Tag: RHS

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Ridgewood High School Learning Commons unveils grand addition

'Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis photo by Graham Barker from the ‘Jerry Lee Lewis Classic Collection’

DECEMBER 8, 2015    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2015, 11:05 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Through the fundraising efforts of several organizations, the Ridgewood High School (RHS) Learning Commons has been outfitted with a baby grand piano, which was unveiled to the public during a Maroon and White performance last month.

Fundraising groups such as the RHS Home and School Association (HSA); the Friends of Music, which raises money for all of the music programs of the schools in the district; a parent organization for the RHS band; a parent organization for the RHS strings playing group; and a parent organization for the RHS choir, raised a total of $12,000 for the piano.

“It was a whole community effort,” said Chris McCullough, district supervisor for fine and practical arts at RHS. “To me, it was really nice that all of those groups came together to support the Maroon and White program.”

According to RHS Assistant Principal Basil Pizzuto, the piano was purchased from a Ridgewood family, which agreed to sell the musical instrument to the school for a discounted dollar amount.

“They agreed to drop their price, so that way we could have the HSA purchase it without further fundraising,” Pizzuto said.

The addition of the baby grand piano, school officials believe, will enhance the Learning Commons as a performance venue.

“We’re going to take advantage of this new, gorgeous space and show the talent of our students and the dedication that they put into their craft,” McCullough said. “Having the piano permanently in the Learning Commons makes this much more possible.”

The Learning Commons, located in the library, was not originally intended to be a place for performances, but McCullough said that the adaptability of its furniture makes it the perfect spot for whatever the shows may need.

“The room was designed to be flexible,” he said. “The tables have wheels, so we are able to transform it into this intimate performing space.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/rhs-learning-commons-unveils-a-grand-addition-1.1469720

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Ridgewood Girls Cross-Country runner makes history at state-championship meet

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015, 8:47 AM
BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Even before Olympia Martin had a major meet title to her name, Ridgewood High School girls cross-country head coach Steve Opremcak knew she had made tremendous strides during the 2015 season.

“This year she just looks like a more experienced and powerful runner,” the coach said days after Martin finished second at the Bergen County Group B race in late October.

Nearly three weeks later, those words appear to be an understatement after the RHS junior ran her way into the record books of North Jersey’s most prestigious cross-country program.

Martin became the first Ridgewood girl since 2001 and just the fifth in program history to win a Group 4 title, claiming the crown in 18:43, ahead of Montclair’s Juliet Kohli (18:50), last Saturday at Holmdel Park.

She joined Margaret Scutro (1984), Jenna Rogers (1993), Celeste Sedo (1997) and Clair Nowakowski (2001) as the only Ridgewood runners to win an individual group title.

“She’s just been incredible this year,” Opremcak said in a phone interview Monday. “Every single day she does everything she’s supposed to do, so you know she’s giving herself the best possible chance to run to her ability because she does everything right.”

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/girls-cross-country/martin-becomes-fifth-maroon-to-win-race-1.1459265

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Ridgewood girls cross-country eyeing first State Group 4 crown since 1999

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NOVEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Each of the past three weeks, the Ridgewood High School girls cross-country team has defended its title successfully at three major meets.

This Saturday, the stakes will be higher when the Maroons seek to capture a championship they haven’t won since 1999, the State Group 4 crown, and in a wide-open field, head coach Steve Opremcak thinks his team has a shot.

But Ridgewood isn’t alone.

“The difference this year is I see any of six teams possibly winning this race, and that’s pretty crazy,” said Opremcak, who mentioned North 2 winner North Hunterdon, Ridge, Central champion Hillsborough, South victor Kingsway and Shawnee as legitimate competitors for the crown.

Ridgewood earned its way to the race at Holmdel Park by winning the North 1, Group 4 championship for the second straight year, topping Montclair and Randolph in a three-team race, 57-64-67, last Saturday at Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park.

The win also extended a successful four-week string in which the Maroons have won the Big North Freedom Division meet, Bergen County B race and the Bergen Meet of Champions.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/girls-cross-country/girls-grab-2nd-straight-title-behind-1-2-punch-1.1454468

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Ridgewood Gymnastics scoring skyrockets to highest since 2006

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OCTOBER 30, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY GREG TARTAGLIA
SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — Mika Tamura was waiting to be surprised, and was she ever.

The Ridgewood High School junior knew she had put together a strong performance at last Friday’s Bergen County gymnastics championships. Still, she wanted to hear the official announcement of all-around scores from meet director Trisha Piotrowski.

“In third place, with a score of 37.225, from Ridgewood…”

Tamura set a career high. By a lot. And she wasn’t the only one.

