Ridgewood Superintendent of Schools Dr. Fishbein Gets the Word , No “Wave Parades”

May 11, 2020

Dear Ridgewood School Community,

This weekend, all school districts in New Jersey were notified by the Department of Education, with a follow-up letter from the State Director of Emergency Management, that as per Executive Order No. 107, all high school graduations and other ceremonies, promotions, and events must be conducted virtually until the restrictions outlined in the order have been lifted. According to the directives we received on the evening of Friday, May 8, in-person activities are not permitted.  The State Director of Emergency Management, Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, stated, “In light of the components of Executive Order No. 107, and in the best interest of the health and safety of the public, in-person ceremonies, including graduations, all parades, including “wave parades,” that invite people to gather at a certain location, proms, and other similar celebrations violate the enumerated conditions of the order, and should, therefore, be canceled or postponed until such time as these restrictions are lifted. Until such time, virtual celebrations and other remote forms of recognition should take the place of any in-person or public ceremonies.” Consequently, our plan for the Ridgewood High School graduation video, which involved individual students walking in front of RHS to be filmed for our virtual graduation video, is canceled. This is extremely disappointing, and I know how difficult this news will be for our seniors and their families. Our school administrators will do whatever they can within these rules to make our graduation and promotion ceremonies as special as possible under these unfortunate circumstances.

While we are diligently planning for alternatives to our end-of-year activities and proceeding with meaningful remote instruction, it is important that you know we are also actively planning for the 2020-2021 school year. Five working groups have been established to develop plans for a regular opening, a remote learning opening, or a hybrid instructional program; implementation will be dependent on public health directives provided at that time. The underlying premise of each plan will be the health and safety of our students and staff.

The working groups are as follows:

Instruction and Operations: This group has a two-fold focus. The first focus is on academics and the social and emotional wellbeing of our students when they return to school in the fall, regardless of what type of instruction we will be permitted to implement. Second, this group will also plan for the operations side, determining the best way to manage the safe and organized transition back to school in the fall.

Facilities: This group will ensure that district and school assets are and will remain safe for students and staff.

Technology: This group will ensure that our technology infrastructure and assets support academics and administration.

Wellness: This group will focus on what needs to be done to keep staff and students safe and healthy, both physically and mentally.

Governance: This group will identify which group will work on issues that touch multiple areas, fostering an understanding of responsibilities and accountability. Additionally, this group will be responsible for the messaging that goes out from the district to our parents and students in preparation for the transition back to school in the fall.

An extensive amount of work and planning needs to be done to prepare for a successful transition in the fall, and I will be sharing our progress over the next several months.

I wish you good health, both physically and mentally!

Sincerely,

Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools