Welcome!

Welcome to Laurie Goodman's blog. I use this space to share news and opinions about education and schools in Ridgewood, the state of New Jersey and the nation, in addition to other issues I'm personally interested in. I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, questions or opinions, too, by posting comments on any blog entry. Please observe basic courtesy -- keep your comments focused on issues, no personal attacks or bullying, please. Contact me directly at: lauriegood@mac.com

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Some thoughts on merit pay for teachers, tied to test scores.

Teacher quality is vital, but I’m concerned about increases in high-stakes standardized testing (and imperfect tests) to evaluate teachers, influence compensation, etc. Testing and data mining is going to cost a lot of money. Who will pay? What will be the effect on students?

How will the state develop standardized tests for Art? History? Theater? Health? You know there are no state tests for those right now. How long is that going to take? How much more learning will students lose in order to participate in testing? These are just a few of my concerns.

Then I read Dana Goldstein's story in the Daily Beast about high-stakes testing and something called "Campbell’s Law" — the social-science maxim that holds that the reliability of a decision-making tool is inversely proportional to the importance of the decision being made. That is, the more a test score is worth, the more it’s worth cheating on the test. (The story was about allegations of high erasure rates -- cheating -- on supposedly-improved standardized tests in Washington, D.C.)

So that gives me even more worry about placing all this emphasis on state-developed tests.

Did I mention how pretty much every 9th grader in New Jersey failed the state's first Biology test? So now they're back at the drawing board trying to come up with a better test.

And, finally, Diane Ravitch tweeted today, "Imagine putting fate of students and teachers in hands of the testing agencies" like those described in the book, Making the Grades: My Misadventures in the Standardized Testing Industry by Todd Farley, an eye-opening (and frightening) book that I read last year. Another good point, Diane!

What does this mean for Ridgewood? The political pressure in Trenton is forcing a rush to policies for evaluating teacher quality, based on extremely flawed state tests. Eventually, the requirements will hit Ridgewood, we'll be forced to comply (rather than rely on our own education leaders to evaluate our teachers), it will cost a lot of money, it will suck even more time away from our administrators and teachers...like I said, I'm worried.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

What is a BOE member's job description?

A resident emailed to ask me what is the job description of a Board of Education member. I advised her to click here on the District website, where you will see descriptions of The Role of the Board, the Role of the Superintendent, some other FAQs, and also the Board Member Code of Ethics, which contains language about what Board members are and are not responsible for.

For a more formal description, you can read the BOE Policy Manual, Bylaws Section 0120. (I'm not going to put a link here because I'm not sure you want to download the 1,633-page document.)

When I sense that someone may have a misconception about what the BOE does, I try to get across two main (helpful) facts:

1) The Board of Education does not run the schools. The Board's job is to make sure the schools are well run.

2) Any single BOE member has absolutely no power or authority, except when acting, by vote, as a member of the five-member Board.

Both of those facts come from the New Jersey statute 18A, which also states that every Board member must all make decisions "based on the educational welfare of children."

Last year I ran across this quote regarding micromanaging by Boards of Ed. It's a helpful perspective:
Democracy does not mean that the people’s representatives — the school board—take over and operate the schools any more than it means that the board members of a symphony play the violins.
-- American School Board Journal, November 2010
An interesting way to put it, but makes sense.

Teen brains are changing...is the way schools teach changing, too?

Really interesting report on the actual physical changes happening in kids brains thanks to digital inputs and multi-tasking. The way we teach should be changing, too. The second video below has more relevant info regarding learning, as the reporter involves his teen children in the discussion.


Fundraising vs. Funding.

I have to say, while I applaud the energetic and well-meaning parents of the RHS Home & School Association, I do wish their Phone-a-thon fundraiser had been scheduled for a time that didn't coincide with the school budget presentations, discussions and upcoming vote. It's potentially confusing for parents, and I think it dilutes both of our messages and efforts. The fact is, our school budget is limited by the state's 2% cap on taxes. Once we factored in the expected increase in our health insurance premiums, that didn't leave much room for anything but the basics. Priorities are developed by the principals and the administration, and only essential items are budgeted. Yes, the District replaces equipment such as microscopes and computers as much as it can, but we have to be very choosy from year to year in order to allocate funds for maximum impact. At all our schools, we are extremely lucky and appreciative of the parent efforts to fund items which are not able to be included in the budget.

Just to be crystal clear: the fundraising drive was conceived, planned and carried out by the HSA -- the parents of Ridgewood High School. I appreciate their hard work, I appreciate those who choose to donate and I respect those who choose not to donate.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Budget and ballot question approved by BOE.

At tonight's Board of Ed meeting, we approved the 2011-12 budget and ballot question for the upcoming vote by residents. The budget spreadsheet and powerpoint with notes & explanatory information will be on the District website shortly.

Following are the comments I made (or intended to make*) after the budget was reviewed:

What a difference a year makes.

This time last year, we were struggling to make millions of dollars in cuts (following a prior year of even more cuts). It was painful – and the District is still coping with the fallout. But we’re coping relatively well. Thankfully, a last-minute promise of some funding from the state, combined with good planning and efficiencies from school principals and Ed Center administration, headed off additional cuts for 2011-12.

