Category: Ridgewood Schools

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Discovery at Ridgewood middle school opens door to past

Back to the future

NOVEMBER 25, 2015    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015, 9:17 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

A recently unearthed time capsule has given its viewers a look back to the days of 1986.

The container was interred on the Benjamin Franklin Middle School grounds roughly 30 years ago and was aptly named “Halley’s capsule” by the former BF students, a tip of the cap to the comet that last appeared that year.

The time capsule was intended to be recovered upon the next appearance of Halley’s Comet, but was accidentally dug up this summer by an excavation crew working on the new driveway cut-out at BF.

Gregory Wu, BF assistant principal, said he hurried to the scene once he was informed of the crew’s find.

“Finding value in those types of things,” he said, “I rushed over to take a look.”

Upon arrival, Wu discovered that the capsule had not been well-preserved, and as a result, some of its items were damaged throughout the years.

“I was disappointed to see that its contents (mostly seventh-grade English essays) had been stored in a pretty flimsy plastic container that had failed to keep the water/elements out,” he said. “There was an audio cassette tape, a Betamax tape, various coins, a ‘Vogue’ magazine I believe, a class set of essays and a few other paper items that could not be read due to deterioration.”

Torrance Watson, a current physical education instructor at BF, was one of the students to bury the capsule. He also expressed disappointment at the condition of the container.

“It would have been nice for the capsule to be undamaged so that whoever unearthed it could read all of the entries,” Watson said.

However, the capsule, which was scheduled to be unearthed around 2061, according to Wu, did contain a few mostly intact items: a yearbook from the BF class of 1986 and some of the aforementioned essays.

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/discovery-at-ben-franklin-middle-school-opens-door-to-past-1.1462202

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Ridgewood High School Ranked 28th best in the State

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2016 Best Public High Schools Ranking

November 24,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Niche put out its 2016 Best Public High Schools ranking providing a comprehensive assessment of the overall experience of a public high school. This grade takes into account key factors such as the strength of academics, quality of teachers, school resources, the quality of student life, as well as student and parent reviews, in an attempt to measure the overall excellence of the school.

Factors considered were, Academics Grade, Health & Safety Grade, Parent/Student Surveys on Overall Experience , Student Culture & Diversity Grade, Teachers Grade, Resources & Facilities Grade , Extracurriculars & Activities Grade, Sports & Fitness Grade.

Ridgewood Placed 28th in the state of New Jersey and some of our neighbors ; Tenafly High School came in 33rd, Pascack Valley High School 36th, Cresskill High School 42nd,Glen Rock High School 43, Ramapo High School 54 and River Dell Regional High School 67th .

the List : https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-high-schools/best-overall/s/new-jersey/

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Advanced Placement courses surge, but so does debate about worth and stress

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NOVEMBER 16, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY DEENA YELLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Advanced Placement courses are all the rage in New Jersey this school year, with many high schools having added more of the college-level courses to meet surging demand.

Students and advocates of the courses cite their value as college preparation, and parents hope to save on the cost of college credits earned for free in high school.

But critical observers also are pointing to the amplified stress that AP courses put on already high-achieving students with packed schedules.

The courses, which lend cachet to a student’s résumé, have long been a staple across the nation. But now, many North Jersey schools, including those in Northern Valley Regional High School District and in Lodi, Bergenfield, Tenafly, Wayne, Emerson and Glen Rock, have launched additional AP courses.

The most popular have traditionally been AP English Literature and AP U.S. History, said staff of the College Board, which administers the AP tests and trains teachers. But school administrators cite a dramatic increase in the number of AP STEM courses added over the past few years, including at Northern Valley High School, which has launched AP physics, science, and computer science; Emerson, which added AP Physics I and II; and Glen Rock, which is adding AP computer science.

New Jersey students have done particularly well on the AP exams, with more than 72.8 percent scoring a 3 or higher — out of 5 — on AP exams in 2015, compared with the average of 60.5 percent internationally.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/students-load-up-on-tougher-courses-1.1456207

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State Appointed Fact finder will join Ridgewood teacher talks

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NOVEMBER 16, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 1:20 AM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — A state-appointed fact finder in February will try to settle a 10-month contract dispute between the Board of Education and the Ridgewood Education Association, even as the two sides try to hammer out an agreement on their own.

