Ridgewood NJ, Renowned Artist and RAI Instructor Bill Angresano will be giving a Charcoal Portrait demonstration using a live model, following our Annual Members Meeting on Sunday, June 10th at 2pm.
Please don’t miss this unique opportunity to observe the creative process at work. This free event is worthwhile to both artists and art enthusiasts. All are welcome.
The Ridgewood Art Institute is a non profit organization providing the finest instruction in Classical Realism in a variety of mediums. Classes are offered on an open enrollment basis,and can be joined at anytime. Each student is taught in direct relation to their personal skill level. For more information on class scheduling, this and future events please visit ridgewoodartinstitute.org
Sunday June 10th, at 2 PM – 4 PM
Ridgewood Art Institute
12 E Glen Ave, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Ridgewood can refrain from voting on the local level for lunatics for VC when the ministrations of this blog leave it in no doubt of their relative shortcomings. But move out to the county, state, and national level, and it can’t resist! It’s as if Ridgewood is perpetually suffering from some kind of electoral version of the conscience-deadening consequences of original sin. If left to its own devices it behaves like the proverbial dog, brainlessly returning to its vomit.
Ridgewood NJ, The Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting Celebration for:
The Children’s Sensory and Butterfly Garden on June 21st, 2018 from 5-7pm
—-Rain or Shine—-
Ribbon Cutting Celebration for the Children’s Sensory and Butterfly Garden
Thu, June 21, 2018
Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
The Stable in Ridgewood, 259 North Maple Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is just about a month away from the big day! Please help #SupportTheTradition by buying your 50-50 ticket! Grand prize is up to $25,000. Tickets are on sale now. They can be purchased by contacting the committee at [email protected] or we will be selling them every Saturday in June at Park Wood Deli from 11-2 pm. And again at the Ridgewood Public Library June 25-30, 9-3.
Help make the 2018 Celebration the best one yet!!
Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Mosquito Control equipment & personnel dredging Graydon Pool in preparation of the 2018 season .
GRAYDON MEMBERSHIP RATES
RESIDENT GRAYDON POOL MEMBERSHIPS
Village priced memberships are available to Ridgewood residents, non-residents who pay local property taxes to the Village of Ridgewood, and employees of the Village of Ridgewood and Board of Education. Proof is required.
***Purchase resident adult and child badges between April 1 and April 30 to receive a 10% discount.***
ADULT – $120.00
CHILD – (ages 2-15, under 2 free) $110.00
SENIOR – $30.00 (62 and older)
PERMANENT DISABLED – $30.00
LATE SEASON ADULT MEMBERSHIP – $60.00 (available August 1st)
LATE SEASON CHILD MEMBERSHIP – $55.00 (available August 1st)
DAILY PASS – $10.00
BADGE REPLACEMENT – $5.00
NON-RESIDENT GRAYDON POOL MEMBERSHIPS
The Village Council and the Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to invite all families in the surrounding area to join the Graydon Pool facility for the summer season.
ADULT (ages 16 and up) – $200.00
CHILD (ages 2-15) – $175.00
GUEST PASSES (must be accompanied by a current season member)- $10.00
BADGE REPLACEMENT – $5.00
TENNIS BADGES
RESIDENT ADULT – $35.00
RESIDENT CHILD – $30.00
NON-RESIDENT ADULT – $45.00
NON-RESIDENT CHILD – $40.00
DAILY PASS – $5.00
BADGE REPLACEMENT – $5.00
Ridgewood, NJ – May 10, 2018 – The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee today announced the second annual 50/50 raffle* to help support its 2018 celebration.
The Committee will sell tickets at various community events now through July 4, 2018. The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is entirely funded by private donations and
run by volunteers. Raffle tickets are $100 dollars each, with a maximum of 600 tickets sold. If the maximum number of tickets is sold, the Grand Prize winner will receive
$25,000 dollars. There will also be ten $500 prize winners. Winners will be announced at 8:30PM on July 4th, prior to the fireworks display at Veteran’s Field. Entrants do not need
to be present to win. Visit www.ridgewoodjuly4th.com or contact 201-602-1922 for information on where to purchase tickets.
