Ridgewood Schools Alternative Schedules Initiative Community Presentation

As part of the Alternative Schedules Initiative, the District is investigating new K-12 schedule options, as well as alternative start and end times. Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as other well-documented studies, indicates that a later start time for adolescents helps align their circadian rhythms resulting in improved physical health, academic performance, safety, and overall wellbeing. Given our commitment to nurturing the development of the whole child, we believe we would be remiss if we did not examine the current structure of our school day and consider potential adjustments that reflect these data.

Six months ago, an Alternative Schedules Task Force composed of Board of Education trustees, parents, administrators, and teachers was created. Three subcommittees were formed to review best practices and analyze research related to specific areas of this important topic: Teaching and Learning, Operational Management, and Community Connections. Through this effort, we have engaged in a comprehensive review of the current schedules and our utilization of time. We have examined potential modifications to our schedules that align with the parameters for pupil contact time while preserving current instructional time.

At the November faculty meeting, principals presented an overview of this K-12 initiative, and we are now ready to share our findings with the public. On December 1, we are hosting an Alternative Schedules Initiative Community Presentation at 7:00 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Middle School auditorium. Shortly after, a community survey will be emailed and posted on the website to collect valuable feedback from all stakeholders on this topic.

After gathering input from students, faculty, parents, and the broader community, we will share the survey results and continue the discussions about possible schedule changes with the subcommittees and at faculty meetings. As we proceed in this process, the Ridgewood Education Association and Ridgewood Administrators Association will be part of the conversations on how to best serve our students and families.

Your input will be extremely valuable. We look forward to working collaboratively to ensure that we are providing the best educational experience.