Ramapo’s Emma Johnson (meet-record 38.7) and Samantha Marion (38.025) did the same to finish 1-2. Their school set a meet record by scoring 113.175 to top Ridgewood for the title, despite the fact that the Maroons (111.375) posted their highest total in nine years.

The top four teams — which also included Pascack Regional and Holy Angels — combined to tally 437.375 points, obliterating the previous mark for top-four aggregate (426.45) set in 2006.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/girls-gymnastics/maroon-scoring-skyrockets-to-its-highest-since-06-1.1444687

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Ridgewood High School Football out to rewrite season script

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OCTOBER 16, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — Now comes the hard part.

Sitting at 4-1 and atop the North 1, Group 5 power point table, Ridgewood High School would seem to be primed for a postseason run. It’s a position in which the Maroons found themselves one year ago, and RHS fans all know what happened after that.

From 5-0 to 5-5, the 2014 season took a downhill slide, and it all began with a game against Paramus, which administered a 35-0 drubbing that served as the most embarrassing moment of last fall.

For the Ridgewood juniors and seniors who played in that game, they’ve had a year to digest it and understand how not to let it happen again. Their shot at redemption comes tonight, when Paramus visits RHS Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/football/rhs-out-to-rewrite-season-script-1.1433999

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RHS Class of 1980 organizers would like to open up their 35th Reunion to anyone that would like to come to an awesome party…

RHS_BEST_theridgewoodblog

Hello Ridgewood HS Alumni, family and friends…

The Class of 1980 organizers would like to open up their 35th Reunion to anyone that would like to come to an awesome party…
When: Saturday, October 24th
Where: Mahwah Sheraton from 7p-11p
Cost: $99 + processing fee (link below) – No tickets at the door and ticket window closes Saturday, Oct 17th

I know this is a last minute invite, but unfortunately we don’t have enough people from our own class at this time attending, so if you didn’t go to your last reunion, or just want an excuse to take your honey out for a good time, then come and join us.

https://www.payit2.com/collect-page/65097

 

SHERATON MAHWAH HOTEL
1 International Boulevard
Mahwah, New Jersey 07495
Good, good group with the best intentions….my favorite version of modern day Ridgewood.
Please visit: https://RHSAlumniassociation.org
and sign up!
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Two Ridgewood High School students have been designated semifinalists and 39 students have been named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Competition

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Results of the National Merit Scholarship Competition are Announced

September 30, 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , The Ridgewood School district has received the results of the National Merit Scholarship Competition. Two Ridgewood High School students have been designated semifinalists and 39 students have been named Commended Students.

Maximilian Jerdee and Kristen Schretter have been designated semifinalists, based on their performance on the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) taken last October.

The semifinalists will have the opportunity to be considered for Merit Scholarship awards at the finalist level of the competition by fulfilling additional requirements that include an outstanding academic record throughout high school, endorsement and recommendation by the high school principal and SAT I scores that confirm the earlier PSAT/NMSQT performance.

Commended Students with permission for media release are: Minha An, Poyani Bavishi, Brendan Caltavuturo, Albert Chiu, Helen Cho, Seo Yeon Choi, Nicolas Cobb, Madeleine Gaidimas, Sophia Gao, Sara Golnabi, Jack Hadfield, Jeongmin (Grace) Hyun, Jordan Iannone, Charlotte Kahan, Callista Kim, Lindsay Kim, Caroline Kotch, Simon Lee, Sueryun Lee, Abigail McKenna, Elizabeth O’Keefe, James Psathas, Peter Psathas, Sophie Simpson, Ashley Sohn, Olivia Sullivan, Olivia Szymanski, Anthony Tokarz and Vlad Vandalovsky. Although the Commended Students will not continue in the competition for Merit Scholarship Awards to be awarded in 2016, they placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the competition by taking the PSAT qualifying test.

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Ridgewood High School Alumni Association announce website launch

RHS_BEST_theridgewoodblog

Ridgewood, NJ – September 30, 2015 – The Ridgewood High School Alumni

Association is excited to announce that its website is now live.  You can visit it at:

www.RHSAlumniAssociation.org  

Please take a moment peruse through this awesome tool designed to highlight current

alumni and support the future efforts of our alumni community.   And don’t forget to

register so you can be a part of our next steps.

 
We look forward to connecting with all of you.

Sincerely,

The Ridgewood High School Alumni Association Board of Trustee

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Ridgewood High School artificial turf Vandalized

Ridgewood High School artificial turf Vandalized

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

September 30,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , Ridgewood PD Patrol Officer Steven Shortway and Ridgewood High School Athletic Director Keith Cook examine damage to an athletic field at Ridgewood High School caused by vandals who burned two (2) separate large images of male genitalia into the artificial turf. No exact dollar estimate of the damage was immediately available, but reports are that it could cost several thousand dollars to repair.

