The Community Budget Workshops which were canceled due to snow last week have been rescheduled:
Tuesday March 9 @ 7:30 p.m.
George Washington Middle School Auditorium
Wednesday March 10 @ 1:00 p.m.
Ridgewood High School Campus Center
Please try to attend one of these sessions to learn about how the school district’s budget is created, where all that money goes, what laws govern the process and how New Jersey’s fiscal crisis will impact the decisions we make for the 2010-11 budget.
Superintendent Dan Fishbein and BOE members invite the community to ask questions and make suggestions for next year’s budget.
In the meantime, you can read all sorts of budget info on the district website, including the detailed 100+ page full budget for 2009-10: click here.
Click here for the latest FAQs on the budget.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Reminder: File BOE candidate papers by Monday
Just a friendly reminder that if you'd like to run for a seat on the Board of Education, you can pick-up a Candidate's Kit at the Ed Center or download one at the New Jersey School Boards Association website (click here). All you need are 10 signatures (including yours) from registered voters in Ridgewood. The paperwork is due this Monday, March 1, by 4:00 p.m.
Two seats are open in this year's election. The vote will be April 20.
Two seats are open in this year's election. The vote will be April 20.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Middle School math scores are up.
Updated 1/24/10 @ 2:22 p.m.
At Monday night's Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Regina Botsford and Grade 6-12 Math Supervisor Dan Ilaria gave a presentation of NJASK math scores in grades 6-8, showing improvement in scores since the current Connected Math curriculum (program) was introduced. The percentages of students scoring Advanced Proficient have increased the most. This has sometimes been a popular topic of discussion throughout our math journey here in Ridgewood, so it was good to see and share some data that supports what the district has been doing with middle school math.
Click here to see the full report, which is on the District website.
As always, standardized test scores are just one measure of student learning, but it is noteworthy to see these particular scores moving in the right direction. It's also worth remembering that a textbook or program (like Connected Math) is just one element of teaching -- many other factors influence student performance, most importantly the teachers themselves. Not every change (up or down) in student test scores can be attributed to textbooks alone. In other words, news like this is good, but it's a snapshot.
At Monday night's Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Regina Botsford and Grade 6-12 Math Supervisor Dan Ilaria gave a presentation of NJASK math scores in grades 6-8, showing improvement in scores since the current Connected Math curriculum (program) was introduced. The percentages of students scoring Advanced Proficient have increased the most. This has sometimes been a popular topic of discussion throughout our math journey here in Ridgewood, so it was good to see and share some data that supports what the district has been doing with middle school math.
Click here to see the full report, which is on the District website.
As always, standardized test scores are just one measure of student learning, but it is noteworthy to see these particular scores moving in the right direction. It's also worth remembering that a textbook or program (like Connected Math) is just one element of teaching -- many other factors influence student performance, most importantly the teachers themselves. Not every change (up or down) in student test scores can be attributed to textbooks alone. In other words, news like this is good, but it's a snapshot.
What's ahead for NJ education?
New Jersey Commissioner of Education Bret Schundler has agreed to be the keynote speaker at the Garden State Coalition of Schools' "Summit @ Summit" general meeting on March 2. The public is invited to come hear about what's going on in Trenton and how the changes will affect districts like Ridgewood. This is a great opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and gather valuable insights for local decision making.
In addition to Mr. Schundler, confirmed attendees include:
Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr.
Assembly Minority Conference Leader Jon Bramnick
Assembly Health & Senior Services Committee member Nancy Munoz
Assembly Education Committee member Mila Jasey
Date: March 2 @ 7:30 p.m.
Location: Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School
272 Morris Ave., Summit
(Directions at www.summit.k12.nj.us)
Administration and Board members from Ridgewood will be attending, and we'll keep you updated on the news we get. There may be Ridgewood parents arranging carpools - contact your HSA or let me know if you're interested.
Get more details at the Garden State Coalition of Schools Website (click here).
In addition to Mr. Schundler, confirmed attendees include:
Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr.
Assembly Minority Conference Leader Jon Bramnick
Assembly Health & Senior Services Committee member Nancy Munoz
Assembly Education Committee member Mila Jasey
Date: March 2 @ 7:30 p.m.
Location: Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School
272 Morris Ave., Summit
(Directions at www.summit.k12.nj.us)
Administration and Board members from Ridgewood will be attending, and we'll keep you updated on the news we get. There may be Ridgewood parents arranging carpools - contact your HSA or let me know if you're interested.
Get more details at the Garden State Coalition of Schools Website (click here).
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Board of Education Agenda for Feb. 22
The full agenda for tomorrow night's Board of Ed meeting is on the District website (click here), but here are a few highlights:
-- Update on Referendum projects
-- Update on the Budget process
-- Middle School Math Achievement
-- Awarding the bid for garbage services (the low bidder was Miele Corp...the Village's bid was more than twice the amount)
The meeting starts at 7:30, in the 3rd floor Board Room at the Ed Center. As always, there will be two opportunities for public comment, at the beginning of the meeting and then toward the end. Come on down and share!
-- Update on Referendum projects
-- Update on the Budget process
-- Middle School Math Achievement
-- Awarding the bid for garbage services (the low bidder was Miele Corp...the Village's bid was more than twice the amount)
The meeting starts at 7:30, in the 3rd floor Board Room at the Ed Center. As always, there will be two opportunities for public comment, at the beginning of the meeting and then toward the end. Come on down and share!
RHS teacher named New Jersey VFW Teacher of the Year
RHS History Teacher John Domville was named New Jersey's Teacher of the Year for grades 9-12, in the VFW's annual program.
The VFW's National Citizenship Education Teachers' Award recognizes the nation's top elementary, junior high and high school teachers who teach citizenship education topics regularly and promote America's history and traditions.
Mr. Domville is now in the running for the National VFW Teacher of the Year. Congratulations and thank you to Mr. Domville!
The VFW's National Citizenship Education Teachers' Award recognizes the nation's top elementary, junior high and high school teachers who teach citizenship education topics regularly and promote America's history and traditions.
Mr. Domville is now in the running for the National VFW Teacher of the Year. Congratulations and thank you to Mr. Domville!