I agree with Charlie – this is a bare minimum budget…

As a parent, I appreciate this budget that keeps our educational programs and staff intact – and includes a minimum amount for capital projects.

As a taxpayer, I thank the administrators for this budget that contains the smallest tax increase in decades.

And as a Board member, taxpayer and parent, I encourage anyone with questions as to what this budget means for their schools and classrooms, to speak to us tonight during public comment, email your questions to budget12@ridgewood.k12.nj.us, or please attend one of the three informational sessions that are scheduled. Everyone is invited to attend – not just parents – and the first one is this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at GW Middle School.

Don’t just vote blindly on the budget…Get the information, the real information, from Dr. Fishbein, from the Board, or from your school’s principal.

It’s impossible to know what the future holds, but we can make a pretty good educated guess. Budgeting is going to get more difficult, not less. And the pressures to find creative ways to deliver education excellence will increase, not decrease. I believe this budget puts the District in a good position to face whatever comes at us next year and beyond.

I support this budget for 2011-12, and I hope Ridgewood residents will vote “yes” to approve it on April 27.

(*These are the notes I intended to read, but I think I paraphrased a bit during the meeting.)

Somerville students make 1,000 paper cranes on behalf of Japan victims

The following is reprinted from Voice of America.com. Click here to read and also to watch a cool video:

Among the worldwide efforts to help the people of Japan following the recent earthquake and tsunami are school children who are reaching out in various ways. One New Jersey school is taking a unique approach to help, and teach its children empathy for the victims in Japan at the same time.

There are nearly 40 Japanese-American students at the Somerville Elementary School in Ridgewood, New Jersey. But all of the school's 525 students have heard about the disasters that hit Japan. They have decorated their school with a veritable flock of paper origami cranes. In Japan, it is said folding 1,000 paper cranes confers the right to make a wish, and the Somerville students are engaged in an effort to translate their empathy for victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami into a wish for a speedy recovery.

Art teacher Samantha Stankiewicz says it gives students a way to express empathy for victims.

"For children, the folding of the cranes has been a really positive way for them to feel like they're actively engaged, even though the cranes are symbolic," said Stankiewicz.

These students thought out loud as they folded cranes in the school library.

BOY: "The crane is a symbol of hope, so we try to have a lot of hope for those people in Japan."
GIRL 1: "It makes me feel really happy that everyone's caring for another country."
GIRL 2: "I feel sad for them; like really sad for them. But I also feel happy for us, because we are really trying to help out."

That help consists of contributions from students to disaster relief agencies. Principal Lorna Oates-Santos says children at the school have donated nearly $2,000.

"We will be donating that money to the American Red Cross and Save the Children," said Oates-Santos. "They are two groups that are ready, on the ground in Japan to help the people of Japan."

Joining the assistance effort is the school's television club, which produces weekly programs on a variety of topics. Fourth grade teacher Gabrielle King runs the club.

"When the earthquake happened, the children wanted to know what they could do to inform other students and raise awareness for the people in Japan," said King. "So, we decided to do a show on the earthquake, and to also making the cranes; the origami cranes."

Somerville Elementary made 1,000 cranes and a wish for the people of Japan to have a prompt recovery.

Support our parent groups: Go shopping!

Lord & Taylor is holding its annual charity shopping event on April 7, and all Ridgewood residents are invited to participate. How does it work? You purchase a ticket for $5 and then you receive 15% off or 20% off all day long on April 7. The group you're supporting receives a donation from Lord & Taylor. It's a win-win! The Ridgewood LSHSA (Learning Services Home & School Association) and RHS Project Graduation are two of the local groups your shopping can support. The LSHSA raises funds to help provide Special Services teachers and therapists with items on their "wish lists” that aren't in their budgets, along with funding "Teacher of the Year" awards and two Special RHS scholarships for graduating seniors. Project Graduation funds the event that keeps our young people safe on graduation night. To purchase tickets online, click here: Use the drop down box and click on "Learning Services Home and School " or "Ridgewood HS Project Graduation" as your charity. Order before April 3 to receive your tickets on time.

(Honestly, there are dozens of charities you can choose to fund with your shopping purchases...scroll down the long list and choose your favorites. Just wanted to let you know we have a couple of school groups on the list.)

More information: www/lordandtaylor.com/dogoodridgewood

Public hearing & community forums on 2011-12 budget.

Ridgewood residents are invited to learn more details about the 2011-12 school budget, which will be up for public vote on April 27. The following budget events are open to the community, and questions or comments are encouraged:

Official Public Hearing on Budget @ BOE Meeting
Tonight, 7:30 p.m. Ed Center, 3rd Floor
Watch on Cablevision Channel 77 or live webcast (click here to link live).

