What they are doing: While school reform and funding issues roil New Jersey’s political scene, the state Board of Education’s agenda is a relatively light one today. One policy area up for vote is a change in the competency testing required for incoming elementary school teachers.
Teacher testing: The board will take up final adoption of a resolution to adjust what incoming elementary teachers need to know to pass the national Praxis exam. The exam is already required for new teachers, testing them on their knowledge and skills. But New Jersey will be participating in a new version that sets more rigorous requirements for passing all four different subject area tests: language arts, math, science and social studies. The board will set the state’s required passing scores on the exam. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
Former New York Giant Jeff Feagles Speaks at Pancake Breakfast March 31, 2012 Richard Hrvatin (201) 410-3041 [email protected]
Ridgewood-NJ-March 31, 2012: The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 hosted a pancake breakfast on Saturday March 31st in the parish center of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. Attendees had an opportunity to meet former New York Giants legend Jeff Feagles, who regaled the audience with stories of his 20-plus years in the NFL. More importantly, he discussed family values, life in Ridgewood, and what it takes to be a success on and off the field. He also reflected on the inspiration he received from Coach Tom Coughlin, who always stayed the course in good seasons and bad.
Feagle’s advice for young budding athletes: “Success begins in the classroom, and you must learn to manage your time efficiently”.
There was also a special appearance from the Easter Bunny. Proceeds from the event will go to fund the Knights’ local charities.
The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee is proud to announce their theme for the 2012 celebration. The theme will be “Born in New Jersey ”. The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee will sponsor its annual celebration on Wednesday,July 4, 2012.
This year’s theme is “Born in New Jersey,” which includes: 1. Famous people who were born here (including but not limited to Bruce Springsteen and Frank Sinatra) 2. Things invented here (for example, Edison’s light bulb) 3. Events that occurred here that gave new direction to our country (Washington Crossing the Delaware, Morristown encampment) Groups are encouraged to use this theme in the design of floats and other entries.
The purpose of the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the USA and its history and to honor American Patriots of all times. For 2012, we would like to focus on the history of New Jersey. We will celebrate the wonderful people, inventions and events that all came from our state.
The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration began in 1910 when the local papers, the civic section of the Woman’s Club and the Ridgewood Fire Department joined forces to create a “safe and sane” holiday with an emphasis on Patriotism. It has grown into one of the largest celebrations in the New York City area.
For many years the Readers of 201 Magazine have named our parade and fireworks as best in their Best of Bergen poll. Additional information and answers to many of your questions can be found on the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee’s website at www.ridgewoodjuly4th.org.
The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is organized by the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration, Inc., an all-volunteer community group. All aspects of this annual Celebration including fireworks, bands, evening performers, insurance, and police and fire personnel are funded by voluntary contributions from businesses and individuals.
Be a part of the Tradition – Participate in the parade, be a financial supporter or join the committee.
American Express has become the first company to pull its gift cards from New Jersey pharmacies, groceries and convenience stores rather than attempt to comply with a new wrinkle in the state’s unclaimed property law.
AmEx spokeswoman Vanessa McCutchen told The Associated Press that the company began pulling gift cards sold through third-party retailers last week. As of Monday, the only way for New Jersey residents to buy AmEx gift cards, which can be used practically anywhere, is directly from the company. (Delli Santi, Associated Press)
Dear Fairway Market customers: Some USDA scientists recently revealed that they strongly believe Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) — or “pink slime” as it’s been called by the press — should not be labeled as meat. According to an ABC News source, 70 percent of all ground beef sold at supermarkets contains LFTB. While that may be the case elsewhere, Fairway Market DOES NOT sell LFTB or “pink slime” – WE’VE NEVER SOLD IT AND NEVER WILL! Since this news broke, we’ve received a lot of inquires about it. But you can shop with ease at all Fairway Market stores, knowing that LFTB or “PINK SLIME” ISN’T IN ANY MEAT WE SELL – and you’ve never ever purchased a product like that at Fairway.
ALL of our meat is the highest quality, is USDA certified, is delivered fresh daily, is custom cut by a professional butcher, AND is ground fresh every day and all day. Fairway Market Butcher Shops never cut corners, and the meat that comes into our stores is approved by me, a third-generation butcher. You expect the best, and we have never and would never give you anything less. This is why Fairway is truly LIKE NO OTHER MARKET®.
Ridgewood Office Building Evacuated Due to Possible Sulfuric Acid Leak Boyd A. Loving April 1, 2012 4:57 PM
(RIDGEWOOD_NJ) A multi-story office/retail complex at 45 North Broad Street in Ridgewood was evacuated this afternoon due to a possible sulfuric acid leak in its basement. Personnel from Ridgewood FD, PD, EMS, Emergency Services, and the Bergen County HazMat Team all responded to the scene. No injuries were reported.
