As New Jersey schools began administering new online state exams on Monday, a few affluent communities reported large numbers of students opting out.
In Livingston, the suburb where Gov. Chris Christie grew up, school officials said about 1,100 students declined to take the tests, more than a quarter required to take them.
In Princeton, more than half of the high-school students who are scheduled to take them in coming days said they wouldn’t.
These districts appeared to be among the biggest pockets of resistance to the tests aligned with the Common Core, a set of expectations adopted by most states that spell out what skills children should master in each grade. (Brody/Wall Street Journal)
Reader says Common Core :The most important reason appears to be the intimate connection between federal funding to support state staffing positions for education
Why are school districts so adamant about subjecting our children to this? The most important reason appears to be the intimate connection between federal funding to support state staffing positions for education. For example, in Alaska 43% of the jobs in the department of education are federally funded. An Alaskan legislator also pointed out that two-thirds of their educational administrative costs are federally funded. Concern over this intimate connection creates a culture of silence where teachers and administrators fear losing their jobs. Another reason is school administrators believe they must have 95% participation on the standardized test in order to receive funding for their schools. Local districts also comply with the tests because they have been both pressured by the federal government and conditioned to obey federal mandates (however unconstitutional).
The SBAC and PARCC tests and Common Core are acts of educational tyranny never agreed to, never voted on by parents or legislatures, and never discussed or debated. This system of so-called educational reform is radical, egalitarian, socialist and counterproductive. Should we accept this conversion to nationalized education with unflinching obedience? It is up to us. Will we protect our children from planned failure based on poorly designed schemes? Or will we refuse this poorly disguised federal tyranny? I will refuse. A growing number of parents are joining me. Will you?
Mary Anne Marcella is a parent and public school teacher who wants the best for her children and students. Her views are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of others in the education field.
RIDGEWOOD SCHOOLS : DELAYED OPENING MONDAY, MARCH 2
Due to winter conditions, the Ridgewood Public Schools will have a DELAYED OPENING on Monday, March 2. Under the delayed opening plan, the school day will begin two hours later than usual. School bus schedules will operate two hours later. The morning kindergarten will be canceled; the afternoon kindergarten will follow the regular hours (12:20-3 p.m.). Children in grades 1-5 who have not ordered lunches must bring a bag lunch to school. There will not be sufficient time for children to go home for lunch when there is a delayed opening.
FEBRUARY 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015, 9:59 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
When Bergen County Protect and Rescue fell into desperate times late last summer, the general public stepped up with an overwhelming response to assist the county’s only no-kill animal shelter. Though given a crutch, the Cliffside Park-based operation is still in constant need of community support, as it barely covers the monthly $10,000 operating costs to care for some four dozen cats and dogs until they’re ready for adoption.
Ridgewood has taken notice.
The Willard School community took a different approach while planning its annual theme day, which took place earlier this month to rave reviews and overwhelming positive feedback.
A school-wide program, theme days in the past were typically geared toward student enjoyment and learning. Previous theme days incorporated events such as spelling bees or “Amazing Race” style activities that promoted cultural diversity and education.
“They were fun, but we wanted to do something that put the emphasis on the children making a difference during the day rather than another fun event,” said Pam Chmiel, this year’s theme day coordinator. “Willard has a great track record in bringing conscious programs to the school … so we presented our theme as ‘philanthropy’ – giving time, talents and treasure and taking action for the common good.”
Chmiel, together with the Willard Home and School Association, Principal Caroline Hoffman and other parents, rebranded theme day as Willard Service Day 2015, which they hosted on Feb. 4. Student activities still focused on fun and learning, but they also centered on “giving back to those less fortunate or going through a difficult time.”
BFMS Student Wins New Jersey Youth Orchestra Competition
February 27,2015
Ridgewood NJ , BFMS flutist Sean Marron is the 2015 winner of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Orchestras Concerto Competition. As the winner, Sean will perform as a featured concerto soloist in the youth orchestra’s spring concert. Sean plays in Jason Curcio’s eighth grade band.
Photo: Jeffrey Lampiasi, Jr. and Jaesung Son pose with RHS Principal Tom Gorman and guidance counselor Peter Burkhard. The other finalists were not available for the photo
Ridgewood Schools National Merit Scholarship Finalists are Announced
Ridgewood NJ, The following five of the seven semi-finalists have been named finalists in the 2015 competition for the National Merit Scholarship awards: Jeffrey Lampiasi, Jr., Warren Li, Sumita Rajpurohit, Jaesung Son and Gabriel Voorhis-Allen.
