The Maroon Vol. 3… No. 70
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
“Bringing us all to a place we don't want to lose."
Observer: ChatGPT In Public Schools
Macky’s New York: The Speckled Saxophone
William Peay: Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame: Made For & Inspired By RHS Alumni
Project Arrow: Creating An Online Home For RHS Arrow Yearbooks
Mark Porro: A Cup Of Tea On The Commode
M + A NYC: Mighty Are We As One
In Memory Of Our Faculty: Photographs & Memories
James Stroker: Hope Coach
Jim Schoneman: Rock Hound
Kathy & Ross Petras: You’re Saying It Wrong
Ridgewood Library Bolger Heritage Center: George Washington Centennial Stamp
Observer
ChatGPT In Public Schools
The problem with ChatBOTs is that we use them incorrectly. A ChatBOT bases what they have to say either on information obtained from all over the internet, or a predetermined set of Questions & Answers. It doesn’t take an MBA to acknowledge that sourcing information from the Internet can’t help but get things wrong.
Better is for ChatBOTs to work with specific data. Given a known and tested database, they generate intelligible answers and useful advice.
The Ridgewood Public Schools will one day leverage ChatBOTs to improve responsiveness to frequently asked questions (FAQs) from Parents, Students, Teachers, & Administrators. At the end of the day, trained ChatBOTs will reduce the time it takes to get an answer or useful data. This capturing of the organization’s standard operating procedures and making them ubiquitous will benefit everybody.
This momentous event will occur when the information on the Ridgewood Public Schools web site can be reduced to a set of Questions & Answers. In other words, determining what questions the site is meant to answer.
Having reliable data is the best, initial approach to the question of a ChatBOT being leveraged, not just used, to improve communications between schools & families. There are simply too many details & happenings going on across an enterprise like a Public School System to not investigate a better method for communicating with all concerned parties. ChatBOTs ought to be celebrated for their potential and don’t need to be banned. Keep them full of good data and they will show their worth.
Macky’s New York
Matthew Cortellesi Photography
August 28, 2023 - Times Square
The Speckled Saxophone
A man wearing sunglasses stands alone breathing into a saxophone at the north end of Times Square.
This is a pure reflection shot off the black granite base of the flag pole in Father Duffy square with neon signage all around.
Time 1030am.
William Peay
Tales From The Wood…
Prospect Avenue
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
Made For & Inspired By RHS Alumni
Visit the RHS Hall of Fame
Digital Printing for the RHS Hall of Fame provided by Tim Boucher, RHS 1988
Project Arrow
Creating An Online Home For RHS Arrow Yearbooks
An RHS alumni collaboration with Ridgewood High School and the Ridgewood Public Library. Details coming in September, 2023
Digital archiving by Michael Culver, RHS 2002, and his firm 1Row.com
M + A NYC
Mighty Are We As One
M + A is a destination devoted to art, artists, artisans and design. We are inspired by art as it relates to design: the soul, the spark that ignites beautiful ideas. We are equally as motivated by craft traditions passed down from generations.
Shop home décor and wearable accessories at www.mplusanyc.com
In Memory Of Our Classmates & Faculty
Photographs & Memories
If you would like to contribute a few words about a Ridgewood Public School teacher who was memorable to you, please send it to us. If we don’t currently have a page for the teacher you want to write about, we’ll create one.
Faculty Tributes & Ashby Award Recipients
James Stroker
Hope Coach
I have the distinct honor and privilege of delivering ten season kick-off speeches in the next two weeks. That's right, not just one.
As Jerry Seinfeld famously quipped, public speaking is the number one fear for most people, with death coming in at a close second. In his humor, he pointed out that, statistically, many individuals attending a funeral would prefer to be in the casket than to give the eulogy.
Now, let me clarify, I teach this stuff! I'm a coach, specializing in confidence, poise in challenging environments, and the ability to infuse joy into every life experience. I preach "amor Fati" – not merely putting up with fate but truly embracing it.
So, what's the secret? What's the trick? Well, it's all about simplifying. To get aggressive, become a minimalist and streamline your approach. This brings us to "POT":
- "P" stands for Prepare, Practice, and follow the process with consistency and frequency. The best of the best are watching game film at 5 AM and studying stock trends while others browse Instagram. There's no faking the effort you put into preparing as if you're the best.
- "O" signifies Optimism. It's the belief that you will succeed and that something good will happen. This isn't blind optimism; it's backed by your past achievements and positive self-talk. Imagine you've done it before, and you can do it again. Embrace challenges with enthusiasm.
- "T" from "POT" is all about Trust. Trust in your training and play without overthinking, memorizing, or overanalyzing. Trust is born from the hard work and effort you've invested, allowing you to be in the moment and free from self-doubt or fear.
Lastly, in public speaking, it can't be about you. It can't be about looking cool or fancy PowerPoint slides. It must be about your audience, offering hope, inspiration, tools, and strategies acquired throughout your life.
Remember, confidence is contagious, and courage can inspire others to do the same.
Jim Schoneman
Rock Hound
Needed a few more rocks to fill up my second tumbling barrel, so yesterday I headed out to a spot I discovered last year on the Peshtigo River. The water is very clear there and there’s lots of nice rocks. Came home with 5 rocks that I cut into about a dozen different pendant shapes. That pendant on the far right is actually not a rock at all, but a piece of old concrete that’s been rolling down the river for a very long time. The other pieces with red in them I believe are jasper, feldspar and/or quart combinations. I don’t know what the green and tan one is.
So now I have two barrels tumbling. One is filled with several dozen pendants cut from a rough piece of crazy lace agate that I bought. The other is filled with pendants cut from rocks I found out on Whitefish Point back in May, along with the few I found in the Peshtigo River yesterday. It’s exciting to anticipate what they might look like after being polished in the tumbler. Sometimes they’re duds, and sometimes they are real beauties. I’ll know in six weeks.
Kathy & Ross Petras
You’re Saying It Wrong
Ross & Kathy’s podcast: You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language.
Ridgewood Library Bolger Heritage Center
George Washington Centennial Stamp
Random archival findings: a July 12 postal envelope with a George Washington Centennial stamp, commemorating his attendance at the Divine Service in Paramus Church on July 12, 1778.