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The Maroon Vol. 2… No. 31 Friday, April 22, 2022
“Bringing us all to a place we don't want to lose."
Observer: Earth Day
Macky’s New York: Portrait Of Peter The Great
William Peay: Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame: Save The Date: Nov. 5th 2022
Did You Know: Instructional Time
RHS Tired Teens: Later School Start Times
M + A NYC: Mighty Are We As One
James Stroker: Hope Coach
Jim Schoneman: Rock Hound
Siobhan Crann Winograd: Around The Village
Observer
Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org
Hard to imagine I reached the age of eleven before it was illegal for a factory to spew whatever it wanted into the air and water. There was no EPA, no Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act. There were no legal or regulatory mechanisms to protect our environment.
My Dad told me he noticed the improvement in New York City’s air by the mid 1970s, when he longer had to worry about catching a piece of soot in his eye while walking down the street.
Today is the 52nd Earth Day. A biology professor from Sydney, Australia, Leslie Hughes, said it best:
“I think when you’re sitting in a middle-class environment and it’s a nice day and the sun’s come up or has gone down, it’s easy to become complacent about the larger forces at work in our climate system and the impacts those forces have.”
But how do we invest in our planet? What can we do as individuals? What can we do as groups?
I think better organizing groups is the ideal path to follow. It’s easier than ever with social media and The Internet to get a message out. The hard part is to have people see it and then act upon it in unison. More on this topic in the future.
Macky’s New York
Matthew Cortellesi Photography
April 10, 2022 - Upper West Side
Portrait Of Peter The Great
The rain was fierce as was the drinking and as we made our way crosstown to meet some friends...I shot this of the greatest Peter as we walked across rain soaked thick metal plates painted in yellow covering holes on the street.
Pure reflection shot on 85th street just east of Amsterdam looking west.
Time 620pm
#ny1pic
William Peay
Tales From The Wood…
Miss my boy! Reposted because he was a 4th of July parade staple. Used to pull me around on my Rollerblades! Kids loved him Too!
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
Save The Date: November 5, 2022
Visit The RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
Did You Know…
Instructional Time
By Dr. Anne Robinson, RHS 1977
Did you know that years ago, the school start time at RHS was moved a few minutes earlier because the extra instructional time bumped up our ranking? Instructional time is no longer one of the criteria for ranking high schools as there is no correlation between instructional minutes and student achievement or excellence in education. Some of the highest performing schools, not only in NJ but throughout the country and across the globe, have the least amount of instructional time.
In research collected by Lori Weil from the Smart Balance team, a look at over 30 high-performing high schools in NJ had Ridgewood at the top for instructional minutes, only surpassed by Northern Highlands, but RHS was in the middle of the pack for student performance. Most schools had 6-8 classes per day with each period lasting less than 60 minutes. Districts like Princeton and Chatham have figured out that prioritizing student wellness optimizes student potential and later school start times boost student health and achievement. Having well-rested, balanced, motivated students is more important than how many minutes they are sitting at a desk in the classroom.
Meanwhile, at RHS, the students have created an Instagram account documenting students sleeping in class and in various other locations in the school. @rhs_sleeping_students"Grown-ups love figures..." (The Little Prince) If we bury our heads in the numbers, we might miss the obvious. It's not instructional time if the students are asleep at their desks.
RHS Tired Teens
Later School Start Times
M + A NYC
Mighty Are We As One
Inspired by art, designed in New York, and made by hand with love by artisans all over the world. Shop home décor and wearable accessories at www.mplusanyc.com
Our Colorblock Napkins, Versatile Textiles, and Oval Enamel Tray are in stock and ready to grace your table. The Planter/Vase Set in low luster black soapstone, and Solid Brass Modular Swing Arm Candelabra are on a boat and should arrive within a few weeks
James Stroker
Jim Schoneman
Rock Hound
Precambrian boulder at the Grandfather Falls in Lincoln County, with a depression that was eroded by water, sand and gravel. The rock is many hundreds of millions years old. That eroded depression was probably gouged out fairly quickly. Under the right conditions it could have happened in just a matter of a few years or maybe even months. It's an unusual shape. For scale, the depression is about two feet across and a few inches deep.
Siobhan Crann Winograd
Around The Village
Tomorrow is Earth Day. Perfect day to plant a tree or donate to our Canopy Committee so we can help make our town more beautiful. QR code is in the comments below. #EarthDay2022