APRIL 26, 2015 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2015, 5:07 PM
BY KARA YORIO
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A kindergartner is grabbed by the arm and dragged into the classroom she is afraid to enter.
A middle-schooler has an anxiety attack in gym class, and the teacher stands there looking at his watch, timing the student’s struggle while classmates laugh.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Pubic Hearing on the 2015-2016 Budget and Regular Public Meeting on Monday, April 27, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.
The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting will be aired live on FiOS channel 33 and Optimum channel 77. Or it may be viewed live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Link in Live” tab.
Click here to view the agenda for the April 27, 2015 Public Hearing on the Budget and Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the 2015-2016 preliminary proposed budget presented at the April 13, 2015 Joint Meeting with the Village Council and Regular Public Meeting.
2015-2016 Preliminary Budget Information
Click here to view the latest presentation on next year’s school budget, given at the April 15, 2015 Board of Education meeting.
2015-2016 School Calendar is Approved
The 2015-2016 proposed school calendar was approved at the February 23, 2015 Regular Public Meeting of the Ridgewood Board of Education.Click here to view the calendar.
Board to Survey Parents and Guardians
District parents and guardians will have the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback to the Board of Education in May, when they will be asked to fill out the 2014-2015 satisfaction survey. The survey period will run from Tuesday, May 5 through Friday, May 15. All district parents and guardians with email addresses on file will receive an email link to the survey. Click here for more information
Education Commissioner David Hespe acknowledged this is a difficult time for school districts.
For the fourth year in a row the budget contains essentially flat funding.
Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly is recreation coordinator for the Paterson schools. (Aron/NJTV)
https://www.njtvonline.org/
August 21,2015
the Ridgewood Police Department
Ridgewood NJ, Willard School has received a report from parents of a possible coyote sighting near the school. Patrol has checked the area and no coyotes have been found. The Police Department has not received a direct complaint from any residents of a coyote sighting. The school has taken the precaution of alerting parents to the possible sighting. If you see a coyote near the school please contact the Ridgewood Police Department at 201-652-3900.
For more information about Coyotes in New Jersey visit the Division of Fish and Wildlife Web Site
Michael Thurston of Ridgewood High School Male Athlete of the Week
APRIL 21, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015, 7:00 AM
BY CHUCK O’DONNELL
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
You couldn’t blame Michael Thurston for being tired after running in three races during the Jack Yockers Bergen County Relays in Oradell.
Michael Thurston
Sport: Track Class: Junior Age: 17
Accomplishment: Thurston helped Ridgewood win two events and take second and third in two others during the Jack Yockers Bergen County Relays.
But two things managed to put a little spring back in the Ridgewood junior’s stride Saturday as he got ready to run his fourth and final event, the 4-x-400.
First, he wanted to do his best. He knew his teammates were counting on him to help them hold on to second place in the Division A standings.
Honoring the memory of a former RHS graduate, Matthew Sayles (Class of 2003). Matt lost his battle with salivary duct cancer in November, 2011, at the age of 27. His family has created this musical/artistic event in his memory.
One of the bands (Alex Bleeker and the Freaks) features Alex Bleeker (Class of 2004) who is also in another band, Real Estate, which performed on the David Letterman show last year. Also in the Alex Bleeker and the Freaks band is Nick Lenchner (Class of 2003).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP9XEcOtjbc (Real Estate on David Letterman show). And, Hot Fries is a current Ridgewood High School band.
BY JASON W. STEVENS
There’s a delightful and true saying, often attributed to Joseph Sobran, that in a hundred years, we’ve gone from teaching Latin and Greek in high school to teaching remedial English in college.
Now comes even more evidence of the steady decline of American educational standards.
Last year, Annie Holmquist, a blogger for better-ed.org, discovered a 1908 curriculum manual in the Minnesota Historical Society archives that included detailed reading lists for various grade levels.
According to her research, the recommended literature list for 7th and 8th graders in Minnesota in 1908included the following:
file photo Boyd Loving
April 21,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Road Warrior Reported in 2014 reported safer on the road but deadlier on foot
Ridgewood NJ, In Ridgewood ,there seemed to be far less accidents involving pedestrians and automobiles this past year? I do not know the numbers .
