Ridgewood NJ, At the October 10 meeting, the Board of Education approved the three-year contract with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA) that was ratified by the REA on September 28. Click here to read a letter to the Ridgewood community from the Board.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, October 24, 2016 at 7:30 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 for the October 24, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the minutes of the September 26, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
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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.
Ridgewood NJ, The Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein will host residents for coffee and casual conversation on three separate occasions this school year. The first date for Coffee and Conversation is Wednesday, October 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. Future dates will follow on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 and Wednesday, May 17, 2017. All residents are invited to drop in to share their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns.
Tonight the Board of Education (Board) formally approved the three- year contract with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA) that was ratified by the REA on September 28th.
Highlights of the contract include the following:
•Term:3 Years: July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018.
•Salaries: A 1% increase for the first year of the contract (2015-16). For 2016-17 and 2017-18, salary increases of 2.7% per year, inclusive of the cost of the incremental movement (vertical step movement) on the salary guides. That is equivalent to a compound annual growth rate of 2.13% over the life of the contract. Importantly, the approved contract assures that our salaries will continue to be competitive, allowing our district to attract and retain highly qualified teachers.
•Health Benefits: Current REA members may continue to enroll in NJ Direct 10 or in any of the 20 plans offered by the state under the School Employee Health Benefit Plans (SEHBP). Employees hired on or after September 12, 2016 may not enroll in NJ Direct 10 before reaching tenure, but instead shall enroll in the NJ Direct 15 or any other state-offered school employee medical plan.
•Chapter 78 Health Benefit Employee Contributions : The rates by which Ridgewood teachers contribute to their individual healthcare premiums is determined by a graduated structure, with employees at higher end of salary grades paying a greater percentage of their individual premiums than those at the lower end.
Effective January 1, 2017, full-time teachers will pay between 14% and 26% of the premium cost for their medical, prescription and dental benefits; full-time secretaries will pay between 10% and 14% of the total premium cost.As an
example, using an 8.6% increase for the 2017 NJ Direct 10 premiums, teachers enrolling in single coverage would contribute between $1,635(14%) and $3,036 (26%) for the year. Teachers choosing family coverage would contribute between $4,676 (14%) and $8,684 (26%). According to the latest Kaiser Family 2016 survey, the average U.S. worker pays $1,129 peryear for single (employee-only) medical coverage and $5,277 for dependent/family medical coverage.
Last May, the state -appointed fact finder recommended a settlement that would have cost the District $4.4 million over the 2% cap during the life of the three- year contract. The Board rejected this recommendation, believing that the fact finder ignored the district’s ability to fund his suggested settlement.
The contract approved today reduced this excess by almost half to $2.5 million over the 2% cap.The Board and administration are now tasked with the challenge of funding the contract, which will require budgetary reductions next year that will result in changes to staffing and programming. While it would be unrealistic to expect that a spending reduction of this magnitude will be without consequences to the district, when preparing the 2017- 18 budget the Board will work closely with Dr.Fishbein to identify reductions that will have the least impact on the instructional programs and extra-curricular offerings. Notwithstanding the upcoming challenges, we are pleased to be moving forward and are confident that the 2016- 17 school year will be successful as we all focus on what unites us as a community, the education of our children and our excellent schools.
Ridgewood Board of Education
Sheila Brogan, President
Vince Loncto, Vice President
Christina Krauss
Jim Morgan
Jennie Smith Wilson
Ridgewood Nj, Governor Chris Christie School Funding Fairness Formula Catches the Eye of the Ridgewood Board of Education. In the latest RPS news letter Board President Sheila Brogan devoted a significant amount of space to the Christie Fairness formula and the failure of the Abbott School districts .
Sheila Brogan’s Legislative Report September 2016
Lately, there has been much discussion in Trenton about state funding for school districts. Governor Christie has asked the courts to give the state relief from the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA) and to allow the NJDOE Commissioner relief from statutory and contractual impediments that negatively impact on the thorough and efficient education required by the state constitution. The State Auditor has issued a report listing the flaws in how state aid is distributed to school districts. Senator Sweeney has proposed that a 6-member commission be established to study the state school funding issues and propose recommendations and legislation.
The first link below will bring you to the Abbott Memorandum, filed for Governor Christie, asking the NJ Supreme Court for relief from the current funding formula. It is 95 pages, but worth the read.