Although there are several points of contention — including possible salary increases — the fight over how much REA members must contribute to their health insurance premiums has taken center stage since negotiations began last February.

The fact finder has scheduled an informal hearing on Feb. 3, when each side will present what it considers pertinent information, officials said. Two-and-a-half months later, the fact finder will issue a non-binding recommendation on how to settle the dispute.

In Ridgewood, union members pay an average of 26 percent of the cost of their health insurance premiums, a district spokeswoman said Thursday. This, many members say, is simply too much

“I know I have to pay something, but this an unreasonable burden on my family,” Mariann Gelenius said at the Nov. 2 board meeting. Gelenius, a Child Study Team member at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, said she’s paying about 35 percent of the premium cost, and that’s meant less take-home pay — even after previous salary increases.

REA President Michael Yannone, a 19-year veteran of Ridgewood High School, said Friday that the REA would keep meeting with the board’s negotiating team, but an agreement would depend on the board’s willingness to lower insurance contributions.

“That’s the stumbling block,” Yannone said. “We’re willing to negotiate that — we know that’s going to cost us something, and so we’re willing to pay to get that … but right now the board is holding the line on that issue.”

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/fact-finder-will-join-teacher-talks-1.1456157

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Super Science Saturday Receives Prestigious Award

Super Science Saturday Receives Prestigious Award

Photo: (L) MichaelAaron Flicker and former RPS science teacher Jim Wallace accepted the award on behalf of the SSS Executive Committee

Super Science Saturday Receives Prestigious Award
November 13,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Super Science Saturday, founded by former RPS science teacher Jim Wallace in 1988 and continued by RHS 2001 graduate MichaelAaron Flicker, received the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame Advancement of Invention & Process Award at a banquet held in Hoboken in October. The award was presented to Jim and Michael Aaron for creating and sustaining the “Super Science Saturday” extravaganza that exposes children to the marvels of science. The two honorees received the honor on behalf of the Super Science Saturday all-volunteer Executive Committee.

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REA members did not listen to BOE

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BOE Meets on November 16 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, November 16, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.

 The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting may also be viewed on FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.
Click here to view the agenda for the November 2, 2015 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the October 19, 2015 Regular Public Meeting.

11.03.15: Board of Education Issues Statement on Contract Negotiations
Click here to read a November 2, 2015 statement by the Ridgewood Board of Education, “Negotiations Status Report.”

REA members did not listen to BOE

NOVEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print

REA members did not listen to BOE

To the Editor:

As a regular attendee of the Board of Education meetings of late, I would like to express one fact that was missing from last week’s article that appeared on your front page (“Fact-finder returns in February,” Nov. 6, page A-1).

Your staff writer accurately reported the following: “… opening remarks were made; a couple of presentations took place; and then public comments opened up, with various members of the REA coming to the microphone to have their say.”

He then continued with, “After the public comments, Sheila Brogan, president of the board, read from a prepared statement, explaining that the talks between the REA and BOE had slowed once again…”

What your reporter failed to include in his article is that immediately after the REA chief negotiator made her comments at the microphone, all the REA members present exited the building. Ms. Brogan’s reading of the prepared statement was made to an intimate group of us after the throng of REA members left. The REA members did not even grant to a volunteer elected official, to whom they are asking a lot, the courtesy of listening to her. The board listened to them, but I can only guess that the REA felt not compelled to show the decency of listening in return.

Pick your statement: “Actions speak louder than words” or “Adults are to be role models for the younger people.”

Bob Hutton

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-rea-members-did-not-listen-to-boe-1.1454653

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11TH Annual Ridgewood High School Alumni ART SHOW!

ANNUAL RHS ALUMNI ART SHOW

Call for Entries: 11TH ANNUAL RHS ALUMNI ART SHOW

The RHS Department of Fine & Applied Arts will host the eleventh annual Alumni Art Show, of work created after graduating from RHS.

Entries are due in the RHS Arts office by Wednesday, December 9.