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Ninth-grader’s arrest over a home-built clock, imagine if it happened in Ridgewood

texas-muslim-student-clock

The homemade clock Ahmed Mohamed brought to school was mistaken for a bomb. (Irving Police Department)

Why a ninth-grader’s arrest over a home-built clock struck a chord across America

A week after 9/11, a lapse of judgement ?

By Abby Phillip and Sarah Kaplan September 16 at 6:20 PM

Ahmed Mohamed just wanted to impress his teachers with a homemade invention. The story of what happened next has made the 14-year-old from Irving, Tex., the object of national outrage and attention.

Eager to show off to his engineering teacher, Mohamed walked into MacArthur High School on Monday morning with his hastily assembled invention: A digital clock.

Hours later, the ninth-grader was escorted out of the school in police custody after teachers mistook the device for a bomb.

The incident has triggered allegations of racism and made a Texas school district the target of outrage that began online and quickly spilled into the most powerful offices in the land.

As the story spread, along with a photo of Mohamed in a NASA T-shirt and handcuffs, support came flooding in.

“Cool clock, Ahmed,” President Obama wrote in a tweet Wednesday. “Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/16/why-a-ninth-graders-arrest-over-a-home-built-clock-struck-a-chord-across-america/

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RHS Football Preview embracing the new

RHS_stadium_theridgewoodblog

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — The opening of the 2015 football season is a week away for Ridgewood High School, and there is still plenty of jockeying for positions as the team prepares to break a five-game losing streak that put a major damper on the 2014 campaign.

Before they get going for real, the Maroons will play a game scrimmage tonight against a Ramapo team that should be a strong test for the defense. The 7 o’clock tilt should facilitate the finalization of starting units over the first three quarters.

A couple of spots opened up due to preseason circumstances. Senior fullback/linebacker Cooper Telesco will be sidelined for the entire season after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum in July. Two-way lineman Terrel Stephen moved to Indiana over the summer, leaving Ridgewood with some gaping holes.

“Any time you lose arguably your two best players it is a big blow,” RHS head coach Chuck Johnson said. “What I’m most pleased about is that this group is not letting that define them. They’ve stepped up to the challenge of carrying on, and they’ve worked very hard to prepare for this season.”

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/football/maroons-embracing-the-new-1.1403727

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Ridgewood H.S. soccer marathon for charity on Saturday, Sept. 5

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Tomorrow, the Ridgewood High School boys and girls soccer programs will host their second annual “Dawn to Dusk” marathon soccer match to benefit two local charities, Gear Up for Owen and Support Rachel Grygiel-Loughlin, and to help raise money for the RHS soccer programs.

This year’s Soccer-A-Thon will be an eight-hour event, with kickoff planned for 8 a.m. at the Ridgewood High School Stadium field, and play will continue until 4 p.m.

The RHS boys soccer program is raising funds to support 6-year-old Owen Betrus, son of George Washington Middle School teacher Rob Betrus.

Owen was diagnosed at birth with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. He also was diagnosed with cortical visual impairment just before his first birthday, and with intractable epilepsy at age 3. More info on how to help support Owen is available online at gofundme.com/gearup4owen.

For the Ridgewood girls soccer program, the 2015 Dawn to Dusk fundraiser is very personal, as the program will be helping a Maroon alumna who is in need. A portion of the proceeds raised through the Soccer-A-Thon will be donated to RHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Rachel Grygiel-Loughlin.

This past May, Rachel was faced with the tragic and sudden loss of her husband, Matthew. The couple were married in July 2014, and Rachel is expecting their first child in November. Dawn to Dusk proceeds will go to an online fund that has been set up in Matthew’s memory to help relieve some of the stress and financial burden Rachel is currently enduring. For more info on how to help, visit youcaring.com/rachel-grygiel-loughlin-360921.

RHS soccer players will donate their time and energy, and they will solicit sponsorships based on eight hours of play. Parents will be contributing time as well, helping to organize the event and support the players. Numerous businesses have agreed to sponsor the event, including Tarleton & Family Landscaping Co. (TLC), The Ideal Supply Co., The Valley Hospital, Stifel Investment Banking, Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Development, Clemente Orthodontics, Keller Williams/The Nuber Team, Park West Tavern, Ridgewood Tips From Town, Fitness 1-2-1 Personal Training, Ridgewood Physical Therapy, C.C. Van Emburgh Funeral Home, Skinners Landscaping and Bedra Intelligent Wires.

According to parent organizer Jeanmarie Mulholland, “We are expecting this event to be a tremendous success, not only in the amount of funds we raise but also in creating a sense of caring and camaraderie within the soccer community.”

