Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect: To give customers additional travel options – if they must travel – during expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail, PATH or ferry. As a reminder, on Tuesday, March 14th all bus service will be suspended. For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. NY Waterway and Billybey ferries will accept NJ TRANSIT tickets and passes.
...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
TONIGHT...
* Locations...New York City, Northeast New Jersey, the Lower
Hudson Valley, Southwestern and interior Southeastern
Connecticut, and Northern Nassau and Northwestern Suffolk
Counties.
* Hazard Types...Heavy Snow and Blizzard Conditions.
* Snow and Sleet Accumulations...1 to 2 feet across interior
areas. 8 to 16 inches of snow and sleet are expected across New
York City, Northwestern Long Island and Coastal Southwestern
Connecticut. Locally higher amounts are possible, especially
over areas north and west of New York City.
* Snowfall Rates...2 to 4 inches per hour at times.
* Timing...The snow may mix with sleet at times across
Northwestern Long Island and portions of the New York City
metropolitan area later this morning into this afternoon. The
precipitation will change back to all snow before ending this
evening.
* Impacts...Dangerous travel due to whiteout conditions at
times. Several roads may become impassable.
* Winds...Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph,
becoming northwest in the afternoon. Isolated gusts of 55 to 60
mph are possible near the immediate coast.
* Temperatures...In the upper 20s.
* Visibilities...Near zero at times.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are
expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds
and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout
conditions...making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If
you must travel...have a winter survival kit
Ridgewood NJ, Out of an abundance of caution and safety, NJ TRANSIT is making service changes for Tuesday, March 14th due to the forecasted severe winter weather expected to hit the region. NJ TRANSIT encourages all customers to prepare their transportation needs in advance of the storm, if they must travel.
All Bus and Access Link service will begin shutting down at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning. Customers should expect those services to remain suspended for the duration of Tuesday’s service day. Service is anticipated to resume on Wednesday as weather and road conditions allow.
All but one rail line will operate on a weekend schedule on Tuesday for as long as weather conditions allow trains to operate safely. Customers should be aware that weekend rail service does not extend west of Raritan on the Raritan Valley Line, west of Dover on the M&E Line or west of Bay Street on the Montclair-Boonton Line. Please Note: The Atlantic City Rail Line will operate on a regular weekday schedule. Pascack Valley Line trains will add Teterboro and Woodcliff Lakes stops and Train 2125 will operate as a local making all station stops.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule with the addition of service, operating every 20 minutes, between Tonnelle Ave. and Hoboken Terminal. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. RiverLINE service will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect: To give customers additional travel options – if they must travel – during expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail, PATH or ferry. As a reminder, on Tuesday, March 14th all bus service will be suspended. For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. NY Waterway and Billybey ferries will accept NJ TRANSIT tickets and passes.
All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip. NJ TRANSIT will have a special winter storm section on the homepage of its website.
NJ TRANSIT will continue to monitor the weather conditions and impacts to services as the storm progresses. For the latest travel information, customers should visit njtransit.com, access NJ TRANSIT’s Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT or listen to broadcast traffic reports. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your smartphone. Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.
Rail and light rail crews and equipment are on standby to quickly respond to downed trees, power outages or other issues that may arise. In addition, NJ TRANSIT will be positioning locomotives at strategic locations across the rail system to rapidly respond in the event of a disabled train. NJ TRANSIT’s employee Emergency Response Team will be at Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Transfer and Penn Station New York to assist customers who must travel on Tuesday.
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT will operate extra bus service on selected routes to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) on Friday, March 17, to accommodate customers traveling to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. Trains will operate on a regular weekday schedule. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, Newark Light Rail and River Line will also operate regular weekday schedules.
Please note: liquid containers of any kind, open or closed, will not be permitted on any train to and from New York/Hoboken on March 17. Beverages of any kind are prohibited at all times on board buses.
NJ TRANSIT will have Ambassadors will be on hand at Secaucus Junction, Aberdeen/Matawan, Middletown, N.J., and Penn Station New York to assist customers.
