FEBRUARY 9, 2015, 9:59 PM LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015, 10:02 PM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A movement to get parents to keep their children from taking new state exams next month — fueled by protests on social media and encouragement from the teachers union — is gaining steam.
New Jersey requires all students to take the tests, but they do not need to sit for the exams to go on to the next grade or graduate.
State Education Commissioner David Hespe has urged school leaders to respond to the growing opt-out movement by explaining to parents the merits of the tests. In meetings, letters and online communications, school leaders say the tests will provide detailed information about what each student knows, better prepare teens for college entrance exams and build critical thinking skills.
But they are also trying to address parents’ complaints that the tests cut into instruction time, hamper creativity and fail to adequately measure learning. Some parents have delivered heartfelt pleas to school officials about the stress their children feel.
“We try to provide a balanced approach and let parents know there are benefits to taking the test. All they hear about is negative,” said Mark Toback, superintendent of Wayne schools.
Shore House Raffle: Buy a $100 chance for a seven-bedroom shore house vacation. Only 500 tickets will be sold; the drawing will be held at the final Jamboree performance on February 7.Click here for details and the order form.
The Fashion Show is April 19. The Committee is now securing donations for the auction. Click here for more information and the donation form. Items may be dropped off at Gail Mandell’s office, Life Opportunities Unlimited, 75 North Maple Ave. Suite 104 Monday – Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fashion Show chairpersons are ShariHellman (201-310-6286 [email protected] and Gail Mandeli (201- 248-2575 or [email protected]).
PG-15 upcoming monthly meetings: March 12, April 9 and May 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the RHS Library.
Dues are due. Make $165 check payable to “RHS Class of 2015” and mail to Sharon Walker, 94 Sherwood Road, Ridgewood, NJ 07450.
Class of 2015 Project Graduation Representatives
Chairpersons Tara Callaghan 201-803-7778 and Rosie McCooe 201-602-8097
Chairpersons email: [email protected]
Treasurer Sharon Walker [email protected]
Communications Jeff Coster [email protected]
Democrats in Trenton look to remove superintendent salary caps
FEBRUARY 8, 2015, 11:32 PM LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015, 11:35 PM
BY ALLISON PRIES
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Saddle River is on the hunt for its third superintendent in three years.
Alpine wants permission to keep its interim leader beyond the two-year state limit.
And Ho-Ho-Kus is hoping its high-achieving, parent-involved district appears attractive to superintendent candidates — even though it can offer them only $135,000.
Leaders in some small, wealthy North Jersey school districts say the superintendent pay cap — instituted by Governor Christie in 2011 — has dealt them a particularly hard blow. Once seen as appealing places to work, these districts now are having trouble drawing and retaining top candidates because they’re competing with larger districts that are allowed to pay more and New York State, which has no salary limits. What’s more, they are willing to pay top dollar, but can’t.
On top of it, many of these chief executives often work double duty as principals, so offering them less than what they could earn in subordinate roles elsewhere isn’t always an easy sell.
Christie targeted superintendent salaries five years ago with his Reform Agenda to help school districts keep costs low and better finance priority services.
Superintendent salaries had risen, on average, 46 percent or $100 million between 2001 and 2010, according to the governor’s office.
The cap resulted in the reduction of salaries for about 360 school superintendents, or 70 percent, for a potential savings of nearly $9.8 million statewide, $2.2 million in Bergen County and $650,000 in Passaic County, according to the state data.
When the cap was imposed, Christie’s move was panned by educators and praised by fiscal conservatives, who complained about the state’s high property taxes — and even higher per-pupil costs for suburban districts.
Today, the New Jersey Senate Budget Committee will vote on a bill sponsored by Sens. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, and M. Teresa Ruiz, D-Newark, that would roll back the caps, prohibiting the state Department of Education from regulating the maximum salary a school district can pay its superintendent. The bill was already considered by the education committee, Sarlo said.