DEP Hearing on Fields Projects March 15
The hearing with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding the field projects at RHS will be March 15, prior to the Board of Ed's regular meeting. As I understand it, the purpose of the meeting -- which is routinely called by the DEP -- is to give members of the public the opportunity to express their opinions -- pro or con -- on the projects, including the turf fields at the stadium and Stevens fields, and also the bleacher replacement.
I don't have the exact time of the hearing yet, or any details on the format. My guess is that anyone who wishes to speak will simply come to the microphone, state name/address, and give a three-minute or so statement. I'll post more details when I have them.
I don't have the exact time of the hearing yet, or any details on the format. My guess is that anyone who wishes to speak will simply come to the microphone, state name/address, and give a three-minute or so statement. I'll post more details when I have them.
California, here we come?
The Dollars & Sense Education Advocacy group recently headlined their email update “California, here we come!” It’s exactly what I’ve been saying lately. I was a teenager in California when they passed Proposition 13, the “taxpayer revolt” that lowered property taxes — and decimated school funding in ways that drove California’s schools from top in the country to the bottom, where they remain today. I worry that New Jersey’s struggle to give property tax relief will have a similar long-lasting, devastating effect on our schools.
Last week, members of Dollars & Sense testified before the Assembly Budget Committee regarding Governor Christie’s plans to cut aid to schools. The group brought 10 questions to the committee. Below are some highlights. Parents and school communities deserve answers to these questions:
1) The Governor tells us that every school will receive every dime that is currently expected. No school or school child will be short changed. This is likely correct for the current school year, but the reserve accounts being used are dollars for next year. Does this mean that schools and school children will get shortchanged next year for what we propose to do today?
2) Some of those reserves were to be used for property tax relief. Does this mean that next year property taxes will go up because we will not have the reserves intended for tax relief?
3) Reserve accounts were created, with good reasons, to protect school districts. Health and safety issues must be addressed at the time they occur. What will districts do if these needs arise?
4) Does every district have sufficient reserves to cover the aid shortfall? Will the districts whose aid exceeds the amount of their reserves have the aid paid by the State at a time when all spending is frozen?
5) State aid reduction currently qualifies as a budget waiver. Will this law, recently enacted, be changed to eliminate the waiver?
To recap, many of Ridgewood's school budget woes revolve around these actions from Trenton:
-- Budget Cap combined with rising costs means we'll have to cut approx. $2.5 million just to stay under the cap
-- State aid for this year will be cut in an amount that's equal to our budget surplus, forcing us to use the surplus now and preventing us from using the surplus for next year's budget. This could mean another $800,000 cut.
-- State aid for next year will probably be cut 15%
-- There are rumors that the budget cap could be lowered from the current 4% to 2.5% or lower.
I hope our state learns from the lessons of my home state. I love California. But I'm sure glad my kids no longer go to school there.
Last week, members of Dollars & Sense testified before the Assembly Budget Committee regarding Governor Christie’s plans to cut aid to schools. The group brought 10 questions to the committee. Below are some highlights. Parents and school communities deserve answers to these questions:
1) The Governor tells us that every school will receive every dime that is currently expected. No school or school child will be short changed. This is likely correct for the current school year, but the reserve accounts being used are dollars for next year. Does this mean that schools and school children will get shortchanged next year for what we propose to do today?
2) Some of those reserves were to be used for property tax relief. Does this mean that next year property taxes will go up because we will not have the reserves intended for tax relief?
3) Reserve accounts were created, with good reasons, to protect school districts. Health and safety issues must be addressed at the time they occur. What will districts do if these needs arise?
4) Does every district have sufficient reserves to cover the aid shortfall? Will the districts whose aid exceeds the amount of their reserves have the aid paid by the State at a time when all spending is frozen?
5) State aid reduction currently qualifies as a budget waiver. Will this law, recently enacted, be changed to eliminate the waiver?
To recap, many of Ridgewood's school budget woes revolve around these actions from Trenton:
-- Budget Cap combined with rising costs means we'll have to cut approx. $2.5 million just to stay under the cap
-- State aid for this year will be cut in an amount that's equal to our budget surplus, forcing us to use the surplus now and preventing us from using the surplus for next year's budget. This could mean another $800,000 cut.
-- State aid for next year will probably be cut 15%
-- There are rumors that the budget cap could be lowered from the current 4% to 2.5% or lower.
I hope our state learns from the lessons of my home state. I love California. But I'm sure glad my kids no longer go to school there.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
All your school budget questions answered this Thursday
If you’d like to find out how the school district’s budget is created, where all that money goes, what laws govern the process and how New Jersey’s fiscal crisis will impact the decisions we make for the 2010-11 budget, you’re invited to attend a School Budget Workshop this Thursday, February 25.
Superintendent Dan Fishbein and BOE members will host this opportunity for members of the community to ask questions and make suggestions for next year’s budget.
Two sessions have been scheduled for your convenience:
1:00 PM at the RHS Campus Center
7:30 PM at the Ed Center, 3rd floor
In the meantime, you can read all sorts of budget info on the district website, including the detailed 100+ page full budget for 2009-10. Click here.
Superintendent Dan Fishbein and BOE members will host this opportunity for members of the community to ask questions and make suggestions for next year’s budget.
Two sessions have been scheduled for your convenience:
1:00 PM at the RHS Campus Center
7:30 PM at the Ed Center, 3rd floor
In the meantime, you can read all sorts of budget info on the district website, including the detailed 100+ page full budget for 2009-10. Click here.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hey, Gym.
I went to the RHS girls' basketball game last night. We played Teaneck and, despite an early lead, the Maroons ended up losing 64-52. No matter, I still love watching high school sports. You can't beat the spirit up-close action.
As I was sitting in Gym I at RHS, I was talking to another parent about how nice it will be to have a gym just like it at GW. A nice big gym with bleachers! Both of us were telling stories about trying to watch basketball games in the existing gyms at GW (be sure to stand up against the wall so as not to interfere with play) or at BF (before the risers when we parents would fight over the one or two chairs someone borrowed from a classroom).
