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STATEMENT OF RIDGEWOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESIDENT VINCENT LONCTO AT THE BOARD MEETING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
I wanted to address an issue regarding our negotiations with the teachers’ union that has been the subject of many communications over the past few days.
Before I do that, I speak for the entire Board when I say that we respect and appreciate our teachers, and we continue to hope that we can arrive at a negotiated settlement with the minimal delay.
September 5, 2018
Dear Ridgewood Public School Community,
The Ridgewood Board of Education (“Board”) and the Ridgewood Education Association (“Association”) have been unable to agree on the terms of a successor agreement to the 3-year contract, which expired on June 30, 2018. The Association represents the teachers and secretaries employed in the Ridgewood Public School District.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, according to the Ridgewood Board of Education ,“neither the Superintendent nor the Board has ever indicated to the Village Manager that the school District would contribute to this position and the Village budget reflects this understanding. Accordingly, the Board has not reneged on any agreements.”
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Parents time to kiss up , the Ridgewood Education Association wants you to show your support , for Ridgewood teachers and secretaries by displaying a lawn sign. Pickup anytime at 348 S Irving Street( on the porch). Remember if you want those recommendation letters you better step up !
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the next Board of Education meeting will be Monday August 27 2018 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place.
At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments. The public comment periods will be scheduled after presentations. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer . in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda. The second opportunity will occur at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda.
At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics.
At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times.
Continue reading Ridgewood School Board Regular Meeting Monday August 27 2018 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
August 2,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, looks like Ridgewood and Glen Rock will both have contested school board races in the 2018 . As previously reported on the Ridgewood blog Monday July 30th was the deadline for candidates to file to run for a board seat in November.
In the Village of Ridgewood, there is a contested race for the one three-year term. Cristopher Kaufman has taken up the challenge ,running against incumbent President of the BOE Vincent Loncto .
Loncto a former chief financial officer was sworn in as the Boards choice in 2011 after board member Charles Reilly resigned earlier that year. Loncto was picked as a replacement to finish out Reilly’s term because of his strong financial background.
Kaufman we are told is running on the “Commitment-Understanding-Respect” slogan.
In Glen Rock, five people are currently vying for three, three-year terms. The candidates running are: Sharon Scarpelli, Bryon Torsiello, Gregory S. Franz, Robert C. Scherer, and Alisa Svider.
Hope you are enjoying a pleasant summer! On July 10 the Board of Ed sent the following letter to the community regarding the Annual School Election:
Dear Community Members,
On July 3rd, Heather Mailander, Village Manager, notified us by e-mail that the Village Council would be discussing moving the Board of Education election from November to April at their July 11th meeting and at their July 18th meeting they may consider adoption of a resolution to change the election date effective April, 2019.
The Board of Education supports the idea of engaging the public in discussions on moving the Board elections from November to April. However, we believe that it is a discussion that should take place at our Board of Education meetings this Fall, after our residents have returned from summer vacation.
In order to move a School Board election from November to April, notice must be given to the county clerk no less than 85 days prior to the third Tuesday in April to take effect for that year’s election. That would be January 21, 2019. Therefore, there is sufficient time for us to thoughtfully consider this change and to provide adequate time to collect input from our residents.
By way of background:
In the past, School Board elections and budget approvals were conducted in April every year.
On January 17, 2012 Governor Christie signed legislation that permitted communities to move the April annual school board member election to November, while, at the same time eliminating the vote on a district’s proposed budget so long as that is at or below the tax levy cap, including defined allowable waivers. School districts that voted to move their elections to November were prohibited from moving the election back to April until four November School elections had occurred. In 2016, the state extended that moratorium by two years. That moratorium expired May 31, 2018.
The Ridgewood Board of Education originally refrained from moving our election to November until almost two years after the law permitting us to do so had passed, preferring to observe the impact of this law across the state. After discussing this issue at several public meetings during 2013, and after publishing multiple articles in The Ridgewood News encouraging the public to provide feedback, we elected, in a 4-1 vote, to move the election in our public meeting of November 18, 2013.