Click here to access the links to the 2013-2014 reports for all Ridgewood schools.
letter from Dr. Daniel Fishbein regarding the reports
February 4, 2015
Dear Parent/Guardian:
The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has just released the annual performance accountability reports for schools across the state. These reports, called the New Jersey School Performance Reports (SPR), reflect achievement on assessments administered in the spring of 2014. Test results are reported in terms of student achievement (based on testing scores), college readiness (based on attendance records and MS/HS enrollment in advanced math courses) and student growth percentiles (based on an algorithm, which calculates increases in test scores compared to students with a similar history of performance). The state has explained the student growth percentile (SGP) calculation in a fifteen-minute video, which can be found at the following website: https://survey.pcgus.com/njgrowth/player.html
The School Performance Report is in its third year of use throughout the state and is significantly different from the prior New Jersey Report Card, which compared districts by their district factor group (DFG). District Factor Groups linked school districts by various socioeconomic indicators, as well as the education and employment levels of their residents. As you will note on the current reports, the first paragraph on Page One compares the school to its “peers” rather than to schools in its DFG. Schools are now evaluated based on a comparison of what the state determines is a peer group. The state has developed a peer group for each school, which you can find on the last page of the report, by combining 30 schools across the state that have similar percentages of Limited English Proficient, Special Education and free and reduced lunch students. Due to the fact that most schools in Ridgewood are not in the same peer group, comparisons between our schools are not made in these reports. Peer groups appear to change year to year.
Moreover, each school has different targets to meet, which are based on school test results in the baseline year (2010-2011). These proficiency targets can be found beginning on Page Three of the reports. Therefore, when reviewing the percentage of targets met on the chart on Page One, it should be noted that these targets are different for each of our schools.
The SPR data is now available for viewing. You can access the Ridgewood Public Schools’ performance reports through our district website: www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us where you will find links to the reports on our home page, on your school webpage and on the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment webpage. You may also access the reports for all schools in New Jersey on the NJDOE website at https://education.state.nj.us/pr. To aid you in fully understanding the performance reports, it is important to read the Peer School Methodology White Paper and the NJ School Performance Reports – Interpretive Guide, found on the NJDOE website. I am proud of the district’s accomplishments, as well as all the accomplishments of our students in each and every school. Our educators work toward constant improvements as part of our ongoing mission of excellence for each and every student in the Ridgewood Public Schools.
STORM MESSAGE: RIDGEWOOD SCHOOLS DELAYED OPENING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Ridgewood NJ, MONDAY AT 5:30 A.M.: Due to winter conditions, the Ridgewood Public Schools will have a DELAYED OPENING on Monday, February 9. Under the delayed opening plan, the school day will begin two hours later than usual. School bus schedules will operate two hours later. The morning kindergarten will be canceled; the afternoon kindergarten will follow the regular hours (12:20-3 p.m.). Children in grades 1-5 who have not ordered lunches must bring a bag lunch to school. There will not be sufficient time for children to go home for lunch when there is a delayed opening.
The Ridgewood Education Association invites parents and community members to a free screening of “Standardized”
February 07,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,The Ridgewood Education Association invites parents and community members to a free screening of “Standardized” at 7 p.m. on Feb 11 at the Bow Tie Cinemas in downtown Ridgewood. “Standardized” is a documentary film that examines the impact of the high-stakes standardized testing movement in public education today.
Michael Yannone President Ridgewood Education Association states in a letter to the Ridgewood News
“Here in Ridgewood, we are beginning to see how tests mandated upon the district by bureaucrats from afar is impacting the education of our students. Next month, all Ridgewood students in grades 3 to 11 will begin taking the newly created PARCC exam. This new test has affected many aspects of our district from technology, professional development, staffing, daily lessons and assignments, and even our calendar. As we get closer to this test, I encourage parents to educate themselves. You can take sample tests for yourself at parcconline.org and more information is available on the district website, websites like njkidsandfamilies.org, and via films like “Standardized.”
Due to theater capacity, seating is limited, but if you would like to attend you can reserve your seat online at ridgewoodstandardized.eventbrite.com.