Community Presentation
Thursday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.
GW Middle School Auditorium

Coffee with the Superintendent
Tuesday, April 12, 9:00 AM
Ed Center, 3rd Floor

Community Presentation
Wednesday, April 20, 7:30 p.m.
BF Middle School Auditorium

Don't feel like attending a meeting, but have questions? Email budget12@ridgewood.k12.nj.us

Most recent budget activity:
At the Board meeting on March 21, the BOE had a Joint Meeting with the Ridgewood Village Council, to present an overview of the proposed 2011-2012 budget and to engage in a discussion. Assistant Superintendent for Business Angelo DeSimone presented to the Village Council an updated budget spreadsheet. Revenues are flat, with the exception of the proposed tax increase of 2%. Basically, the budget is a 0% increase from this year to next year, with no personnel cuts or cuts in programs. Utility costs are projected to increase 5%. The largest increase on the line items is the 12% projected increase for Employee Benefits, which includes medical insurance. The proposed 2011-2012 General Fund Tax increase of $1,594,572 is at the 2% cap. The total projected General Fund budget is $86,775,809, representing an increase from this year of $363,441.33. The tax impact of this budget would be $23.94 per $100,000 valuation, or $190.90 on the average assessed Ridgewood home of $797,422.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Opinions, authority, and who's in charge?

I wanted to share a little bit about a couple of aspects of "Boardsmanship" that are interesting, possibly eye-opening, and at the very least illustrate a little sliver of life as a member of the Board of Education.

For me, being a member of a Board is challenging in a lot of ways. One of them is in the balance of “me” vs. “board.” By design, and by law, no individual Board member has any authority or power or influence over any part of the school district. In state-mandated training by the New Jersey School Boards Association, and in books I’ve read, like The Five Habits of High-Impact School Boards, The Essential School Board Book and The Secrets of School Board Success (yes, I’m the kind of person who researched and read things like this…early on in my tenure), Board members are cautioned against the dangers of “micro managing.” For someone who, as a parent, had no problem emailing a principal or superintendent with my opinion of how something could be done better, it puts me in a strange, seemingly less-empowered place as a Board member.

Within the Board, obviously we all have our own approaches to our responsibilities and we all have opinions about various issues. But the actual authority of the Board only exists as that group of five people.

Early on, I got some advice from a previous long-time BOE member and a veteran of many corporate and philanthropic boards. He said, once the Board makes a decision, that’s it. Individual opinions must be put aside, and members must support the Board’s decision and advance the Board’s efforts accordingly. Infighting and public Tuesday-morning quarterbacking are dysfunctional. I believe that. I also know that we all still have plenty of ways to communicate our alternate views, if we have them, with each other.

But…back to the Board’s authority. What does it mean? It may be news to some residents that the Board of Education does not run the Ridgewood Public Schools. It’s true and it’s the law. I know I’ve written about this in the past, but it bears repeating. The BOE is not responsible for running the schools, but the BOE is responsible for ensuring that the schools are well run. (That’s the way they present it at the NJSBA.) How are we supposed to do this? By setting policy and goals that guide those who actually run the schools, namely the superintendent and district staff. All day-to-day decisions are the superintendent’s decisions to make. The superintendent, in turn, is the only staff person that the BOE supervises. We evaluate his performance in a formal way every year, with detailed feedback, action plans, goal-setting, etc.

At this time of year, when citizens pay more attention to what Board members think and how Board members perform, I think it’s important to keep these facts of boardsmanship and Board responsibilities in mind.

Friday, March 25, 2011

When students rule the school?

Really interesting short film (15 minutes) about some students who created a school-within-a-school at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Called The Independent Project, the students designed their own curriculum and determined -- together -- how various subjects would be learned. In the end, a group of students who had been marginalized, unengaged and unenthused became engaged, active students interested in taking more responsibility for their own learning. And they learned the material, too!

A journalist who followed them wrote an interesting op-ed piece in the New York Times. She said:

The students in the Independent Project are remarkable but not because they are exceptionally motivated or unusually talented. They are remarkable because they demonstrate the kinds of learning and personal growth that are possible when teenagers feel ownership of their high school experience, when they learn things that matter to them and when they learn together. In such a setting, school capitalizes on rather than thwarts the intensity and engagement that teenagers usually reserve for sports, protest or friendship.

Check it out.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

What have I done?

Someone asked me today to "bullet point" some of what I've been up to during my time on the Board of Education Here's a quick snapshot:

I have been a member of the Communications and Facilities Committees all three years, as well as the BOE liaison to the Fields Committee. I am also a member of the Board’s Negotiating Committee in our current negotiations with the REA.

In terms of communications, I’ve worked on implementing the District’s new website and Skyward systems, helped with communications on the budget and referendum, where we instituted more public meetings and public input than ever before…I also worked with the committee on the parent survey which we started last year and will repeat this spring…I’m proud of that survey experience, as that was one of the goals I talked about during my campaign three years ago.

I have worked hard on my personal communications as a Board member, writing this blog for three years, and incorporating social media like Facebook and Twitter to dialogue with residents.

On Facilities, I -– and the committee -- worked hard on first prioritizing facilities needs and designing the referendum projects, then explaining the needs and the referendum to the community and now reviewing and monitoring the projects on a regular basis.

On the Fields Committee, I have represented the BOE (and our constituents, including students, parents, staff or neighbors) to the committee in discussions and work, and I’ve reported in detail back to the full Board to ensure all BOE members are educated and informed regarding fields issues.