So we asked Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward if we did have decrease what in your mind was particularly effective in mitigating pedestrian incidents. If we had an increase what policy can the Village , the Schools or the Ridgewood PD do to increase awareness of public safety and make our streets safer ?
The Chief took time out to respond , “We did have a decrease in pedestrian related accidents in 2014. I can say we have experienced a significant decrease in the level of injury to pedestrians. That being said in December (2014) we did have several but again still well below last year. As far as why, I can say we have increased our efforts in the areas of education and enforcement as well as the efforts in the area of engineering to enhance safety. As you know there are too many variables to attribute a causal nexus between our efforts and the reductions in pedestrian crashes , but one could argue that there appears to be a correlation.
While according to the Record there has been an increase state wide , the Chiefs efforts in Village suggest that simply “awareness ” from both drivers , walkers and cyclist may be the key .
N.J. pedestrian deaths rise; police look for reasons
APRIL 21, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015, 6:47 AM
BY JOHN CICHOWSKI
RECORD COLUMNIST |
THE RECORD
Sad to say, each time you read your favorite newspaper, there’s a good chance you’ll learn about someone like Anila Lluka or Lisa Borsellino or Donna Marie Wine, whose lives were cut short at the rate of one every other day in New Jersey — twice a month in Bergen County.
These deaths happen so routinely that we often barely recognize their significance because the victims were doing something as common as crossing River Street in Hackensack, where Borsellino was struck down last October, or Paramus Road in Paramus, where Lluka was killed last November.
Tragically, such passings have become much more frequent lately, according to updated figures recently released by the New Jersey State Police fatal accident unit.
Pedestrian deaths totaled 169 statewide last year, including that of Ms. Wine, a beautician who was standing with others on Grand Avenue at an outdoor market in Hawthorne last August when a truck plowed into her. In Bergen, walking deaths peaked at 24 last year. Victims included Stephen Petruzzello, a 22-year-old Cliffside Park police officer who was run down crossing Walker Street two days after Christmas while on the job with his partner.
With Bergen now accounting for more pedestrian fatalities by far than any other county in the state, traffic cops in many of its 70 municipalities have begun digging into their files to find better ways to prevent such deaths.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/pedestrian-deaths-rise-police-look-for-reasons-1.1313666
Please join us tomorrow night for the next Planning Board Meeting Available
Tuesday, April 21 at Village Hall (not the HS)
Deliberations to begin at approximately 8:45 to 9 pm.
(The meeting starts at 7:30 pm, but the discussion on High Density Housing is not the first item on the agenda)
Agenda: The Planning Board will continue deliberating and Village Planner, Blais Brancheau, will provide some detail regarding issues put forth by Planning Board members last month. We are hoping Blais addresses concerns raised by several Planning Board members — concerns also shared by CBR.
To refresh your memory, below is a reprint of our reap from the 3/17/15 Planning Board Meeting:
CBR’s recap of 3/17/15 Planning Board Meeting
CBR Note:
The first condition of this amendment, aside from density and height issues, is changing the usage in the zones from commercial to residential. Keep in mind that when the planning board members state that they support the usage change, that does not necessarily indicate that they approve the densities that are proposed. Changing the zoning in an area of our CBD from commercial to residential is a big step in itself, as presumably once residential is built, there is no turning back to commercial usage on that site.
Once usage is addressed, the next issue is how much residential do you allow? Currently, most residential properties in the CBD have commercial usage on the first floor. Under this amendment, commercial usage on the first floor is no longer required. Allowing housing in our downtown at density higher than the 12 units per acre that is currently permitted makes sense, and anything over 12 units an acre constitutes “higher density.” Considering that the average density that currently exists in our downtown now is actually 22-24 units per acre, CBR would be quite comfortable with setting 22 or 24 units per acre as the new limit for density. We feel that doubling those numbers is too much, and that 35-40 units an acre and beyond would significantly alter the character of our Village. It is very important that our planning board finds the right balance in this amendment.