Looking around Gym I, it dawned on me that the walls are so plain...why aren't there banners and such? Shouldn't there be championship banners and school records on the walls? Instead, the feeling is a bit warehouse-y. Hmmm...I feel like I remember seeing banners somewhere...maybe in one of the other gyms at RHS? I forgot to look before I left. Must explore further...
As I was sitting in Gym I at RHS, I was talking to another parent about how nice it will be to have a gym just like it at GW. A nice big gym with bleachers! Both of us were telling stories about trying to watch basketball games in the existing gyms at GW (be sure to stand up against the wall so as not to interfere with play) or at BF (before the risers when we parents would fight over the one or two chairs someone borrowed from a classroom).
Looking around Gym I, it dawned on me that the walls are so plain...why aren't there banners and such? Shouldn't there be championship banners and school records on the walls? Instead, the feeling is a bit warehouse-y. Hmmm...I feel like I remember seeing banners somewhere...maybe in one of the other gyms at RHS? I forgot to look before I left. Must explore further...
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Latest school-related bills proposed in Trenton
I thought you might find it interesting to see the types of school legislation which are constantly being proposed in Trenton. Dr. Fishbein regularly receives this update from the NJASA (New Jersey Association of School Administrators) and forwards to Board members and administrators:
On February 11, 2010 the following bills were introduced in the Senate and Assembly. Pay particular attention to bills S-1398, A-2142, A-2143, A-2157, A-2186 and A-2235. If you would like to read explanations of these particular bills, post a comment and I'll add the explanations. (They're pretty long to include here.)
NOTE: If you desire to read any of the bills listed below in their entirety please visit the New Jersey Legislature web site at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ , and type the bill number in the bill search box to the right.
S-1373 Weinberg (D-37) Requires boards of education to provide certain nutritional information for food and beverage items offered for sale in school cafeterias. (2008:S-2855)
S-1377 Weinberg (D-37) Directs the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to waive 365-day period of ineligibility for interscholastic sports upon an affirmative demonstration that the transfer is for non-athletic reasons. (2010:A-2171)
S-1398 Weinberg (D-37) Revises criminal history record check process undergone by public and nonpublic school employees and bus drivers. (2008:S-110; 2006:S-2838)
A-2086 Cryan (D-20) Provides that the salary of an administrator of an approved private school for students with disabilities may not exceed median salary of comparable school district administrators. (2008:A-3996)
A-2091 Rible (R-11) Requires disclosure of all campaign contributions received and expenditures made by school board candidates.
A-2097 Conaway (D-7) Revises requirement for school district participation in Alliance for Competitive Telecommunications program and requires consultation with New Jersey Association of School Business Officials on certain training. (2008:A-1927; 2006:A-4361)
A-2137 Conners (D-7); Conaway (D-7) Provides for educational stability of children placed in resource family homes and that school district of residence for the child shall be present district of residence of parent or guardian. (2010:S-1333)
A-2142 Jasey (D-27); Evans (D-35) Requires Commissioner of Education to accept charter school applications throughout the year and expedites approval of charter school applications.
A-2143 DeAngelo (D-14) Provides for the election of school board members at November general election and eliminates vote on school budgets except for separate proposals to spend above cap which will also occur at general election. (2008:A-15)
A-2157 Handlin (R-13) Provides that receipt of public pension or retirement allowance be suspended during reemployment with public employer; allows enrollment in DCRP based on such reemployment. (2010:S-1320)
A-2171 Vainieri Huttle (D-37) Directs the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association to waive 365-day period of ineligibility for interscholastic sports upon an affirmative demonstration that the transfer is for non-athletic reasons. (2010:S-1377)
A-2186 Moriarty (D-4); Greenwald (D-6) Requires certain school districts to reduce per pupil administrative expenditures by 10% over three-year period and certain reporting by executive county superintendents of schools. (2008:A-10)
A-2200 Johnson (D-37) Permits a child whose parent or guardian is ordered into active military service to remain enrolled in the school district where the child's parent or guardian resided prior to active military service. (2008:A-4314)
A-2235 McKeon (D-27) Requires small school districts to share superintendents and school business administrators under certain circumstances. (2008:A-2060; 2006:A-1867)
A-2260 Diegnan (D-18) Lengthens service life of certain school buses to 15 years. (2008:A-371; 2006:A-3369)
On February 11, 2010 the following bills were introduced in the Senate and Assembly. Pay particular attention to bills S-1398, A-2142, A-2143, A-2157, A-2186 and A-2235. If you would like to read explanations of these particular bills, post a comment and I'll add the explanations. (They're pretty long to include here.)
NOTE: If you desire to read any of the bills listed below in their entirety please visit the New Jersey Legislature web site at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ , and type the bill number in the bill search box to the right.
S-1373 Weinberg (D-37) Requires boards of education to provide certain nutritional information for food and beverage items offered for sale in school cafeterias. (2008:S-2855)
S-1377 Weinberg (D-37) Directs the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to waive 365-day period of ineligibility for interscholastic sports upon an affirmative demonstration that the transfer is for non-athletic reasons. (2010:A-2171)
S-1398 Weinberg (D-37) Revises criminal history record check process undergone by public and nonpublic school employees and bus drivers. (2008:S-110; 2006:S-2838)
A-2086 Cryan (D-20) Provides that the salary of an administrator of an approved private school for students with disabilities may not exceed median salary of comparable school district administrators. (2008:A-3996)
A-2091 Rible (R-11) Requires disclosure of all campaign contributions received and expenditures made by school board candidates.
A-2097 Conaway (D-7) Revises requirement for school district participation in Alliance for Competitive Telecommunications program and requires consultation with New Jersey Association of School Business Officials on certain training. (2008:A-1927; 2006:A-4361)
A-2137 Conners (D-7); Conaway (D-7) Provides for educational stability of children placed in resource family homes and that school district of residence for the child shall be present district of residence of parent or guardian. (2010:S-1333)
A-2142 Jasey (D-27); Evans (D-35) Requires Commissioner of Education to accept charter school applications throughout the year and expedites approval of charter school applications.
