Community pitches in on Ridgewood schools planning
SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014, 9:29 AM
BY JODI WEINBERGER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Like excited learners, adults invited to the Board of Education’s (BOE) community planning session readily shared their hopes and dreams for the Ridgewood school district, collaborating with officials and administrators in a way that’s rarely possible at 49 Cottage Place.
The first task as part of the four-hour strategy session on Sept. 13 split the group of 50 or so individuals into smaller clusters to draw a representation of their goals for the schools.
Under the direction of former state school board members Cathie Sousa and Nancy Stern, of Sousa and Stern Educational Consultants LLC, the groups got to work literally coloring their vision of the future.
In the casual atmosphere, enhanced from the standard public BOE meetings by a cheese plate and other snacks, everyone had equal input alongside the school board members, principals and administrators, public safety officials, clergy persons, parents, and other community leaders.
“Some strategic planning processes can take months,” said Superintendent Daniel Fishbein. “This really works.”
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/public-pitches-in-on-planning-1.1094194#sthash.nnNQjGzF.dpuf