the syaff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The RHS Federal Challenge team took Third place in the final round of the competition that is run by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on behalf of the United States Federal Reserve system. The competition asks groups of high school students to research the domestic/global economy, develop a mathematical model for forecasting the domestic economy, present their research to a panel of high-ranking economists working at the FRBNY, and answer complex questions about both the team’s research and the economy.
Ridgewood NJ, the RHS Advanced Latin Academic Team defeated the Central and Southern Regional champions, Ridge High School and Clearview Regional High School, respectively, in a fiercely contested showdown on April 23, earning them the title the team has worked so hard to achieve: New Jersey State Certamen champions. These RHS students were best in state, or runners-up, in all the academic tests and took first-place ribbons in athletic competitions as well.
Written Tests:
1st place, Mythology: Peter Psathas
1st place, Latin Grammar, Peter Psathas
1st place, Latin Vocabulary and English Derivatives
1st place, Roman Life and Culture, Charlotte Kahan/Anthony Tokarz (tied)
1st place, Latin Oratory (memorize and recite), Anthony Tokarz
2nd place, Latin Vocabulary and English Derivatives, Charlotte Kahan
2nd place, Roman History, Anthony Tokarz
Olympics:
1st place, Softball Throw: Charlotte Kahan
1st place, Boys’ 100 Meter: James Psathas
Catherine Venturini is Latin Club, Latin Honor Society and Latin Academic Team Advisor; Stefanie Giganti is Latin Teacher.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood High School ranks #25 in the state, according to the U.S. News and World Report. The rankings were published on April 19. Click here to go to the RHS write-up.
Ridgewood High School is ranked 25th within New Jersey. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Ridgewood High School is 64 percent. The student body makeup is 49 percent male and 51 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 29 percent. Ridgewood High School is the only high school in the Ridgewood Public Schools.
U.S. News & World Report enlisted the help of social science research firm RTI International to compile its rankings. They measured schools using four key metrics:
Math and reading proficiency for all students
Testing proficiency for disadvantaged students
Graduation rates
College readiness via Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test data.
Ridgewood boasts a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio and has 64 percent of its students participate in AP Exams.
Ridgewood NJ, The appearance of a cellular base station antenna on the roof of RHS suggests that the “microcell” cellular telephone site owned & operated by Verizon, proposed early last year, is now in place and fully functional.
When questioned about the installation in January of 2015, a BOE representative said that radio signals from the “microcell” were intended to enhance cellular telephone coverage within RHS. Reportedly, even residents of nearby Beverly Road and Heermance Place would be unable to benefit from the installation.
Improved cellular telephone coverage was required within the RHS building in connection with enhanced security and communications protocols, or so claimed the BOE at the time the system was proposed.
By Adam Clark | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on April 18, 2016 at 8:10 AM, updated April 18, 2016 at 10:20 AM
TRENTON — With PARCC testing in full swing this month in New Jersey schools, students have likely heard a lot about how the exams can help them meet thestate’s graduation requirements.
The tests, called the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams, are one way high school students can fulfill the graduation requirement for standardized testing. But current high school students don’t have to pass PARCC exams, or even take them, in order to graduate.
Younger students might be required to take PARCC tests when they get to high school. But they will also have fallback options, such as a retest, if they don’t pass the tests the first time they take them.
A CELEBRATION TO HONOR THE LIFE OF TYLE R CLEMENTI
March 13,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, on April 24, 2016, 2:30 pm at the Westside Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, the New Jersey PREMIERE CONCERT PRESENTATION OF TYLER’S SUITE featuring the CHOIRS OF RAMAPO COLLEGE AND RIDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL all to benefit the work of the TYLER CLEMENTI FOUNDATION .
The Tyler Clementi Foundation’s main focus is to end all online and offline bullying in schools, workplaces and faith communities. Using educational partnerships, awareness programs, public dialogues and research to create the safe, respectful and supportive social environment that all students and vulnerable youth deserve.
ABOUT TYLER’S SUITE Tyler’s Suite is a nine piece choral work dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi, a talented young musician who died by suicide after becoming the victim of cyber bullying. The choral suite explores the voices and experiences of Tyler and his family and ultimately shines a light of hope and endless possibility thanks to the words and music of some of today’s top composers and lyricists: John Adamo, John Bucchinno, Ann Hampton Callaway, Craig Carmelia, John Corigliano, Stephen Flaherty, Nolan Gasser, Jake Heggie, Lance Home, Stephen Schwartz and Pamela Stewart. Tyler’s Suite is moving and incredibly powerful. It carries the message that hearts and minds can be moved toward love, acceptance and respect for all people. Through this musical experience we are united in the conviction that no person should ever be targeted for bullying or harassment.