A-2143 DeAngelo (D-14) Provides for the election of school board members at November general election and eliminates vote on school budgets except for separate proposals to spend above cap which will also occur at general election. (2008:A-15)
A-2157 Handlin (R-13) Provides that receipt of public pension or retirement allowance be suspended during reemployment with public employer; allows enrollment in DCRP based on such reemployment. (2010:S-1320)
A-2171 Vainieri Huttle (D-37) Directs the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association to waive 365-day period of ineligibility for interscholastic sports upon an affirmative demonstration that the transfer is for non-athletic reasons. (2010:S-1377)
A-2186 Moriarty (D-4); Greenwald (D-6) Requires certain school districts to reduce per pupil administrative expenditures by 10% over three-year period and certain reporting by executive county superintendents of schools. (2008:A-10)
A-2200 Johnson (D-37) Permits a child whose parent or guardian is ordered into active military service to remain enrolled in the school district where the child's parent or guardian resided prior to active military service. (2008:A-4314)
A-2235 McKeon (D-27) Requires small school districts to share superintendents and school business administrators under certain circumstances. (2008:A-2060; 2006:A-1867)
A-2260 Diegnan (D-18) Lengthens service life of certain school buses to 15 years. (2008:A-371; 2006:A-3369)
Perspective: A look at other districts' excess surplus
As mentioned, Gov. Christie’s Budget address last week included his intention to tie the loss of state aid to the amount of excess surplus districts have. Now the state has published data listing each of the 591 school districts and the info used to arrive at the $$ the districts will lose. Each line of the spreadsheet includes the following information: District Factor Grouping (DFG), Excess Surplus, Capital and Maintenance Emergency Funds, April and June Projected Fund balances, Total Surplus, Total State Aid, Excess Surplus Withholding, Total Withholding, and Remaining Payments Withheld.
Thank you to NJ Left Behind for converting the info into a spreadsheet, which you can access by clicking here.
The top 10 districts in terms of excess surplus are: Union City ($26,313,800); Perth Amboy ($15,155,778); Newark City ($10,373,157); Vineland ($13,143,132); Paterson ($10,308,731); Union Township ($9,122554); East Orange ($7,969,516); Camden City ($5,050,022); Pennsauken ($5,648,866); Atlantic City ($6,371,707).
Ridgewood's excess surplus is $1,361,181.
The amount of aid the state will withhold from Ridgewood, forcing us to use our surplus (instead of reinvesting it in next year's budget), is $808,066. This amount will need to be cut from next year (on top of cuts we already anticipate).
The NJ Left Behind blog also posted a few really good questions about these Top 10 Districts in the “Excess Surplus Withholding" category:
Question: Within these districts reside extremely needy kids. Why is this money in surplus – intended to be rolled over to next year’s budget – rather than used for additional services right now?
Question: Are we giving these districts more money than can realistically/productively be used for supplementary services?
Thank you to NJ Left Behind for converting the info into a spreadsheet, which you can access by clicking here.
The top 10 districts in terms of excess surplus are: Union City ($26,313,800); Perth Amboy ($15,155,778); Newark City ($10,373,157); Vineland ($13,143,132); Paterson ($10,308,731); Union Township ($9,122554); East Orange ($7,969,516); Camden City ($5,050,022); Pennsauken ($5,648,866); Atlantic City ($6,371,707).
Ridgewood's excess surplus is $1,361,181.
The amount of aid the state will withhold from Ridgewood, forcing us to use our surplus (instead of reinvesting it in next year's budget), is $808,066. This amount will need to be cut from next year (on top of cuts we already anticipate).
The NJ Left Behind blog also posted a few really good questions about these Top 10 Districts in the “Excess Surplus Withholding" category:
Question: Within these districts reside extremely needy kids. Why is this money in surplus – intended to be rolled over to next year’s budget – rather than used for additional services right now?
Question: Are we giving these districts more money than can realistically/productively be used for supplementary services?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Christie announces state school aid WILL be cut this year
I did not have time to listen live to Governor Christie's speech this AM, but just saw this report on the blog New Jersey Left Behind, whose author was live-blogging during the address:
This year, school aid will be cut by $475 million. 500 districts will be affected. More than 100 districts will lose all their school aid for the year. Districts must make up the difference from their surplus funds. Christie says "these cuts won't touch the classroom." (Hmm. They will next year.)
Well, Ridgewood, that's another $1 million or so hit on our budget for next year. That's what we get for playing by the rules, saving money, and ending with money we would have returned to the taxpayers in next year's budget.
This year, school aid will be cut by $475 million. 500 districts will be affected. More than 100 districts will lose all their school aid for the year. Districts must make up the difference from their surplus funds. Christie says "these cuts won't touch the classroom." (Hmm. They will next year.)
Well, Ridgewood, that's another $1 million or so hit on our budget for next year. That's what we get for playing by the rules, saving money, and ending with money we would have returned to the taxpayers in next year's budget.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Budget
The most recent FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) regarding the school district budget have been posted on the district website. Click here to read them. As I'm typing this, I'm thinking maybe I will post a few of the FAQs here every day or two.
My hope is to educate our community about the budget and the process that creates it. I want you to understand the budget because the responsibility for it belongs to all of us as a community. It's a difficult thing to deal with, it's not fun, but there's no hiding from this responsibility. One way or another, there will be a budget that we will ask you to vote for on April 20. Please take a few minutes (at least) to understand what you're voting for. I'm not saying you have to like it...just understand it!
Any questions? Post one here, email me directly at lauriegood@mac.com, or email budget10@ridgewood.k12.nj.us
Have a good day!
My hope is to educate our community about the budget and the process that creates it. I want you to understand the budget because the responsibility for it belongs to all of us as a community. It's a difficult thing to deal with, it's not fun, but there's no hiding from this responsibility. One way or another, there will be a budget that we will ask you to vote for on April 20. Please take a few minutes (at least) to understand what you're voting for. I'm not saying you have to like it...just understand it!
Any questions? Post one here, email me directly at lauriegood@mac.com, or email budget10@ridgewood.k12.nj.us
Have a good day!
Two-hour delay for school tomorrow...
In case you didn't get [several] phone calls tonight, schools will open two hours late tomorrow. Enjoy the sleep-in!
It's Reading Marathon Month!