On Sunday, February 8, students from the Ridgewood High School Bands will be taking fruit orders door-to-door for their annual Citrus Sale fundraiser, in which the goal is to reach every Ridgewood home. Buyers will receive fresh fruit from Florida (delivered on March 14-15) and support the band program. Sellers offer orders for California navel oranges, red grapefruit and a citrus sample (a combination of both). A mixed box of apples, pears, and oranges will also be offered. If residents are not at home, they have the option to fill out order forms left at their door, which can still be placed until February 20 to Melissa Pizza at [email protected].
The RHS band program is made up of curricular bands (Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Symphonic Band), Marching Band, Jazz Ensembles and other small ensembles.
Ridgewood NJ , Jamboree 2015 performers are working harder than ever to deliver a breath-taking show! Jamboree raises need-based scholarships for college-bound Ridgewood seniors. Come be a part of this 69 year tradition! It’s sure to be a wonderfully entertaining show! Make their hard work pay off! Shows are
Feb 4, 5, 6 & 7. For donations, tickets and information go to RHSJAMBOREE.org.
RHS Teams Make National History Bee/Bowl Playoffs
January 26,2015
Ridgewood NJ, Four RHS teams made the playoffs for the National History Bee and Bowl (NHBB), which took place on January 17 at the high school. The Ridgewood A team made it to the quarter-finals, scoring in the top eight of 80 teams. Seniors Ben Bechtold and Thomas Cleary made the playoffs for the Individual Bee Tournament.
The NHBB is a nationwide history quiz competition for high school, middle school, and elementary students. Students first compete at regional qualifying tournaments, from which the top students advance to the National Championships in the spring.
RHS Junior Wins Regional Art Award
January 29, 2015
Ridgewood NJ, The RHS Art Department is excited to share the news that junior Chloe Brover is a 2015 Scholastic Art Northern New Jersey Regional Award winner. She won a Gold Key Award for her photograph, Twisted. Chloe’s work will now be considered for recognition at the national level. Her work will be on display in the Gold Key Exhibition at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, NJ from February 12 through Sunday March 22.
Joanne Archer poses with members of her comedy class at Ridgewood High School back in the 1990s.
Ridgewood’s Jamboree is ready to go
January 30, 2015 Last updated: Friday, January 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
By Betsy murphy
CORRESPONDENT |
The Ridgewood News
Here it comes – the annual song and dance review called RHS Jamboree that brings high school parents together on stage for a month of fun, foolishness and fond friendships! This wonderful tradition has parents who don’t sing singing and parents who don’t dance dancing. It’s a month of concentrated hard work with the ultimate goal of raising money for scholarships. The memories and lasting friendships are legend, but there’s a serendipity along the way that has happened to some.
It was four years that changed Joanne Archer’s life.
Joanne Archer poses with members of her comedy class at Ridgewood High School back in the 1990s.
photo courtesy of dotti fucito
Filmmaker/Producer and Jamboree President of the Board of Trustees, Dotti Fucito, poses at the Jersey City International & Television Film Festival with Marke Manke, a cast member in her movie, “The Jersey Devil,” and Jamboree Sets Chair for 10 years.
“I had never been on a stage,” she says, before she auditioned for Ron Tutrone, Dotti Fucito and Tony LaFemina.
“It was during the World Series, and I sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” She says, “I couldn’t sing, but they saw something comedic. They put me in the spotlight and – she says the words separately – “I Never. Wanted. To get out!”
She admits, “It was thrilling.” She recalls one particular skit with Lou Fucito when “I had to throw a pie in his face. It was a great opportunity for grownups to act like kids.”
Fresh from Jamboree, she went to NYU and took a Comedy Writing Class.
Her final exam was to perform at Stand Up New York at 78th and Broadway. Her husband, John, her parents, her whole family came, with about 50 people.
“I loved hearing that audience laugh!”
Joanne had spent five years with Hospice as director of volunteers. Her innate sense of humor had helped her, but it was a serious job.
“As a result of being in Jamboree, I went into a whole new career,” she says smiling her broad and infectious smile. That career took her into appearing at Legends in Midland Park. (“I talked them into doing comedy shows,” she says. “I had comedians come out from New York to perform.”)