The Tyler Clementi Foundation is proud to be part of this special celebration of Tyler’s life and pleased that this new work will be premiered in Ridgewood, his hometown, and performed by the students of his former high school and Ramapo College. Tyler was a talented violinist, winning many awards and scholarships. He performed and actively participated in many high school and community musical events. His beloved violin lies silent now in its case but his music goes on. Composers and playwrights all over the country are inspired to keep his story alive and give hope to countless people everywhere. Special guests will be invited to this special concert, which premieres the new arrangement of Tyler’s Suite for choirs of mixed voices.
Among those joining the Clementi family will be the Ridgewood mayor, Paul Aronsohn, Dr. Daniel Fishbein, Superintendant of Ridgewood Schools, representatives from Ramapo College of New Jersey and faith leaders from the community. Sponsors for this celebration and concert are welcome and will be listed in the program. All proceeds will be given to The Tyler Clementi Foundation. Admission to the concert is free for high school students, $5 for college students, $20 suggested donation for adults. The Village of Ridgewood and its leaders, together with the Tyler Clementi Foundation, are actively working together to make our community a welcoming and supportive place for all to live and a safe place to raise our children.
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD – For the first time since 2008, awards will be given to former students by the Ridgewood Alumni Association.
The Distinguished Alumni Award Dinner, the first of its kind, will be honoring a few notable former pupils on the evening of Thursday, March 10. The honorees will be inducted into the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, which was started “a couple a years ago” according to Ridgewood High School Principal Tom Gorman. It is to be run in a similar way to the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, he added.
“Every other year, the athletic hall of fame inducts athletes,” he said, noting that a panel of judges makes the selections. “In the off-year, we will have this distinguished alumni event.”
The Alumni Association is responsible for deciding what makes a RHS graduate distinguished, according to Siobhan Winograd, a board officer and the group’s secretary.
“We came up with what is distinguished,” she said. “We have a definition. We sent it out there and had people write in [their definitions].”
“Once the alumni association … was able to connect with so many alumni via the website, we had an open enrollment and had a separate committee that decided to induct five people this year,” Winograd said. “We have a working list. People have gone on the website and told us their person’s story.”
Are you seeing double in the hallways at Ridgewood High School?
BY DIANA OLIVEIRA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD – The senior class at Ridgewood High School is probably accustomed to seeing double. Or it should be, given that there are 17 sets of twins and one set of triplets roaming the halls.
“I feel like every class that I’m in there’s always another twin,” said Kelly Dwyer, who is one half of a pair. “So I could always look around and go, ‘She’s a twin, he’s a twin.’ They’re everywhere, they’re actually taking over.”
But the idea that there could be so many multiples in a single graduating class was never deemed unusual, at least not by these classmates who grew up together. Jess and Amy Schlicht have recognized over time that this is a unique situation.
“Growing up, I’ve been kind of used to it,” said Jess. “But then realizing that not a lot of schools have this, it’s pretty cool.”
“It’s something that separates us from other high schools,” added Amy.
Erin Dwyer is also taking pride in this distinction. At first, she found people’s disbelief over the number of twins in her grade surprising. Words like “crazy” and “insane” were often used, and she’d reply, “Oh, is it? I don’t really know the average number of twins per class.” Now, Erin shares the tale without registering the shock, having already embraced what she has learned to be an unconventional situation.
And while it isn’t conventional, the twins at Ridgewood High School are noticing quite a few advantages to having a sibling in the same grade. For one, there’s always a homework helper nearby.
“Last year, I was in a few classes with Jess,” said Amy. “It was nice because when I needed to do homework and needed help, she was right there sitting next to me.”
Applying to college can always be stressful, but it’s less so when there’s someone to endure the stress with.
“Everybody goes through the whole college process, but we went through the college process of writing the essays and sending other college apps in as the two of us, which was great,” said Erin.
Ridgewood NJ, RIDGEWOOD A CAPELLA The Maroon Men and the AcaBellas recently competed in the International Competition of High School A Cappella. In the Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals, where the groups won the following titles:
1st Place – The RHS Maroon Men
3rd Place – The RHS AcaBellas
Outstanding Percussion – Aaqib Hassan (Maroon Men)
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood High School Alumni Association is pleased to announce the revitalization of the Distinguished Alumni Event.
Tickets are now on sale and nominees will be announced mid-February. If you would like to buy a ticket ($125 per person), please RSVP to Jacqueline Hennessy @ jackiehenn@gmail.com. If you would like to make a donation to support this effort or the general fund, please do so online at rhsalumniassociation.org.
We look forward to celebrating this wonderful event with all of you.
JANUARY 29, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Adding to parking woes at RHS
to the editor:
Adding further to the letter from Adriana Blauvelt regarding the limited parking at RHS (“Trouble finding parking at RHS,” Jan. 22, page A6) ,we also “attended” the 8th grade parent orientation. We had the same problem that Adriana had finding a space, and we succumbed to parking illegally near the football field after circling for at least 20 minutes and missing part of the presentation. (Brookfield was also totally full of cars.)