>Dr. Fishbein: Please Vote on April 17 Friday, March 30, 2012 By DANIEL FISHBEIN COLUMNIST
One of my primary responsibilities as superintendent of the Ridgewood Public Schools is to prepare a district budget that is approved by the Board of Education, then presented to the public, each year.
To meet the high standards of both these entities, much number crunching is necessarily involved. But truly solid budgeting starts long before the numbers come into play. It starts first and foremost with a thorough reflection on district and board goals, then a review of programs relative to those goals.
Together, our district administrators, school principals and I have undertaken that process to prepare the 2012-2013 budget, working diligently to assure that it reflects the needs and costs of carrying out our continued commitment to our mission of a tradition of excellence.
I am happy to report that Ridgewood students continue to perform extremely well on all measures of success, both during their time in the district as well as after graduation. Pick up a copy of the local paper, sign on to the district’s Facebook page, or visit our schools and you will see that our students are high achievers in competitive academic activities, athletics, the arts, music and theater. Their accomplishments point to the makeup of a truly outstanding educational system. But, we don’t rest on our laurels; we always work to continue to improve.
In order to foster achievement, it is imperative that our curriculum and programs are reviewed and improved and we make sure to provide for the professional development of our teachers and administrators. The 2012-2013 proposed budget includes funding for new science programs in grades K-8, new textbooks and new courses at the middle and high school levels.
>West Bergen Center for Children and Youth Asperger’s Related Services presents Friday Playgroup Workshops for ages 4-7.
The workshop will be held at the West Bergen Counseling Group at 615 Franklin Turnpike, 2nd Floor, Ridgewood. The cost is $175 for five sessions. The workshop will be held on Fridays from April 27 to June 1 at 3:45 to 5 PM. The workshop is for children who need improvement in play skills with peers. The workship will focus on practicing sharing, cooperation, compromising, sportsmanship, and conversation skills.
Registration must be received by April 20, 2012. Pleace contact Kelly Doyle, 201-857-0080, ext 7500 for further information or to register. Payment is due at time of registration.
Established in 1963 as a child guidance clinic, today West Bergen provides comprehensive services for all age groups with various levels of need. West Bergen Mental Healthcare recently celebrated being voted number one in client satisfaction by the Mental Health Corporations of America’s Nation Survey for 2010. The Agency has earned this notable recognition seven times since 1998.
>‘Stock Act’ sticks taxpayers with $1.7 million tab
This wasn’t supposed to happen. In Congress drive to clean up its act and pass the “Stock Act” to provide transparency to Wall Street holdings members have, taxpayers are getting stuck with the bill.
Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer reveals that it will cost $1.5 million to develop software and programs to provide the easy-to-use electronic disclosure of lawmaker holdings required in the legislation.
Plus, he adds, when up and running, it will likely cost another $200,000 a year just to operate and maintain.
The YWCA Bergen County is offering its Vacation Day program for children in grades K-6 from April 2-5 and April 9-13, 2012. Kids will enjoy trips and activities including Planet 301, Giggles, Bounce U, Color Me Mine, movies and bowling, with most trips including lunch.
The YWCA Vacation Day program provides full day care from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM on designated school holidays. Based at the YWCA’s 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood facility, the program is supervised by the YWCA’s trained child care staff. The fee is $55 per child per day for families that are currently participating in YWCA Before or After School Programs, and $75 for non-participating families. Advance registration is required. To register, call 201-444-5600, ext 352 or visit www.ywcabergencounty.org for details and registration forms.
YWCA Before and After School Programs are offered at schools in seven Bergen County districts: Allendale, Cresskill, Dumont, Old Tappan, Oradell, Ridgewood, and Westwood. An after kindergarten program is available in Oradell. All programs are licensed by the State of New Jersey, Department of Children & Families
>Experience among BOE members is invaluable Friday, March 23, 2012 The Ridgewood News
Experience among BOE members is invaluable
To the editor:
I believe BOE candidate Jim Morgan’s recent letter in The Ridgewood News (“Morgan running for BOE seat”; March 2) was misleading and disingenuous. The 2 percent tax increase isn’t “there for the taking” – it’s already taken by contracted salaries, healthcare and special ed tuitions that are all out of the BOE’s hands. Trenton wants you to believe the budget cap serves taxpayers and doesn’t harm our schools, but the truth is, Ridgewood’s BOE has made cuts and eliminated important programs every year to live within the cap….