Currently, a total of 528 or 97% of the New Jersey school districts have moved their annual school election from April to November, and only15, or 3% hold their annual school election in April. Only 5 of Bergen County’s 76 districts vote in April.
The major reasons considered by the Board for moving the election to November were as follows:
● Declining voter participation rate in the April elections. In April 2013, voter turnout hit an historic low with fewer than thirteen percent of voters casting a ballot. We believed that voter participation would increase if the school election were combined with the general election.
● Election costs. The district has saved over $43,000 per annum by combining the school election with the general election in the Fall. The Board has not been assessed any costs associated with the November elections.
● During the period in which we held our public discussions, we received a small number of emails and only eight members of the public spoke at public comment on the issue of moving the election. Three favored moving the election to November, four did not, and one was non-commital.
● And finally, moving the election to November brought the budget approval process in line with the way all New Jersey municipalities, counties, and the state decide on their budgets.
We on the Board look forward to speaking further with the public about this important issue this Fall.
Sincerely,
The Ridgewood Board of Education Members
July 9,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey School Boards Association NOVEMBER ELECTIONS: IMPORTANT DATES 2018 School Board Candidacy & Election Dates
DATE – ACTION
May 16
Term begins for newly appointed board members in Type I districts (those with appointed boards) other than cities of the first class (those with a population of more than 150,000).
July 30
4 p.m. is the deadline for candidates to file nominating petitions with the county clerk. Aug 13 Deadline for filing in Superior Court to Protect School Election Candidate’s Rights. Aug 3 Deadline for filing objections to Nomination Petitions for School Election Candidates with the county clerk. Sept 7 Last day for a candidate to withdraw from the election. A signed, written notice must be filed with the county clerk Aug 9 Deadline for Determination of Petition Challenge for School Election Candidates by the county clerk.
Aug 9
Last day to amend a defective petition. The candidate may amend the petition to remedy the defect at any time before the date, but generally may not add signatures. The candidate may add his or her own signature if necessary to provide verification of the signatures on the petition, but only if the petition already contains ten valid signatures.
Aug 13
Date for Drawing of Ballot Position for School Election Candidates by the County Clerk.
Nov 6
Annual School Election NOTE: Board members must undergo criminal history record checks through the New Jersey Department of Education within 30 days of election or appointment.
Jan 1-7
Newly elected board members are sworn in at annual board organizational meetings
Feb 1-7
Last day to file Personal-Relative and Financial Disclosure forms with the Executive County Superintendent and Board Secretary. For newly elected or newly appointed school board members, the deadline is 30 days after taking office
July 8,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ, since this came up in the last Village council election we thought we would embark on an local civics lesson . Contrary to the misinformation campaign ,the Ridgewood Village Council does not control nor is responsible for school budgets, policy or funding of Ridgewood public schools . It has no say and former Mayor Knudsen had nothing to do with the lack of voter participation in school board elections.
The Ridgewood school budget is in the area of $110,000,000 and yes that is huge . That budget accounts for over 60% of the Village’s property taxes .
From the Ridgewood School website :
About the Board
About the Board/Frequently Asked Questions
What is the role of the Board of Education?
The Board of Education does not “run” the Ridgewood Public Schools. That’s the job of the Superintendent. Rather, the BOE’s job is to ensure that the schools are well run. The Board does this by
1) Setting district policies and goals
2) Communicating policies and goals to the superintendent
3) Overseeing the budget
4) Hiring and evaluating the superintendent
5) Serving as the communications link between the community and the school district.
What is the role of the superintendent?
The Superintendent’s responsibilities fall into three areas:
1) Primary advisor to the Board of Education
The superintendent briefs the board on district issues and provides updates on district operations as well as background information, alternatives, suggestions, and recommendations before Board decisions are made. The superintendent may ask other district staff to attend board meetings to give reports on particular items.
2) Chief Executive Officer of the school district
Responsible for administering the policies adopted by the school board and for running the school system on a daily basis. The superintendent is accountable to the board regarding how well the district is run.