Extra trips to and from New York will be offered on the following bus routes:
To New York – PABT:
No. 163 (Ridgewood – New York) additional local trips from Hackensack (Summit Ave. and Essex St.) to PABT from 8:46 a.m. until 10:42 a.m. operating via the Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights, Wood-Ridge, Carlstadt, and East Rutherford. Additional Turnpike Express (T) trips from Paramus (Paramus Rd. and Ridgewood Ave.) to NY/PABT at 8:57 a.m. and 9:17 a.m.From New York – PABT:
No. 163 (New York – Ridgewood) additional local service from PABT to Hackensack (Summit Ave. and Essex St.) operating via East Rutherford, Carlstadt, Wood Ridge, and Hasbrouck Heights at 4:25 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Additional Turnpike Express (T) service from PABT to Ridgewood Terminal operating via Hackensack, Maywood, Rochelle Park, Paramus and Ridgewood at 3:20 p.m. and 4:58 p.m.
No. 321 (Vince Lombardi Park & Ride – New York) frequent express service from the PABT to Vince Lombardi Park & Ride every 30 minutes beginning at 12:45 p.m. through the late afternoon, then every 10-15 minutes during the afternoon peak hours.
Travel Tips
Ticketing: To speed your return, purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip from bus operators inbound to New York or at ticket vending machines where available. Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) are reminded that tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus.
Allow Extra Travel Time: Traffic congestion during the morning period and early to mid-afternoon hours before and after the parade may affect bus travel times to New York City. Customers should plan accordingly.
Plan Ahead: Extra bus service will operate a few minutes ahead of regularly scheduled trips on the routes listed above. Customers should arrive at their bus boarding location 10 minutes earlier than the departure time.
Parking: Customers traveling from Park/Rides at Allwood Road, North Bergen, Willowbrook Mall, Mothers and Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center are advised that parking fees still apply. IMPORTANT NOTE: No liquids of any kind, in any type of container, open or closed, will be permitted on any train to and from New York/Hoboken. This policy will be strictly enforced. Beverages of any kind are prohibited at all times on board buses.
For schedules and fares, visit njtransit.com or call 973-275-5555.
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT operations, customer service and police personnel are taking steps to minimize delays, and ensure service reliability and safety due to the anticipated winter storm. All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip.
Snow is expected to arrive in the early morning hours of Friday, March 10, and the status of the system may change as the storm progresses. NJ TRANSIT will continue to monitor the weather conditions and impacts to the morning rush hour will be determined during the next several hours. Customers should continue to check our web site at www.njtransit.com where they can sign up for service alerts as well as monitor social media channels and broadcast, web, and print media for additional updates.
For the latest travel information, customers should visit njtransit.com, access NJ TRANSIT’s Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT or listen to broadcast traffic reports. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your phone. Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect: To give customers additional travel options during expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring for the entire service day on Friday, March 10, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, bus or light rail. For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge.
NJ TRANSIT will closely monitor the crowds at New York Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal and the Port Authority Bus Terminal and make adjustments to service as necessary.
The Corporation is preparing to minimize disruptions and delays to the extent possible, particularly in light of the potential snow that may impact portions of the area. Rail and light rail crews and equipment are on standby to quickly respond to downed trees, power outages or other issues that may arise. In addition, NJ TRANSIT will be positioning locomotives at strategic locations across the rail system to rapidly respond in the event of a disabled train.
Customers are advised of the following:
Systemwide: NJ TRANSIT plans to operate a regular weekday schedule on Friday, March 10. Depending on the impact of the storm, it may be necessary for NJ TRANSIT to modify transit service as conditions change.
Bus Service: While every effort will be made to continue operating bus service throughout the state, customers may experience delays or detours on their routes in the event of extreme winter weather conditions. Customers are advised to plan accordingly and anticipate disruptions to bus service.
Travel Advice:
For the latest travel information, visit njtransit.com or access our Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT prior to starting your trip. In the event of delays or service adjustments, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at www.njtransit.com/mytransit) Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555 or from broadcast traffic reports.
Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.
Build additional travel time into your trip to a station, terminal or bus stop.