It was at Legends she met Suzanne Peterson, who was there to see her perform. Shortly afterward, Joanne and Suzanne, a soprano, formed a successful partnership. Joanne talked Bacari Restaurant in Washington Township into doing Dinner Theater and she and Suzanne did a number of shows there during the course of two years. “John went to every show,” she says. “My greatest support person.”
That was during the 90s and it was also then that Joanne began to teach a comedy class at Ridgewood High School, which went on for four years.
After 9/11, the pair began a local TV show, Blondz in the Hood, interviewing area residents, “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” That show continued for seven years. The show’s producer, Mary Pat Boron, was a friend Joanne had met at Jamboree.
Joanne says again of Jamboree, “It was great fun as a grownup to do silly things. There were wonderful moments! It was a life altering four years.”
Joanne enjoyed her second career for 20 years. Now, retired, she says, “it’s great to spend time with the grandchildren. I like being on this end!”
“Jamboree was my jumping off point into a professional career in the entertainment business,” says Dotti Fucito. Along with other parents, she was dancing, sewing, painting and writing (script committee). But Jerry DeFalco, director of that year’s show, noticed something. “I’ve been watching you multitask, create, organize, coordinate, lead and perform and I really think you have something special that Jamboree needs – someone to take the reins behind the scenes and help Jamboree to the next level,” he told her.
“When I looked at him questioningly, he said, ‘you have the foresight to see all the separate pieces of the show and how they all fit together.’ He said he saw me as a sort of behind-the-scene conductor or stage manager.”
Director, art teacher, creative designer, DeFalco became Dotti’s mentor.
George Washington Middle School Student is Finalist in Statewide Poster Contest
January 28th 2015
A George Washington Middle School student has been chosen as a finalist in the Protect Me With 3+ immunization awareness contest.
Protect Me With 3+ empowers middle school and high school students to create posters and videos, offering prizes for first, second and third place. Among the entries, 10 finalists have been announced and it’s now up to the public to decide who the top three winners in each category.
The creative works of 10 finalists – five middle school and five high school students – are displayed for public voting which began on January 24. Individuals can vote every day until the ballot is closed on February 11, 11:59 PM EST. The top three posters and videos (and their respective creators) will be acknowledged at an awards ceremony on February 12.
Please let me know if you need any further information and/or if you would like to speak to Protect Me With 3+ about the contest and its overall mission.
RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL HAVE EARLY DISMISSAL ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26
WINTER STORM ANNOUNCEMENT: RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL HAVE EARLY DISMISSAL ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26
The Ridgewood Public Schools will have an EARLY MINIMUM DAY on Monday, January 26.
All children will be dismissed at the closing times posted below. Cafeterias will not operate and lunches will not be provided. All afterschool activities and meetings are also canceled.
RHS wrestling: Wins keep coming as tough tests loom for Ridgewood
January 23, 2015 Last updated: Friday, January 23, 2015, 12:31 AM
By Matthew Birchenough
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
The Ridgewood New
RIDGEWOOD — On the cusp of embarking upon an unforgiving schedule against some of the area’s top teams, the Ridgewood High School wrestling team delivered a message that it’s ready to take on all comers.
The Maroons put together a dominant effort Wednesday night, defeating Ramapo, 54-13, in a Big North Freedom showdown to maintain their perfect record within the division.
The win extended Ridgewood’s win streak to four and helped to further remove the disappointment of a 39-24 defeat at Old Tappan last Friday.
“We applied all our mistakes [from the Old Tappan match] to this match,” said junior Julian Bangash, whose 3-2 decision over Sean O’Connor at 138 pounds extended his personal winning streak to nine matches. “No one messed up today. Every person that wrestled today wrestled the best that they could have wrestled. That didn’t happen against Old Tappan, and that’s not going to happen again.”
Nick Saglimbeni (152), Kyle Inlander (182), Kiel Pechko (195) and Aaron Delvecchio (220) all pinned their opponents to help the Maroons run away in the match and improve their record to 10-2 overall (3-0 in the Freedom Division).
The win also gave Ridgewood positive momentum heading into a stretch in which they will face three teams in the top six of The Record Top 25 rankings.
