Registered Voters: 18,262
Turnout: 2,473
Turnout Percentage: 14%
Public Question
School Budget 2019-2020 General Funds of $96,014,943
YES: 1,342
NO: 1,131
Click Here for Vote by District
Ridgewood Board of Education Election Results
Tag: Ridgewood BOE
March 26 is the deadline for registering to vote in the 2019-20 $111 Million school budget Decision
Are you registered to vote?
Ridgewood NJ, Tuesday, March 26 is the deadline for registering to vote in the April 16, 2019 school election for the 2019-20 school budget.
PLEASE NOTE: The annual school election on Tuesday, April 16 falls during Spring Recess for the Ridgewood Public Schools. Schools will be closed but polls will be open from 6 a.m.- 8 p.m. Or, VOTE BY MAIL! It’s easy! Just send in the application form to the Bergen County Clerk by Tuesday, April 9.
Links to vote-by-mail applications and voter registration forms in various languages may be found on our voter page on the district website at https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/…/distric…/voter_information.
Ridgewood Schools Director of Special Programs has Resigned
News: Director of Special Programs submits resignation
Dear Parents, Guardians and Staff:
On Tuesday, February 26, 2019, Director of Special Programs Dr. Kim Buxenbaum submitted her letter of resignation. The Ridgewood Board of Education will accept her resignation at its next public meeting on March 11, 2019.
Dr. Buxenbaum is leaving the Ridgewood Public Schools to take the position of Director of Special Education with the New Jersey Department of Education. Dr. Buxenbaum is a very talented educator and I am confident that she will be very successful and have a positive impact at the State level.
Continue reading Ridgewood Schools Director of Special Programs has ResignedRidgewood School Board Reviews 2019-2020 Proposed Preliminary Budget of $111 Million
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Dr. Fishbein reviewed the schedule for the state aid numbers from Trenton, which will follow the governor’s budget address on March 5. Accordingly, the March 4 Board meeting will be moved to March 11, with an additional meeting on March 8 at 5 p.m. if needed.
Business Administrator Antoinette Kelly reviewed the basics of budgeting and the big-picture areas of the RPS budget (Special Programs, healthcare costs, staffing, security/technology, capital projects, revenue, appropriations). The slide portion of the presentation, which is posted on the district website, may be viewed here
Reader calls BOE Members , ” Power Hungry “
“If any of you who think the Superintendent’s is gospel, maybe you should read the entire law the Board is complaining about. It clearly states that is an election is moved back from November until April the members who would retire in April will have shortened terms. (When it was first moved to April, in case people don’t remember, the people who should have retired that November got the six more months to serve until April.) So now the same Board who gleefully accepted that six more months are crying that their terms need to be extended again. I hate to think that volunteers could become so power hungry that they can’t stand even the idea of taking away their spending privileges.”
Continue reading Reader calls BOE Members , ” Power Hungry “Did Ridgewood BOE also unlawfully use taxpayer dollars by erecting this sign on taxpayer owned property?
November 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
by the staff of The Ridgewood Blog
Ridgewood NJ, given the recent finding of ethics violations against the former Mayor Paul Aronsohn and his side kick former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld for promoting instead of educating the public ,did the Ridgewood Board of Education unlawfully use taxpayer dollars by erecting this sign on the lawn of a taxpayer owned building in an attempt to influence voters prior to the Fall 2016 General Election?
What do you think ?
“Meeting Regulations” Posted Along with Every Ridgewood BOE Agenda Maybe Considered Unlawful and Unconstitutional
October 25,2016
by Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, In light of the current lawsuit being heard in Hudson County Superior Court, in which a man claims his freedom of speech rights were violated when he was ejected from a public meeting for making comments not appreciated by those running the meeting, could these “Meeting Regulations” posted along with every Ridgewood BOE agenda be considered unlawful/unconstitutional and, therefore, expose Ridgewood taxpayers to potentially expensive litigation?
“Comments shall be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are
made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop.”
Ridgewood BOE and REA meet with ‘a good exchange’
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD – Despite protracted negotiations with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA), Board of Education (BOE) President Sheila Brogan announced Monday night that a contract settlement still had not been reached between the two sides.