Stairs, flooring and platforms can be slippery, so please use caution when walking along wet surfaces or any outdoor surface exposed to the weather. Use extra care when boarding or exiting buses and trains.
Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or NJ TRANSIT staff.
If you park, ensure your car is stocked with a snow brush and ice scraper so you can clear your car upon returning to the lot.
NJ TRANSIT is prepared to handle the impending winter weather:
Snow plows and salt spreaders are ready for service and snow-removal contracts are in place with outside vendors.
NJ TRANSIT is well-stocked snow-melting supplies, and hundreds of shovels and snow blowers.
NJ TRANSIT has performed maintenance and testing on its two rail-mounted jet snow blowers in the event they are needed to help clear train tracks of snow and ice, particularly in rail yards.
Rail switches, switch heaters and overhead wires were inspected as part of NJ TRANSIT’s preventative maintenance program.
Onboard heating systems, thermostats, weather stripping and electronic components have been inspected on NJ TRANSIT railcars, light rail cars and locomotives.
Bus maintenance personnel have inspected and performed necessary maintenance on a fleet of more than 2,200 buses – from the heating and airbrake systems, to the engine fluids, tires, windshield wipers and doors.
By SCOTT FALLON
Posted: Feb. 18, 2017 8:00 am Updated: Feb. 18, 2017 11:54 am
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — When the owners of American Dream unveiled their latest renderings of the Meadowlands mall and entertainment complex in December, some saw the new glass facade as a significant upgrade from the much reviled boxy exterior.
Don Torino, however, saw only death.
The president of the Bergen Audubon Society feared the glass exterior could be deadly to the barn swallows, marsh wrens and dozens of other bird species that migrate through the Meadowlands each year.
Birds slam into buildings at alarming rates. Studies by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimate that buildings with reflective glass kill 303 million birds each year, ranking second only to cats in bird kills. Birds can’t see reflective glass well, mistaking it for clear air space. Like moths, they are also attracted to bright lights at night when they migrate and often cannot sense that those lights are part of a larger structure.
“It’s pretty simple: If you put a glassy building in a place where birds migrate, like the Meadowlands, the likelihood of a bird hitting it is high,” Susan Elbin, director of conservation and science for New York City Audubon, told The Record (https://bit.ly/2m8fdi6).
JIM WRIGHT, SPECIAL TO THE RECORDPublished 1:57 p.m. ET Jan. 31, 2017 | Updated 18 hours ago
For New Jersey birders, it was the biggest news since a pink-footed goose made its Garden State debut in Washington Township six years ago. Since Jan. 21, a rare gyrfalcon – the largest falcon in the world – has been appearing almost daily at the State Line Lookout in Alpine.
“The last time you had a chance of seeing a gyrfalcon in New Jersey was 27 years ago in Sandy Hook, so this is a pretty big deal,” said Bill Boyle, author of “The Birds of New Jersey” and a leading expert on state birds. “The last one seen in Bergen County was in March 1950, in East Rutherford.”
Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced the arrest of FRANCIS TATTOLI (DOB: 06/07/1992) of 258 Summer Street, Apartment 1B, East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, December 18, 2016, on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon. The arrest is the result of a joint investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Squad under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department under the direction of Sheriff Michael Saudino, and the East Rutherford Police Department under the direction of Chief Lawrence Minda.
On Saturday December 17, 2016, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information from the East Rutherford Police Department that a 25-year-old female was attacked inside of 258 Summer Street, a multi-unit dwelling. The victim, identified as MONET THOMAS (DOB: 02/14/1991) of 184 Devon Street, Kearney, New Jersey, was found unresponsive and was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, where she remains in critical condition.
An investigation by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Squad and the East Rutherford Police Department revealed that on Saturday, December 17, 2016, MONET THOMAS visited an acquaintance in a different apartment at 258 Summer Street. Shortly after 9:00 p.m., THOMAS left the dwelling at 258 Summer Street. Upon her return a short time later, TATTOLI attacked her, including with a knife; her body was later discovered just inside the doorway of TATTOLI’s first floor apartment. TATTOLI subsequently fled his apartment, but was soon apprehended by East Rutherford Police a short distance from the home.
