Ridgewood Public Schools

Ridgewood Public Schools
Address
49 Cottage Place Ridgewood , Bergen County , New Jersey , 07451 United States
Coordinates	40°58′53″N74°06′45″W / 40.98151°N 74.112579°W / 40.98151; -74.112579
District information
Grades	PreK-12
Superintendent	Thomas A. Gorman
Business administrator	Scott T. Bisig
Schools	10
Students and staff
Enrollment	5,613 (as of 2020–21) [1]
Faculty	432.6 FTEs [1]
Student–teacher ratio	13.0:1 [1]
Other information
District Factor Group	J
Website	www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us
Ind. Per pupil District spending Rank (*) K-12 average  %± vs. average 1A Total Spending $17,982 44 $18,891 −4.8% 1 Budgetary Cost 13,979 41 14,783 −5.4% 2 Classroom Instruction 8,343 35 8,763 −4.8% 6 Support Services 2,575 75 2,392 7.7% 8 Administrative Cost 1,312 28 1,485 −11.6% 10 Operations & Maintenance 1,508 36 1,783 −15.4% 13 Extracurricular Activities 229 46 268 −14.6% 16 Median Teacher Salary 78,193 95 64,043 Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending. [2] *Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

The Ridgewood Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from suburban Ridgewood, in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ^[3]

As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 5,613 students and 432.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.0:1. ^[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "J", the highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J. ^[4]

Awards, recognition and rankings

Benjamin Franklin Middle School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive, during the 1998-99 school year. ^[5]

For the 1993-94 school year, George Washington Middle School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve. ^[6] For the 1995-96 school year, Benjamin Franklin Middle School was named a "Star School". ^[7]

The district's high school was the 28th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. ^[8] The school had been ranked 28th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 20th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[9]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ^[10] ) are: ^{[11] [12]}

Pre-school

• Glen School ^[13] with 60 students in PreK and Private Day Care Center

Elementary schools

• Henrietta Hawes Elementary School ^[14] with 593 students in grades K-5
  • Paul Semendinger, principal
• Orchard Elementary School ^[15] with 299 students in grades K-5
  • Mary K. Ferreri, principal
• Ridge Elementary School ^[16] with 443 students in grades K-5
  • Jean H. Schoenlank, principal
• Irwin B. Somerville Elementary School ^[17] with 383 students in grades K-5
  • Lorna Oates-Santos, principal
• Ira W. Travell Elementary School ^[18] with 377 students in grades K-5
  • Brian Ross, principal
• Willard Elementary School ^[19] with 461 students in grades K-5
  • Caroline Hoffman, principal

Middle schools

• Benjamin Franklin Middle School ^[20] with 698 students in grades 6-8
  • Anthony Orsini, principal
• George Washington Middle School ^[21] with 666 students in grades 6-8
  • Katie Kashmanian, principal

High school

• Ridgewood High School ^[22] with 1,775 students in grades 9-12
  • Jeffrey M. Nyhuis, principal

Athletics

Ridgewood High School's sports teams are nicknamed the Maroons. Ridgewood High School is one of 41 public and private high schools from Bergen, Essex and Passaic counties that are members of the Big North Conference. ^[23]

Administration

Core members of the school district's administration include: ^[24]

• Thomas A. Gorman, superintendent ^[25]
• Scott T. Bisig, business administrator and board secretary ^[26]

Superintendent search

The Ridgewood Board of Education had been searching for a new superintendent since July 1, 2006, with Paul Arilotta, previously Principal of Travell School, serving as an interim replacement during the year-long search. The Board hired Martin Brooks as superintendent, effective July 1, 2007. However, in mid-June, Brooks declined the invitation for what the board described as personal reasons, though there was community opposition to Brooks' appointment that was said to have made him "feel unwelcome". This has led to the beginning of another search, and another year of the district hiring an interim superintendent, until a permanent replacement is hired and assumes the position. ^[27] The New York Times reported that this is the result of a dispute over the district's reform math program. ^[28]

Daniel Fishbein, a Ridgewood parent and previous superintendent of the Glen Ridge Public Schools, served as superintendent from 2008 to 2020. ^[29]

In December 2020, Thomas Gorman, then principal of Ridgewood High school stepped in as interim superintendent. In March 2021, he was formally appointed to the position of superintendent of schools. ^[30]

Board of education

The district's board of education, is comprised of five elected trustees, currently President Michael Lembo, Vice President HyunJu Kwak, Sheila Brogan, Saurabh Dani, and Cristopher Kaufman. The board sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year held (since 2021) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district. ^{[31] [32] [33]}

In a November 2020 referendum, voters supported by a nearly 3-2 margin an initiative that moved both Ridgewood's school elections (from April) and municipal elections (from May) to November . ^[34]

Global learning

Ridgewood Public Schools participated in the "Rural School Project". The goal of the project is to build a school for children in Cambodia to overcome the challenges their people have faced from the genocide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, the communist political party, in the 1970s. George Washington Middle School, Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Orchard Elementary School, and Travell Elementary School participated in the student-centered fundraising effort. Ridgewood focused on having students tap into their strengths and talents to make a difference on a global level.

