Common Core’s Surprise Critic: Nation’s Largest Teachers Union (NEA) Calls Implementation ‘Completely Botched’
Rob Bluey
February 19, 2014 at 10:29 pm
The country’s largest teachers union is no longer a cheerleader for Common Core national education standards.
In a letter to the National Education Association’s 3 million members, President Dennis Van Roekel issued a sharp critique of Common Core. It marks the first time NEA has voiced concerns about the standards, a key initiative of the Obama Administration.
I am sure it won’t come as a surprise to hear that in far too many states, implementation has been completely botched. Seven of ten teachers believe that implementation of the standards is going poorly in their schools. Worse yet, teachers report that there has been little to no attempt to allow educators to share what’s needed to get [Common Core State Standards] implementation right. In fact, two thirds of all teachers report that they have not even been asked how to implement these new standards in their classrooms.
>>> Check Out: Is Common Core Leaving Students Unprepared in Math and Science?
The NEA once enthusiastically supported Common Core, making Van Roekel’s criticism noteworthy. POLITICO said it meant a “rocky road ahead for the Common Core standards” and would “give opponents of Common Core a boost.”
In his letter, Van Roekel stops short of completely abandoning Common Core, calling instead for a “course correction” to fix implementation.
“NEA members have a right to feel frustrated, upset, and angry about the poor commitment to implementing the standards correctly,” Van Roekel writes.
The National Education Association’s concerns come nearly a year after the American Federation of Teachers raised problems with implementation of the standards. AFT President Randi Weingarten said, “they simply don’t get it in Washington.” She also called the implementation of Common Core worse than HealthCare.gov..
Cooling U.S. Home Sales Only Partly Due to Weather: Economy
By Victoria Stilwell Feb 21, 2014 5:13 PM ET
Sales of previously owned U.S. homes dropped in January to the lowest level in more than a year as harsh winter weather combined with a lack of supply, strict lending rules and declining affordability to depress demand.
Purchases decreased 5.1 percent to a 4.62 million annual rate last month, the fewest since July 2012, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. Sales fell in all four regions of the country, indicating unusually frigid temperatures were only partly to blame.
$479,900 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1329139
528 FRANKLIN TPKE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, C/C
Jenny Lindberg, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 12:30 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
11
$498,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404165
258 E GLEN AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, C/C
Ghada Abbasi, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
24
$625,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1401537
349 NORTHERN PKWY, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Tisha Ramge, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
22
$699,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404564
727 NEWCOMB RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, COL
Maryanne Elsaesser, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Wyckoff/Franklin Lakes
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
17
$748,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404534
458 STEVENS AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath, COL
Carolyn Strittmatter, Sales Associate
Weichert Realtors Ridgewood
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
18
$881,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1332695
463 VAN EMBURGH AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Attilio Adamo, Broker Associate
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, Harrington Park
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.oZE46suH.LgcKQ910.dpuf
Open Houses for Sun 2/23
$1,049,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1400784
465 HEIGHTS RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
2 Half Bath, COL
Michael Randy, Sales Associate
Daniel Kahn, Sales Associate
Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty-Saddle River
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
18
$1,095,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404714
538 VAN DYKE ST, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Rose Hueneke, Broker Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
18
$1,195,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1402970
60 SHERWOOD RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Frances Ekblom, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Sun. 2/23
25
$1,199,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1338978
301 WESTGATE RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Jennifer M. Parsekian, Broker Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
19
$1,399,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1343418
436 FARVIEW ST, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
David H. Larsen, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
9
$1,595,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1403728
184 BEECHWOOD RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Jennifer Springer, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Sun. 2/23
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.oZE46suH.LgcKQ910.dpuf
Twenty-two homes sold in Ridgewood, NJ last month. That’s more than double the number that sold in January of 2013. And not only was activity up 120%, the average sold price was up 15%
That’s a good indication of what kind of year is ahead for the local real estate market. Rising interest rates combined with rising prices are motivating buyers to move quickly.