As a member of the Board’s Negotiation Team, currently in negotiations with the REA, I’m excited by the potential and opportunity that contract negotiations represent – for both “sides.” Obviously I can’t speak to any specifics regarding negotiations (they are confidential), but I can say that my (and the Board’s) goal is a productive negotiation process that results in an agreement that is mutually satisfactory to the BOE, the membership of the REA, and the community, and that meets the needs of our students. I will work tirelessly to fulfill my responsibility to our students and taxpayers.

Other than those committee highlights, I have not missed a Board meeting and I've only missed committee meetings when there was a rare conflict with my "real" job. I thoroughly prepare for every meeting, I receive and respond to questions from the community, I attend several HSA meetings and the Federated HSA meeting each month, and I love more than anything attending school events throughout the District, such as International Day at Hawes, Celebration of Learning at Orchard, the Ridge Restaurant, the BF Turkey Trot and more. My very favorite thing is watching our students and teachers at work...it still gives me chills any time I can spend some time in a classroom. That is what it's all about.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Ridgewood students & parents take note: relax on the college angst!

Love, loved this column from Mitch Albom, which ran in today's Bergen Record.

Favorite part: "[Today] Gandhi would be put on a waiting list."

Most scary part: "A New York City woman who [is] suing a private preschool academy for putting her 4-year-old daughter with younger kids and therefore affecting her chances at an Ivy League education. Never mind that all 4-year-olds should be covered in orange paint. This mom is already thinking about the day you seniors are about to face. And she's terrified."

Please read and take heart. As the mother of an RHS junior, I appreciate the reminder:

Dear High School Seniors,

I know you weren't expecting a commencement address. It's still March, and you haven't even gotten to throw up at the prom yet.

But you are at a crossroads. In a matter of days, you will get letters from colleges you applied to. Some will be thick. You will like those. Some will be thin. You won't like those so much.

I am here to say: Don't fret if that letter is thin. You will survive. You may even prosper.

It seems incredibly hard to get into colleges these days. You wouldn't think so, given what they charge. You can run an airport on their room and board bills.

Yet last year, places like Princeton and Brown had nearly 20% increases in applicants from the year before. The University of Chicago jumped 42%. You'd think they were giving away diplomas, instead of asking for your house, your keys and your firstborn.

But even worse than the financial burden on your parents is the implied standards they are setting for you kids. Today, excellence isn't enough. Gandhi would be put on a waiting list.

When we were applying to college, you needed good grades, a decent test score and one teacher willing to forget the time you pulled the fire alarm and write you a recommendation.

Today, you need to cure cancer.

Preferably before your junior year.

The mythical cream of the crop?

As an uncle to 15 nieces and nephews, I have been seeing my share of these applications. I have to say, I don't know how you do it.

First of all, when do you have the time? Your nightly homework is as much as we got the entire ninth grade.

And the application itself? Some universities use the "common app," which permits millions of kids to stuff their credentials into the same essay question.

But let's talk about those questions. They ask you to write about an experience that changed or influenced you. And instead of writing what really comes to mind (a first kiss after soccer practice), you feel compelled to write about saving manatees from extinction off the gulf coast. Even if you never did save manatees. Because you heard about some kid who actually did save manatees, and he also carried 100 pairs of pajamas to victims of Hurricane Katrina, and he also plays jazz bass (upright) and in his spare time finished a sequel to "Catcher in the Rye."

Oh, and he scored 36 on his ACT.

I'm not sure such über-students really exist. But people talk about them. You hear about them getting in to Harvard, Princeton, Stanford. So much so, that good, intelligent, ambitious kids don't even want to apply to those places, because they don't feel "special" enough. It's as if schools today put out a vibe: "What, you don't know how to reconstruct a hydraulics system? You should have studied harder - in grade school."

Never too young for the fast track?

So it was no surprise this past week to read of a New York City woman who is suing a private preschool academy for putting her 4-year-old daughter with younger kids and therefore affecting her chances at an Ivy League education. Never mind that all 4-year-olds should be covered in orange paint. This mom is already thinking about the day you seniors are about to face. And she's terrified.

Well, relax. Because here's the thing: When you get older, you realize college doesn't make you, you make college. Many an Ivy Leaguer is now lying on a couch, and many a community college grad is running a profitable company.

Ironically, just as elite universities have become so precious in their selection, they are being debunked as the only way to success. The Internet has changed everything about information flow.

Remember Matt Damon's character in "Good Will Hunting" who taunts a Harvard student by saying in 50 years he'll realize he "dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a (bleeping) education you coulda got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library"?

Of course, you don't remember. You were 4 years old. But there was truth in those words, more today than ever.

So believe in yourself. You can springboard from any decent school. Open those mailboxes. And if choice No.1 doesn't come through, just remember, even Michael Jordan watched two players picked ahead of him in the NBA draft.

What's that? ... Who's Michael Jordan?

Thank you, and good day.

Why am I running again?

I'm supposed to speak with the reporter from the Ridgewood News tomorrow, to talk about my candidacy for re-election to the Board of Education. I was working on some notes tonight...I figure one of the inevitable questions will be, "Why are you running for re-election?" So, thought I'd share my reasons here:

Why am I running again?

I still feel that the BOE is one of the most important ways anyone can serve the community. It’s THE elected office with the most potential to do good.