Some of the issues discussed in the memorandum are —
#1 More funding does not equal higher student achievement in the School Development Authority (SDA) districts (formally the Abbott districts). The SDA districts have 22.8% of all NJ students and they receive 59% of the pre-K through grade 12 school aid.
#2 The most important factor for quality education is effective teachers. Districts must be allowed to have systems in place to attract and retain effective teachers. Statutory and contractual impediments to this must be eliminated. Essentially, the memorandum calls for eliminating LIFO (last in, first out) when there is a reduction in force (RIF) of the teaching staff. The memorandum also calls for streamlining the process of removing tenure teachers who are ineffective. It requests that the court allows the Commissioner to override contractual impediments in teacher contracts that negatively impact on student achievement.
In another document released last week, the State Auditor listed flaws in the way the state distributes school aid. There were four recommendations:
#1. School funding should be distributed based on current district data — for example — current enrollment and district demographics. The state is not using current data. Eighty percent of districts are receiving less aid than what they should receive under the current state aid formula, School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA).
#2. Special Education funding is not being distributed on the actual number of special education students in a district. Under the 2008 state aid formula, the state started using the census model to distribute money using the assumption that every district had a14.78% special education classification rate. Some districts have higher classification rates. According to the report in 2015, 234 districts, and in 2016, 258 districts, had actual classification rates that were more than10% higher than the state’s rate used for funding. This funding is not tied to actual need.
#3. Pre-school aid should be adjusted for actual enrollment. According to the report, in 2016, 30 districts over estimated enrollment and overpayments to these districts from the state amounted to $32.9 million
#4. The per pupil cost for preschool ranges from $2,036 to $27,663 and this disparity leads to imbalances in funding. It should be noted that districts receiving pre-school funding can offer half day or full day programs creating disparity in the educational experiences and opportunities offered these students.
This report is linked below.
Finally, Senate President Sweeney and Senator Ruiz introduced a concurrent resolution, SCR119, to establish the State School Aid Funding Fairness Commission consisting of six members who would be appointed by the Senate President (2 members ,one of whom would represent the NJEA), Speaker of the General Assembly (2 members, one of whom would represent a NJ education professional association), Senate Minority leader (1 member), and General Assembly Minority Leader (1 member). The Senate approved SC119 on Thursday. The Commission would be charged to study the following issues:
#1. the impact of School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA) adjustment aid and state aid growth limitation provisions;
#2. the tax levy growth limitation and the ability for school districts to adequately fund operating expenses;
#3. the per pupil administrative cost limits and its impact on district staffing and operations;
#4. determining local fair share amounts and how property tax abatements impact fair share; and
#5. the ability for districts that are at or above adequacy budget to lower their tax levy if given additional state aid
The report must be issued no later than June 30, 2017 with its findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation. The legislation would be introduced in the Senate and the Assembly. It would not be referred to committees. The proposed legislation would be given three readings and must be approved or rejected by the Senate and the Assembly without changes or amendments.
Over the next 5 years, $500 million would be added to the state budget for school districts to give districts 100% of the aid as determined by SFRA.
The process for the commission will include three public hearings to gather input and then three hearings after the report is issued to elicit public input on the findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation.
FAQ on Full-Day Kindergarten: Public Vote is November 8 Public Presentations are October 5 and 27 at 7 p.m.
The November 8 election ballot will include a question for residents about implementing full-day Kindergarten (FDK) in Ridgewood. Public presentations will be held on FDK at 7 p.m.. at BFMS on Wednesday, October 5 and at GWMS on Thursday, October 27. To learn more about full-day Kindergarten, please click here for the FAQ sheet. Please click here to view other FDK documents, located in the Full-day Kindergarten Exploratory Committee folder on the Curriculum web page.
interesting read …..
Study finds improved self-regulation in kindergartners who wait a year to enroll
October 7, 2015
By May Wong
The new Stanford study found improved self-regulation in children who delayed kindergarten by a year.
A new research paper co-authored by Professor Thomas Dee finds strong evidence of mental health benefits in delaying kindergarten.
A new study on the mental health effects of kindergarten enrollment ages found strong evidence that a one-year delay dramatically improves a child’s self-regulation abilities even into later childhood.
According to the study co-authored by Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor Thomas Dee, children who started kindergarten a year later showed significantly lower levels of inattention and hyperactivity, which are jointly considered a key indicator of self regulation. The beneficial result was found to persist even at age 11.