>RFP – Concession Refreshment Services at Graydon Pool – Bids Open April 3
Click Here for complete RFP: https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2012ConcessionRefreshSvs.pdf
Request for Proposals
Request for proposals will be received by the Village of Ridgewood’s Department of Parks and Recreation, up to 2:00 p.m. prevailing time on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, at The Stable, 259 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, for the following:
CONCESSION REFRESHMENT SERVICES – THE WATER’S EDGE CAFÉ, GRAYDON POOL
Proposal instructions may be obtained from the Department of Parks and Recreation, 259 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., telephone 201-670-5560. Prospective professional responders requesting proposal documents be mailed to them shall be responsible for providing their own postage/delivery service remuneration. No Specifications and/or Proposal forms shall be given out after 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 30, 2012.
Prices quoted must be net and exclusive of all Federal, State and Local Sales and Excise Taxes. Proposals may be submitted prior to the due date in person or by mail, addressed to the Department of Parks and Recreation. The Village assumes no responsibility for loss or non-delivery of any proposal sent to it prior to the proposal opening.
Each proposal must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the name of the responder thereon and endorsed, “Concession Refreshment Services – The Water’s Edge Café, Graydon Pool”.
All professional service responders are required to comply with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. (Contract Compliance and Equal Employment Opportunities in Public Contracts).
The Village of Ridgewood reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any informalities or to accept a proposal which, in its judgment best serves the interest of the Village. No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of sixty-days (60) after the date and time set for the opening of bids.
“Professional Responders are required to comply with the requirements of P.L.1975, C. 127. (NJAC 17:27) regarding Affirmative Action, and Executive Order No. 11246 regarding equal employment opportunity, as amended”.
>…it seems the Glen Rock Patch has spearheaded a drive to revitalize the downtown garage project .The council or most of the council except Paul would only say that a private/ public partnership to save the tax payers from funding the whole amount would be the only way to go .Given the said garage was built on Village property, the Village would consider a deferment of the property taxes for say 10 years. Oh of coarse you didn’t read all that in the Patch it was all about Paul and his buzz words which are also being spread by several other candidates and proxy Dom in the current Patch-Paul-Valley-talking points memo that should be all the rage at Village cocktail parties this weekend .
But the fly has seen’em come and seen’em go and one mans garage is a taxpayers Xanadu and as we know these things always seems to go back to the same old taxpayer funded socialize the risk and save the profit for your politically connected friends which is as DOA as the “Action park” redo of Graydon pool.
re: “If your boss came to you and said “It’s time to renegotiate your compensation package”, are you all honestly expecting us to believe you would say, “Well, the economy is hurting and I know this company is running on fumes now, so let’s forgo the raise and benefits for the good of the company”.”
No, we wouldn’t say that… we’d say:
“Well, the economy is hurting and I know this company is running on fumes now, so let’s forgo the raise and benefits so the company stays in business and I can keep my job”.
OR
“Well, the economy is hurting and I know this company is running on fumes now, so let’s forgo the raise and benefits while I put my resume out there ASAP and pray that the company stays in business long enough for me to find a new job and move to a more financially stable company.”.
You are so clueless.
Companies cut back and fire and layoff people when they have no money.
Schools are very restricted in their ability to do this due to unions and legal constraints
Companies go out of business.
Schools cannot.
Companies can’t pay for things with money they do not have.
Schools can raid the taxpayers for more money
People do not have jobs guaranteed for life.
Teachers do
People are responsible for their own personal financial situation – they leave bad situations.
Teachers rarely leave
People cannot force a company to pay them for things with money they do not have.
Unions do
You can negotiate with the company and get what you want, but they will compensate in some other manner… they may pay Peter more money by firing Paul.
Teachers have lifetime guaranteed jobs
You blame “the SYSTEM”. What a weak and “uneducated” response.
First of all, “the SYSTEM” is comprised of people – it is not some autonomous monster over which you have no control (although this is a convenient place for you to hide).
Secondly – if you think “the SYSTEM” is broken, don’t bemoan it like a weak victim – try to fix it and support those who are attempting to reform it – don’t hide behind it and fight for it.
The teacher’s union (and the teachers in their support for the union) is acting like spoiled ignorant greedy children.
It is not surprising, when they react like spoiled ignorant greedy children when caught and confronted with their bad behavior.
And like spoiled ignorant greedy children, they do not appreciate the good thing that they have.
>March 22 PSE&G Paving in Ridgewood- List of Locations
This is to inform you that our company is scheduling to work in Ridgewood on Thursday March 22, 2012. We will be milling and paving over where PSE&G previously installed the gas mains on S.Broad St between Leonard Pl. and E. Ridgewood Ave.,on Dayton Street from S. Maple to Hope Street and on East Side Ave. from Maxwell Pl to Grove St