Things are shaping up a little differently in February with the weather playing a significant role. Snow has kept activity down for the first 20 days of the month.
At the time of this writing there are only 54 residential homes on the market. 323 have sold in the last twelve months. That equates to an inventory level of just two months, a very low number even for this time of the year.
With the weather improving, we’re likely to see more homes hitting the market and some very busy open houses in the near future.
For more information about buying or selling in Ridgewood, NJ, please call Keller Williams agent Michael Shetler at 201-421-0506.
Universities in FCC Newsroom Probe Have Close Ties to Soros, Got $1.8M in Funding
By Mike Ciandella
February 21, 2014 – 10:01 PM
Connections include partnerships with Soros foundation on events, projects
The FCC may have suspended its invasion into American newsrooms, but the controversial “Critical Information Needs” study also has George Soros’ fingerprints all over it.
While disturbing, this should come as no surprise since Soros’ gave more than $52 million to media organizations from 2000-2010.
Two schools were working with FCC on the project, according to Byron York of The Washington Examiner. The University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Communication and Democracy, were tasked by the FCC with coming up with criteria for what information is “critical” for Americans to have. The FCC study would have covered newspapers, websites, radio and television, according to The Washington Post.
On top of the 1st Amendment problems with this proposal, the schools involved have strong ties to liberal billionaire George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and have gotten more than $1.8 million from since 2000.
– See more at: https://cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/mike-ciandella/universities-fcc-newsroom-probe-have-close-ties-soros-got-18m-funding#sthash.5sw7YISq.l0C7r7gV.dpuf
Various options for North Walnut Street redevelopment in Ridgewood
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2014, 4:33 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
After a three-month hiatus on discussion about the proposal, the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan was reviewed at a Planning Board meeting on Tuesday.
Village Planner Blais Brancheau noted that, with the village’s many aims for the site, “trade-offs” will be needed to attract a developer. Brancheau was asked to discuss the North Walnut Street plan again at the end of the March 18 Valley Hospital hearing.
The plan was drafted for the village around 2007 by the consulting firm The Metro Company to address concerns with two municipal parking lots and specific adjoining properties on Franklin Avenue, North Walnut Street and Oak Street.
FAC: “The status quo in Ridgewood is unsustainable from a financial perspective,”
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2014, 10:36 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Now that Ridgewood and Glen Rock have scrapped plans for a shared municipal vehicle repair facility, a team of economic gurus is advising the village to step back and conduct larger studies and explore more alternatives.
In its annual report to the Ridgewood Council, the Financial Advisory Committee acknowledged that the village’s existing fleet services building on Chestnut Street is in “decrepit condition,” and options other than constructing a new facility might be available.
Over the past year, an ad-hoc committee comprised of Ridgewood and Glen Rock officials had investigated moving the public works operations of both towns to a new shared facility. Last month, however, the site of the proposed project, which is located adjacent to the village’s water treatment plant in Glen Rock, was deemed too small to meet the needs of the two municipalities.
At a council meeting last month, Roberta Sonenfeld, FAC vice chair, recognized the ad-hoc committee’s desire to move quickly on the fleet services project, but she advised that even more research is required.
Village should say ‘no thanks’ to high-density housing
Monday February 17, 2014, 11:45 AM
The Ridgewood News
Village should say ‘no thanks’ to high-density housing
Francis H. Schott
To the editor:
Over the past decade, Ridgewood has made great progress in improving our citizens’ quality of life. Our schools have been enlarged and modernized to make them adequate for our 5,800 students, a number that has steadily grown over the decade. Our recreational space, although still below state and federal standards, has been substantially augmented for the first time in generations by the acquisition and development of Habernickel Park and the purchase of the Schedler property as well as the enlargement of Citizens Park.
Admittedly we are still struggling with parking and traffic problems downtown, but the positives outweigh the negatives of the early 21st Century by a wide margin.
