
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Superintendent of Ridgewood Schools, Dr. Mark Schwarz, gave an impassioned locker room speech during Thursday night’s Superintendent Coffee.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Superintendent of Ridgewood Schools, Dr. Mark Schwarz, gave an impassioned locker room speech during Thursday night’s Superintendent Coffee.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Public Schools present its tentative $130 Million 2025-2026 Budget as district wide enrollment continues to decline.
Continue reading Ridgewood Board of Education Unveils $130 Million 2025-2026 Budget

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Parsippany NJ, a Morris County high school teacher and local soccer coach, James Wiegand, 43, has been arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a 14-year-old student, authorities announced.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A new analysis from Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab reveals a significant decline in U.S. K-12 public school enrollment, projecting a 5% drop by 2031 and a further 7% decline by 2041. New Jersey will be hit even harder, with an 8% enrollment decrease by 2031. Only Idaho is expected to see an increase.
Continue reading U.S. Public School Enrollment Decline Signals Budget Cuts and Tough Decisions

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Garfield NJ, a former Garfield Middle School teacher, Amy Dovidio, 47, of Pompton Plains, is facing serious sexual assault charges involving a student. However, her arraignment has been rescheduled and reassigned to a new judge in Bergen County’s criminal division.
Continue reading Former Garfield Teacher Faces Rescheduled Arraignment in Sexual Assault Case

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Ridgewood NJ, a new Edunomics Lab study analyzed return on investment (ROI) in education from 2013 to 2024, examining per-pupil spending alongside 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The goal? To determine which states have been the most (or least) successful in leveraging funding for academic improvement.
Continue reading New Jersey’s Education Spending vs. Student Outcomes: A Decade-Long Analysis

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Twp. of Washington NJ, a new front has opened in New Jersey’s education wars, as left-leaning Boards of Education shift their focus from curriculum control and parental authority to discrediting private schools. The latest example comes from the Westwood and Township of Washington Board of Education (BOE), where recent comments by Board President Jason Garcia appear to take aim at private education and the growing number of parents opting out of public schools.
Continue reading New Jersey’s Education Battle: Public Schools vs. Private Education

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Belleville NJ, a group of Belleville High School employees are under investigation by district officials after reportedly wearing t-shirts with the phrase “Gulf of America”—a name change for the Gulf of Mexico suggested by President Donald Trump.
Continue reading Belleville High School Staff Under Investigation for “Gulf of America” T-Shirts

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in recent years, unionization efforts at major companies like Starbucks, Amazon, and Costco have made headlines, sparking debates about the future of labor movements in America. However, the reality is that private-sector union membership has reached an all-time low—just 5.9% in 2024.

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Montclair NJ, Montclair public schools were closed on Monday following a “potential threat” that led to the arrest of a teacher on administrative leave. The incident underscores the district’s commitment to student and staff safety while highlighting swift action by local authorities.
Continue reading Montclair School Closure: Teacher Charged After Potential Threat

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Ridgewood NJ, one of Donald Trump’s boldest proposals for his second term is the abolition of the US Department of Education, shifting the responsibility of educating America’s children back to the states. Trump argues that this move would free local school districts from the grip of powerful teachers’ unions, which he accuses of prioritizing political agendas over essential academic skills like reading and writing.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, In a heartfelt and emotional decision, Hackensack Board of Education President Scott James-Vickery announced his resignation Wednesday, citing years of relentless bullying and harassment by teachers union surrogates targeting him and his family. The announcement came during the board’s final meeting of the year, marking an end to James-Vickery’s tenure that began in 2019.

file photo courtesy of Boyd Loving
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Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education meets on November 18th, 2024 at 7:00 PM for a Regular Public Meeting on the 3rd floor of the Education Center.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, for New Jersey’s public school students, the NJEA convention in November means a couple of days off school. But for teachers, it’s a chance to gather in Atlantic City for seminars and professional development, and this year, it’s taking on a more political tone as Sean Spiller, the president of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), campaigns for the state’s top office.
Continue reading Politics and Professional Development at the NJEA Convention in Atlantic City

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, a review by the Office of the State Comptroller finds a majority of school districts including Ridgewood and more than one in four municipalities have failed to comply with a requirement to submit current union contracts to the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). The widespread—and growing—noncompliance undermines transparency, according to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) review, released today.