Every community needs committed, thoughtful, passionate, curious citizens to serve on the Board of Education. I believe I still have all those qualities. It’s been a steep learning curve, and I'm still learning. But I believe in public education and I am fascinated by all aspects:
-- teaching & learning
-- administration
-- finances
-- And what I call the “parallel universe” of the school-world culture. It looks like the regular world, but it doesn’t quite operate the same way. It’s often a puzzle and I still wake up every morning determined to understand this bureaucracy a little bit more and to have a positive impact on its evolution.

What have I learned as a member of the BOE?

Last August I wrote a blog post titled “28 lessons in 28 months,” which listed the things I’ve learned. A couple of my favorites were:
#16. There’s more than one way to teach pretty much everything.
#17. Education “experts” don’t agree on almost anything.
#13. For every parent/staff/taxpayer with an opinion, there is another parent/staff/taxpayer with the exact opposite opinion
#2 There are not enough hours in the day

I’ve also learned – or confirmed – that I’m not a politician. I don’t strategize my speaking. I say what I think…not necessarily what others want to hear. I sometimes say things that get me into trouble. You don’t hear me speak a lot at our meetings because I don’t speak unless I have something useful to say. I communicate plenty with our administrators and other board members…I’m the queen of emails and I never run out of questions or suggestions.

But this leads to one of the biggest challenges I’ve had and I still have on the Board – I’m a natural worker. I’m a problem solver. I have ideas for how to do things. And the truth is, that’s not really my role on the BOE. By law, it is NOT the Board of Ed's job to run the schools. It’s the administration’s job to DO, to DECIDE, to SOLVE. It’s my job to make sure the administration has the policy framework and the mission/vision that allows them to work and do and solve. I have to step back and let them do it. THEN, it’s my job, or the Board’s job, to evaluate the performance of ONE person – the superintendent.

It’s been a difficult adjustment…to be less active and more passive…to let the decisions be made and then give feedback. I’m still working through it. Getting better. But still making suggestions, which is not the same as micro-managing, by the way!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Governor Christie's inconsistent policy on salary caps lets charters use public funds to pay high salaries.

How is it fair that charter schools are exempt from Governor Christie's cap on superintendent salaries? If he truly wants to walk the walk and really believes that no one who runs a school district should make more than the governor, then how does he justify the exemption for charter schools? If he truly believes that what he calls high salaries are a misuse of public funds, how are charter schools -- also funded by public money -- allowed to pay their leaders more than the governor?

According to the story in today's Bergen Record:
The director of a Teaneck charter school with about 300 students was paid more than $200,000 last year. In Englewood, the head of an even smaller charter school, with 200 students, earned $152,000 in public money for working part time.

Governor Christie has moved to cap the salaries of superintendents at much larger traditional public school districts, but has proposed no such ceiling on tax-supported charters.

To some, the exemption shows how charters — publicly funded but independently operated — are given a pass when it comes to state regulations meant to ensure fiscal accountability.

"It's patently inequitable," said Bruce Baker, a Rutgers professor who has studied charter school financing.

Read the rest of the article here.

Only in New Jersey...

BOE Candidates' Night on April 7

The League of Women Voters will hold a Candidates' Night for Board of Education candidates on April 7 at 7:30 p.m., on the 3rd floor of the Ed Center. This event is commonly called the "debate," but it's really more like four people making statements on pre-arranged themes/questions. Last time it was held was in 2008, and that time, I believe there was time for a few questions from the audience at the end. I don't know exactly what the format will be this time.

I also am not sure if the event is broadcast on Cablevision Channel 77. I'll post more details when I get them.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Back in town.

Just got back from six days effectively cut-off from civilization. OK, that's a bit dramatic. My daughter, who is a senior in college, took me on a short cruise for her Spring Break. How could I resist -- when your 21 year old wants to spend time with you instead of at some crazy spring break destination, and she's paying, I think you have to say "yes!" So while I was certainly in a civilized and oh-so-relaxing environment, I was completely cut-off from email, blogs, text messages, twitter, Facebook...everything! It was unnerving...and kinda great.

But now I'm back and trying to get back into gear. Hope to post some notes this weekend...about fields and floods, elections and budgets...there's a lot going on!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Budget 2011: What a difference a year makes.

The administrators reviewed the proposed 2011-12 budget for Ridgewood Public Schools at our Board of Ed meeting last Monday, and what a different experience that was, compared to this time last year. You can click here to download the budget spreadsheet, but the bottom line is this: With no cuts to staff or programs, the proposed budget features the lowest tax increase in at least 17 years, and is likely the lowest increase since 1986 (when the Glen School was closed).*

According to the budget presented, the tax levy would increase 2%, the maximum allowed by law. This translates into $23.94 per $100,000 assessed value, or $191 for the average assessed Ridgewood home.**

This time last year, we were struggling to make cuts totaling $6 million (following a prior year of cuts). We did it. It wasn’t easy. It was painful. And the District is still coping with the fallout. But we’re coping relatively well. Thankfully, a last-minute promise of some funding from the state, combined with austerity budgets from school principals and Ed Center administration, headed off additional cuts this year.