To our surprise, though, the orientation was not particularly well attended. The source of the parking issue was the overlapping events of a basketball game, a New Player’s production and adult education in addition to the parent orientation.
On the one hand, we can feel gratified that our high school is being so well utilized as a resource for both the students and the community. On the other hand, there must be a way to better schedule the events so as not to create the “perfect storm.”
The school principal said there are so many activities ongoing that it is impossible to find a night that is available. If that is truly the case, we as a community need to be addressing not only the parking issues for the downtown shopping area, but also the needs of our schools.
Ridgewood NJ, This past fall, RHS juniors Catherine Keating and Emily Holmquist received honorable mentions in the New York Times Learning Network’s Review Contest.
All students of Lynn Moore and Colleen Contreras’ English 11 class participated in the contest, which asked them to write about experiencing works of culture new to their daily life. Out of over 1600 entries, there were only nine winners, nine runners-up, and 23 honorable mentions.
JANUARY 22, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD — Several years of hard work manifested itself in just 6 minutes and 10 seconds on the wrestling mat last Saturday for Ridgewood High School star Kyle Inlander.
On the cusp of securing his 100th career victory, the senior 182-pounder needed to win all three of his matches in the Maroons’ quad against Wayne Hills, Toms River North and Toms River South. Inlander didn’t waste much time, recording pins in all three of his matches, the last coming against Toms River South in 1:48 to reach the milestone victory.
“I sacrifice a lot of my time to get where I am today,” he said. “I’m just happy it worked out and I just want to keep the ball rolling.”
Inlander, who improved to 17-1 this season, became the fifth Ridgewood wrestler to reach the century mark, joining Nick Saglimbeni (Class of 2015), Joe Oliva (2014), Brandon Giovanetti (2012) and Mark Romeo (2002).
“I never thought I’d make it as far as I did coming into high school, but as time passes, you kind of see how far you go,” Inlander said.
Ridgewood head coach Torre Watson, on the other hand, knew a special wrestler had joined the program back in the 2012-13 season.
“One of Kyle’s goals as a freshman was getting into the varsity lineup,” Watson recalled. “That was the reason that Kyle came in at 170 pounds and wrestled at 182 and didn’t think twice about it.
JANUARY 22, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Trouble finding parking at RHS
to the editor:
On Jan. 14, I received a reminder from a fellow parent regarding a pre-high school orientation at RHS at 7.30 p.m. My son attends GW Middle School (eighth grade). After receiving this reminder, and realizing it was 6.45 p.m., I quickly put a jacket on even though I was still in my gym clothes and with a sore throat. I had to make it.
Once I arrived, I made a left turn into the second parking lot (where the RHS marching band truck is parked). It was no later than 7.15 p.m. when I started circling this first lot, then I was excited to see that a car close to the door was going to pull out; actually it was just a parent who probably rushed and left her lights on. I continued circling, then exited this parking lot and turned into the one-way parking lot which was completely full and where parents were parking in the “No Parking Any Time” zone. I decided that’s not going to be me and continued to the original lot; of course at this point lots of parents were probably going around in circles like me, or were just running out of time.
At 7.44 p.m. I received a text from another concerned parent: “Where are you? ”
I stopped and answered: “Driving around trying to find parking, cannot park, not feeling well.”
Parent response: “You have to try.”
So try I did; all of a sudden the arrows were completely confusing. I even had a parent yell at the top of her lungs as in the Mr. Mom movie: “You are doing it wrong.”
At this point it was close to 8. I never give up, but after dealing with tiger moms, helicopter parents and other moms waving their hands in the air in frustration — “We are leaving there is no parking anywhere” — I too exited and did not end up attending the meeting.
I moved to Ridgewood as a single parent of one (widow) in 2007. I want my son to excel; however, is this what we look forward to? How early should one arrive to a meeting? Since there are two middle schools attending this meeting (GW and BF parents), why not split them up? I announced to my family (elderly mother, son and cat) after almost having a panic attack that I would put my for sale sign up the next day. I pay way too much in property taxes to not have a parking place and I refuse to park illegally just to find out I have a ticket or get towed.
My son is adamant about staying in Ridgewood; now I completely understand why outsiders or even locals have to drive around in circles and their frustration. I live two blocks from downtown, so I never had that problem. RHS needs to have a separate orientation just to address and explain the two parking lots to all mom and dads so we don’t “do it wrong.”
Ridgewood NJ, This is just a sneak peak of our 11th Annual Alumni Art show. The photos don’t do it justice…come see the show in person. There’s so much more to see and so much talent! Our reception is this Thursday, 1/7 at 7:00 pm.
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