National Merit Scholarship Qualifications
If you’re a high school junior or the parent of a high school junior, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the National Merit Scholarship qualifications, as most juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) in October of their junior year.
National Merit Scholarship Qualifications
In order to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, a student must: 1) take the PSAT/NMSQT during his or her 3rd year (junior year) of high school 2) be in high school and plan to enroll in college full time by the fall after his or her high school graduation and 3) be a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident with the intention of becoming a U.S. citizen. If a student meets these requirements, he or she will automatically be eligible to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP).
Of the about 1.5 million juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT each year, approximately 50,000 juniors with the highest PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores (or total PSAT scores) who meet the eligibility requirements described above qualify for NMSP recognition. That is, roughly the top 3% of 11th grade testers will qualify. Note that the Selection Index qualifying scores vary from year to year and state to state, as students are selected for NMSP recognition from each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. During the April following the PSAT/NMSQT administration, these 50,000 students are invited to select two colleges to which the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) will provide a reference.
During the September following the PSAT/NMSQT administration, approximately 2/3 of those 50,000 students will receive Letters of Commendation recognizing their academic abilities and potential. Commended students are not eligible for National Merit scholarships. The remaining 1/3 of the 50,000 students qualify as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. For the Class of 2015, in order to qualify as a Semifinalist, students had to have earned a PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score of at least 201 to 222 (240 is the highest possible PSAT/NMSQT score), depending on the state in which the student lives. To view a list of the qualifying scores by state for the class of 2015, visit our National Merit Scores page.
Once a student qualifies as a Semifinalist, he or she must complete the National Merit Scholarship Application and submit it to the NMSC in order to move on to the next round of qualifications (Finalist) and to be considered for a National Merit Scholarship. Additionally, if he or she has not yet taken the SAT and had those scores reported to the NMSC, he or she must do so in October, November, or December of his or her senior year.
During the February of senior year, NMSC will notify those Semifinalists who have qualified as Finalists. Of the roughly 16,000 students who qualify as Semifinalists, about 15,000 of them will qualify as Finalists. Of those 15,000 Finalists, approximately 8,200 of them will be selected for Merit Scholarships, which can be a National Merit Scholarship, a Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship, or a College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded based on skills, abilities, and accomplishments as exhibited through a student’s application materials.
Ridgewood students skirt danger as debris from N.Y.C. building falls on waiting bus
FEBRUARY 25, 2015, 10:32 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015, 10:35 PM
BY MARY DIDUCH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Debris from a four-story Manhattan building fell on a yellow school bus whose driver was inside, waiting for Ridgewood elementary school students to return from a field trip.
The bus driver, Daniel Campbell, 45, who was not injured, told the New York Daily News that he thought he might die when the incident occurred suddenly Wednesday afternoon. Campbell was napping when a portion of the building at 642 W. 57th St., near 11th Avenue, partly collapsed onto the vehicle, he told the News.
The students from Somerville Elementary School were on a field trip to New York City, Ridgewood Superintendent Daniel Fishbein wrote in an email. No one was injured, but the bus was damaged, so another bus from the company picked up the students, staff and chaperones, he said.
“Luckily none of our students, staff, chaperones or the bus driver were hurt,” Fishbein said
New York Voices with Jazzmasters Big Band
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Ridgewood, NJ
Ridgewood NJ, Returning to Ridgewood, NJ for the first time since 1997, The Grammy Award winning vocal jazz quartet consisting of Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian, and Lauren Kinhan will be joined by an all star line up of professional music educators to perform for one night only.
Having recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, New York Voices is the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. They are known for their close-knit voicings, inspired arrangements and unparalleled vocal blend. Their chameleon-like musicianship allows them to move seamlessly from setting to setting, be it orchestral/big band to the intimate trio lineup. With deep interests rooted in jazz, Brazilian, R & B, classical, and pop, their music mixes traditional sensibilities with more than a dash of the unexpected.
The Voices will perform 2 sets of music including selections from their popular recorded repertoire plus A Cappella features performed only in a live setting.
The Jazzmasters Big Band was formed in 2013 by Ridgewood High School Band Director Jeffrey Haas to provide a way for his students to hear live big band jazz performed by excellent musicians. Jazzmasters is an ensemble of celebrated performers – Grammy nominees, public school teachers, college professors, private instructors and Broadway musicians – who all share a passion for playing and teaching music in the big band tradition. The group has since branched out from the educational clinic setting to well attended and highly acclaimed public performances.