Questions may be directed to the Department of Fine & Applied Arts at 201-670-2800, ext. 20542, or by email to Arts Supervisor Chris McCullough ([email protected]).

The show will be mounted in the Carroll Art Gallery, Room 137.  An artists’ reception will be held on Thursday, January 7 at 7 p.m.

All students, alumni, friends, family and staff are invited to the reception as well as to view the exhibition during school hours.

Event information and other news is continually updated on the Arts at Ridgewood Public Schools Facebook page,  www.facebook.com/TheArtsatRPS

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Duct tape: Fundraiser at Ridgewood middle school a sticky situation

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NOVEMBER 9, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015, 11:27 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

A breast cancer awareness fundraiser that took place at Benjamin Franklin Middle School (BF) on Oct. 30 showed that, should enough duct tape be applied, a person can indeed be held by tape in midair for a good cause.

The scene was a strange one, with permanent substitute Daniel Cermack, a staff member with whom many of the students are close, hanging suspended from a pillar in the BF cafeteria for 90 minutes by pieces of pink duct tape. The strands, which were purchased by the students, were the school’s means of raising money for breast cancer research, which it has done for many years. All of the money raised was donated to the Avon Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.

“For the past 10 years, we have sold pink ribbons, pink Livestrong bracelets, etc., to raise money for breast cancer awareness,” said Dave Tashian, a guidance counselor and student council advisor at BF. “The kids were looking for something new. A student saw this idea of duct taping people to the wall, and we came up with an idea of how to make money off of it.”

Each length of tape cost $1, though for $2, the middle-schoolers were given the opportunity to snap a selfie with Cermack as he hung from the pillar like an insect in a cocoon.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/school-fundraiser-a-sticky-situation-1.1451780

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Gov. Chris Christie on Monday signed legislation that bans the state from implementing financial sanctions against schools for low PARCC test participation rates

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Christie won’t withhold funding over PARCC opt-outs

A new state law prohibits New Jersey from punishing schools financially for having a high percentage of students refuse to take state exams. Adam Clark, NJ.comRead more

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Ridgewood Community Outreach Series Focuses on Well-being: Next is Leadership Talk on November 10

BF middle school theridgewoodblog.net 11
Community Outreach Series Focuses on Well-being: Next is Leadership Talk on November 10
November 6,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Next up is “Raising Responsible Leaders” by author John Jay Bonstingl. This program will take place on Tuesday, November 10 from 7-9 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Middle School Auditorium.

The 2015-2016 parent/peers series consists of eight engaging presentations throughout the school year. Co-sponsored by The Valley Hospital, with support from The Foundation, adults are invited to attend these programs on creating balance in children’s lives.

Click here for the November 10 program flyer.
Click here for details on the series.
Click here for the series flyer.

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Fact-finder for Ridgewood teacher contract talks to return in February

BOE_the ridgwoodblog

NOVEMBER 6, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Despite recent optimism that contract discussions between the Ridgewood Board of Education (BOE) and Ridgewood Education Association (REA) could conclude in the near future, the process seems to have ground to a halt once again.

This past week’s BOE meeting featured a series of events that have become standard: opening remarks were made; a couple of presentations took place; and then public comments opened up, with various members of the REA coming to the microphone to have their say. While not all of the comments were related to the negotiations, the majority were.

After the public comments, Sheila Brogan, president of the board, read from a prepared statement, explaining that the talks between the REA and BOE had slowed once again, and that even with the state-appointed mediator, no agreement could be hammered out.

“As has been the case since the parties’ first meeting back in February 2015, when the association declared an impasse, the main issues have been negotiating the levels of employee share of health care premiums, the cost of premium and type of plan and fair salary increases while staying within what the board feels the taxpayers can support,” Brogan said.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/fact-finder-returns-in-february-1.1449843

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N.J. changes certification requirements for teachers

BOE theridgewoodblog.net

NOVEMBER 4, 2015, 6:49 PM    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015, 11:27 AM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

TRENTON – Aspiring teachers will face tougher standards to enter the profession under revised rules that the state Board of Education adopted on Wednesday.