The month of February is Reading Marathon month in Ridgewood. Children are encouraged to read all month and win a medal and Ben & Jerry's coupon during this annual Friends of the Library fundraiser. Go to the Library website to download forms for Preschool, Elementary and Middle schools. Completed forms are due at the Library, March 12.
I remember Reading Marathon well...my kids took it pretty seriously, especially my competitive daughter! Miss those days...
I remember Reading Marathon well...my kids took it pretty seriously, especially my competitive daughter! Miss those days...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Ridgewood SAT scores top Bergen County
I still haven't had time to go through the DOE's report card for Ridgewood schools, but I saw this story tweeted by the Bergen Record, reporting that the state report card shows Ridgewood's SAT scores are #1 in Bergen County, behind only the Bergen Academies.
Principal Jack Lorenz was quoted in the story, which focused on the tie between a community's income and its SAT scores:
John Lorenz, principal of Ridgewood High School, said his school’s high marks signified more than the district’s income; it reflected quality teachers, challenging courses and creative initiatives, such as a village library program for students learning English as a second language.
"There are some good things going on here in a strong partnership with parents and the community," he said. "This is one of the most outstanding high school faculties I’ve worked with. This staff doesn’t teach to the test but they know what’s on the test and they make sure kids are exposed to that content. It’s a good formula."
You can say that again!
Principal Jack Lorenz was quoted in the story, which focused on the tie between a community's income and its SAT scores:
John Lorenz, principal of Ridgewood High School, said his school’s high marks signified more than the district’s income; it reflected quality teachers, challenging courses and creative initiatives, such as a village library program for students learning English as a second language.
"There are some good things going on here in a strong partnership with parents and the community," he said. "This is one of the most outstanding high school faculties I’ve worked with. This staff doesn’t teach to the test but they know what’s on the test and they make sure kids are exposed to that content. It’s a good formula."
You can say that again!
NJ School Report Cards released today
The New Jersey Department of Education today released the 2009 School Report Cards for all regular public schools and charter schools in the state. According to the press release from the Dept of Education, "The report cards are public accountability documents that are intended to enable members of the public to measure the yearly progress of their local schools.
"The annual reports contain detailed statistical profiles of every school in the areas of school environment, student information, student performance indicators, staff information and district and charter financial information."
Established by legislation in 1995, the report cards are produced for all elementary and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools, special education schools, charter schools, and special services school districts.
Click here to see our school report card on the DOE website.
I have not had time to check it out yet, so I don't have any highlights from Ridgewood's report card. More to come...
"The annual reports contain detailed statistical profiles of every school in the areas of school environment, student information, student performance indicators, staff information and district and charter financial information."
Established by legislation in 1995, the report cards are produced for all elementary and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools, special education schools, charter schools, and special services school districts.
Click here to see our school report card on the DOE website.
I have not had time to check it out yet, so I don't have any highlights from Ridgewood's report card. More to come...
Monday, February 8, 2010
Municipalities target their school districts: can't we all just get along?
As the budget process for both municipalities and school districts gets increasingly difficult, it seems that municipalities are turning on school districts as the target of their frustrations.
I heard a funny (and yet not funny) story yesterday from a neighboring town. It seems the mayor of said town visited a 2nd grade classroom for a "getting to know you" activity. The mayor proceeded to hold up a dollar bill and say something like, "See this dollar bill? In our town, seventy cents of this dollar pays for your school." Have 2nd graders (what are they, like 7 years old?) even learned about money and cents vs dollars, etc? Apparently the kids were perplexed and this mayor's pathetic attempt at making them feel...I'm not sure, did he want them to feel guilty? -- fell on deaf (but probably cute) little ears.
In Ridgewood, our Village Council wants to reverse the decades-old practice of picking-up our schools' garbage at no charge to the School District. Last year the Village charged the schools an unexpected $35,000 for sewer discharge. I'm scared to think what's next...and you can be sure something will be next.
It's sort of sad to find our officials turning on each other during these tough times, instead of working together.
I heard a funny (and yet not funny) story yesterday from a neighboring town. It seems the mayor of said town visited a 2nd grade classroom for a "getting to know you" activity. The mayor proceeded to hold up a dollar bill and say something like, "See this dollar bill? In our town, seventy cents of this dollar pays for your school." Have 2nd graders (what are they, like 7 years old?) even learned about money and cents vs dollars, etc? Apparently the kids were perplexed and this mayor's pathetic attempt at making them feel...I'm not sure, did he want them to feel guilty? -- fell on deaf (but probably cute) little ears.
In Ridgewood, our Village Council wants to reverse the decades-old practice of picking-up our schools' garbage at no charge to the School District. Last year the Village charged the schools an unexpected $35,000 for sewer discharge. I'm scared to think what's next...and you can be sure something will be next.
It's sort of sad to find our officials turning on each other during these tough times, instead of working together.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Ridgewood News: All school news, all the time
Friday's Ridgewood News was a Board of Education newsfest, wasn't it? Is there nothing else going on in town? (OK, there were a few things about the decline of downtown...and a Valley story...and of course some great Jamboree coverage!)
Let's review the school news in Friday's (2/5/10) paper, shall we?
Page 1: Teacher could lose her tenure.
For the first time in many years, tenure charges have been filed against a Ridgewood teacher. I can agree with the quote from Manager of Human Resources Gary Hall: this was not taken lightly. The process is ongoing, so there's not much I can add to the story that was in the paper. Plus, since it's a personnel issue, I'm wary of saying something that would compromise confidentiality...A parent asked me why we didn't announce this before now, seeing as it's February and the charges were first filed in September. As I mentioned to that parent, it's true that much of this is public information, and as you know I'm always looking for ways to increase our transparency. However, it is my personal opinion that no one would be served by proactively making a big public deal out of this. The District will of course respond to questions from the media and elsewhere (and if you have further questions, I recommend you contact Dr. Fishbein directly), but for now, I can say we're following the legal steps to achieve the goal that we think is best for the students of Ridgewood.
Page 2: Residents: Vandalism indefensible.