“We are grateful for our generous and committed sponsors and donors, as well as community members who buy tickets for the fireworks show to Support the Tradition,”
said Tara Masterson, President of the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee. “But we are an all-volunteer, community-funded event that receives no direct funding
from the village, so we need to look for creative ways to fundraise given rising costs for things like security. The 50/50 also provides another element of excitement to the day’s
events!”
The 2018 theme for the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is “Rockin’ Ridgewood: Celebrating All-American Music!” The parade will be held, rain or shine, on Wednesday,July 4, 2018.
The day’s full festivities include:
• Flag Raising: 9:00AM Wilsey Square (Ridgewood train station parking lot) Short program followed by traditional flag raising: Although the parade and
firework portions of the day have on occasion been cancelled, the flag raising has occurred without interruption since the start of the committee in 1910.
• Parade: Beings at 10:00AM (rain or shine) Parade runs along Godwin Ave and onto Ridgewood Ave through downtown,
turning right on Maple Ave past the grand stand at Village Hall and ends at Leuning Park. Follow the line of chairs set up by residents securing their spot.
Don’t miss the competitive elementary school float competition and the great bands that will rock their way through Ridgewood.
• Evening Entertainment and Fireworks: Gates open at 6:00PM Veterans Field (on the corner of Maple Ave and Linwood)
The field is the ideal place to see the fireworks but don’t forget to come early to rock to the No Big Deal, The Dad’s Night Band and more. Food and beverages
are available for purchase from various vendors.
Tickets are sold in advance online at www.ridgewoodjuly4th.com for $11, tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 6-12 at the gate. Children five years and under are admitted for free.
About the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration The Ridgewood 4th of July is 501(c)(3) non-profit funded entirely by private donations,
organized by the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration, Inc., an all-volunteer, non-profit community group. All aspects of this annual celebration, including fireworks, bands,
evening performers, insurance, police and fire personnel are funded by voluntary contributions from local businesses and individuals. The Committee continues to require
the generous donations from the community to keep the tradition, Bergen County’s largest Fourth of July Celebration, alive. The Ridgewood tradition began in 1910 when
the local papers, the civic section of the Woman’s Club and the Ridgewood Fire Department joined forces to create a “safe and sane” holiday with an emphasis on
Patriotism.
*NJ LGCCC # 420-8-31389. All proceeds support the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration, Inc. Each ticket costs $100. Grand prize winner subject to applicable taxes.
No one under the age of 18 is permitted to participate. If gambling is a problem for you or someone in your family, dial 1-800-GAMBLER.
Englewood NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrests of OSCAR HOLGUIN (DOB: 8/3/1979; single; and employed as an entertainment promoter) and his girlfriend PAOLA AMADOR (DOB: 12/21/1988; single; and unemployed) of 3301 Riverview Avenue, Englewood, NJ on narcotics and related and child endangerment charges. Additionally, NATALIE STOJANOV (DOB: 12/14/1990; single; and employed as a bartender) of 90 Bristol Station Court, Carteret, NJ was arrested on charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana. These arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.
In January 2018, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (BCPO) received a tip from a concerned citizen regarding suspicious packages being shipped from California to the NY/ NJ area. The investigation revealed that OSCAR HOLGUIN was the ringleader of a nationwide drug-trafficking network. Over the course of the following two months, detectives from the BCPO were able to uncover the details of HOLGUIN’s illicit operation and identified AMADOR and STOJANOV as co-conspirators.