Residents will go to the polls to vote on the budget on April 27. I encourage all voters to review the budget and watch for the official District Newsline which will arrive in mailboxes. You should also keep an eye out for a postcard announcing community open forum sessions, where everyone will be invited to find out where the budget numbers come from and what it all means in terms of programs and the day-to-day classroom experience.

Any questions, you can post here. Or you can email me directly lauriegood@mac.com. Or email budget12@ridgewood.k12.nj.us and Dr. Fishbein will answer.


*I have tax information going back to 1994 and can confirm that the lowest tax increase over the past 17 years was $206 in 1995. I’m waiting to compile tax data back to 1986. I’ll update this post when I get it.

**According to the Village of Ridgewood, the average assessed Ridgewood home value is $797,422.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Youth art all around us.

Every year, I love the Board meeting that takes place on the Monday before the Youth Art Reception at the Ed Center. Since there is so much art to be displayed, they start setting up in the days before the event. Monday night, as we discussed the budget, staffing, and other (dry, somewhat unexciting) business, we could look around and see just a ton of beautiful and amazing pieces all around us. There are paintings and drawings, of course, and ceramic pieces and other sculptures. And there are always a few unusual things. This year my favorite (so far) is the Totem Pole made by some of the students in the SAIL program at RHS. It's made from painted and decorated student backpacks, which have been stacked on top of each other to create a totem pole in the style of poles found in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. It's about seven feet tall and it's awesome!

Then, yesterday, at the BF HSA meeting, Ms. Hyer, an art teacher, gave a presentation to the parents about some of the different types of art being created in her classes. It was fascinating to see the students' skills changing and developing as they grow from 6th grade to 8th grade.

I hope you'll consider attending the Youth Arts Reception at the Ed Center tomorrow night. It begins at 6:30 p.m. on the 3rd floor. The room will be filled with children leading their parents around, showing off what they made, mingling with their art teachers...one of my favorite events at the Ed Center.

Also, March is National Youth Art Month. Click here to find out more about Youth Art Month and the Council for Art Education.

Candidates are set for BOE election April 27.

So, now we know that there will be four candidates for the two open seats on the Ridgewood Board of Education. Sheila Brogan and myself are incumbents running for re-election. The challengers are Gerald Clark and Christine Krauss. Click here to read the story on Ridgewood Patch.

Looks like we'll have a "campaign season" after all...HSA meetings, coffees, debate, emails, phone calls, letters. It should be interesting. I don't really understand the phenomenon that results in uncontested elections some years and contested elections other years...just another "Ridgewood Tradition," I guess.

I'll start posting the dates for various events. If you're interested, you can "like" my page on Facebook to receive additional updates. Or just come back here. I'll start posting more on the issues -- although anybody who wants to know how I feel can just read the past posts on this blog. Any questions? Post them here, on my Facebook page, email me, call me, Tweet me (@lauriegood1)...there are so many ways to get info from and about candidates these days.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Revised Fields Policy is online; will be presented/voted-on Monday night.

An updated proposed revision to the Fields Use Policy will be presented to the Board of Ed tomorrow night at our regular public meeting. The draft policy is available as part of our agenda -- click here to download and read. Members of the Fields Committee will attend the meeting to respond to questions and concerns raised by BOE members and residents. I'd say it's likely that the BOE will vote on the proposed revision tomorrow night.

Also at tomorrow's meeting, the Board will receive a budget update from Dr. Fishbein and Mr. DeSimone. Last Monday we were presented with a budget that contained no cuts to staff or programs -- and yet, many lines on the budget were lower than last year. My hope is that tomorrow, we'll receive the details that can explain how those lines have been reduced, without loss of staff or programs. Of course, the recent $850,000 "gift" from Trenton has allowed us to eliminate the deficit which was reflected in our original budget. It's allowed us to not raid our capital reserve this year, which is a good thing. But, of course, with a 12% increase in healthcare costs, and increases in some other areas, we're not out of the woods. Hence, the proposed 2% increase in the tax levy.

In addition to tomorrow's BOE meeting, Dr. Fishbein is scheduling a number of open community meetings to review the budget and answer any questions from residents. I'll post those dates here as soon as they are confirmed.

Those are the main events on tomorrow's agenda. Please come to the meeting if you'd like to share your opinions during public comment, or if you'd just like to watch. You can also watch on CableVision Channel 77 or watch live on the web (click here).

Taxes and education quality.

Following is an email response I just sent, to a community member who wrote about concern for both taxes and maintaining quality education:

I appreciate your taking the time to contact me and share your thoughts...I can assure you I am well acquainted with the challenges faced by families struggling with severely diminished incomes.

You are absolutely correct that throwing money at schools does not make them better. Fortunately, Ridgewood continues to have excellent schools, while spending far below the state average on a per pupil basis. In fact, last year our total budget actually went down, somewhat paradoxically, even though taxes went up. (This is due to the loss of aid from the state of New Jersey -- we cut close to $3 million from our budget, but still required a 4% increase in taxes to make up for that lost aid.)

The recently-released New Jersey Schools Report Card showed how Ridgewood schools are much more efficient, by many measures, than most other similar-sized districts in the state.