This is the story about the guy (or gal?) who keeps cutting a hole in the fence between BF Middle School and Steilen Ave. I've got news for you, it's not just the "residents" who find this indefensible. I'm pretty sick of it. The District has repaired the fence over and over. The neighbors have confronted the alleged perpetrator. The police have been notified and presumably are "investigating." But enough already! This person is destroying others' property. And, to make it even worse, his actions are putting children in danger because, every time the hole is cut, kids use it as a shortcut to and from school, causing them to cross two driveways on private property. The adjacent neighbor is right to be frightened that someday he may hit a child who emerges from the fence into his driveway. I'd like to see the fence repaired and then a Law & Order-style sting operation...a van with surveillance equipment, late night stake out...infrared cameras...maybe that creepy Dateline reporter doing the voiceover...and then gotcha!
Page 5: No more free ride on garbage truck for district.
(I like how the newspaper has it under a kicker headline "Budget Woes," like it's a regular feature...Oh, wait, I guess it is.) So, like in many municipalities*, the Village has been picking up our schools' garbage for years, decades, no one knows how long. Now, due to their own budget woes, they want to charge us, somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000+ per year. Obviously, with the millions of dollars we already have to cut for our 2010-11 budget, we can't just absorb another $100,000 expense. So, we'll go out to bid and my prediction is we'll get much more favorable quotes elsewhere. (*Note: I'm researching which other municipalities do and don't charge to pick-up their schools' garbage. More to come...)
I truly don't understand the nonsensical quote from Village Manager Gabbert at the end of the article. He said, " the impact on Village taxpayers will be insignificant if the BOE utilizes the Village sanitation services. If the BOE uses private scavenger services, then the increased expense will be reflected in the BOE budget." Huh? Guess what Mr. Gabbert. If we use Village services or another service, either way, the increased expense will hit our budget. Thanks for your odd analysis, but we'll be shopping around for the best price.
Page 5: School tax increase set at 4% cap.
I already wrote about this the day after our last BOE meeting. Click here to read my post. I can say that I noted the newspaper's lead stated, "In a rare show of discord, the [BOE] voted 3-2 on Monday to keep next year's budget'at cap.'" It's true that the public doesn't often see Board of Ed members disagree. I've said in the past that I think we should disagree a little more in public, if just to boost our credibility. So, I think it was good. The fact is, this budget situation is ugly and painful and it's not going to be easy, no matter what. None of us -- not newbies like me and not veterans like Mrs. Brogan -- has been in this situation before. The dire circumstances and the high stakes are bound to put us at odds again, as we work through the process.
Whew...time to put last week's paper to bed and move forward. Tomorrow I've got some news from Trenton. For now...It's a new week! It's the week before February break! Onward!
Let's review the school news in Friday's (2/5/10) paper, shall we?
Page 1: Teacher could lose her tenure.
For the first time in many years, tenure charges have been filed against a Ridgewood teacher. I can agree with the quote from Manager of Human Resources Gary Hall: this was not taken lightly. The process is ongoing, so there's not much I can add to the story that was in the paper. Plus, since it's a personnel issue, I'm wary of saying something that would compromise confidentiality...A parent asked me why we didn't announce this before now, seeing as it's February and the charges were first filed in September. As I mentioned to that parent, it's true that much of this is public information, and as you know I'm always looking for ways to increase our transparency. However, it is my personal opinion that no one would be served by proactively making a big public deal out of this. The District will of course respond to questions from the media and elsewhere (and if you have further questions, I recommend you contact Dr. Fishbein directly), but for now, I can say we're following the legal steps to achieve the goal that we think is best for the students of Ridgewood.
Page 2: Residents: Vandalism indefensible.
This is the story about the guy (or gal?) who keeps cutting a hole in the fence between BF Middle School and Steilen Ave. I've got news for you, it's not just the "residents" who find this indefensible. I'm pretty sick of it. The District has repaired the fence over and over. The neighbors have confronted the alleged perpetrator. The police have been notified and presumably are "investigating." But enough already! This person is destroying others' property. And, to make it even worse, his actions are putting children in danger because, every time the hole is cut, kids use it as a shortcut to and from school, causing them to cross two driveways on private property. The adjacent neighbor is right to be frightened that someday he may hit a child who emerges from the fence into his driveway. I'd like to see the fence repaired and then a Law & Order-style sting operation...a van with surveillance equipment, late night stake out...infrared cameras...maybe that creepy Dateline reporter doing the voiceover...and then gotcha!
Page 5: No more free ride on garbage truck for district.
(I like how the newspaper has it under a kicker headline "Budget Woes," like it's a regular feature...Oh, wait, I guess it is.) So, like in many municipalities*, the Village has been picking up our schools' garbage for years, decades, no one knows how long. Now, due to their own budget woes, they want to charge us, somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000+ per year. Obviously, with the millions of dollars we already have to cut for our 2010-11 budget, we can't just absorb another $100,000 expense. So, we'll go out to bid and my prediction is we'll get much more favorable quotes elsewhere. (*Note: I'm researching which other municipalities do and don't charge to pick-up their schools' garbage. More to come...)
I truly don't understand the nonsensical quote from Village Manager Gabbert at the end of the article. He said, " the impact on Village taxpayers will be insignificant if the BOE utilizes the Village sanitation services. If the BOE uses private scavenger services, then the increased expense will be reflected in the BOE budget." Huh? Guess what Mr. Gabbert. If we use Village services or another service, either way, the increased expense will hit our budget. Thanks for your odd analysis, but we'll be shopping around for the best price.
Page 5: School tax increase set at 4% cap.
I already wrote about this the day after our last BOE meeting. Click here to read my post. I can say that I noted the newspaper's lead stated, "In a rare show of discord, the [BOE] voted 3-2 on Monday to keep next year's budget'at cap.'" It's true that the public doesn't often see Board of Ed members disagree. I've said in the past that I think we should disagree a little more in public, if just to boost our credibility. So, I think it was good. The fact is, this budget situation is ugly and painful and it's not going to be easy, no matter what. None of us -- not newbies like me and not veterans like Mrs. Brogan -- has been in this situation before. The dire circumstances and the high stakes are bound to put us at odds again, as we work through the process.
Whew...time to put last week's paper to bed and move forward. Tomorrow I've got some news from Trenton. For now...It's a new week! It's the week before February break! Onward!