Traveling under the guise of a music promoter, HOLGUIN made weekly trips to an area north of San Francisco, California known for the production of marijuana in outdoor grow facilities. HOLGUIN large quantities of the marijuana at wholesale prices, planning to re-distribute it in New York and New Jersey. Breaking the bulk marijuana down into smaller, tightly sealed packages, HOLGUIN secreted his illegal product in large “subwoofer”- style speakers typically used by professional musicians, which he then shipped to various locations throughout New York and New Jersey.
The investigation culminated in the seizure of approximately 100 pounds of raw marijuana at several locations in New York and New Jersey, which were found secreted in speakers. Detectives froze bank accounts for HOLGUIN and seized a Range Rover and Dodge Durango, believed to be proceeds of his criminal activities. Detectives estimate that HOLGUIN and his associates used this method to ship thousands of pounds of marijuana over the course of 3 to 4 years from California to New Jersey. Although arrests have been made, more arrests are anticipated in New York and New Jersey.
As a result of the investigation, OSCAR HOLGUIN and PAOLA AMADOR were arrested on April 20, 2018 in Englewood, NJ and each charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in a quantity greater than twenty-five pounds, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2A(1)/2C:35-5B(10)(A), a crime of the second degree; Possession of Marijuana in a quantity greater than one ounce but less than five pounds, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5B(11), a crime of the third degree; Possession of THC Edibles in a quantity greater than one pound but less than five pounds, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5B(10)B, a crime of the second degree; and Child Endangerment, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4A(2), a crime of the second degree. HOLGUIN also faces additional charges in New York in relation to Marijuana and THC Edibles in Yonkers. OSCAR HOLGUIN made a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ on April 23, 2018.
NATALIE STOJANOV was arrested on April 20, 2018 in Carteret, NJ and charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in a quantity greater than twenty-five pounds, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2A(1)/2C:35-5B(10)(A), a crime of the second degree. STOJANOV and AMADOR are scheduled to make their first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ on May, 3, 2018.
Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and would also like to thank the Englewood Police Department, Tenafly Police Department, Yonkers Police Department, Paramus Police Department, the United States Postal Service, and The Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York for their assistance in this investigation.
Newark NJ, Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 60 individuals throughout New Jersey during a 5-day public safety operation ending April 20.
The operation focused on individuals illegally present in the U.S. that had been convicted of serious criminal activity, to include sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, and Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Of those arrested, 80 percent were convicted criminals, more than 20 had been issued a final order of removal and failed to depart the United States, or had been previously removed from the United States and returned illegally. Several had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as aggravated assault, child abuse, child sex crimes, and assault, or had past convictions for significant or multiple misdemeanors. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Marshals Service assisted ICE during this operation.
“The success of this operation is a direct result of the full commitment of the dedicated men and women of ICE.” said John Tsoukaris, field office director for ERO Newark. “We will continue to devote the full efforts of our agency to protecting citizens and enforcing federal immigration law despite challenges being pursued by politically motivated individuals.”
Arrests include:
In Passaic, a 24 year-old Mexican national, who has convictions of aggravated assault with bodily injury and domestic violence assault;
In Edgewater, a 32 year-old, Colombian national, who has convictions of domestic violence/aggravated assault, contempt – violate domestic violence restraining order, and possession of controlled dangerous substance;
In South Bound Brook, a 47 year-old previously removed Honduran national, who has convictions of felony forgery and hindering apprehension;
In Rockaway, a 38 year-old Jamaican national, who has convictions of child abuse and domestic violence assault;
In East Orange, a 51 year-old previously removed Guatemalan national, who has convictions of distribution of controlled substance and multiple domestic violence assaults;
In Lodi, a 54 year-old Italian national, and registered sexual offender, who has convictions of sexual assault of a minor, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, burglary and resisting arrest by force;
In West Long Branch, a 32 year-old El Salvadorian national with a warrant of removal, who has convictions of evading law enforcement officer causing serious bodily injury and pending charges of possession of marijuana;
Criminal histories of those arrested during the operation are as follows: DUI, domestic violence assault & abuse, child abuse, distribution of cds, sexual assault on a minor, harassment, burglary, possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, shoplifting, theft, forgery, larceny, eluding and illegal entry.