 

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/community-events-and-announcements/rhs-soccer-marathon-for-charity-tomorrow-1.1403575

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Ridgewood Soccer ready to play up to potential

SoccerBall theridgewoodblog.net

AUGUST 28, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — It’s the time of year when optimism sweeps across the high school sports world, making every player and coach think this could be the fall for a surprising turnaround, a record-setting season or even a championship run.

The feeling is no different around the Ridgewood boys soccer team, and with a talented defense leading an overall balanced squad, it has good reason to be excited for the 2015 campaign. But with the first five contests of the season scheduled against Freedom Division foes, the Maroons are well aware that all positive feelings could be erased with a bad two-week stretch.

“What we’re really focused on are the first five games in our [division] because that will decide everything else,” Ridgewood head coach Joe Gyulay, in his third year at the helm, said before practice Tuesday afternoon.

A good start is paramount for a Maroons team that experienced an uneven season in 2014, several times rising to meet stiff challenges but ultimately enduring a difficult 6-10-3 campaign.

Ridgewood played its best against Freedom Division champion Northern Highlands, tying the Highlanders in a home contest early in the year and then taking them to overtime on the road before dropping a 2-1 decision in late October.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/boys-soccer/boys-team-aiming-for-a-fast-start-1.1399894

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Touring the camps: Ridgewood football

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AUGUST 23, 2015    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2015, 1:20 AM
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD – There is a very different feel to the Ridgewood football team as it embarks on the 2015 campaign. The first thing that pops out is the filled-out bodies, especially among the linemen.

There is also a different intensity, one likely borne out of the disappointing way the Maroons ended the 2014 season. After starting 5-0 and outscoring opponents 220-24, they fell prey to their success.

A 35-0 loss to Paramus, a defeat that head coach Chuck Johnson called, “one of the most embarrassing moments in my 30 years here,” started a five-game losing streak.

Senior Mike Kendrick probably said it best when he recalled, “we basically got smacked in the mouth and didn’t react.”

That memory is what drives Kendrick and the rest of the seniors. You can see it in practice, as there is an extra spark to every drill.

“We’re learning from the mistakes of last year,” said Kendrick, the left tackle and only returning starter on the offensive line. “We know we have to be better than last year. We’re watching every film to see where it went wrong and focusing on being better and working on getting stronger to be able to go up against the better linemen.”

Johnson was proud that six of his players bench pressed more than 300 pounds this spring, a sign that the Maroons have bought into the work ethic.

The linemen, offensively and defensively, average an extra 20 pounds per man. How strength translates to blocking schemes is still a big question.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/football/maroons-kick-it-up-a-notch-1.1396937

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RHS Class of 1970 45th Reunion October 9, 2015

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Ridgewood NJ, Getting closer to Oct 9-10. We have firmed up the activities, hotel rooms are waiting to be reserved, tickets can be bought on this web site (see the Purchase Tickets page)

When: Fri Oct 9 – Sat Oct 10, 2015
Where: Ridgewood area

Activities
Friday Oct 9
6:00 Tailgate before football game (RHS, alas no booze)
7:00 RHS Football game (at RHS)
7:30 – 11:00 Elks Club (informal get together, $20 per person (cash only, paid at the door), includes light dinner, cash bar)

Saturday Oct 10
11:30 – 1:00 Lunch at the Fireplace (ad hoc gatherings)
7:00 – 11:00 Main Event – Buffet dinner, cash bar, music. DoubleTree Hotel, Mahwah. Tickets $55 (on sale on this web site or via check), $65 cash only at the door

Hotel
Bad news. The DoubleTree is completely sold out on Sat Oct 10.
Good news. We have reserved rooms at the Super 8 Hotel for Fri and Sat, located right next door to the DoubleTree for $65 plus tax. For info:https://www.super8.com/…/mahwah/super-8-mahwah/hotel-overview
For reservations: 201-512-0800 Tell them you are with RHS Class of ’70 reunion. (If any problems, as for Jessica).

Communications
– This web site –We will use this web site like our last reunion (e.g. for general reunion info, for you to update your contact info, to let us know if you are thinking about coming to reunion, (eventually) to sell tickets).
– Facebook page – New. Check it out. Jump on board.https://www.facebook.com/RHS1970

Please do the following:
Buy your ticket(s) – See the Purchase Tickets page
Update your contact info – If your phone, email or street address has changed since 2010, pls use the “Update Contact Info” tab on this site
Let us know if you may come to the reunion – use the “RSVP” tab. Not binding. It lets classmates see who may be coming and helps us plan.
Missing Grads – We still have 71 grads with no email, phone or street addresses. Pls look at the list and let us know if you can help find them.
Talk this up with your classmates – Make sure everyone knows about the reunion.