As a result of the investigation, TATTOLI was arrested and charged with one count of Attempted Murder, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1a(1), a first degree crime, and one count of possession of a weapon, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C: 39-4D, a second degree crime. The Honorable Bonnie Mizdol, A.J.S.C. of Bergen County set bail at $2,000,000.00 with no ten percent option. TATTOLI appeared today before the Honorable James J. Guida, J.S.C., for a first appearance and entered a not guilty plea, and his bail was continued.
Bergen County Prosecutor Grewal states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Grewal would also like to thank the East Rutherford Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance in this investigation.
JOHN REITMEYER, ILYA MARRITZ, AND SUSAN BERFIELD | DECEMBER 13, 2016
American Dream’s developers argue that they’re not just building a mall, they’re creating a global destination
This is the second installment of Mall Madness, a five-part series on the American Dream retail and entertainment complex under construction in the Meadowlands. The series was produced through a reporting collaboration between WNYC, NJ Spotlight, and Bloomberg Businessweek. The first story and the third story, and fourth story are also available online.
As the retail industry undergoes a massive transformation thanks to new technology and online shopping, is there any mall out there that can be considered “Internet-proof?” Maybe not, but that’s exactly what Triple Five, the developer of the American Dream megamall in the Meadowlands, is betting on.
American Dream, the garish, multicolored complex that sits alongside the New Jersey Turnpike in East Rutherford, is designed to be not just a mall, but a giant entertainment destination, featuring an amusement park, full-size ice-skating rink, indoor ski slope, waterpark, towering observation wheel, and, oh yes, some stores, too.
By Myles Ma | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on September 13, 2016 at 2:45 PM, updated September 13, 2016 at 3:29 PM
EAST RUTHERFORD — The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority plans to address a host of legal issues raised by a group opposed to its plans to issue $1.15 billion in public bonds on behalf of American Dream Meadowlands.
The Sports Authority agreed on Aug. 25 to issue the bonds to help finance the stalled retail and entertainment center.
On Sept. 6, an attorney for the New Jersey Alliance for Fiscal Integrity wrote a letter to the authority claiming the deal was flawed. Thomas Calcagni, an attorney for the alliance, criticized the bond sale in the 11-page document.
FAQ: Shifting to a Full-Day Kindergarten Program in Ridgewood
● 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 fullday Kindergarten. The Ramsey Kindergarten program consists of an optional, fee-based enrichment extended-day program, which the vast majority of children attend. Allendale, Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff have programs consisting of two halfdays / three full days, a model that is not very popular and the implementation cost is equal to that of a traditional full-day program.
● 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 five 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? ○ Kindergarten class sizes would follow the Ridgewood Board of Education guidelines of 18 to 22 children per classroom.
● Can the district facilities / physical spaces accommodate full-day Kindergarten?
○ In November 2015 demographic consultant Ross Haber presented to the Board of Education the results of an enrollment and facility utilization study in which all of the Ridgewood elementary principals participated by discussing their buildings and classroom space. The report shows that over the last three years the district has seen a decrease in enrollment and indicates that our elementary schools can accommodate full-day Kindergarten. The demographer’s report is available for reading in the Fullday Kindergarten Exploratory Committee folder on the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment page of the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.
● How will the decision be made to move to full-day Kindergarten in Ridgewood?
○ On General Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, Ridgewood voters will be asked to approve full-day Kindergarten 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 County 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 two percent 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?
○ If full-day Kindergarten is passed by the voters, the average Village assessed home of $693,904 would have taxes increased by approximately $111.
● 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 Kindergarten in Ridgewood?
○ The Full-day Kindergarten Exploratory folder may be found on the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment page of the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.
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.
Teachers in the photo above: Please read below written by a retired colleague. The taxpayers can no longer and will no longer agree to your sweetheart deals which is why so many of your brethren have retired early to “take the money and run.” So when you whine about your paychecks and benefits, remember, the rest of us have to live very carefully and save enough, cross our fingers Wall St. doesn’t do funny things just to make sure we might be able to retire (and we have to pay for our own supplemental medical insurance). Just because we live in Ridgewood does not mean we are 1%ers. Some of us, with college degrees earn less than you and have stressful demanding jobs so your protests fall on deaf ears. I don’t like or agree with much Christie does but this is one thing he got right and tried to fix.