3) Educational leader of the community
It’s the superintendent’s job to evaluate and assess how district policies are being implemented at all levels. The superintendent ensures that all issues on an agenda for board action are accompanied by his/her recommendation, including staff input and study when necessary. The superintendent also acts as the liaison to the Board for all district employees.
What happens at Board of Education meetings?
At public meetings, the Board of Education takes official action on school business, discusses policy and confirms personnel appointments recommended by the superintendent. Board members have the opportunity to discuss items prior to voting on official agenda items. At every public meeting of the Board, there are two opportunities for the public to address the Board.
Where and when can I get minutes from a previous Board of Education meeting?
Minutes of public Board of Education meetings are available on the district website (click here), at the Ed Center at 49 Cottage Place. Board minutes are presented for approval at subsequent Board meetings, in order to be voted into the public record.
Where can I get a copy of an upcoming Board of Education meeting agenda?
Board of Ed agendas are available on the District website (click here) on Friday afternoon prior to the meeting. The agenda is also posted at the Ed Center at 49 Cottage Place by Monday afternoon prior to the meeting.
How and when may I address the Board during a Board of Education meeting?
The Board seeks public comment twice during each regular public meeting. The first opportunity for comment is at approximately 7:30 p.m. under the agenda item “IV. Comments from the Public.” The presiding officer (usually the Board president) may limit public comments to conclude at 8:00 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda. Later in the meeting, at approximately 9:00 p.m., there is a second opportunity for public comment under the agenda item “IX. Comments from the Public.” The time may be adjusted at the discretion of the presiding officer, taking into consideration a break point in the agenda.
Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, approach the podium, state their name and address and also write their name and address on the sheet at the podium. Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes. The Board Recorder will note the time. A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the presiding officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds.
The public is invited to address the Board on any topic regarding the school district, both subjects on the agenda or general topics. Comments should be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop. No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.
Why does the Board go into closed Executive Session?
The Ridgewood Board of Education may meet in closed Executive Session prior to, or at the end of, a regular public meeting. In accordance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act (aka the “Sunshine Law”), closed Executive Sessions are not open to the public. Although debate may be private, any action taken must be in public session. The Board will indicate that “action may be taken” when they return to public session and before the meeting is adjourned.
Only items that fall under the following topics may be discussed during closed Executive Session:
Collective bargaining agreements/proposals or other contracts
Personnel issues
Matters confidential by law
Items protected by attorney-client privilege
Matters of individual privacy
Specific pending or anticipated litigation
Purchase or lease of real estate
Protecting public safety
How is the Board of Education selected?
Members are elected to three-year terms by the local voters. School board elections are in November. Board members elected in November will be sworn in and take their seats at the Reorganization meeting in January.
If a vacancy occurs between elections, the current Board will appoint a new board member to serve until the next election. Appointed members will be sworn in and take their seats at the next regular public meeting of the Board.
What are the legal requirements to become a Board member?
To become a member of a local Board of Education in New Jersey, you must:
Be able to read and write
Hold U.S. citizenship and one year’s residency in the school district
Have no interest in any contract with, or claim against the Board
Not hold office as mayor or member of the municipal government body, or in the case of county school districts, the county governing body
Be registered to vote in the district
What is the Board member’s Code of Ethics?
All school board members in New Jersey are required to abide by the following Code of Ethics for School Board Members:
a. I will uphold and enforce all laws, rules and regulations of the State Board of Education, and court orders pertaining to schools. Desired changes shall be brought about only through legal and ethical procedures.
b. I will make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of children and will seek to develop and maintain public schools that meet the individual needs of all children regardless of their ability, race, creed, sex, or social standing.
c. I will confine my board action to policy making, planning, and appraisal, and I will help to frame policies and plans only after the board has consulted those who will be affected by them.
d. I will carry out my responsibility, not to administer the schools, but, together with my fellow board members, to see that they are well run.
e. I will recognize that authority rests with the board of education and will make no personal promises nor take any private action that may compromise the board.
f. I will refuse to surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political groups or to use the schools for personal gain or for the gain of friends.
g. I will hold confidential all matters pertaining to the schools which, if disclosed, would needlessly injure individuals or the schools. In all other matters, I will provide accurate information and, in concert with my fellow board members, interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for its school.
h. I will vote to appoint the best-qualified personnel available after consideration of the recommendation of the chief administrative officer.
i. I will support and protect school personnel in proper performance of their duties.
j. I will refer all complaints to the chief administrative officer and will act on the complaints at public meetings only after failure of an administrative solution.