“We found that delaying kindergarten for one year reduced inattention and hyperactivity by 73 percent for an average child at age 11,” Dee said, “and it virtually eliminated the probability that an average child at that age would have an ‘abnormal,’ or higher-than-normal rating for the inattentive-hyperactive behavioral measure.”
Findings from the study, which Dee co-authored with Hans Henrik Sievertsen of the Danish National Centre for Social Research, could help parents in the recurring debate over the pros and cons of a later school entry.
Though many children in developed countries now start their formal schooling at an older age, a growing body of empirical studies could neither conclusively point to improved test scores nor higher incomes from a delayed kindergarten entry, the study stated.
Dee and Sievertsen’s research, however, provides new evidence instead on mental health aspects that are predictors of educational outcomes.
In the psychology realm, the measure of inattention and hyperactivity – the mental health traits behind Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – effectively reflects the concept of self regulation. A higher level of self regulation, which describes a person’s ability to control impulses and modulate behavior in attaining goals, is commonly linked to student achievement.
Click here to view the superintendent’s Opening of School Report 2016, containing statistics and summaries on enrollment, curriculum, facilities and technology
BOE-REA Sign Memorandum of Agreement
The Board of Education and the REA negotiating teams signed a Memorandum of Agreement at 12:15 AM on September 13, 2016 concluding negotiations on a 3-year contract for the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018. Terms of the agreement will be released after the REA members have ratified the contract and the Board of Education approves the contract.
BOE Meets on September 26, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, September 26, 2016 at 7:30 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 for the September 26, 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.
We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday, September 13, the negotiating committees for the Ridgewood Board of Education and the Ridgewood Education Association (REA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for a three-year contract for the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018.
This MOA lists the new contract terms, which will be made public once the contract is ratified by the teachers and voted on by the Board at a regular public meeting. The contract becomes effective once the Board approves it.
During this prolonged negotiation, many community members, parents, and students shared their ideas and perspectives with us. While opinions varied, the overriding messages were consistent. Our community cares deeply about the quality of our schools. The educational programs and extracurricular activities offered to our students are highly valued as are our teachers, and the contract should be fair and balanced.
As we complete the tasks needed to finalize the contract, we ask for your continued patience and understanding. The good news is that the disruption caused by the unsettled contract is behind us and we can once again focus our attention on what unites us as a community, the education of our children and our excellent schools.
Ridgewood Board of Education
Sheila Brogan, President
Vince Loncto, Vice President
Christina Krauss
Jim Morgan
Jennie Smith Wilson
Ridgewood NJ, The Board of Education and the REA negotiating teams signed a Memorandum of Agreement at 12:15 AM on September 13, 2016 concluding negotiations on a 3-year contract for the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018. Terms of the agreement will be released after the REA members have ratified the contract.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, September 12, 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 read a letter from the Board of Education to the Ridgewood community on BOE – REA contract negotiations, issued on September 7, 2016.
Click here to view the agenda and addendum for the August 29, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the minutes of the July 18, 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.
Ridgewood NJ, This article has been making the rounds on social media lately . It has been put out by supporters of the teachers union or REA . The article is titled, “The teacher pay gap is wider than ever: Teachers’ pay continues to fall further behind pay of comparable workers”.
Besides the fact that the Economic Policy Institute is a Pro Union Think Tank , just look on the EPI board of directors, you find past and present board members who are heads or former heads of national unions, including Richard Trumka (AFL-CIO), Randi Weingarten (American Federation of Teachers), Andy Stern and Anna Burger (SEIU), Ron Gettelfinger (United Auto Workers), and Leo Gerard (United Steelworkers of America).
“Here is documentation that puts the teacher position in perspective based on accurate, unbiased data:” we are told ???
“The following is a report published by the Economic Policy Institute. EPI is an independent, nonprofit think tank that researches the impact of economic trends and policies on working people in the United States. EPI’s research helps policymakers, opinion leaders, advocates, journalists, and the public understand the bread-and-butter issues affecting ordinary Americans.
