Ridgewood High Unveils New 8:20 AM Start Time Backed by Sleep Science

Overview: In its recent meeting, the Ridgewood School Board discussed a significant shift to later school start times backed by sleep data and surveys. The meeting also covered key topics like data-driven education, new technologies, and a comprehensive view of academic assessment, including state and federal testing.

Ridgewood School Board Debates Strategic Goals Amid Changing College Landscape

Overview: In a recent meeting, the Ridgewood School Board extensively discussed the district’s goals for the upcoming academic year, amidst broader conversations about the evolving landscape of college admissions and the increasing significance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Members are looking to adopt a comprehensive and systematic approach for goal setting, ensuring flexibility to adapt to new information and challenges.

Transcontinental Debate Ignites Over Ridgewood School Board’s Remote Participation Rule

Overview: Amid technical glitches, the recent Ridgewood School Board meeting, involving participants from as far as Spain, ignited fiery discussions about the permissibility of remote participation for board members and the urgent high school roof replacement project.

Superintendent Unveils Major Initiatives in an Engaging Town Hall Meet

Overview: In a recently held virtual town hall style meeting dubbed “Coffee with the Superintendent,” Mark Schwartz, the newly appointed Superintendent of Ridgewood Public Schools, unveiled a plethora of initiatives aimed at tackling some of the district’s most pressing concerns. Addressing an array of topics from curriculum rewrites to school bus timings, Schwartz emphasized his commitment to transparency and open dialogue with the community.

School Board Meeting Ignites Dispute Over Before and After School Care Program

Overview: In a recent Ridgewood School Board meeting, tempers flared as the process and handling of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for a before and after school care contract sparked a passionate debate. Multiple stakeholders, including the President and CEO of the Ridgewood Y, expressed dissatisfaction with the procedure, with claims suggesting a rushed timeline, unfair advantage to the existing vendor, AlphaBest Education, and a lack of public participation. The core of the opposition to AlphaBest is that it has had long waitlists that does not allow parents to enroll their students in the program.