The author of the guest essay below is a retired New Jersey teacher who considers her benefits package far too generous. Gov. Christie was right to confront the teachers’ union immediately after taking office, she says, since teacher benefits could eventually bankrupt the state, and many others, if outlays needed to pay those benefits continue to outstrip revenues. I have withheld the author’s name to protect her from retaliation by her former colleagues.
I watch with gratitude the commercial by Prudential that warns those who hope to retire to think about how much money they’ll need to do so comfortably. I am grateful because I need not worry so much about my money running out before my nest egg does. I am a retired New Jersey educator. My funds are as lengthy as my life. They will even continue to support my spouse after I am gone at a rate of 50%. His pension will additionally support me at a rate of 50% if he should pre-decease me.
I began teaching in 1972 at an annual salary of $7,700. It was not much. Incremental raises were small from year to year. I ended my career teaching after 30 years. I was 52 — three years below full retirement age. I decided for personal reasons to retire early at a penalty of 3% per annum below the full retirement age, which was recently moved down to 55. I was not concerned because the 9% decrease in my pension benefits would be more than offset by three additional years of benefits.
Although I am not well versed in the subject of finance, I am told that I would need to have amassed a nest egg substantially greater than a million dollars to provide as well for myself as New Jersey does. Since this is a near impossibility at my former pay scale, it is all the more amazing that New Jersey is so generously funding my golden years. Additionally, my healthcare benefits were covered by the state until Medicare kicked in. After that, my secondary insurance was picked up by the N.J. State Health Benefits Plan.
This is a rather lengthy prelude to the point I wish to convey about the state of pensions both in New Jersey and other states that confer similar benefits on government workers. It is clear that this level of pension funding cannot be sustained indefinitely. Public servants must be part of the solution to burgeoning budget deficits in every state in which they occur. I am not an actuary, nor am I an economist, but I can see the anger growing in the public-at-large that continues to question the demands of those who receive generous packages during their employment and afterwards. Surely, the cris de coeur about the plight of educators cannot reflect the economic realities of many of the constituents who pay the educators’ salaries.
Bergen County ‘Tops’ at $90K.
To give you an idea of how very generous teachers’ pensions are, I’ve appended average salaries for NJ districts in 2011-12 below. Benefits are calculated by taking the average salary of the last three years of employment multiplied by the number of years in New Jersey public education, divided by 60 (full retirement age). Thus, if you worked as teacher in Bergen County for 30 years, your annual pension benefit could be as high as $45,114 ($90,228 x 30 divided by 60). When I retired early, I received 30 years divided by 55 (which was for a short time considered full retirement age. Gov. Christie returned the full retirement age to 60 as a cost-saving measure). Tack on full health insurance until Medicare kicks in, plus, when you reach 65, the state picks up the supplemental costs. A pretty sweet deal, no?
Here are the salary averages, by county: 1. Northern Valley Regional (Bergen County) $90,228; 2. Ocean City (Cape May) $88,434; 3. Carlstadt-East Rutherford (Bergen) $87,502; 4. East Rutherford (Bergen) $86,624; 5. Edison (Middlesex) $84,159; 6. Margate (Atlantic) $83,820; 7. East Orange (Essex) $83,418; 8. Closter (Bergen) $82,558; 9. Wallkill Valley Regional (Sussex) $82,475; 10. High Point Regional (Sussex) $82,386; 11. Teaneck (Bergen) $82,116; 12. West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional (Mercer) $82,059; 13. Hackensack (Bergen) $81,900;14. Pascack Valley Regional (Bergen) $81,832;15. Mainland Regional (Atlantic) $81,100; 16. Trenton (Mercer) $80,886;17. Millburn (Essex) $80,774; 18. Pemberton (Burlington) $80,579; 19. River Dell Regional (Bergen) $79,564; 20. Freehold Regional (Monmouth) $79,185.