The teacher pay gap is wider than ever: Teachers’ pay continues to fall further behind pay of comparable workers
Report • By Sylvia Allegretto and Lawrence Mishel • August 9, 2016
What this report finds: The teacher pay penalty is bigger than ever. In 2015, public school teachers’ weekly wages were 17.0 percent lower than those of comparable workers—compared with just 1.8 percent lower in 1994. This erosion of relative teacher wages has fallen more heavily on experienced teachers than on entry-level teachers. Importantly, collective bargaining can help to abate this teacher wage penalty. Some of the increase in the teacher wage penalty may be attributed to a trade-off between wages and benefits. Even so, teachers’ compensation (wages plus benefits) was 11.1 percent lower than that of comparable workers in 2015.
Why this matters: An effective teacher is the most important school-based determinant of education outcomes. It is therefore crucial that school districts recruit and retain high-quality teachers. This is particularly difficult at a time when the supply of teachers is constrained by high turnover rates, annual retirements of longtime teachers, and a decline in students opting for a teaching career—and when demand for teachers is rising due to rigorous national student performance standards and many locales’ mandates to shrink class sizes. In light of these challenges, providing adequate wages and benefits is a crucial tool for attracting and keeping the teachers America’s children need.
Our analysis examines the relative wages of teachers but also examines how differences in benefits affect total compensation. We utilize the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) survey from the BLS to analyze the benefits of teachers compared with the benefits received by other professionals. This allows us to compare relative teacher benefits. Our estimates of relative teacher wages and benefits give us a measure of relative total compensation of teachers as compared with other professionals.
There are several major flaws with using this study , first and foremost is that the income data used in the study is far lower that of the same income data for Ridgewood Schools.
“Average weekly wages (inflation adjusted) of public-sector teachersdecreased $30 per week from 1996 to 2015, from $1,122 to $1,092 (in 2015 dollars). In contrast, weekly wages of all college graduates rose from $1,292 to $1,416 over this period.”
Now take a look at Ridgewood Schools ,notice all the 6 figure salaries and the lowest salaries are about the average of the EPI study. https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/923620/File/05-06-13.pdf
The other major problem we have is this “In contrast, weekly wages of all college graduates rose from $1,292 to $1,416 over this period.” All college grads, Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers , Accountants, and these people are work compatible schedules of 10 months of work equals full time and full time benefits as well as tenure?
Really , sorry the teachers have a good deal some would say a great deal .
Now that your children have started the new school year, we wanted to provide you with information about the status of the contract negotiations with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA).
Last night, September 6, the Board of Education members and the REA negotiating team met with the state-appointed super conciliator for ten hours. Although progress was made, settlement was not reached.
While we strive to settle the contract, our teachers and support staff continue to be paid under the terms and conditions of the expired contract. Teachers and support staff will receive their full salaries and benefits without any interruption or reduction. Stipends paid to staff members hired as advisors to our clubs, sports and performing arts extra-curricular programs will also continue to be fully funded in accordance with the expired contract.
However, please understand that at this time, teachers may refuse to take on club advisory responsibilities. They also may refuse to volunteer in some activities that fall outside the contract. For example, they may refuse to chaperone overnight/after-school field trips. If such actions occur, your child’s principal or other administrator will communicate this information directly to you.
In conversations with parents, some have offered to volunteer and take over club and field trip responsibilities. Some activities can be sponsored or supervised by parents, while other can’t for various insurance and personal liability reasons. Your child’s principal is the best source of guidance on this topic.
Teachers and support staff may also choose to strictly adhere to their contractual 7.5-hour work day, as listed below in parentheses. To minimize any disruptions to our children or our programs, and to keep our school buildings running smoothly during this time, we are asking you to follow the designated drop-off and pick-up times:
• Elementary schools (8 a.m.-3:35 p.m.) o Drop-off time: not before 8:35 a.m. o Pick-up time: 3 p.m.
• Middle schools (7:45 a.m.-3:20 p.m.) o Drop-off time: not before 7:45 a.m. o Pick-up time: 2:55 p.m.
• High School (7:40 a.m.-3:15 p.m.) o Drop-off time: 7:40 a.m. o Pick-up time: 3:15 p.m.
Lastly, it is important to clear up any misconception that our teachers and secretaries can go on strike. In New Jersey it is illegal for public employees to strike. A 1967 NJ Supreme Court decision, In Re Block, confirmed this. Since then, teachers in districts such as Manville and Middletown have tried to strike and have had the county courts grant injunctions stopping them. Some teachers were arrested for civil contempt in violating the court injunctions.