CBR ReCap:
We took notes on each of the Planning Board member’s comments and would like to share them here. Our notes are not direct quotes.
Absent from this meeting was Nancy Bigos. She has yet to weigh in.
Charles Nalbantian, the Chairman of the Planning Board, agrees that the usage (housing rather than commercial) is good, but said the “devil is in the details.” He expressed reservations about the height and RSIS (state mandated parking requirements), and indicated that he is not sure yet about the density.
Richard Joel, the Vice Chairman of the Planning Board, agrees with the usage (housing in our CBD) and believes it will promote the general welfare. He feels that we need to develop these under-utilized sites and there is a need for a variety of housing. He said that he doesn’t know what the right balance between height and density should be.
Kevin Riley, supports the use of housing in our downtown but is concerned with height and density. He said he would like to see the density reduced from what is currently put forth in the amendment.
Wendy Dockray, thinks concept of multifamily housing is a good one but has her “yellow flags” or reservations. She is not sure this is actually what seniors are looking for in terms of space and affordability. She is concerned that the height and scale will negatively impact the historical character of Ridgewood. She said going from 12 units per acre to 40-50 is a “huge jump” and she is not sure if building 40 – 50 units an acre is necessary or appropriate to achieve housing. She is also concerned with the fiscal impact and noted that our schools are “at capacity.”
David Thurston, supports the amendment AS IS. He doesn’t want to “play chicken” with developers by giving them less than what they want. He said this is his business and if the Planning Board comes back with less than the amendment, it may not be “economically sound” for the developers. He is in favor of the 40 – 50 units in our CBD and is worried about what our town will look like in 40 years if we don’t allow the developers to build.
Councilwoman Susan Knudsen, not in favor of the amendment as it is written. She is concerned with the density, height, impact of adding more pedestrians that will impede traffic, open space and the changing character of Ridgewood. She said the she would like to see developers move forward with something, but would like to see a balance.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn, feels this is an opportunity for Ridgewood. He feels like we have enough information to make a decision and we should move forward soon. He said that people who don’t want their big houses could move to these apartments, but we need to strike the right balance. His stated that his issues are 1) density, 2) amenities (he would like to find a way to incentivize the developers to build high end apartments), 3) housing for special needs residents, 4) parking (he wondered if developers not providing sufficient parking could be forced to pay money into a fund to use for public parking), and 5) can separate amendments be crafted to address each zone individually?
Michele Peters, concerned about the density. Not in favor of the current amendment. She questioned whether the parking that was being considered as part of the proposals in the redevelopment zone on N. Walnut would alleviate some of the parking deficit in Ridgewood, but was told the deficit is beyond what could be added in the redevelopment zone.
Isabella Altano, (1st alternate on PB) wants to see more consideration given to the impacts. She feels we need a lower density. She asked about the potential costs to our infrastructure, if projected school enrollment could be provided that included approval of 400+ new apartments and what could be done to address our open space deficiency.
Khidir Abdalla, (2nd alternate on PB) said that we shouldn’t be afraid of change and supports the amendment. He is not concerned with the density and scale and feels that this type of housing fits in well to an URBAN downtown. He feels we need increased density in order to get pedestrian traffic that is needed to revitalize our downtown.
Thank you for your continued support.
Citizensfora BetterRidgewood
[email protected]
By Adam Clark | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on April 19, 2015 at 7:30 AM, updated April 19, 2015 at 9:21 AM
The A-H fiction section at Union High School’s library offers about 3,000 titles, according to the school librarian.
There are classics, such as Agatha Christie’s crime novels, and popular teen books like the coming of age tale “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
But during March and early April, when the library was used for the computerized Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) testing, most of those books were off-limits to the school’s students, librarian Doris D’Elia said.
“About half of my fiction section is blocked because of the way they put my tables in and the wiring they installed for a temporary lab for PARCC,” D’Elia said. “We can’t even get to the books.”
PARCC, standardized math and English tests for New Jersey students in grades 3-11, has drawn the ire of some parents and teachers for a variety of reasons, including concern about the validity of the tests.
