(Charts are sourced from McKinsey that analyzed Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready in-school assessment results of more than 1.6 million elementary school students across more than 40 states.)
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, School Board member HyunJu Kwak posted some interesting information on the learning loss suffered by students during the pandemic . This is exactly what school board members should be focused on, not trying to figure out how to get teachers more perks and days off .
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police Department has been experiencing unprecedented difficulty in hiring crossing guards for this school year, similar to the problem all other businesses are currently facing. Due to this shortage, we have needed to reallocate staffing in order to prioritize posts to those where the students have the most interaction with vehicles, such as on heavily traveled roadways. We are continuing to work diligently on hiring more crossing guards and hope to rectify this situation as soon as possible with the goal of returning to normal operations within a few weeks. As always, the Ridgewood Police Department’s primary concern is the safety of all of our residents and visitors, especially our children. If you are interested and available to become one of our crossing guards, please contact The Crossing Guard Company at 610-504-8764 or visit https://acmssafety.com/careers/ for more information.
Ridgewood NJ, at Monday nights Ridgewood Board of Education meeting , Board member Chris Kaufman made a motion to give the Superintendent and administration the authority to approve vendors in time of essence repairs, this would have effectively made the school board irrelevant and removed the last bit of oversite over the public schools .
The pandemic-related challenges seem to be ever-morphing, but commitments by parents, teachers, administrators and the whole community to maintain scholastic excellence for our students remain steadfast. There is much work to be done to ensure that students and teachers are given the resources to excel as the school returns to normalcy. My goal, as always, is to advocate for the students of our district and work for the Ridgewood community at large, so that our crown jewel continues to shine and that the taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars are allocated effectively and efficiently. In order to stay on this mission, I am seeking re-election to the Board of Education this November 2nd.
In the words of Mr. Rogers, “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond.” I feel deeply in my heart that this is my time to respond for Ridgewood and to keep working for the students and the community.
Thank you and please reach out to me at hjkwakforboe@gmail.com or message me for any questions and concerns.
Ridgewood NJ, The Governor signed Executive Order (EO) 251, which will mandate masking in the indoor premises of all public, private, and parochial preschool, elementary, and secondary school buildings, with limited exceptions. The EO is effective on Monday, August 9, 2021.
Ridgewood NJ, around this time each year, students, faculty, parents, and guardians across New Jersey prepare for the beginning of a new academic school year. Similar to last year, the 2021-2022 school year will be unlike those prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. While remote learning may not be as integral in all school districts this year, the continued use of technology in school and at home still present significant cybersecurity challenges. The education sector continues to be one of the most targeted sectors by cyber threat actors who take advantage of the distracted or unaware user base, potentially unpatched systems and applications, and vulnerable networks in order to collect sensitive data, deliver malware, pilfer monetary funds, and launch ransomware attacks. It is vital for students, teachers, parents, and guardians to maintain an awareness of current cyber threats and employ best practices to increase their resiliency and prevent victimization. Educational institutions are also highly encouraged to review the “Achieving Cyber Resilience: Free Resources for K-12 Schools” document and corresponding webinar recording for information on cybersecurity best practices and featured presentations from the NJCCIC, CISA, MS-ISAC, and FBI on the free resources available via their respective organizations.
Ridgewood NJ, Joined by educators, medical professionals, parents, and school administrators, Governor Phil Murphy today announced that all students, educators, staff, and visitors will be required to wear face masks indoors for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. The Governor signed Executive Order (EO) 251, which will mandate masking in the indoor premises of all public, private, and parochial preschool, elementary, and secondary school buildings, with limited exceptions. The EO is effective on Monday, August 9, 2021.
Ridgewood NJ, so what’s behind the American Academy Of Pediatrics call For masks for students . The American Academy Of Pediatrics grabbed a lot of headlines with their indefensible recommendation to mask all schoolchildren. So what did they cite to support that position ?
Susan Madison Candidate for Ridgewood Board of Education (Facebook post)
“Our students have been deprived of the opportunity to experience “normal” schooling for 17 months. Now is the time to focus on the challenges ahead, not relitigate the past. We have a 5-member elected board that has the responsibility of getting our students back to the normalcy and excellence they deserve and that Ridgewood is known for. This is what the residents of Ridgewood expect from their elected BOE members and the reason they selected Ridgewood as their home.”
Ridgewood NJ, at the Ridgewood Board of Education meeting data presented comparing three different school years : 2018-2019 traditional school year, 2019-2020 in person through March with fully remote spring, and 2020-2021 hybrid and remote instruction. During the pandemic, shifts were made to methods of instructional delivery and assessment. The student performance data presented was based on Fountas and Pinell reading levels (K-5), Envision 2.0 math scores (K-5), student grades in all subject areas (6-12), and teacher feedback through summer professional development.
Ridgewood NJ, with more than half of educators reporting significant learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021’s States with the Best & Worst School Systems, as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.
Ridgewood NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today signed legislation (S854) requiring civics instruction at the middle school level. Currently, New Jersey is one of a minority of states which does not require civics instruction for middle school students. Under the legislation, the New Jersey Center for Civic Education at Rutgers University will be directed to prepare civics curriculum guidelines for local school boards, ensuring that middle and high school students study the values and principles underlying the American system of constitutional democracy, the function of government, and the role of a citizen in a democratic society.
Ridgewood NJ, You are paying an extreme amount in taxes to live in a town with “good schools.” You clearly care about your child’s future, but given how the world is changing, is school really the best place for her? Have you ever even asked the question?