Brogan explained that she and Trustee Jim Morgan met with REA negotiators Mike Yannone and Laura Grasso over the past few days, having “a good exchange,” but that nothing had been agreed upon.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/sides-meet-with-a-good-exchange-1.1533185
Ridgewood BOE and Ridgewood Police Continue Strategic School Security Efforts
March 9,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,Representatives for the Ridgewood school District, under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Fisbein, participated in a security assessment training meeting along with representatives from the Ridgewood Police and Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
Agent William J. Stallone of BCPO along with Detective Captain Lyons and Chief Ward discussed security assessments and risk mitigation process updates as part of our ongoing partnership towards enhanced school safety. Agent Stallone is the county Risk Mitigation Planner in conjunction with the NJ Department of Homeland Security. He has been working closely with our department as part of the community wide critical infrastructure threat and vulnerability assessments initiated by our department.
The Ridgewood Police would like to thank Dr. Fishbein, his team and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office for their continued commitment and assistance in our efforts to secure our schools and community.
Ridgewood BOE highlights memorandum
FEBRUARY 12, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
BOE highlights memorandum
Click here to read the Fact Finding Report between the Ridgewood Board of Education and the REA dated February 3, 2016.
To the Editor,
At our Feb. 8 Board of Education meeting, our teachers voiced concerns about the unsettled contract and the Board’s recent proposal. It was evident that the information they were given about the Board’s proposal was incorrect.
The Board and the Ridgewood Education Association Negotiations committees have met 12 times since February 2015. Unfortunately, we have failed to settle the contract. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, a hearing was held before the state-appointed Fact-finder. At the hearing, the Board summarized its position and the current proposal in a memorandum. The bullet points below highlight the key areas discussed in our memorandum. The full memorandum can be found on the District’s website at ridgewood.k12.nj.us.
Key areas in the Board’s Fact-finding memorandum:
The Board has based its negotiating position on the realities of a state law, Chapter 44, which limits local school boards to annual property tax increases of no more than two percent over the previous year’s dollar amounts, with some limited exceptions.
Ridgewood teacher salaries are at, or near the top of, salaries paid for similarly qualified staff in other Bergen County school districts.
The Board currently spends over $7 million per year, or approximately 74 percent of the premium bill, for REA health benefits. The Board has not proposed to increase the teachers’ share of the health benefit premiums.
Health benefit premiums have increased on average by 10 percent annually for the past 10 years.
The Board has proposed changing the health benefits plan within the current provider program (the School Employees Health Benefits Plan) to one with higher co-pays — $10 doctor visit co-pay in the current plan rising to $15 per primary care doctor visit and $25 for specialists — as a way to save both the District and teachers on premium costs.
Breakage, or any savings due to retirements, is not a reasonable way to fund a settlement. Historically, the Board has spent any such savings on new hires or on salary increases for existing teachers as they complete graduate courses and higher education degrees.
State aid for rapidly rising special education costs has decreased in the last three years.
The District’s architect and engineering firm completed a facility review and recommended facility upgrades/repairs of approximately $40 million. The capital reserve account balance as of June 30, 2015 was $1,018,989, far short of what is needed to update our 11 buildings constructed between 1894 and 1965.
Many of the comments from teachers were critical of the Board and mischaracterized us as uncaring and indifferent. The Board values our staff. We would never see our teachers as “numbers on a spreadsheet.” We are well aware of the work our staff does and that it is this work that makes Ridgewood the excellent district that it is. The Board is committed to negotiating a fair contract with the REA that can be funded within the District’s financial ability.
Sheila Brogan
Jim Morgan
Vince Loncto
Christina Krauss
Jennie Smith Wilson
Ridgewood Board of Education
Ridgewood BOE addresses Raising Teacher Healthcare Costs
The following letter appeared in The Ridgewood News on October 16, 2015.
To the Editor: At our October 5th Board of Education meeting and in last week’s letters to the editor, several of our teachers voiced opposition to the employee healthcare premium contributions phased in over the last four years under state law, known as Chapter 78. We would like to clarify the information on the healthcare contribution. 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.
The highest paid teachers contribute 35 percent of their plans’ premiums while the lowest paid teachers pay 12 percent. The contribution level of 35 percent is applied to salaries of $95,000 and above when the employee has single coverage and $110,000 and above when the employee chooses family coverage. The majority of our teachers are enrolled in the School Employee Health Benefits Plan NJ Direct 10. At present, premiums are $10,610 for single coverage and $29,177 for family coverage.
The teacher who earns $95,000 and has single coverage would contribute $3,713 and a teacher earning $110,000 enrolled in the family plan would contribute $10,212. This year the total health insurance premium cost for the REA members is $10,228,960. Of that amount, they contribute $2,628,843. The net health insurance cost to the district is $7,600,117. With insurance premiums increasing annually, sometimes dramatically, controlling the growth of health care costs is challenging for all employers, in both the public and private sectors.