But there’s an underlying problem with PARCC regardless of its effectiveness, those parents and teachers say — in the weeks it took schools to administer the tests, students’ daily learning was continually interrupted in some schools.
Libraries were closed, schedules flipped upside down and teachers pulled from regular assignments, educators said. Some mixed-grade high school classes were missing different groups of students each day or week, forcing teachers to alter lesson plans.
https://www.nj.com/education/2015/04/parcc_testing_takes_toll_on_daily_learning.html
file photo by Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, On Tuesday, April 21, “Raising Financially Literate Children” will be presented by financial planner Kerry Fitzgerald. Strategies will be shared to help children learn the make prudent financial decisions starting early in life through independence. The program will take place at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, floor 3. Please click here for the flyer.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB BROWN
APRIL 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY GREG TARTAGLIA
SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD — No matter how much multitasking Jacob Brown does, he keeps at least one eye on his athletes at all times.
The Ridgewood High School girls track and field coach was chatting about his 44th and final season Wednesday at Ben Franklin Middle School. And that was in between a practice with the Maroon distance runners and the opening events of the Jack Yockers Bergen County Relays, in which RHS was competing the high jump and pole vault.
The latter happened to catch Brown’s attention when Maxine Earl vaulted 7-foot-6.
“I tell you what, Earl just looked really good going over [the bar],” the coach said with an admiring lilt. “She cleared that by six inches or a foot.
“I need to get my camera and take pictures of this,” he said, turning to head for his car.
Brown’s love and appreciation of the sport is just one of the reasons the Ben Franklin facility was recently rededicated as the Jacob Brown Track & Field Complex. The founder of the RHS girls program, who will retire at season’s end, was conferred the honor in a surprise ceremony prior to the April 4 Steve Pawlowski Ridgewood Relays.
The Maroons then went out and edged Ramsey, 110 1/2-110, to win the large schools title
Tim Cronin and Nancy Bigos of the Dept. of Parks & Rec have posted the Graydon schedule on the Graydon page of the Village calendar as follows (asterisks have been added):
2015 SEASON
Early Season – Saturday, June 6 to Thursday, June 18
Weekends, 10 am to 7:30 pm
Weekdays, ***12 noon*** to 7:30 pm
Regular Season – Friday, June 19 to Sunday, August 16
Daily, 10 am to 7:30 pm
July 4th – Holiday hours, 10 am to 4 pm
Late Season – Monday, August 17 to Sunday, August 30th
Weekends, 10 am to 7:30 pm
Weekdays, ***12 noon*** to 7:30 pm
****POOL CLOSED – Monday, August 31 through Friday, September 4****
Labor Day Weekend – Saturday, Sept 5 through Monday, Sept 7
Daily, 10 am to 7:30 pm
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/department_detail.cfm?dept_id=41
Translation:
1. Graydon will open two hours late (at noon) on the first 9 weekdays in June following theJune 6-7 opening weekend (that is, June 8-12 and 15-18). Full opening hours (10 AM to 7:30 PM) will begin on Friday, June 19, the day after the last day of school. Late opening resumes for 10 weekdays in late August (Aug. 17-21 and 24-28).
Total of short days: 19 = 38 lost hours of beach time.
Note: Crestwood Lake in Allendale will open two full weeks earlier, on May 23. Weekday hours until school is out will be 1-5 PM throughout that period.
2. Graydon will be CLOSED for the entire 5 days before Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31-Sept. 4). Rationale: lifeguards will not be available because they’ll be in school, with Ridgewood and some other schools opening before Labor Day (Sept. 7)–but none as early as Aug. 31, and Ridgewood with a half-day on Wed. 9/9 and only 2 full days of school, why close all week?
The other part of the argument is that pool managers will be unavailable because they are teachers.
So maybe hire a couple who aren’t teachers? There’s still time.
Total of lost hours that week: 47.5 (9.5/day x 5 days)
Total lost beach time: 38 hours (late opening) + 47.5 hours (week before Labor Day weekend) = 85.5 hours
That’s the equivalent of 9 full lost days (9.5 x 9).