Thank you Jamboree, Thank you Ridgewood!
Had a great time with our annual Board of Ed cameos in Jamboree. Last night was the last night of the three-night run of “And the Winner Is…” What a great show, positive energy, remarkable talent…and a whopping $100,000 raised for scholarship money for Ridgewood High School graduating seniors! I mean, really, in this economy, that’s an even greater feat than it appears to be. Wow.
Of course, live theater comes with unexpected glitches, and last night we Board of Ed members were the “glitchers.” It took place during the check presentation, when the show’s producers announce the scholarship amount and Dr. Fishbein accepts the giant check, along with Principal Jack Lorenz (or Vice Principal Basil Pizzuto on one night). At every rehearsal and performance, we were encouraged to quickly leave the stage immediately after Dr. Fishbein’s brief “thank you.” Every night they said “Hurry! Faster!” from the wings and from the orchestra pit. So last night, as soon as Dr. Fishbein finished speaking, we turned and beat it off that stage…only to find that last night, unlike all the other nights, Mr. Lorenz decided to say a few words. He was very gracious in expressing his thanks to the parents and community for Jamboree and everything it represents, both tangible and intangible. I just feel bad that the Board of Ed ran off the stage and didn’t stick around to hear and show our appreciation for his remarks.
I know it was just a minor thing, but I apologize to Mr. Lorenz for our faux pas. I can think of many ways it could have been worse… There’s always next year!
Of course, live theater comes with unexpected glitches, and last night we Board of Ed members were the “glitchers.” It took place during the check presentation, when the show’s producers announce the scholarship amount and Dr. Fishbein accepts the giant check, along with Principal Jack Lorenz (or Vice Principal Basil Pizzuto on one night). At every rehearsal and performance, we were encouraged to quickly leave the stage immediately after Dr. Fishbein’s brief “thank you.” Every night they said “Hurry! Faster!” from the wings and from the orchestra pit. So last night, as soon as Dr. Fishbein finished speaking, we turned and beat it off that stage…only to find that last night, unlike all the other nights, Mr. Lorenz decided to say a few words. He was very gracious in expressing his thanks to the parents and community for Jamboree and everything it represents, both tangible and intangible. I just feel bad that the Board of Ed ran off the stage and didn’t stick around to hear and show our appreciation for his remarks.
I know it was just a minor thing, but I apologize to Mr. Lorenz for our faux pas. I can think of many ways it could have been worse… There’s always next year!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
How to boost student learning? More recess might help.
Remember recess? Good article...until the end, when a principal in San Francisco talks about maintaining her budget for "organized play" and giving kids "the tools they need to play well together." So much for the benefits of unstructured play...
How to boost student learning? More recess might help.
Posted using ShareThis
How to boost student learning? More recess might help.
Posted using ShareThis
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Direct Email for School Budget Questions or Suggestions
As the Ridgewood Public School District administration is working on preparing the budget for the 2010-11 school year, the voting for which will be on April 20, they've set-up a direct email address for questions and/or suggestions. Please email budget11@ridgewood.k12.nj.us and your question will be answered by Superintendent Dan Fishbein or Business Administrator Angelo DeSimone.
School Budget Workshops Feb 25: Come with your questions & ideas
Ridgewood Public Schools has announced Community Budget Workshops to be held February 25. The purpose is to give parents, community members and taxpayers (aka everyone) the opportunity to:
* Learn how the district's budget is created
* Understand how budget decisions are made
* Find out about state laws and regulations that impact the budget
* Ask questions about the budget
* Make suggestions for meeting budget challenges
The Workshops will be hosted by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein, along with Board of Education members.
Two sessions: Thursday, February 25, at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
(Each session will be virtually identical -- we're offering two options in order to work with everyone's different schedules.)
Location: The Board Room at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place -- 3rd floor
For more information, post a question here or call the Office of the Superintendent at 201-670-2700, ext. 10530
You can also send questions or suggestions for the budget to budget11@ridgewood.k12.nj.us. All emails will be responded to ASAP!
Mark your calendar now and remember to vote: the Annual School Election and Budget Vote is Tuesday, April 20.
* Learn how the district's budget is created
* Understand how budget decisions are made
* Find out about state laws and regulations that impact the budget
* Ask questions about the budget
* Make suggestions for meeting budget challenges
The Workshops will be hosted by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein, along with Board of Education members.
Two sessions: Thursday, February 25, at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
(Each session will be virtually identical -- we're offering two options in order to work with everyone's different schedules.)
Location: The Board Room at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place -- 3rd floor
For more information, post a question here or call the Office of the Superintendent at 201-670-2700, ext. 10530
You can also send questions or suggestions for the budget to budget11@ridgewood.k12.nj.us. All emails will be responded to ASAP!
Mark your calendar now and remember to vote: the Annual School Election and Budget Vote is Tuesday, April 20.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Dubious requirements for public office in Ridgewood
I think it's hilarious that in a recent Ridgewood Patch.com story about running for the Council or BOE, they say that Village Council candidates need 165 signatures, must demonstrate "moral turpitude" and must disclose past convictions. For the BOE the only requirement is 10 signatures and we must be able to read and write!
Which is worse -- "moral turpitude" (defined as "conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals" -- is that really what Village Council members need?)...or the idea that BOE candidates can't possibly find 155 more supporters? (And I guess BOE candidates don't need to report convictions? hahaha)
Just a little smile to balance the gloomy budget talk. Have a good day.
Which is worse -- "moral turpitude" (defined as "conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals" -- is that really what Village Council members need?)...or the idea that BOE candidates can't possibly find 155 more supporters? (And I guess BOE candidates don't need to report convictions? hahaha)
Just a little smile to balance the gloomy budget talk. Have a good day.
Budget getting pressure from all sides: less than "cap" increase is impossible
At last night's Board of Education meeting, the Board did something I haven't seen before: Mr. Hutton made a motion, stating, that the 2010-11 budget will be an "at cap" budget. Mr. Hutton sought to give direction to our administrators and to remove part of the discussion, namely, is there any chance the District can produce a budget with a below-cap increase? Discussion followed, and the motion passed 3-2. The "no" votes were from me and Ms. Brogan.
I totally understand the intent of the motion and, as I stated last night, under better (more "normal") conditions, I like the idea of giving our administrators a goal...telling them where we want to be with the budget. This seems like good management. Instead of hoping your staff achieves what you want, make sure you are clear up front with your expectations. Then it's up to them to get there. That's part of Management 101, isn't it?
On the other hand, so many of the elements of the 10-11 budget are up in the air, unknown, and completely out of our control. It seems sort of futile to "lock in" one piece of the puzzle, before we know what all the other pieces might look like. That's why I voted "no."
Here's what the landscape looks like right now:
1) We're allowed to increase our tax levy by no more than 4% (an effective increase of 3.6% of the budget).
2) We have been notified that, unlike recent years when our health insurance premiums have risen 2%-4%, this year our premium cost will be going up 25%-30%. This increase, alone, takes our budget to the 4% cap. (And that's before any other increases, for example our contractual increases in salaries and the out-of-our control increases in transportation and out-of-district tuitions.)
3) Because of #1 and #2 above, we've already estimated we'll need to cut $2.5 million to be at the 4% cap.
4) We've been told that the state may eliminate aid they owe us for this year, forcing us to use surplus that we would normally have used for next year. This would be an additional $1 million (or so) cut.
5) There is a rumor in Trenton that our cap may be reduced from 4% to 2%. If that occurs, we will need to find another $1.6 million in cuts.
Based on the above, it's virtually certain that we can't possibly raise our tax levy less than 4% (or 2% if forced).
I hate how we have to keep talking about rumors and what might happen, but, unfortunately, we can't really tackle this with more specificity right now, because we do not have these answers from Trenton. We have to wait for Governor Christie to make his budget address, which has been delayed until mid-March -- so nothing will be certain until then.
As Dr. Fishbein said in his Ridgewood News column last Friday, and again at last night's meeting, the only thing that will be certain is that the cuts we'll be making will be real, they will be painful, and they will be felt throughout the district.
I totally understand the intent of the motion and, as I stated last night, under better (more "normal") conditions, I like the idea of giving our administrators a goal...telling them where we want to be with the budget. This seems like good management. Instead of hoping your staff achieves what you want, make sure you are clear up front with your expectations. Then it's up to them to get there. That's part of Management 101, isn't it?
On the other hand, so many of the elements of the 10-11 budget are up in the air, unknown, and completely out of our control. It seems sort of futile to "lock in" one piece of the puzzle, before we know what all the other pieces might look like. That's why I voted "no."
Here's what the landscape looks like right now:
1) We're allowed to increase our tax levy by no more than 4% (an effective increase of 3.6% of the budget).
2) We have been notified that, unlike recent years when our health insurance premiums have risen 2%-4%, this year our premium cost will be going up 25%-30%. This increase, alone, takes our budget to the 4% cap. (And that's before any other increases, for example our contractual increases in salaries and the out-of-our control increases in transportation and out-of-district tuitions.)
3) Because of #1 and #2 above, we've already estimated we'll need to cut $2.5 million to be at the 4% cap.
4) We've been told that the state may eliminate aid they owe us for this year, forcing us to use surplus that we would normally have used for next year. This would be an additional $1 million (or so) cut.
5) There is a rumor in Trenton that our cap may be reduced from 4% to 2%. If that occurs, we will need to find another $1.6 million in cuts.
Based on the above, it's virtually certain that we can't possibly raise our tax levy less than 4% (or 2% if forced).
I hate how we have to keep talking about rumors and what might happen, but, unfortunately, we can't really tackle this with more specificity right now, because we do not have these answers from Trenton. We have to wait for Governor Christie to make his budget address, which has been delayed until mid-March -- so nothing will be certain until then.
As Dr. Fishbein said in his Ridgewood News column last Friday, and again at last night's meeting, the only thing that will be certain is that the cuts we'll be making will be real, they will be painful, and they will be felt throughout the district.
Monday, February 1, 2010
President Obama's education budget highlights...the long road to reform starts here?
The US DOE has posted President Obama's education budget, which confirms that the new Race To The Top goals will inform spending going forward in the near term. Some highlights:
* $539 million for innovative teacher and leader reforms such as performance pay, bringing the total to $950 million, and $269 million for teacher and leader recruitment and preparation, bringing the total to $405 million.
* $354 million for school turnaround grants, bringing the total up to $900 million.
* $250 million for special education students, bringing the IDEA Grants to States total to $11.755B
* $210 million for Promise Neighborhoods, a new competitive grant program modeled on the Harlem Children's Zone that combines comprehensive social services with school improvements in order to transform whole neighborhoods.
* $197 million for programs designed to promote a well-rounded education, supporting comprehensive literacy, STEM and other core subjects including history and arts.
* $81 million for expanding educational options, including at total of $365.5 million in funding for charter and other autonomous schools.
The budget...
...does not seem to mention "No Child Left Behind." See ya.
...features a continued heavy emphasis on merit pay, expansion of charter schools, and closing failing schools.
...includes $14.5 billion for states to align standards with college and career-readiness, but those standards are still in the works. Trying to achieve a consensus should be interesting, to say the least.
Stay tuned...
* $539 million for innovative teacher and leader reforms such as performance pay, bringing the total to $950 million, and $269 million for teacher and leader recruitment and preparation, bringing the total to $405 million.
* $354 million for school turnaround grants, bringing the total up to $900 million.
* $250 million for special education students, bringing the IDEA Grants to States total to $11.755B
* $210 million for Promise Neighborhoods, a new competitive grant program modeled on the Harlem Children's Zone that combines comprehensive social services with school improvements in order to transform whole neighborhoods.
* $197 million for programs designed to promote a well-rounded education, supporting comprehensive literacy, STEM and other core subjects including history and arts.
* $81 million for expanding educational options, including at total of $365.5 million in funding for charter and other autonomous schools.
The budget...
...does not seem to mention "No Child Left Behind." See ya.
...features a continued heavy emphasis on merit pay, expansion of charter schools, and closing failing schools.
...includes $14.5 billion for states to align standards with college and career-readiness, but those standards are still in the works. Trying to achieve a consensus should be interesting, to say the least.
Stay tuned...
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