$425,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404204
140 BELLAIR RD, Unit M, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, CONDO
Jennifer Wilkes, Sales Associate
Weichert Realtors Ridgewood
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
14
$498,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404165
258 E GLEN AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, C/C
Ghada Abbasi, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
24
$569,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1402188
701 HOWARD RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, S/L
Beth Freed, Broker Associate
Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty-Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
14
$569,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404297
61 WARREN PL, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Pam Christian, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
15
$579,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1337256
30 DANIEL CT, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, TWNHS
Frances Ekblom, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Sun. 2/16
15
$599,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1403482
494 E SADDLE RIVER RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, RANCH
Till Horkenbach, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
15
$629,500 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404244
169 JEFFER CT, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
2 Half Bath, S/L
Lisa Sammataro, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 3/2
25
$695,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404605
237 STEILEN AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Douglas Trainor, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
25
$699,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404564
727 NEWCOMB RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, COL
Maryanne Elsaesser, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Wyckoff/Franklin Lakes
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
17
$740,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1403314
175 MELROSE PL, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, C/C
Deborah Innocenti, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.oZE46suH.OVoKk6bi.dpuf
$748,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404534
458 STEVENS AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath, COL
Carolyn Strittmatter, Sales Associate
Weichert Realtors Ridgewood
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
18
$775,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404330
336 BROOKMERE CT, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Lisa Sammataro, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 3/2
25
$881,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1332695
463 VAN EMBURGH AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Attilio Adamo, Broker Associate
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, Harrington Park
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
15
$1,088,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1403713
447 SHELBOURNE TER, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Beth Freed, Broker Associate
Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty-Ridgewoo
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
20
$1,095,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404714
538 VAN DYKE ST, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Rose Hueneke, Broker Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – Sun. 2/16
15
Open Houses for Sun 2/23
$425,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404204
140 BELLAIR RD, Unit M, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
2 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, CONDO
Jennifer Wilkes, Sales Associate
Weichert Realtors Ridgewood
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
14
$748,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404534
458 STEVENS AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath, COL
Carolyn Strittmatter, Sales Associate
Weichert Realtors Ridgewood
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/23
18
Open Houses for Sun 3/2
$515,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1403679
426 VAN BUREN ST, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, COL
Pam Christian, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 3/2
10
$629,500 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404244
169 JEFFER CT, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
2 Half Bath, S/L
Lisa Sammataro, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 3/2
25
$775,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1404330
336 BROOKMERE CT, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Lisa Sammataro, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 2/16
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 3/2
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.oZE46suH.OVoKk6bi.dpuf
Valley Hospital buying up string of properties near its Ridgewood site
Friday, February 14, 2014 Last updated: Saturday February 15, 2014, 12:40 AM
BY LINDA MOSS AND BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
As The Valley Hospital has struggled for years to expand its campus in Ridgewood, it has been quietly buying real estate in Bergen County, assembling a portfolio that includes a string of properties on North Maple Avenue in Ridgewood and the building that houses the New Jersey Children’s Museum in Paramus.
Over the past two years, the hospital, in some cases through holding companies, has spent at least $54 million to acquire roughly a half-dozen sites in the village and neighboring Paramus as potential future locations for doctors’ offices, along with outpatient and other services that would be moved from its main campus. Some of these newly acquired properties are already operating as off-site hospital facilities.
But the hospital’s plans for some of its other new properties remain unclear, and Valley’s real estate shopping doesn’t appear to be over. Recently, it has been in talks to purchase buildings that the global parcel deliverer UPS will be vacating on Winters Avenue in Paramus, as reported by The Record. If that deal closes, it would add another property to a medical-services cluster that the hospital has been creating in Paramus, near the Fashion Center mall.
Deal puts focus on placing New Jersey’s disables kids in local classrooms
Thousands of special-needs students across New Jersey could get the support they need to attend mainstream classes or return from out-of-district programs to their local schools after a settlement was reached in a seven-year court fight over whether disabled children were unfairly segregated.