The arrestees include nationals from Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, and Ukraine.
ERO deportation officers made arrests throughout New Jersey, specifically in the counties of Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union.
ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. However, ICE no longer exempts classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.
Some of the individuals arrested during this operation may face federal criminal prosecution for illegal re-entry after deportation. The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States. Those who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge.
Despite politically driven challenges that certain local jurisdictions have created, ICE remains committed to its public safety mission and will continue to seek out dangerous criminal aliens and other immigration violators. ICE seeks cooperation with all local law enforcement and elected officials when carrying out the enforcement of federal immigration law.
ICE deportation officers carry out targeted enforcement operations every day in locations around the country as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety, and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls. These operations involve existing, established Fugitive Operations Teams.
You want Ridgewood to enter into a deal with politically corrupt Bergen County Government to save a few dollars ? Aronsohn is hip deep in Bergen County politics and you bash him ever chance you get but yet you want Ridgewood to enter into a deal with the very machine he is part of. You are a hypocrite.
When I call the Ridgewood Police for an emergency I don’t want to be put on hold because of a large incident thats is taken place in another town. Maybe Sedon should do a little more research into what has happen in the past with Bergen County Dispatch and not fall for a sales pitch from a representative from the County . There are just as many municipals that are not going with the County Dispatch. Maybe Sedon should ask them? We all know what happens when the Village hires the lowest bidder. You get what you pay for. Next time your having a medical procedure may you should as for the lowest bidder. Let me know if you fell safe doing that. Finally your comment ” By the way since it’s offered by the county we already do pay for it with our taxes.” This service is not. There are extra charges that go along with that service its not free.
Ridgewood NJ, Devens Construction has recently completed the fourth and final stream crossing as part of the 4-Stream Crossing Project for Ridgewood Water. All four stream crossings are now operational and in service.
Devens Construction will be moving equipment and materials off site followed up by restoration efforts. Due to muddy conditions and the inclement weather we have been experiencing, final restoration delays are to be expected until weather conditions improve. Final pavement restoration will be completed in the following months.
Ridgewood Water will provide updates as to upcoming traffic detours or road closures while the restoration phase is in progress
Ridgewood NJ, Village Manager Heather Mailander issued a few updates on Monday, first the Parks and Street Departments are finishing Section A (using the leaf pickup schedule) today, March 26th, for the Special Pickup for the tree limbs/branches, due to the fact that the volume in Section A was greater than expected. Pickup in Section B will begin tomorrow, March 27th, and once all streets in Section B have been picked up, the crews will then move on to Section C, and then Section D. Please be patient, as our crews work to remove the many tree limbs and branches which fell during the March 7th storm.
As a reminder, the crews will remove the limbs and branches from every street in each section only once and after this pickup has taken place, there will be no additional pickups for these tree limbs and branches.
Also the restoration work on the stairs from Corsa Terrace to Pease Library will begin tomorrow, on March 27th, weather permitting. The stairs will be closed during this restoration work, which means that pedestrians must walk down Corsa Terrace to West Ridgewood Avenue while the work is being done. This restoration work will continue on a daily basis (excluding weekends), weather permitting. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
All Village offices will be closed on March 30th, in observance of Good Friday. There will be no garbage or recycling pickup on this day and the Recycling Center will also be closed. The Police Department, on the second floor of Village Hall, will be open on this Holiday.
Please share this information with your neighbors.
Hackensack NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced today the results of “Operation Helping Hand 4” – the fourth phase of an innovative law enforcement and public health initiative targeting the heroin and opioid crisis in Bergen County. The initiative was led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (“BCPO”), under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Calo and Chief of Detectives Robert Anzilotti, in coordination with Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III and Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino. Held from March 12 through 16, 2018, the initiative brought together Bergen County law enforcement from 30 agencies, Recovery Specialists from Children’s Aid and Family Services, clinicians and specialists from the Bergen County Department of Health Services, Division of Addiction Services, and professionals from New Bridge Medical Center to offer help to those suffering from the disease of addiction in Bergen County.