I agree with the intangibles you name for maintaining quality schools, and I am happy to report that we are fortunate to have them here in Ridgewood: involved parents, motivated teachers and administrators that foster quality continue to be important elements of Ridgewood's schools.

We also have administrators and a BOE that have made tough decisions for the past few years, by:
-- cutting 20% of our administration
-- cutting over $4 million from the budget over past two years
-- reducing programs strategically, with minimal impact on students

For the upcoming 2011-12 school year, our proposed budget would require a tax increase of 2% -- in spite of rising costs, such as a projected 12% increase in health care. The reason we are able to balance our budget with a 2% tax increase is because our administrators and the Board continue to make the tough decisions necessary to remain fiscally responsible.

As a taxpayer, I understand your frustration with property tax rates and our need to rely heavily on those taxes to fund our schools, even as the state reneges on its long-term commitments to funding education, including special education. I promise you I will continue to look for ways to be fiscally responsible while I keep the quality of our education as my primary focus.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Ridgewood Public Schools' Facebook page is live.

If you're on Facebook, check out the District's new Facebook page (click here). If you "like" it, you'll get updates in your Facebook news feed. And you can share interesting posts with your own Facebook friends.

Don't expect to see a ton activity on the page at first. Mostly it will be links to news on the District website. But eventually you should find photos, links to interesting articles and news, posts from parents or community members...as I've mentioned before, it's an organic process and we'll see where it goes together.

Any comments? Let me know what you think here, or add a comment to the District's Facebook wall.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

History of the Fields Committee.

There's been a lot of talk -- and a lot of misconception -- about the Joint Village-BOE Fields Committee in recent months. I thought it would be helpful to take a look back at how the committee came to be.

According to BOE member Charlie Reilly, who was the first chair, the Fields Committee was formed around 1994-95 and arose out of two problems: poor maintenance of the fields and conflicts over scheduling.

The committee worked to convince the youth sports groups to donate funds for sprinkler systems for the fields in order to provide better maintenance. Marriott, which was responsible for maintenance of fields and buildings after 1993 or so, did a great job for many years, according to Reilly, but the fields were beaten up with overuse. Since the fields were owned by the BOE and the Village, Reilly worked with Councilman Pat Mancuso to have Village representation in the form of Village Parks & Rec Director Tim Cronin and the Village Fields Manager. The plan was to meet monthly with the RHS athletic director and any sports group representatives who wished to attend. The Committee worked out which fields would get sprinkler systems as
funds became available, mainly donated by the sports groups. The committee also discussed and prioritized improvements that could help make fields more playable.

Reilly recalls one early Fields Committee project, which was to encourage the Village to dig up tons of heavy debris, such as cinder blocks, that had been deposited at Brookside Field from the time it was a dumping area for construction debris. After digging up the debris, field was leveled off to make it more playable. The Committee tried to do improvements to at least one field every year.

At the request of the BOE and Council, the Committee also worked on the scheduling of fields. Tim Cronin handled all field scheduling for several years until resident Ed Seavers took over that responsibility within the Committee. Before scheduling was taken over by the Fields Committee, sports groups would come to BOE meetings and fight during public comment over what sport should be on what field. Needless to say, it was not an efficient way to manage schedules.

Currently, the Fields Committee is chaired by the RHS Athletic Director Nick Scerbo and Tim Cronin, the Village Parks & Rec Director. The Committee continues to manage the scheduling and allocation of fields, with input from the school programs and youth programs. Each outdoor youth sport has a representative on the committee. I'm there as the BOE liaison, and Bernie Walsh is there from the Village Council. A representative from the District's field maintenance company attends. There are also two "at large" members who are members of the community, not affiliated with any sport. They are there to represent the interests of neighbors of the fields.

As a final note, Charlie Reilly has owned up to being responsible for the 7:00 AM meeting time. His rationale was to ensure that the Village fields manager and Marriott people could come to the meetings before going off to work. This way, the sports groups had the direct ear of the people actually responsible for the work being done. Charlie (and other volunteers, I presume) also wanted to get to work at a decent hour.

What I find most interesting about the Fields Committee is that it is one of the few, if not the only, truly joint groups in town, taking a collaborative approach to managing a complicated set-up of fields, owners and users.

Representatives of the Fields Committee will attend our BOE meeting on Monday night to give feedback, provide information and present a revised draft of the Fields Use Policy. The expectation is that the Board will also hear public comment, and will probably vote on Monday night. If the policy is approved, it will go to the Village Council (tentative date March 23) for discussion during a work session and then for approval at a subsequent meeting. Public comment will also be available at Village Council meetings.

Meanwhile, the snow is melting and the spring sports season -- guided by the existing Fields Use Policy -- opens this weekend. Go Maroons!

What am I doing?

Today I submitted my paperwork to be on the ballot for re-election to the Ridgewood Board of Education. I didn't wait this long because I was actually conflicted about deciding to run. I always knew I wanted to continue. But I did not want to spend three or more months campaigning and talking about running. There is plenty of work to do on the Board without adding that into the mix. As of now, there are no challengers for my position. The deadline to submit paperwork to be on the ballot is Tuesday Match 8 at 4:00 p.m., so I'll know for sure at that time.

