Ridgewood school board trustees discuss changes to district calendar
FEBRUARY 13, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood school officials are expected to approve the 2015-16 district calendar later this month after a period of gathering and weighing the opinions of parents and teachers alike.
During their Feb. 9 meeting, Board of Education trustees whittled Superintendent Daniel Fishbein’s original list of five calendar options to one. The majority of board members opted for an academic year beginning with the annual Teachers’ Convocation on Thursday, Sept. 3 and followed by a professional development day on Sept. 4.
Under the proposed calendar, which will be open to public comment and up for board vote at the Feb. 23 meeting, students will report for the first day of class on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The last day of instruction and Ridgewood High School graduation are slated for June 22, 2016.
One of the most significant differences between the anticipated calendar and the second alternative is the length of the February recess. Like this year, the 2016 February break will only be two days.
Very interesting that the BOE and Administration went to the trouble of forming a Committee to evaluate the proposed calendars and then flatly rejected the Committee’s recommendation. Just one more example of why the BOE is held in such low regard.
Why even have a February break at all,move graduation up two days.
jjj, the mid-winter New England or Western/Rockies ski vacation has long been a secular sacrament in Ridgewood (also in Glen Rock, Allendale, HoHoKus, etc.). Why would you wish to restrict your neighbors’ freedom of religion by chipping away at or eliminating February Break?
We never go anywhere in February. It’s just a cold miserable week at home (sorry, we can’t afford the high cost of travel at that time). I gather skiers can do a long weekend, perhaps?
My kids have had to miss some summer programs because RHS graduates so late in June. My son had to skip an entire college freshman summer program he wanted to go to because the college program began BEFORE RHS graduation.
To the first commenter – the article says that parents were queried and there was a strong preference for the shorter February break. How would this be disregarding their input? And what committee is it that you are referring to? I filled out a poll for my students concerning this very issue. My friends all feel the same way . . . February break is a waste of time.
James has to upgrade his bike……