The Maroon Vol. 2… No. 37 Tuesday, May 17, 2022
“Bringing us all to a place we don't want to lose."
Observer: Ridgewood Board Of Education Follies
Macky’s New York: One Gondola Clapping
William Peay: Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame: Save The Date: Nov. 5th 2022
Anne Robinson: Did You Know…
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
Ridgewood Board Of Education Follies
The Ridgewood, NJ Board of Education (BOE) is in an embarrassing situation. As if they needed someone to tell them.
Their transparent stall tactics to hinder implementing the plan of RHS Principal Jeff Nyhuis to begin the high school day at 8:30 AM and end at 3:05 PM has backfired on them.
The BOE has produced not a shred of evidence to support their status quo position. They allege increases in costs but haven’t offered any documentation. They claim a need to consider 100 years of pedagogy without offering any clues as to what will be examined. They have ignored over 10 years of their own staff’s research, other school systems’ accomplishments, and, worst of all, the RHS principal’s unequivocal endorsement.
I can’t understand their inertia or the wasting of taxpayer’s money on a badly worded two question survey on the subject of Later School Start Times. This is a healthcare issue, not something that needs to be put to a vote. It is a policy issue and one they are supposedly qualified to decide on their own.
The due diligence on this has already been completed by throughly vetted educators and medical professionals. What possible good is a survey now?
Pleaase let your voices be heard by contacting BOE members.
Macky’s New York
Matthew Cortellesi Photography
May 15, 2022 - Coney Island
One Gondola Clapping
It was dead quite and for a moment the earth stood still - the only sound was the ocean behind me and a gondola on the Wonder Wheel rocking back and forth as it slowly made its way down.
Shot from the beach in the fog looking west.
Time 915am.
#ny1pic
William Peay
Tales From The Wood…
Abraham Godwin (July 16, 1763 – October 5, 1835) was a Fife Major in the American Revolution, Master Engraver, elected to the New Jersey General Assembly for the County of Essex from 1802-1806 and the only delegate in New Jersey to vote for Andrew Jackson in 1828. The area that Ridgewood and Midland Park reside in was formerly known as Godwinville, named in Abraham's honor in 1829. He has a monument in Van Nest Park, Ridgewood NJ, erected in 1951.
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
Save The Date: November 5, 2022
Visit The RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
Digital Printing for the RHS Hall of Fame provided by Tim Boucher, RHS 1988
Did You Know…
The Survey
Did you know that you are not alone if you are finding the district survey about "Alternative Schedules" to be confusing? The Smart Balance team has been fielding questions and comments from a community that is baffled by this survey which has been called poorly written, opaque, and unclear. As one community member said, "The survey is like the worst multiple-choice test with no good answers." Another said, "It's misleading, almost like they are trying to trick you." Most are simply asking, "How do I even answer this?"
For example, this question:
To what extent are the following factors a concern for you if school start and end times are modified?
Increased costs to the district
Change in traffic patterns
Mental health and wellbeing of Ridgewood's youth
(Responses range from "Not concerning at all" to "Very concerning")
So, if school start and end times are modified, the mental health of Ridgewood's youth would not be concerning at all? If school start and end times are modified, the mental health of Ridgewood's youth would be very concerning? Is my concern contingent on modifying start and end times? Modified how? What sector of our youth are we talking about? Do we really need a survey to answer this question? Why not state the obvious? We are moving to later school start times for our adolescent students because of our concern for their mental health and well-being. In addition, the question is misleading. It implies that there would be increased costs to the district when there has been no indication that a later school start time would cost the district anything. In fact, the community has not heard a single report from the Operational Management Subcommittee of the Alternative Schedules Task Force. And yes, even the committee name is impossible to decipher but it was charged with looking into logistics like bus schedules. How can we consolidate routes and make them more efficient? Some districts have actually saved money by doing this. Just as baffling as the survey itself is the fact that our district took an entire school year to get this survey out, and paid K12 Insight to administer and analyze it, only to obtain results that can't be interpreted and therefore, will be of little value. Sadly, if the district had run the survey questions by the parents and community members on the task force, they would have picked this up immediately. They were not included in the process.
The final day to complete the survey is this Friday, May 20th. I would encourage you to use the comment box to clarify your thoughts about later school start times and to express your "concern" about the quality of the survey. You can also email K 12 Insight directly at
east@k12insight.com
More information can be found at Later School Start Times
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
Alessandra Brunialti
Super excited for the @fieldandsupply Spring Market that’s coming up Memorial Day weekend, May 27th - 29th, and looking forward to meeting all of you who are able to make it. Advance tickets are available now on fieldandsupply.com in half-day, full-day, or two-day reservations. Free admission for kids under 12.
James Stroker
Jim Schoneman
Rock Hound
My son John and I went hunting for morel mushrooms in the Underdown area today, and I ended up learning a lot about rocks. It was very bright, hot and dry, and we know very little about hunting for morels, so our mushroom adventure lasted about 5 minutes and then my attention turned to all of the rocks that were laying on top of the trail. At first I thought it was just road gravel trucked in to make the trail, but then it became obvious that the Underdown area is chock full of amazing rocks, just waiting to be picked up.
We pocketed this interesting specimen and brought it home and cut it in half to see what’s inside. The host rock is quartz, and I’m guessing that the gold-colored material is pyrite (Fool’s Gold), but it could be real gold.
When I got home and did some research, I learned that the entire Underdown area, as well as the Harrison Hills area a few miles to the north, is one of the best examples of glacial hummocky terrain in the world. Long story short, this is where the glacier stopped, and all of the rocks that the glacier had been pushing, or that had been stuck to the glacial ice, were left behind when the glacier melted. Just one more reason to explore the Underdown.
Siobhan Crann Winograd
Around The Village
Ridgewood High School Alumni hung 470 banners around the Village to recognize and celebrate each member of the Class of 2022.
“For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people’s love and concern for each other”. Our town is so incredibly proud of you & the entire class of 2022. Love you lots Liam Winograd. #RHSALUMNI