In the meantime, know that I want to continue working to ensure that our schools and our community work together to provide an excellent education for every single child, and fiscal health for our District. I am honored that you have trusted me with this responsibility, and I hope to continue working to fulfill that trust.

Over the past three years, I have worked hard every day for our schools and our students. The learning curve was (and still is) steep. While the experience has been challenging, fascinating, rewarding, interesting and complicated, I continue to start each day with enthusiasm to perform my duties to the absolute best of my abilities.

There is still so much to do. The times ahead will be challenging in ways never before seen in Ridgewood schools. I believe I have skills, energy and experience to continue serving the students of Ridgewood.

The election is April 27. Be sure to vote.

And, of course, keep in touch:

Email: lauriegood@mac.com

Call: 201-493-9193

Follow me on Twitter: @lauriegood1

“Like” my page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/goodman4boe

Understanding the school budget process. Tune in Friday.

This looks like a great program...from the New Jersey School Board's Association:

Local school officials often receive many questions from citizens, such as: How are priorities set? What are a school district’s fixed costs? How does state aid affect property taxes?

Tomorrow (Friday) morning, NJSBA’s online radio program, Conversations on New Jersey Education, will feature the topic: “Education Issues for the Non-Educator – Understanding School Budgets and School Funding in 2011.”

Host Ray Pinney will be joined by a panel of experts who will address these questions and other submitted by parents. The panel includes Michael Kaelber, director of NJSBA’s Legal & Policy Services Department; Dr. Valerie Goger, superintendent of the Bernards Township School District; and James Edwards, business administrator of the Brick Township School District.

The program will air at 11 a.m. Friday, March 4. Listeners who would like to ask a question during the show should use the call-in number, (347) 989-8904.

About the Program Conversations on New Jersey Education, on BlogTalkRadio.com, is similar to a live radio talk show, except it is broadcast through the Internet. The 45-minute shows air live, but will also be available to download to iPods or MP3 devices, or to listen to online “on demand.” Listeners only need a computer with high speed Internet access. To hear the live show or past recorded broadcasts, visit www.blogtalkradio.com/njsba.

Let the sun shine?

At last Monday's Board of Ed meeting, a Ridgewood resident presented a proposal for installing solar panels on several school buildings. The resident owns a solar company, Verterra. Basically, the plan would be for the company to install panels on seven schools -- those that have ideal building locations, roof conditions, etc. The schools with feasible set-ups are: Travell, Orchard, Hawes, RHS, BF Middle School, Somerville and GW Middle School. You'll notice that these are basically the schools with the most flat roof area. Other buildings are not on the list because their roofs are too sloped (Willard, Ed Center) or their roofs are older and are slated for replacement in the next 3-5 years (Ridge, Glen).

The basic proposal is that Verterra installs the panels on the roofs. Verterra owns the panels and is responsible for all installation, upkeep, repair, cleaning, etc. Verterra then sells the power generated by the panels to the school district, at a rate that is lower than we pay to PSE&G.

Why don't we just install panels ourselves and generate our own power? The cost to install solar panels is expensive. Recent estimates have shown that it would take 15 years or so for the panels to pay for themselves -- and then they could need to be replaced or at least updated, at additional cost. It's true that the government --both state and federal -- have incentive plans for solar, but those plans' benefits are in tax credits. If you're a school district -- we don't pay federal or state tax -- then the subsidies and tax credits wouldn't do us any good. Instead, a company like Verterra gets the tax credits, is able to sell us power at a more attractive rate, and still makes their own profit.

How much money could the school district save? Not that much. Approx. $25,000 to $50,000 per year. That's not nothing, but it's not a tremendous savings. You don't undertake a project like this solely for the financial savings. But there are other benefits -- doing the right thing for the planet, being good "green" citizens, modeling eco-smart behavior for our students, as well as creating learning opportunities for kids. Through a web-based "dashboard" or kiosks in the schools, Verterra is able to provide functionality that would let students monitor the panels in real-time, to see how much power is being generated, and use real data from our system to learn about energy. That's a neat benefit as well.

The proposal is being evaluated by the administration and Board. More info to come.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Dad's Night is here again, do you remember when...

One of the best traditions in town...Somerville-Hawes Dad's Night is March 10-11 at BF Middle School

Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 12 at 4 p.m.
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Free Admission

Wow – 67 years strong! This timeless tradition boasts 230+ dads who will don costumes, build sets, and deliver ridiculous and creative scripts to rowdy and appreciate audiences of neighbors, kids and friends. Sponsors in the Dad’s Night Ad Journal and money collected during intermission will solely benefit Hawes and Somerville Elementary Schools, and the kids! Last year, approximately $30,000 was raised and the funds paid for Smartboards, an interactive Science Day, Robotics Club and new playground equipment additions. This year’s donations will fund special programming and much needed infrastructure at the two schools.

My husband loved his time in Dad's Night. Over the years he was one of Robin Hood's Merry Men, a Desperate Medieval Housewife, Dory the fish from Finding Nemo, a random coconut-bra-and-grass-skirt-wearing islander...and he loved every single minute!

Come out and see Dad's Night. You won't forget it!