During the initiative, 37 individuals were arrested and brought to the BCPO to be processed. After they were issued summonses, largely for heroin possession, they were offered an opportunity to speak to a Recovery Specialist – a recovering addict, who has been clean and is trained to help them find treatment. This offer of help was in addition to, not in lieu of, criminal charges.
If the individual requested help, a trained clinician from the Bergen County Division of Addiction Services assessed him/her to determine the appropriate level of care and treatment needed. The clinicians, working closely with the Recovery Specialists and representatives from New Bridge Medical Center, then made arrangements for treatment, and law enforcement transported the individual to treatment.
Of the 37 individuals arrested during Operation Helping Hand 4, 19 have so far availed themselves of the treatment option, including 12 who are currently in 5-day detox programs, mostly at New Bridge Medical Center. As those individuals complete detox, longer-term treatment options are being arranged for them and their progress is being tracked by the Recovery Specialists. For those who did not avail themselves of treatment, the Recovery Specialists remain in touch with many of them and are prepared to offer help whenever they are ready to seek it.
A multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of law enforcement officers from the following agencies, under the direction of BCPO Chief Anzilotti, participated in the initiative: Bergen County Sheriff’s Office; Bergenfield Police Department; Cliffside Park Police Department; Clifton Police Department; Dumont Police Department; East Rutherford Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Elmwood Park Police Department; Fair Lawn Police Department; Garfield Police Department; Glen Rock Police Department; Hackensack Police Department; Lyndhurst Police Department; Mahwah Police Department; Morris County Prosecutor’s Office; New Milford Police Department; Norwood Police Department; Paramus Police Department; Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office; Paterson Police Department; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Ridgefield Park Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Tenafly Police Department; Union County Prosecutor’s Office; Upper Saddle River Police Department and the Westwood Police Department.
Statistics compiled by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office indicate an increase in opioid use and drug overdoses in Bergen County from 2016 to the present. A preliminary analysis of overdose data by the BCPO Intel Unit and Narcotics Task Force revealed the following with respect to 2017:
507 total reported overdoses, 416 of which are currently identified as heroin/opioid-related.
Of the 308 reported overdoses, 131 were fatal overdoses; 111 of those were identified as heroin/opioid-related.
325 deployments of Narcan, the overdose reversal drug, by law enforcement officers, resulting in 245 lives saved. (Note: there were many other deployments – by parents, friends, family members, EMTs and in the ER that are not accounted for in this )
Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo stated that “Operation Helping Hand 4 is part of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Bergen County law enforcement’s continuing effort to combat the opioid epidemic and help those who are affected by it. The Operation demonstrates the close cooperation of law enforcement, County government and Bergen County social service organizations in the fight against this epidemic and the results that are possible through that cooperation. We will continue the fight.”
Acting Prosecutor Calo would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Bergen County Executive, New Bridge Medical Center, Children’s Aid and Family Services, the Bergen County Department of Health Services, Division of Addiction Services, as well as all the participating law enforcement agencies for their assistance with this initiative.
reads as follows:
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“Principal Gorman decided that the administration wants the walkout to continue to remain organic, so we are not able to do an announcement at 9:45am tomorrow. Because we cannot put an announcement out, we need all of you to start getting your classes going to the front lawn at 9:45.”