The Jazzmasters Big Band is:
Saxophones: Julius Tolentino, Paul Larsen, David Demsey, James Garde and Jeff Haas
Trumpets: David Rogers, Ben Hankle, Jeffrey Lesser and John Luckenbill
Trombones: Matt Bilyk, Pete McGuinness, Matt Tracey and Henry Heyzer
Rhythm: Willy Dalton(guitar), Jeffrey Kunkel(piano), Brian Glassman(bass), Steve Johns(drums) and Gary Fink(percussion)
A Letter from Dr. Fishbein on PARCC, Policies and Procedures
February 24, 2015
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Next week, we will begin the implementation of the New Jersey state-mandated PARCC assessments in our schools. Although we have been administering state-mandated assessments for decades, these particular required assessments have been subject to much debate and controversy.
Simply, all New Jersey public school districts are mandated by the State of New Jersey to administer these assessments and students are required to participate. On Monday, February 23, 2015, the Ridgewood Board of Education updated Policy #2622 – Student Assessment. (A link to the policy is provided below.)
The State of New Jersey does not recognize parents who do not permit their children to take the PARCC assessments. However, in preparation for the administration of PARCC in the Ridgewood Public Schools, we have developed an administrative process we will follow under Procedure #2622 – Student Assessment. Because this is a procedure, it is not subject to Board of Education approval. (A link to this procedure is provided below.)
Below are links to relevant FAQ information from the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and from the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE). In addition, significant PARCC information may be found on the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment page of our district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us. The link to the PARCC information is located on the right side of the page.
Ridgewood Ice Hockey takes the cup for fifth straight year
Third period comeback propels Ridgewood Ice Hockey to 4-2 win over Paramus Catholic in Big North, Patriot Division final
By Richard Greco | For NJ Advance Media
on February 20, 2015 10:20 PM, updated February 21, 2015 12:14 AM
WAYNE–For the second straight year,Ridgewood needed to mount a third-period comeback against Paramus Catholic in the Big North, Patriot Division Tournament title.
Last year, the Maroons scored three unanswered goals. This year Ridgewood closed out the game with four unanswered third- period tallies to repeat as Big North Tournament, Patriot Division champs in a 4-2 win at the Ice Vault on Friday.
The title is Ridgewood’s fourth overall.
Ridgewood entered the third period trailing 2-0, before a Brendan Buckley goal midway through the final frame started to shift momentum. Buckley took the puck in the offensive zone and launched a snap shot through a defender’s legs to cut Ridgewood’s deficit to 2-1.
“That (goal) changed all the momentum,” Buckley said. “I knew then that we had all the momentum. I know we were going to go all the way.”
RHS Dance Team Excels
February 18, 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The RHS Dance Team excelled at their second competition of the season on February 7 at Pascack Valley High School. The team received high scores in “jazz technique” as well as “level of difficulty.” They are currently preparing for the New Jersey Dancers State Championship. The team is made up of nine RHS students and coached by Caitlin Musso.
RHS Athlete is Recognized for outstanding contributions to the RHS Girls Soccer team
February 19,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, RHS senior soccer and lacrosse player Natalie Weil was recognized at the National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration on February 1 at Seton Hall University for outstanding contributions to the RHS Girls Soccer team, where she also served as one of the team’s co-captains. Sponsored by the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, the event celebrated the many achievements of girls and women in sports, recognizing female athletes, coaches and administrators.
Photo: Natalie Weil with RHS Girls Soccer coach Jeff Yearing.
Ridgewood High School Wrestling senior reaches 100 career victories
FEBRUARY 13, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD — Over the course of four seasons, Nick Saglimbeni’s role on the Ridgewood High School wrestling team has changed. His goal — to win matches — has remained the same.
Ridgewood’s Nick Saglimbeni became the fourth wrestler in program history to reach the 100-win plateau.
The Maroons senior picked up his 100th win on the mat in an 8-5 decision versus Bridgewater-Raritan on Jan. 31, becoming just the fourth wrestler in Ridgewood history to reach the mark, joining all-time wins leader Joe Oliva (Class of 2014), Brandon Giovanetti (2012) and Mark Romeo (2002).
“It was definitely always a goal of mine, especially since freshman year when I got in the lineup and started winning matches,” the senior said Tuesday night.