Often I feel like a traitor to my profession – or I am made to feel so by the constant postings of my former colleagues who seek every opportunity to defame Gov. Christie for his hardline stance on unsustainable obligations to retired educators. I am not, however, traitorous. A paradox arises out of this situation. Taxes rise to cover increasing costs. Retirees who cannot afford some of the highest property taxes and state taxes take their pensions out of state and live in tax free zones. It is time for us to become responsible adults and change a system which is antiquated and inequitable for those who are left to pay the price.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Board of Education Answers Questions on Full-Day Kindergarten Program. Full-Day Kindergarten will run 8:30am -3pm, the average tax increase is $111 per home and there will be 22 students per class.
FAQ: Shifting to a Full-Day Kindergarten Program in Ridgewood
● 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 is currently under development with the goal of sharing it with the public at an upcoming Board of Education meeting.
● 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 3, 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.
John Mara, a co-owner of the Giants, and Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets, said this week that they are interested in bringing another Super Bowl to the metropolitan area, touting what they described as the success of the event that MetLife Stadium hosted in February 2014.
“I’ve spoken to Woody Johnson about it, and yeah, we think it would make sense to try to bring it back,” Mara told reporters at the NFL meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., on Sunday. “We think it was very successful, it was great for the region, so why not have it back?”
But many North Jersey officials are far less enthusiastic about the idea, saying that the previous game did little to stimulate the economy in the Meadowlands.
Asked if he would like to see another Super Bowl in his borough, Mayor James Cassella of East Rutherford replied: “If things were going to be run the same way as last time, then no. If they made some changes, I’d have to see.”
Michael Gonnelli, the mayor of Secaucus, was equally blasé on Wednesday.
“I have to tell you, it was a non-event for us in more ways than one,” Gonnelli said. “We didn’t see a lot of increased business for hotels and restaurants, and we didn’t see an impact on traffic. The problem was that it was billed as a New York Super Bowl, not New Jersey. We didn’t see benefits.”
The two mayors, along with state Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, and Jim Kirkos, the chief executive of the Meadowlands Regional Chamber, all pointed to the necessity of avoiding a repeat of the massive delays that hindered fans who took trains to and from Secaucus Junction and MetLife Stadium on game day. The league’s estimate that 10,000 fans would take NJ Transit trains to the 82,500-seat stadium fell more than 20,000 short of the actual number who used the service, creating departure delays of up to two hours after the game ended.
“The fact is Ridgewood was designated by NJT as a major transit hub several years ago and to a large extent that is why so many residents who work on Wall St have chosen to live here. Ridgewood has the reputation as the town that “has it all” great schools, charming neighborhoods, a lively downtown……and an easy commute to the city. When one gets past all the current rhetoric the three amigos are simply executing a plan and a vision for Ridgewood that was put in place long before they arrived on the scene.” Ed S
Q. What is a designated Transit Village?
A. A designated Transit Village is a municipality that has been recommended for designation by the interagency Transit Village Task Force. These municipalities have demonstrated a commitment to revitalizing and redeveloping the area around their transit facilities into compact, mixed-use neighborhoods with a strong residential component.
A municipality can be designated a Transit Village only after much of the planning and background work has already been done on the municipal level. It may only be designated a Transit Village after the Transit Village Criteria have been met.
Q. How many designated Transit Villages are there?
A. There are currently 30 designated Transit Villages. They are Pleasantville (1999), Morristown (1999), Rutherford (1999), South Amboy (1999), South Orange (1999), Riverside (2001), Rahway (2002), Metuchen (2003), Belmar (2003), Bloomfield (2003), Bound Brook (2003), Collingswood (2003), Cranford (2003), Matawan (2003), New Brunswick (2005), Journal Square/Jersey City (2005), Netcong (2005), Elizabeth/Midtown (2007), Burlington City (2007), City of Orange Township (2009), Montclair (2010), Somerville (2010), Linden (2010), West Windsor (2012), East Orange (2012), Dunellen (2012), Summit (2013), Plainfield (2014), Borough of Park Ridge (2015) and Irvington Township (2015).
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