“I agree that all teachers and staff should be vaccinated prior to opening the schools, especially with the uptick in cases in the Ridgewood schools over the last few weeks. Should students also have a negative test via the new in home, quick and accurate “in the box” testing kits our government is funding? I say yes and BOE should be all over this as other school districts have pushed to get students tested prior to returning to school.”
“Most importantly, Ridgewood needs to upgrade it’s building filtration system to the HEPA grade 5 standard as this COVID virus is so small ( .01micron) that it will be easily spread through the current legacy filtration systems now and when it will definitely return next fall when the classroom windows will be closed. Plexiglass partitions should have been the first thing the BOE installed at the beginning of this school year and it is embarrassing that the school administers of some kids in other lower income towns have protected their students better than the Ridgewood BOE.
Lastly, the BOE and the teacher’s union should plan for an optional summer time session in order to make up for all the learning that should have been obtained ,and by no fault of anyone, could not be accomplished because of the needed closures. Possibly a 5 week session 1 at the end of June or a 5 week session prior to start of the 2021-2022 school year. Cost aside, we the parents and educators of the children of Ridgewood own them nothing less!!!!! “
Open the damn windows and get back to 5 days a week of instruction now!
Yes, the HEPA 5 filtration upgrade would be the best long- term solution to stopping the COVID virus from spreading throughout the schools in the fall and winter when the virus is most active and the school’s windows are completely shut. At an earlier BOE meeting last fall, it was stated the only location within a school building with this type of filtration, and not presently installed in all of Ridgewood’s schools at the time of that BOE meeting, is in a “containment” area in the vicinity of the nurse’s office.
Immediate action and budgeting should prioritize the retrofitting of the school’s ventilation systems to the HEPA Level 5 standard. This plus the short-term procurement of sturdy plexiglass partitions can ensure a safe return for all.
As a parent who has a vested interest in returning to full time in person learning, the benefits far outweigh the costs associated with these expenditures. And as other posters have pointed out, with New Jersey to receive 6.3 billion dollars with over 500 million dollars for public and private education reopening activities under the Biden Relief Bill, the members of the Ridgewood Board of Education have an obligation to pursue this funding source in addition to the town’s annual school budget.
Totally unnecessary financial boondoggle.
(see also Ginormous Garage)
Teachers and staff being vaccinated in Paterson. If this lower income town can assist the teachers why can’t Ridgewood do likewise. See article https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/paterson-press/2021/03/11/paterson-nj-schools-workers-seeking-covid-vaccine-now/6937513002/
It was just announced that Ridgewood N. J. will be receiving $2,461.306.30 of the Biden COVID relief money!!!!! This should be a big help to the BOE when assessing how and when to open the schools and the HEPA Level 5 filtration retrofit needs to be on the top of the list!!! Gorman needs to be proactive and get the necessary funds to at least upgrade the filtration systems in the middle schools as well as the high school. If anyone has seen the negative effects of the virus at the high school, Tom Gorman has witnessed this first hand as he was the principal of RHS which has born the brunt of the virus on staff and students.
Ha! What makes you think the Village council going to give that money to the BOE?
The parents of Ridgewood’s public school age children should lobby the BOE and Village Council to have a portion of the Biden funds granted to Ridgewood earmarked toward HEPA Level 5 filters, student testing, and teacher/staff vacinnine coordination. Those are the targeted areas the Biden administration has highlighted as key to the safe reopening of the schools.
YES !!!
Lets WASTE even MORE Time and Money on a virus that was politicized AND has run its course.
Let’s not fool around with silly things like learning.
Parents – do you want your children to be living in your basement when they’re 30? Get them educated now!
Enough of this sycophantic fawning over “The King’s New (COVID) Clothes”! Stop letting the tail wag the dog! Demand that the schools be opened and get ALL your lives back. From here on out pay attention to REAL science, not the paid-hack “scientists” that dance to the politicians’ tune!
Here’s what happens when you surrender to mass insanity…
Here’s what happens when you surrender to mass insanity…
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-lost-year-what-the-pandemic-cost-teenagers
Parents – do you want your children to be living in your basement when they’re 30? Get them educated now!
Enough of this sycophantic fawning over “The King’s New (COVID) Clothes”! Stop letting the tail wag the dog! Demand that the schools be opened and get ALL your lives back. From here on out pay attention to REAL science, not the paid-hack “scientists” that dance to the politicians’ tune!
Here’s what happens when you surrender to mass insanity…
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-lost-year-what-the-pandemic-cost-teenagers