Full hours all season would include 893 hours. Since the first Saturday in June is late this year (June 6), the season is already short. From the first Saturday in June through Labor Day runs 13 weeks 3 days, or (13 x 7) + 3 = 94 days; that’s 9.5 hours/day x 94 = 893 hours. Removing 85.5 hours constitutes a 10.44% reduction. An additional 3.5 hours of closing occur on July 4, when Graydon is closed at 4 PM as a “drop zone” for fireworks.
WHY IS IT NECESSARY to demonstrate to the council every year that people still care about Graydon? I don’t know, but it is.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE if people show up at a council meeting to express their views/displeasure? I don’t know, but it often helps. And the less familiar their faces are, the better–also odd but true.
I am not attempting to convene a rally. However, next Wednesday’s council meeting is our last shot at trying to get this year’s proposed reduced hours rolled back. THE COUNCIL MUST STILL VOTE ON IT, although it would have slid through this important step if I hadn’t noticed the web page announcement and yawped at them at the April 8 council meeting. There was no meeting this week; Graydon, I’m told, will be on the agenda for next week. (The agenda has not been posted yet; https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/agenda.cfm/)
If you care about this, please make your voice heard.
The council is tired of hearing my voice and so am I. It has been amply demonstrated that a show of strength and interest at a council meeting makes an impression on elected officials. It may not help, but it can’t hurt. And there is always next year and beyond for the council to consider and plan for.
Village Council
Public Work Session
Wednesday, April 22, 7:30 PM
Village Hall courtroom, 4th floor
Public comment is likely to begin shortly after 7:30, after the Pledge of Allegiance. Please consider stating briefly why the opening hours matter to you and why you believe our council and staff should make whatever effort is required to keep Graydon open for full summer hours–a situation that was assumed and unquestioned for decades.
Be specific, if possible: morning swim fan; work schedule prevents going when it’s open; want to invite guests or take children/grandchildren when a late opening is now scheduled; like to take vacation days from work to go swimming, but want to arrive before noon; council claims to care about seniors; school-aged children do not comprise Graydon’s only constituency; unnecessary to shut down for the entire week before Labor Day, even considering school schedules; why not at least open from 3 to 7:30 on those days?
If you can’t come, please consider contacting the council to express your views. Their email addresses will pop up in an email form through this link:
https://www.preservegraydon.org/write-council
And then we’ll see! Thanks.
Swimmingly,
Marcia
===========================================
Marcia Ringel, Co-Chair
The Preserve Graydon Coalition, Inc., a nonprofit corporation
“It’s clear—we love Graydon!”
www.PreserveGraydon.org
APRIL 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Ridgewood Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Mary K. Ferreri as the new principal of Orchard Elementary School, effective July 15.
Ferreri has spent her entire career in the Westwood Regional School District. She is currently principal at the Jessie F. George Elementary School, a position that she has held since 2010.
From January 2009 to June 2010, she worked as acting assistant principal at George and Ketler schools while also serving as supervisor of elementary programs and the district’s head teacher for kindergarten to grade 6. Prior to that, she taught first and third grades in Westwood from 2002 to 2009.
Ferreri, who will be paid $150,000 in Ridgewood, has a master’s degree in educational administration from Montclair State.
Superintendent of Schools Daniel Fishbein announced Ferreri’s appointment in a letter distributed to Ridgewood parents.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/new-principal-named-at-orchard-education-1.1311296
APRIL 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Anticipating minor changes that might impact Ridgewood families, the Board of Education (BOE) hopes to approve the school district’s 2016-17 calendar by the end of this month.
Just weeks after they finalized and adopted next year’s calendar, trustees engaged in a constructive dialogue during Monday’s BOE meeting as they reviewed the calendar committee’s recommended schedule for 2016-17.
“We told parents that we would try to get the calendar over a year in advance because we keep hearing ‘I want to be able to schedule what we’ll be doing, what the kids will be doing’,” BOE President Sheila Brogan said.
Board members generally agreed with the committee’s suggested calendar, which incorporated elements that most education officials deem desirable: First day of instruction begins after Labor Day; February features a full week of recess; and last day of classes is June 22.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/boe-gets-jump-on-calendar-schools-1.131131