L18A:12-24.1
If I have a question or concern about something in the district, whom should I contact?
If you have a concern, we encourage you to talk first with the teacher or principal, next the department supervisor, then the assistant superintendent, and finally the superintendent. Should the superintendent be unable to resolve a problem, and it involves district policy, school board meetings and agenda items, the budget or requests for specific courses or programs, the Board of Education is the final step in the process. Please remember that all personnel items should be referred directly to the administration.
What are the best ways to communicate with the Board of Education?
To communicate with the Board as a whole, we invite members of the public to attend a regular public meeting and share your ideas and thoughts during the public comments period. You may also write a letter to the Board President, care of the Ed Center, which will be shared with other Board members. Individual Board members can be reached via email
November 21,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at the Monday night school board meeting , the Ridgewood Board of Educations was once again challenged by parents on the perceived lack of action on what some parents are calling a bullying epidemic at Ridgewood schools.
The school seemed unable or unwilling to confront the issue. The Board continues to claim they are following the anti bullying policy , but recent events would fail to confirm that . The school board maintains that bullying is not an issue at Ridgewood Schools, while recent events again suggest otherwise . Parents as well as students seem to lost confidence in the BOE on this issue .
If the parents and the School Board would limit their dreams to what is NECESSARY to get a good education, the taxes for schools would be reduced. Kids don’t care about windows (except to look through them when they are bored in class.) nor golden fixtures in their bathrooms. If the fixtures work, leave them until one actually needs fixing. (and the new low-water toilets develop problems much sooner than the older ones did. Particularly in costly water leaks.) The furnaces are obviously not being fed coal, so leave them alone. Small repairs can usually fix anything that is wrong with them. Concentrate on hiring good teachers, not an excess of “support staff”, and all would be well in our system. (Which has fallen from high national ratings to mediocre state ratings in the time we’ve been here and support staff has increased drastically!)
November 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood High School Administration has completed its investigation into the serious incident that occurred two weeks ago. According to its investigation, the Administration has concluded there were two (2) fights between the same two (2) students: the first on Friday, October 27, 2017, and then on Saturday, October 28, 2017. Both fights occurred after school hours on school property. One student was injured. The fights were mutually conducted and were fueled by social media, with a genesis dating to this past August.
The District is aware that the Ridgewood Police Department has completed its investigation and has charged two students for their roles in the fights.
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
49 Cottage Place
Ridgewood, NJ
07450
201-670-2700, ext. 10530
dfishbein@ridgewood.k12.nj.us
The Ridgewood Board of Education and Administration are concerned that the students chose to resolve their dispute with violence rather than to report their issues to school officials or an adult who could have taken action. Students regularly bring their concerns to school administration and that is why we have a low incidence of fighting and Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB). We are a school district and understand that students make mistakes in action and judgement and it is our job to administer consequences when necessary, teach better behavior, provide therapeutic counseling when warranted and accepted. Our schools regularly educate and counsel our students to make good decisions. We are proud of our students, but they need redirection when they make mistakes. Accordingly, the High School Administration will utilize it’s a variety of interventions, including the use of education, counseling and school discipline to discourage such behavior in the future.
District Administration is open and transparent whenever possible. However, due to student privacy laws, the Administration is unable to discuss individual students and disciplinary consequences that may be imposed.