In one of the biggest changes, the board voted to require students to do 175 hours of clinical work in a classroom setting before they start their full semester of student teaching.

Education Commissioner David Hespe said the state was answering a “clear call to action” to help students by helping their teachers.

“In particular, we know that hands-on experiences are invaluable in preparing teachers, and not all candidates have been getting enough of that time in the classroom,” he said. “Providing more of these experiences will lead to better prepared teachers, which in turn leads to increased student achievement.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-changes-certification-requirements-for-teachers-1.1448445

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Ridgewood Schools Superintendent of Schools Comments on Police Presence at Schools

"security walk through" at Ridgewood Schools

file photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook

October 30, 2015

Dear Ridgewood Public Schools Parent or Guardian,
This letter comes on the heels of recent media reports that Ridgewood Police presence has increased at our schools as a result of a student incident.
First and foremost, I want to assure you that our students and staff are safe. I would also like to clarify that in a school district as large as ours of nearly 6,000 students and over 800 staff members in 11 buildings, isolated student incidents occur from time to time that require our highly trained professional staff to request additional interventional support.
We are fortunate to collaborate with community partners such as the police and outside mental health professionals for their dependable expert assistance at those times. In such situations, communication with district parents and guardians requires a delicate hand.
As you can imagine, these incidents are very private events for the individuals involved. It is our goal to make every attempt to communicate appropriately while maintaining confidentiality so as to protect the health and privacy rights of the individuals. Every school incident that occurs provides the opportunity to refine our Emergency Response Plan and prevention protocols.
You are aware that in the recent past our district has experienced two safety incidents that thankfully turned out to be false alarms, a hoax swatting incident last May and a mistaken trespasser event in October. These incidents, in combination with the nationwide upturn in violence on school campuses, have helped us to determine that an increased Ridgewood Police presence in our buildings is warranted at this time, as a preventative measure.
I hope you share my perspective that an increase in police presence at our schools is a positive precaution. The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority.
Thank you for your continued understanding, support and trust.
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
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Do it for the Kids :NJEA dumps $750k more into Super PAC

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All trick, no treat: NJEA dumps $750k more into Super PAC (for the kids)
By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

You and I both know that the NJEA doesn’t give a damn about the kids, Save Jerseyans.

It’s a business. A big money business. Keeping the money train rolling requires spending big money to keep the Democrats in power all while our state’s most vulnerable kids get left behind.

They’re setting records this election cycle. The General Majority PAC,smearing GOP candidates all over the state, is on track to spend close to $4 million this cycle, or roughly 20% of all spending, direct and independent expenditures, throughout the Garden State in key legislative districts. The NJEA is helping bankroll it.

https://savejersey.com/2015/10/njea-general-majority-pac-elec-new-jersey/

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‎Ridgewood High School Alumni Association Envisions creating, sponsoring and providing volunteers for programs for RHS students

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October 30,2015
by Paul McCubbin‎

Ridgewood NJ, This is exactly the sort of program I envision the RHS Alumni Association creating, sponsoring and providing volunteers for. Until today I had never heard about this program for students interested in health care professions. It is in its 10th year. Please read:

“Dr. Earl Wheaton, RHS ’46, returned to school to talk with Caroline Richards’ (RHS ’91) current 10th grade RAHP students about medical ethics. Dr. Wheaton, who helped initiate a medical ethics department at Valley Hospital spoke about the need for such a department and how doctors and staff use four basic principles to negotiate tough ethical decisions regarding patient care. Here he explains the possible scenarios one might consider as he or she fills out an advance directive. The issue of medical ethics connects to the 10th grade curriculum through four texts – Flowers for Algernon, Frankenstein, Better and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – as students try to answer the overarching questions, “Just because we can do something, should we?” and, “What responsibilities do we have to those to whom we commit ourselves?”

RAHP (Ridgewood Academy of Health Professionals) is a three year, interdisciplinary program for students who think they might be interested in the health care professions. Students enjoy group explorations to Valley Hospital and 1:1 mentorships with its professionals, as well as integrated English, science and health classes. The program is celebrating its tenth year.”

check it out

https://www.rhsalumniassociation.org/index.php