High cost of Common Core has states rethinking the national education standards
By Perry Chiaramonte
Published February 05, 2014
FoxNews.com
States are learning the cost of Common Core is uncommonly high.
The federally-backed standards initiative, first proposed by the nation’s governors and an educators’ association, seeks to impose a national standard for achievement among K-12 students. So far, 45 states plus the District of Columbia have signed on, with some implementing curriculum designed for the Common Core Standards Initiative during the current school year and the rest set to take part in the next school year. But several states are reconsidering their participation, and one big reason is the cost.
States will spend up to an estimated $10 billion up front, then as much as $800 million per year for the first seven years that the controversial program is up and running. Much of the cost is on new, Common Core-aligned textbooks and curriculum, but the added expenses also include teacher training, technology upgrades, testing and assessment. The figures are taking states by surprise
Willard School Physical Education Teacher Craig Mahler has received the 2014 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award
Ridgewood NJ, The district has received word that Willard School Physical Education Teacher Craig Mahler has received the 2014 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award from the New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NJAHPERD).
Craig was nominated for the award by his colleagues, who validated his professionalism in several areas, including his commitment to his students and to quality physical education. Craig will be honored at an NJAHPERD banqueton February 23.
Reader Questions BOE judgement on delayed opening ,school closed flip
Why would the BOE call for a delayed opening when the Village OEM has made the following statement of the Village facebook page :
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for our area from midnight tonight through 6 pm Wednesday.
We are expecting 4-8 inches of heavy, wet snow, and up to 1/3 inch of ice. Heavy snow and ice creates a significant risk of downed trees and power lines, and potential power outages. Prepare now for possible loss of power.
Due to a severe state-wide shortage of road salt, we cannot guarantee enough salt to treat secondary roads. Our priorities are the major arteries, and those roads leading to Valley Hospital. Therefore, we anticipate extremely hazardous driving conditions on most village streets.
The Office of Emergency Management urges all residents to stay off the roads tomorrow for your own safety. If possible, do not drive, stay indoors, and stay away from downed trees and power lines.
Ridgewood Schools Food delivery ban: NO MENTION of a non-compete clause in his letter.
mom with a POV
I’m not personally affected by Dr. Fishbein’s decision, but I am disgusted that Dr. Fishbein can send a letter to every parent in the district LYING about why he was putting an end to outside vendor deliveries. There was NO MENTION of a non-compete clause in his letter. He claimed student safety and too much staff time being used as the reasons. He then said that he was happy to listen to solutions proposed by the vendors. Now we hear:
Superintendent Daniel Fishbein said no vendors proposed a solution that addressed his concern about the non-compete clause with Pomptonian Food Service, the district’s contracted food management service provider since 1987.
“Each of the proposals that have come to me, I believe, had to do with leaving lunches behind, and that doesn’t work,” said Fishbein, whose decision was first announced in a letter earlier this month, about a week before the ban began.
Which is it, Dr. Fishbein? Student safety? Administrative time? Potential loss of money? The parents deserved to hear the TRUTH from our superintendent, not patronizing lies.
And speaking of patronizing, the last time I checked #1,#2 & #4, people are allowed to spend their money as they see fit. No one asked you what kind of car you drive or how big your TV is. Parents have the right to make their kid’s lunch, have the kid make their own lunch or have it bought and delivered (until recently). It’s not your money to spend.
UPDATE 2.05.14 at 5 A.M.: SCHOOLS CLOSED TODAY, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Due to the severity of the winter storm, the Ridgewood Public Schools are CLOSED today, Wednesday, February 5, 2014. All after-school activities are also canceled.
5:25 a.m UPDATE: SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED TODAY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3
2.03.14 at 5:25 a.m.
Dear Parents/Guardians/Staff,
Due to the severity of the winter storm, the Ridgewood Public Schools will be CLOSED today, Monday, February 3. All afterschool and evening activities are canceled.
Thank you . Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools Ridgewood Public Schools
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
410 AM EST MON FEB 3 2014
…MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL EVENT TODAY…
…SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM POSSIBLE FOR ALL BUT EASTERN LONG
ISLAND TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY…
NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-
WESTERN PASSAIC-EASTERN PASSAIC-WESTERN BERGEN-EASTERN BERGEN-
ORANGE-PUTNAM-ROCKLAND-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-
410 AM EST MON FEB 3 2014
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS
EVENING…
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
* LOCATIONS…SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT…THE LOWER HUDSON
VALLEY…AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY.
* HAZARD TYPES…MODERATE SNOW TODAY. POTENTIALLY HEAVY SNOW AND
ICE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 3 TO 6 INCHES TODAY. 5 TO
10 INCHES OF SNOW…ALONG WITH ICE ACCRETION OF UP TO A HALF AN
INCH…TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
* VISIBILITIES…ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES TODAY.
* TIMING…A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW WILL CHANGE QUICKLY TO ALL
SNOW JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK. THE SNOW WILL BE MODERATE TO HEAVY AT
TIMES…IN PARTICULAR DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON
HOURS. SNOW WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY NIGHT…THEN MIX WITH AND
CHANGE TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN FROM SOUTH TO NORTH WEDNESDAY.
* IMPACTS…SNOW COVERED ROADWAYS…MAKING FOR SLIPPERY TRAVEL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CA– USE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND — USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
Fishbein: Planning for the future
Friday, January 31, 2014
By DANIEL FISHBEIN
COLUMNIST
Over the next year, you’ll be hearing more and more about a new district plan that promises to make a dynamic impact on our mission of excellence. Called 1:1 (One to One), it’s an initiative that aims to partner the tools of technology with the skills of our professional educators with the goal of raising student success to new levels.
The 1:1 program planned for Ridgewood is designed to enhance instruction and improve learning by supplying one computer device to every student, for use both in the classroom and at home. This is not a new idea – in fact, two Bergen County high schools have had 1:1 instruction in place for the past eight years. But it is a concept which time has come for the Ridgewood Public Schools.
How does 1:1 differ from the technology already in place in Ridgewood classrooms? A while ago the Board of Education adopted a formal goal to integrate computer technology into our learning environment and as a result, we have longstanding policies and programs in place at this point in time, with numerous computers in our buildings available for use by our students and teaching staff.
FIRE and ICE – A Winter Festival – with Bonfires at Graydon – February 1
Fire and Ice – A Winter Festival in the Village New Date – Saturday, February 1st
Take part in the national initiative “Come Alive Outside” and join Ridgewood Parks and Recreation, Jacobsen Landscape Design and Construction, Ridgewood Fire Department and Eastern Mountain Sports as they create an outstanding winter late afternoon/evening event at Graydon Park and the surrounding parklands. Please use the Graydon parking lot and main entrance.
Village families can gather together, enjoy bonfires around Graydon Pool with winter dinner and comforting refreshments. Ice skating (bring your own skates), snow shoeing, hiking, ice sculptures, and music are a few of the festive offerings. A winter vendor’s market will host a variety of hot foods, desserts and homemade baked goods while others specialize in winter gloves, scarves, and mittens. There will even be honey from our local beekeepers.
Saturday, February 1st, 4 to 8 p.m. (rain date is 2/8) Graydon Park and the Stable environs (Please use the Graydon Pool parking lot and main entrance.)
We hope you will join us! The cost per person is $5. Pre-registration is requested and is offered online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass or in person/by mail: The Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, weekdays, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Locate the registration flyer on the Recreation homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/recreation. Call the Recreation Office at 201-670-5560 if more information is needed.
Reader says that fact that N.J. students in low-income districts struggle on SATs is proof “Abbot ruling” a failure
It does prove, that the “Burke vs Abbot’ ruling, by our left leaning Supreme Court, does NOT work.
For those of you unfamiliar, it created “Abbot’ districts which basically guarantee ‘per pupil funding’ in the dumps of Paterson, Newark,Camden, Jersey City etc of an equivalent financial amount as the ‘good’ districts, such as Ridgewood.
Despite pissing away hundreds of millions of dollars since this 1997 ruling, the results speak for themselves.
Ever wonder why roads don’t get fixed? Bridges and other infrastructure fall apart? Its because the “Abbot ruling’ basically drains the state treasury in order to comply.
Very sad because its a failed social experiment and we all pay for it.
Ask a Paterson teacher what is required to satisfactorily complete a year and progress to the next?
Grades? Nope. Just simply ‘attendance’. Your tax dollars at work in the great state of NJ. Or should I say ‘Peoples Republic of NJ, run by liberal Democrats’.
Is Your Child in the Right School?
Amy Payne
January 27, 2014 at 6:30 am
South Carolina mom Lisa Stevens wasn’t satisfied with her child’s school. Then she heard about charter schools and discovered she could get a group of people together and start one.
Nathan, a second-grader in Arizona with a learning disability, is thriving in a small class with teachers who are able to give him the attention he needs. His parents discovered they could choose the right program for Nathan because Arizona has Education Savings Accounts.
School choice doesn’t look the same for everyone—because learning doesn’t look the same for everyone. This week, kids and parents who have found the right combinations are celebrating National School Choice Week—and it’s the perfect time for you to learn more about your family’s options.
The old way of doing K-12 education—every child put into the same public system—hasn’t worked out. But school choice has returned control of education to the local units where it belongs: the family and the individual school. School choice has proven to produce better academic outcomes, significantly increased graduation rates, improved student safety, and higher parental satisfaction with their children’s education.
This week, we’ll be highlighting school choice success stories on The Foundry. Here are some of the ways students and parents are achieving success:
Charter schools. Watch our video to hear Lisa’s story of starting a charter school.
Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Check out this slideshow of families who are customizing their children’s learning thanks to Arizona’s ESAs.
Vouchers. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which gives students from low-income families vouchers to attend private schools in the nation’s capital. These students are seeing success like never before thanks to this program.
Online learning. Students can access educational opportunities that aren’t available in their geographic areas, thanks to all the online innovation taking place.
Homeschooling. Parents and students have freedom and flexibility to pursue the type of education they want for their families. School choice is working—but it’s up to all of us to make sure government doesn’t stand in the way of these exciting developments. Visit The Foundry each day this week to learn more.
The Board will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, January 27, 2014 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 January 27, 2014 Regular Public Meeting.
Ridgewood NJ, The RHS Art Gallery Committee is asking local artists and alumni to submit one framed piece of their artwork to be considered for a permanent art gallery on the walls at Ridgewood High School. The RHS Art Gallery will not only provide an opportunity for artwork to be enjoyed by students, staff and parents, but it is also an opportunity to inspire and educate upcoming student artists and to enhance the cultural and artistic experience for all.
Donated art can be any theme or medium, including photography. The ideal size for the framed work is between 16”x20” and 30”x40” but any size is welcome. An acknowledgement plaque with the artist’s name and title of the work will hang beside each piece.
To participate, by January 31 please download and complete the submission sheet and return it, along with a photo of the donated artwork, to the RHS Art Gallery Committee, c/o Linda Bradley, 724 Hillcrest Road, Ridgewood, NJ 07450. All submissions must be approved and will be acknowledged no later than March 15.
RHS girls soccer players named All-State North Team
Photo: Ridgewood seniors, Darby Kiernan, Olivia Shaw and
freshman Haley Ricciardi stand with their varsity
soccer coaches Jackie Hurley and Jeff Yearing .
Ridgewood NJ, At a banquet on January 5 for top athletes around the state, three RHS soccer players from the girls varsity soccer team were among the many honored for their excellence in their sport.
The players, forward Darby Kiernan, goalie Olivia Shaw and defender Haley Ricciardi were named to the All -State North 1 team, as voted on by coaches from across the state. Shaw was additionally named First Team All- North Jersey, and Kiernan and Ricciardi were named Second Team All-North Jersey, by The Record.
On Jan. 7, hundreds of Ridgewood residents came to the Planning Board meeting to make personal statements against the proposed change to the Master Plan that would allow for high density housing developments in our downtown Central Business District.
Not a single person spoke up in favor of the change, including at least three residents who earn their living as real estate developers.
There were two common fears brought up by almost every person that spoke — the potential effect on the quality of our schools and the fear that Ridgewood would lose its small town charm and become more urban. Not a single person was anti-development or anti-improvement. They simply want improvements made to these properties within the density and height allowances of our current master plan, in order to maintain the desirability of our village.