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With his virtuouso performance in pulling the strings necessary to make this adult-directed event appear to be “student led” and “organic”, perhaps Mr. Gorman is seeking a new career as a progressive community organizer? Part of Obama’s long term plans for a civilian corps of eager beaver progressive brownshirts? (“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”)
The following was posted yesterday at https://www.tipsfromtown.com/why-and-how-rhs-students-are-joining-the-walkout/:
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After the Parkland shooting, a number of students approached Dr. Thomas Gorman (Principal of Ridgewood High School) with the intent of taking action against gun violence. I had spoken to my parents about how I really wanted to be involved with making change, so I was one of the students who spoke to Dr. Gorman. There was a large meeting where we all voiced our opinions and ideas for how victims of gun violence should be honored while still pushing for change. A few days prior, I had gotten in contact with other students … we formed a club called Students Demand Action We spoke to Mr. Michael Yannone about being our faculty advisor, and he agreed.
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We had two meetings a week, where we decided on our message for the walkout. While we are passionate about gun violence and creating change, we were still mindful this is an event that would happen during school. We made a conscious effort to steer away from a strict political standpoint, so we could include as many people as possible. At the meetings, we talked about how feeling safe in schools should not be a privilege — it should be a right. We also talked about how although we are anti-gun violence, we are not anti-guns. We want school to be a place where we should be able learn and grow without worrying about whether our safety is at risk. Once we decided on our message, we divided into groups. The groups ranged from communicating via social media, hanging flyers up around school, and working with teachers to get student photographers to cover the walkout. We’ve been incredibly lucky because we’ve had the support of the administration on our side. Without their support, it would not have been possible to make the walkout as successful, organized, or safe.
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Students Demand Action acknowledges and respects the students who do not wish to participate.
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Tomorrow, we walk. At 10 am, students will gather together on the front lawn of Ridgewood High School. Student speakers will present their speeches about how they have been affected and their demands for school safety. After 17 minutes, there will be a moment of silence for victims of gun violence, this number symbolic of the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting. Although it is strictly a school event, it will be streamed via Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for the other Ridgewood schools and the Ridgewood community to watch.
RHS administration is endorsing (enforcing?) a “17 minutes hate” (see Orwell’s 1984) dressed up as a KumBaYa moment. . Who’s to say that, after the predetermined 17 minutes of blatant virtue signaling on the “front lawn”, they’ll obediently return to class, Gorman old boy? Stripped of responsible supervision (“We are aware…”), perhaps they will choose to adjourn to YOUR office and refuse to leave until YOU agree to resign. Will you oblige? . No student has the right to “walk out” of class without disciplinary repercussions. You are complicit in this misbehavior as a principal who thinks he is entitled to suspend the rules as long as the “cause” is sufficiently politically correct. We will remember this outrageous surrender of adult authority . Hey, hell, why not bring an enormous rainbow flag out to the “front lawn” protest? Just say it was meant to “display solidarity” with the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shootings. . What’s next week’s school-endorsed walk-out “cause”, Principal Gorman? A demand for a parking garage for student parking? Where does this end?
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March 12, 2018
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Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s), Students, Faculty, and Staff:
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We are aware that many RHS students will be participating in the student-led national walkout on the one-month anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. On March 14 at 10:00 A.M., students will assemble on the front lawn of the high school to participate in speeches, songs, and a moment of silence. After 17 minutes, they will return to the building to resume class. The event is organized by Students Demand Action, a newly formed club at RHS. The students will pay tribute to the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and express their desire for safer schools.
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Simultaneously, another newly formed student-led group will assemble in the Campus Center to advocate for safer schools and Second Amendment rights.
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If a student does not wish to participate in these assemblies, he or she may remain in class with the teacher or, if on a free period, in the building with designated faculty members.
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Students involved in the walkout will not be penalized for their actions provided they follow RHS school rules, act in a respectful and dignified manner, and return to class after the event is held. We ask parents to speak with their children about the walkout and the issues pertaining to school shootings.
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We are working with the Ridgewood Police and Fire Departments to ensure everyone’s safety and have security measures in place for this day. With that in mind, we want this event to solely be one by and for the students. We ask for all outside groups and parents to respect their wishes and not visit RHS during this time.
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Sincerely,
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Thomas A. Gorman, Ed.D.
Principal