The NJ Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) has also re-affirmed that strikes are illegal and are not a protected union activity. The courts and PERC have consistently upheld the withholding of pay/benefits on days when teachers refuse to work.
While changes to activities may be an unfortunate reality during this period, it is important to stress that the Board of Education is committed to finalizing a contract that fairly compensates our teachers without jeopardizing the financial integrity of the district.
We are scheduled to meet again with the super conciliator on September 12 at 6:30 PM. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as the Board works through this process to finalize a labor contract.
Ridgewood Board of Education Sheila Brogan, President Vince Loncto, Vice President Christina Krauss Jim Morgan Jennie Smith Wilson
BOE – stay strong. The teachers are unreasonable. Might not have this opinion if it was a different town but Ridgewood has always been very supportive of teachers and education as illustrated by the pay scale. We just can’t and don’t want to afford to indulge them any more. Note: Rankings are slipping … time to reconsider a lot when it comes to our schools. Some new blood might be a very good thing. Please move on if you are not happy with what our BOE is offering you.
Teachers remain completely unreasonable and are not negotiating with our volunteer BOE in good faith. Time for higher pension contributions, higher copays, and salaries growing less than the 2% property tax cap. It’s time to wake up to the reality faced by all residents of Ridgewood, not just your “la-la fantasy world” union rose tinted glasses greed.
It is time for teachers and there arrogant union leaders to step in to the twenty first century and stop livening as though it was the 1950’s where you did not have great pay and benefits. BOE say no to these people the taxpayer is fed up.
The teachers should realize that the current lack of signs means very few support the teachers. Where do we get a sign supporting the Board? The teachers ARE going to cut out writing letters and any extra time w/the students. The Board and the parents are going to have to take a stance and not give the teachers a thing. This has been how the teachers have always won their demands in the past. Parents have to support the Board for once. The teachers have more under their old contract than most communities. And contrary to their theory that they are the cause of Ridgewood’s supposed “Excellence”, they are not. And our rankings, contrary to what many people think, have gone quite a long ways down in the time we have lived here (over 40 years). We long ago reached the point that, unfortunately, a child will get a better education in the private schools–which most of us can’t pay for. A friend sent her daughter to IHA for 9th grade and then had to return her to Ridgewood for the following three. The child basically repeated her entire 9th grade year while she was actually in the 10th. And this was years ago–imagine the differential now!
Ridgewood NJ, Students return to school on Tuesday and as the new school year begins the Ridgewood Education Association members are still working without a contract. The Ridgewood Education Association is looking for the public’s support to settle their contract dispute with the school board which up till now has been tepid at best.
The Ridgewood Education Association is asking the public to please support their members by demanding that the Board settles the contract. They want to make sure Dr. Fishbein knows that their contract is the number one priority. They are also asking residents to place a sign on your lawn to support the Ridgewood Education Association.
Readers agree that a contract settlement is needed but consider REA demands unreasonable , “Isn’t it obvious the NJEA is forcing the REA to make unreasonable demands and negotiate in bad faith with our volunteer BOE? Settle now.”
Many blog readers also do not share the REA’s enthusiasm ,”The REA thinks that just because Ridgewood schools have a “tradition of excellence”, that they are somehow excellent. That takes hard work. This current bunch of teachers seems to care more about their annual wage increases and health care benefits than they do about excellence for our school system. Shameless greed given a BOE budget already north of $100 million even though the population of Ridgewood is little changed since we did have top rated schools in the 1980s and 90s.”
Some REA supporters think the union should take stronger action , “maybe coaches need to through in the towel . Take away extra curricular activities and you’ll see how fast parents put signs up on their lawn.”
This Tuesday September 6th, the first day of school for students, the Ridgewood Education Association will hold a rally at 4:00pm at the Ed Center. The rally is an attempt to pressure the BOE to give in .That evening there will be a negotiation session and union is looking to let the Board know that 434 days is too long to work without a contract. The REA is also asking residents to come and support your teachers and secretaries by wearing red.
Ridgewood NJ, SAVE THE DATES FOR COFFEE WITH THE BOE AND DAN FISHBEIN: Coffee and Conversation Dates Are Announced
The Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein will host residents for coffee and casual conversation on three separate occasions this school year.
The first date for Coffee and Conversation is Wednesday, October 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood.
Future dates will follow on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 and Wednesday, May 17, 2017.
All residents are invited to drop in to share their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns
