Tag: Ridgewood Students

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Ridgewood students, educators trying to find a way through the pressure

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Ridgewood students, educators trying to find a way through the pressure

JULY 1, 2014    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2014, 3:22 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER

This past school year, Ridgewood High School (RHS) Assistant Principal Jeff Nyhuis dealt with a surprising problem.

He had to work with sports coaches to block out unscheduled time – during the summer. Some families have children playing so many summer sports, it’s a struggle for them to find time to vacation.

“It ends up encompassing the whole summer, so no one can really get away,” he said. “It’s ridiculous.”

It’s just one more indication of the P-word: Pressure. It’s a well-known word in Ridgewood.

And it’s a word that Ridgewood’s recent graduates, and RHS’ upcoming juniors and seniors, will learn even more about in the future as they struggle to stand out in a world that can be far more competitive and demanding than RHS. Some concerned educators and parents worry about RHS students who are already struggling too much to be the best in everything, working harder but not necessarily smarter, and sometimes forgetting to enjoy what they are doing.

In recent years, some concerned parents and educators have been fighting back against sources of stress (facing adults, as well as children), and this year was no exception. On the other hand, some parents and educators point out that pressure itself is not bad; challenge and competition can motivate and ready students for a tough world, they observe.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/ridgewood-students-educators-trying-to-find-a-way-through-the-pressure-1.1044279#sthash.B5w73MN4.dpuf

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Ridgewood students Skype with scientists

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Ridgewood students Skype with scientists

JUNE 27, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY SALVATORE TRIFILIO
CORRESPONDENT

Ten years ago teachers were armed with little more than a textbook and their enthusiasm to tackle the task of inspiring America’s youth to become doctors, scientists, authors or even teachers themselves.But today, educators like Willard School’s John Altieri have a slew of technologies at their disposal that allow their students experiences that were once just science fiction.

On Thursday, June 12, about 60 students at Willard School took a trip more than 1,400 miles south and nine miles off the coast of Florida, to the world’s only underwater marine habitat and laboratory, all without leaving the comfort of room 122.

“There is only so much an individual teacher can offer, and when we have other people sharing information with these kids, that enhances their education and their experience,” Altieri said.

Altieri’s second-grade class, in collaboration with first- and fifth-grade classes, became the first and only New Jersey classes to join Fabien Cousteau and his crew’s Mission-31 during a half-hour Skype session.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/students-skype-with-scientists-1.1042447#sthash.dD4xQsze.dpuf

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Ridgewood students tackle social media issues

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Ridgewood students tackle social media issues

JUNE 13, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014, 4:09 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER

When it comes to improving student culture surrounding social media, who better to turn to than students themselves?

Students who participated in the first Ridgewood High School Student Leadership Summit worked on solutions to challenges, including ways to increase school spirit.

That was the thinking of Ridgewood High School (RHS) administrators, who recently consulted with students after a social media crisis this past May was caused by Yik Yak, a localized app that allows people to make anonymous comments. Using the app, a 17-year-old boy made an anonymous gun threat on May 13 that targeted RHS. After an around-the-clock police investigation, the boy was found and taken into custody.

But there were problems with the app even before that event, administrators said.

“Students that I talked to shared that there were just horrendous, horrible things written about other students, about us staff members,” said RHS Assistant Principal Basil Pizzuto. “There were some students really hurt by it, really, really hurt by it, and kind of still struggling with what they went through.”

In order to improve this situation, administrators – including Pizzuto – decided to talk directly to students. “Student leaders” identified by faculty were emailed an invitation to discuss the issue with adults on May 28.

Ultimately, 10 students gave up their monthly sleep-in day to discuss social media and school culture in the RHS Campus Center.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/rhs-students-tackle-social-media-issues-1.1035198#sthash.NjbvYhNq.dpuf