationships. By cuddling up together with a good book, you teach your child that reading is fun—even for adults.
Teaching Coping Skills – Books are a great way to teach children how to handle new experiences and stressful situations. Stories can help children understand, talk about and deal with everything from starting a new school to the loss of a pet.

Did you know?

If a child reads for 20 minutes every day, they are exposed to about 1.8 million words of text every year. That is 137 new words per minute!
If families read together for 20 minutes a day, 7 days a week, they get more than 121 hours of bonding time every year!
Many states use third-grade reading scores to predict the number of jail cells they might need in the future (about three out of five prisoners in America are illiterate).
For every year you read with your child, average lifetime earnings increase by $50,000. You make a $250,000 gift to your child from birth to age 5 by reading aloud, just 20 minutes a day!
Children who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3–4 times more likely to drop out in later years.