With the legislated 2 percent cap on property tax increases, keeping the school district’s overall costs within the cap is particularly challenging when cost drivers such as healthcare grow at a rate in excess of 2 percent. This year, the district offered employees 20 different plans through the School Employee Health Benefit Plan. Some of these plans have lower premiums. With lower premiums, the amount spent on insurance and the contribution cost would decrease.
The Board respects our teachers and appreciates the work they do. We share their concerns about rising healthcare costs as well as the increasing demands brought about by state mandates and our collective efforts to improve and update our curricula and programs. We know that through their great work our students thrive and our school district is well respected. Our appreciation is demonstrated in their compensation. Our teachers’ average salary of $82,500 is near the top of all Bergen County districts, while our starting salary of $55,693 for a first-year teacher with a Bachelors of Arts degree is at the very top (based upon collective bargaining agreements on file at the New Jersey School Board Association). Currently, 107 of our 520 teachers earn $100,000 or more. As stated at the Board meeting, our negotiating team is willing to meet with the REA team to settle the contract.
Ridgewood Board of Education
Sheila Brogan, President Vincent Loncto, Vice President Christina Krauss Jim Morgan Jennie Smith Wilson
Incumbent to run unopposed for Ridgewood Board of Ed again?
August 5,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, School board incumbent Vince Loncto is running unopposed for another three-year term on the five-member Ridgewood Board of Education. Loncto currently serves as BOE vice president.
This is now the second time the BOE has managed to pull this off . Leading once again to questions about notification . When were the BOE packets available, when was the public notified ?
If notification has not gone out is it legal ? What are the remedies or did no one really want to run for the BOE? Clinging to power or what are they so scared of ?
In 2013, the Ridgewood school board voted to move its election from April to the general election in November. The move also eliminated the public vote on the school budget, as long as the annual school tax increase remains under 2 percent. Election Day is now Tuesday, Nov. 3.
WOW : Ridgewood BOE gives preliminary OK to $101M budget
WOW : Ridgewood BOE gives preliminary OK to $101M budget
MARCH 11, 2015, 6:47 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015, 6:48 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The Board of Education has preliminarily approved a $101 million budget for next school year that would raise taxes for the average village homeowner by nearly $200.
The proposed spending plan, which Ridgewood’s school board will submit to the county for review, includes a 2 percent local school tax levy increase.
Those who owned a home with the village’s average assessed value of $690,662 will pay $194.65 more in school taxes next year.
Ridgewood BOE to Discuss New School Calendar at Meeting Monday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m
Ridgewood BOE to Discuss New School Calendar at Meeting Monday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m
Ridgewood NJ , According to Superintendent of Schools Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. “Developing a school calendar is a delicate balancing act that requires much thought and input.
The process involved my submission of five different calendar options to a committee of
parents, students, teachers and administrators. This committee then makes a final
recommendation to the Ridgewood Board of Education, which can endorse it, select another of the drafts, or choose to develop its own calendar.
What I have heard is people want to start the school year after Labor Day, have the customary federal day holidays off, and include full breaks for December, February and April while ending the school year as early in June as possible. Such a calendar is certainly ideal but it an almost an impossible mission to accomplish. Therefore, the committee is tasked with proposing a calendar that is based on a compromise of all stakeholders’ priorities and needs. It is important to remember that the goals of the school calendar are to meet academic and state requirements while addressing our students’ need for family time.”
The Ridgewood Board of Education will be discussing – and hopefully approving — the 2015- 2016 calendar at its meeting on Monday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m. Soon thereafter, the committee will begin working on the 2016-2017 calendar. I encourage you to come to the Board meeting at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, or to watch the meeting from home via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us, FiOS channel 33 or Optimum channel 77.
Readers Comment ,”Graduation last year was on June 26th….a ridiculous date. Almost July for godsakes.
Start in August and finish up early.
Next question….”
“Why not cut back on the various breaks?”
“Many colleges start orientation programs in June. Our kids are still having exams and senior events.”
<br
RIDGEWOOD BOARD OF ED MEETS ON DECEMBER 15
RIDGEWOOD BOARD OF ED MEETS ON DECEMBER 15
The next Regular Public Meeting of the Ridgewood Board of Education will be held on Monday, December 15, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting will be aired live on FiOS channel 33 and Optimum channel 77. Or it may be viewed live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Link in Live” tab.
Click here to view the agenda for the December 1, 2014 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the webcast of the December 1, 2014 Regular Public Meeting.