Back in his debut season, Saglimbeni thrived as the only freshman on the varsity squad in 2011-12, earning All-County honorable mention and Big North Freedom Division first-team accolades at 113 pounds.
Nayeon Park from George Washington Middle School Among the Winners Announced for Third Annual Adolescent Immunization Awareness Contest
Middle School and High School Winners of the Annual Protect Me With 3+ Video and Poster Contest Promote Vaccine Awareness
Newark, NJ – February 13, 2015 – The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health, today announced the winners for the third annual Protect Me With 3+ adolescent immunization awareness video and poster contest. The winning entries can be viewed at https://protectmewith3.com.
Video Contest Winners:
1st place: Timothy Smith, Samantha Tracy and Liam Keller from Cherokee High School located in Marlton, New Jersey (Burlington County, Flu).
2nd place: Emily Churak from Henry Hudson Regional located in Highlands, New Jersey (Monmouth County, Flu).
3rd place: Gavriel Epstein from Torah Academy of Bergen County located in Teaneck, New Jersey (Bergen County, Tdap).
Poster Contest Winners:
1st place: Nayeon Park from George Washington Middle School located in Ridgewood, New Jersey (Bergen County, Tdap).
2nd place: Virendra Ghate from Terrill Middle School located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey (Union County, Flu).
3rd place: Sophia Iacona, Margot Rizzi and Paris Mercurio from Terrill Middle School located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey (Union County, MCV4).
Classroom Winners
Poster: Patricia Selby from Terrill Middle School located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey (Union County).
Video: James Gregg from Henry Hudson Regional located in Highlands, New Jersey (Monmouth County).
The top three winners in the poster and video categories received prizes and the opportunity for their submissions to be distributed during statewide immunization awareness activities.
In its third year, the Protect Me With 3+ contest increases awareness about the importance of four adolescent immunizations: tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal conjugate (MCV4) and influenza.
“The Protect Me With 3+ contest offers a unique opportunity for New Jersey residents to learn about the importance of adolescent vaccinations. We are very happy with this year’s winners, as their efforts have helped to raise public health awareness,” commented Ilise Zimmerman, Executive Director, of Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey.
The poster contest was open to New Jersey students in grades 5-8, while students in grades 9-12 were eligible to participate in the video contest. The public voted for their favorite entries from January 24, 2015 through February 8, 2015.
Honorable Mentions
Finalists in each category were also honored at the awards ceremony held at the West Windsor Public Library on February 12, 2015. The two video finalists were group entries by Ian McBride and Dominic Capasso, and Adam Danzger, Dana Tsipenyuk, Avital Rubinchik and Julia Pak. The two poster finalists were group entries by Justin Rizzi and Rachel Schuman, and Julia Zucosky, Colette Franciscus, Zoe Rouder and Carly Dvorin.
About the Organizers
The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). Its mission is to improve the health of women, children, and families. The Partnership has more than 20 years of experience mounting community-based, consumer-friendly and culturally competent educational programs to parents, caregivers, pregnant women and individuals of child-bearing age. For more information visit: https://partnershipmch.org/
To learn more about vaccinations, please visit the Department of Health’s website: https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/imm.shtml
New Jersey’s new test for third-graders tough even for reporter
FEBRUARY 17, 2015, 9:44 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2015, 9:46 PM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
With two weeks to go before New Jersey schoolchildren face new tests that have sparked outrage and panic in some parents and teachers, it fell to me as The Record’s education reporter to determine if these exams are as tough as they have been made out to be.
As a parent of a third-grader, I had an added incentive for getting an early look at the source of all the angst – both the English and math tests that are going to be given to third-graders.
I talked to experts, educators and parents to get their opinions, and I took the test myself to see how I would do — first with about 50 educators and parents at a forum on taking the test, then at the office, answering multiple-choice questions, typing short answers on a computer and writing an essay.
It wasn’t a cakewalk. The 13 third-grade practice questions in English language arts and the 17 questions in math were challenging, and the answers were almost never obvious. Still, I’m happy to report that all my hair is still intact on my head, I did not dissolve into tears, and I got all but a few answers right. Although to be fair, I’m not in third grade.
The new tests will be given to students in Grades 3-11 beginning in March. They are the result of New Jersey adopting new standards of what students should know at each grade level. The exams are designed to be more rigorous than previous tests, but they will not count against students until 2019, when they become a graduation requirement for 11th-graders.