While an investigation is ongoing, every attempt will be made to dispel rumors, but our focus must be on a thorough investigation and certainty of the final determination. Only the administrators and the police, when necessary, who are conducting the investigation know the pertinent facts. We would like to remind the public to be aware that the misuse of social media impedes an investigation when misinformation and falsehoods are disseminated. When working with children and adolescents, serious incidents sometimes occur. Our staff excels at dealing with serious situations and does so with compassion and care. While people might point fingers and make false accusations when students make poor decisions, we assure you our administrators always work towards resolution and a goal that students will learn from the experience. School officials and counselors are available to support and assist all students in learning from this unfortunate event.
NorthJerseyPublished 11:01 a.m. ET May 4, 2017 | Updated 19 hours ago
The Ridgewood Board of Education unanimously passed its annual budget this week.
The $105 million spending plan is funded primarily through a $91 million tax levy, an increase of .97 percent over the previous year. School taxes on a home assessed at the village average of $696,063 will be $11,401, up from $11,325 this year, an increase of $76.
The budget has a tax rate of $1.638 per $100 of assessed value, up from $1.627 last year, for a 0.67 percent increase.
Will the kicking of the can continue with the Teachers contract??? Now is the time to stop this nonsense!!
Let’s hope we can at least put a dent in the can! One would think the REA has gotten the message by now. It would appear that most of Ridgewood (excluding the teachers who actually live in town) oppose their union’s demands. Why are we paying our teachers more than surrounding towns with better or comparable ratings? There goes your real estate values. Wyckoff, Allendale, HoHoKus, Franklin Lakes, Upper Saddle River are all lovely towns with lower taxes. I just can’t get that photo of those teachers’ and their mean, arrogant and angry faces out of my mind. The blonde and one next to her wearing sunglasses look particularly nasty! If they knew who my child was I’m sure there would be ramifications in the classroom for this comment!
Board ‘committed’ to settling contract
JANUARY 29, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Board ‘committed’ to settling contract
to the editor:
At Monday’s Board of Education meeting, 20 Ridgewood teachers spoke at the podium. They spoke passionately about their love of teaching and their deep commitment to our children. With pride, they enumerated the educational opportunities that Ridgewood provides and acknowledged the exceptional quality of our district. They implored the Board to reach a “fair” settlement and expressed their frustration that the contract remained unsettled.
The Board is sympathetic to the concerns expressed by our teachers and shares the desire to complete negotiations as quickly as possible. The Board has made every effort to listen to the union’s concerns and address them.
On Jan. 20 at our last negotiation session, the Board made a new comprehensive proposal that would have increased the take-home pay of every teacher through a combination of salary increases and revisions to the health care plans offered to the REA members. The Board also offered to discuss several ideas to ameliorate the impact of the 35 percent employee health care premium contributions paid by the highest paid staff.
These proposals address the teachers’ primary concerns while staying within the district’s financial capabilities.
Some of the teachers’ comments questioned Ridgewood Public Schools’ spending on improving curriculum, professional development, technology and eBooks in our elementary school libraries. While our teachers and the work they do are key to making Ridgewood the superior district that it is, we know that their jobs would be exponentially more challenging if they did not have new and improved textbooks, revised curriculum and the technology enhancements such as Chromebooks.
As the Board of Education, we are committed to balancing these competing costs and the need to continue to deliver a well-balanced educational program to our students. With the state-imposed hard cap that restricts district property tax revenue increases to 2 percent or less of the prior year taxes, this is a very tough assignment.
We have had numerous meetings with the REA team and are willing to meet at any time to negotiate all components of the contract.
In the meantime, we will move forward to fact-finding. Next week, both sides will have the opportunity to submit their positions, arguments and exhibits to an independent, state-appointed fact-finder. We expect the fact-finder to issue his non-binding recommendations by the end of April.
This Board is committed to settling an equitable new contract that treats our teachers fairly, is respectful of the taxpayers and maintains the financial integrity of the district. Most importantly, we want to end the unrest that drains our staff’s energy so that they can focus on the important job of teaching our children, which is something that they do exceptionally well.
We are united with the teachers in the goal of continuing Ridgewood’s “Tradition of Excellence.”
Sheila Brogan
Vince Loncto
Jim Morgan
Christina Krauss
Jennie Smith Wilson
Ridgewood Board of Education