The federal suit, filed by an array of advocacy groups, contends that the state violated the rights of disabled children to attend school — to the greatest extent possible — with children who do not have disabilities and in their neighborhood schools. The suit said that because of the state’s failures, countless disabled children were unnecessarily separated from their peers.
About 15 percent of New Jersey’s 1.4 million public school students have special needs, and about 8 percent of the disabled go to out-of-district sites.
The settlement, approved by the state Board of Education on Wednesday, requires that for three years, the state must scrutinize the placement of special-needs children in more than 55 districts that put a disproportionate share of students in restrictive settings. That includes Westwood,Hackensack, Garfield, Passaic, Elmwood Park and Englewood.
If the state finds districts are not doing their utmost to include students in regular classes, school staff must undergo extra training in tailoring lessons to the children and giving them aides and other individualized services.
Ruth Lowenkron, an attorney at the Education Law Center, which was one of the plaintiffs, said the settlement could help many special-needs students in a state that has historically put more of them in separate programs than is typical nationwide. (Brody/The Record)
The NBC meteorologist and “Today” show host took New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to task on Thursday for criticizing the National Weather Service, tweeting that the mayor’s “poor policy” was to blame for the city’s snow response.
Al Roker ✔ @alroker Follow
@NYCMayorsOffice says snow was faster/heavier than expected. No, Mr. Mayor. It came as predicted. Don’t blame weather for YOUR poor policy
Al Roker ✔ @alroker Follow
How dare @NYCMayorsOffice @NYCSchools throw NWS under the school bus. Forecast was on time and on the money
Al Roker ✔ @alroker Follow
I knew this am @NYCMayorsOffice @NYCSchools would close schools. Talk about a bad prediction. Long range DiBlasio forecast: 1 term
Reader urges caution for Schedler development do to its uniqueness
Jane S
I didn’t ask them to build or not to build anything in particular. I only asked that the Council be aware of its geographical reality (for lack of a better description) before they decide on anything.
The property is right on the highway. A parking lot, especially if it has lights and no developed police presence, is an obvious spot for drug sales. You’d pull in, buy or sell drugs and be back on Rte. 17 and in NY in minutes.
It wouldn’t be like trouble at Vets Field or the high school. It’s a bit remote and off the radar. #4, I’d agree that people might use spike in crime, child safety, pedestrian safety, etc. to win other arguments, but this is one of the most unique spots in town and as such makes it worthy of extra caution.
Cerf’s Out, Activists and Parents Look to Sink Common Core
NJTP
New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf, who was a major proponent of Common Core curriculum is stepping down at the end of the month, according to a published report in the Bergen Record.
Carolee Adams, Eagle Forum President NJ, attributes the about-face to a concerted effort across the state to educate legislators, parents and NJ taxpayers on the perils of implementing the untested curriculum that violates traditional American values and privacy of students and their families with invasive data mining techniques.
Carolee and Tea Party activists across the state worked hard to turn back the progressive tide inherent in Common Core curriculum.
Thanks to those efforts, radical education activists lost their beach-head in NJ schools. No small accomplishment.
Chris Cerf to Step Down as New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Chris Cerf will be leaving office at the end of this month after three years as Gov. Chris Christie’s education commissioner, leaving behind big changes — and some tumult.
Appointed in late 2010, Cerf yesterday said he will join the educational software company led by his old boss, former New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein.
Cerf, who was deputy chancellor in New York under Klein, will serve as CEO of Amplify Insight, a division of Amplify Inc. The company is owned by News Corp., the media giant led by Rupert Murdoch.
He submitted his resignation earlier this month, effective March 1. No announcement has been made as to Cerf’s successor.
The department is expected to announce the resignation today, but Cerf yesterday confirmed the decision and said it came out of both his uncertainty about staying on for a second term and a job offer that was difficult to pass up. (Mooney/NJSpotlight)