Ridgewood Public Schools began the fundraising effort in the summer of 2007, in collaboration with parents, to participate in the Rural School Project. The Rural School Project is funded through a nonprofit organization, The American Assistance for Cambodia/Japan Relief for Cambodia (AAfC). The project was initiated by two Ridgewood parents, Lisa Summers and Liz Louizedes. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators convened regularly to provide support for students and articulating the effort across the entire district. The goal of the program was to initially raise $21,500 for the school construction. Nominal fundraising efforts would take place after the school's inception to sustain its progress. Ridgewood Schools is raising funds in collaboration with American Assistance for Cambodia/Japan Relief for Cambodia (AAfC). AAfC is a nonprofit organization and has established a proven program. It has led the effort to construct over 300 Cambodian schools with matching funds from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

The Ridgewood Village School will create a structure for Ridgewood students to communicate with Cambodian students via email and participate in global citizenship and distance learning. Ongoing fundraising efforts will allow the Ridgewood Village School to build a water well, create a vegetable garden, and hire a full-time cook for the school to provide a nutritious breakfast and lunch for Cambodian students.

The fundraising supported the construction cost of a rural school (includes the building, desks, chairs), a full-time trained English/computer teacher for 2 years, 3 solar panels to provide basic electric for lighting and computers, and books.

In February 2009, several representatives from Ridgewood, including students, parents, teachers, and administrators, visited the Ridgewood Village School in Cambodia for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The representatives brought gifts for students and contributed to the improvement of the village. ^[35]

References

1. District information for Ridgewood Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
3. Ridgewood Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed May 15, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Ridgewood School District. Composition: The Ridgewood School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Ridgewood."
4. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 4, 2014.
5. Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF) Archived March 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
6. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 25, 2009.
7. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 26, 2009.
8. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
9. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2012. Accessed September 27, 2012.
10. School Data for the Ridgewood Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
11. School Performance Reports for the Ridgewood Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
12. New Jersey School Directory for the Ridgewood Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
13. Glen School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
14. Henrietta Hawes Elementary School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
15. Orchard Elementary School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
16. Ridge Elementary School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
17. Irwin B. Somerville Elementary School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
18. Ira W. Travell Elementary School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
19. Willard Elementary School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
20. Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
21. George Washington Middle School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
22. Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed July 7, 2022.
23. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
24. New Jersey School Directory for Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
25. Office of the Superintendent, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed January 24, 2022.
26. Business Office, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed January 24, 2022.
27. Coutros, Evonne. "Ridgewood's new schools chief quits", The Record , June 13, 2007. Accessed June 18, 2007. "The district's new superintendent has backed out of the job two weeks before he was to begin work, a startling move that the school board blamed on a hostile reception by some residents to his hiring. Martin Brooks, the former superintendent of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District on Long Island, cited "personal reasons" for his withdrawal from the post. But a statement by the board on the district's Web site said he had been made to "feel unwelcome."
28. Hu, Winnie. "Battle Over Math in New Jersey Drives Off a New Schools Chief", The New York Times , June 4, 2007. Accessed November 16, 2017. "Parents, some involved in a campaign against the math teaching in the highly regarded Ridgewood, N.J., school district, were to have met the new superintendent at a reception last Monday night.But the reception was abruptly canceled, leaving the school board president to explain that the superintendent, scheduled to begin on July 1 after a nine-month search costing more than $20,000, had backed out, largely because of the escalating math fight. In a statement expressing disappointment, the five-member school board said the recruit, Martin Brooks, had been made to feel unwelcome by 'anonymous phone calls, e-mail messages, blogs and Web postings by some community members' that 'questioned his integrity, ethics and educational philosophy.'"
29. Stoltz, Marsha A. "Ridgewood begins search for new superintendent of schools", The Record , October 1, 2020. Accessed January 24, 2022. "The Board of Education has decided to accept the retirement resignation of its superintendent and begin a search for an interim superintendent as well as a long-term successor. Daniel Fishbein submitted his resignation Sept. 14 after 12 years with the district.... Fishbein came to the district in 2008 from Glen Ridge in Essex County, where he was superintendent for seven years."
30. Stoltz, Marsha A. "Ridgewood names high school Principal Thomas Gorman to superintendent post", The Record , October 4, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2022.
31. New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
32. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Village of Ridgewood School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed May 10, 2024. "The Ridgewood Board of Education (the 'Board' or the 'District') is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution. The Board consists of five elected officials and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A Superintendent of Schools is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District. A School Business Administrator/Board Secretary is also appointed by the Board and oversees the business functions of the District." See "Roster of Officials" on page 15.
33. Contact the Board, Ridgewood Public Schools. Accessed May 15, 2020.
34. Stoltz, Marsha A. "Judge affirms 'clear choice' of Ridgewood voters to shift to November elections", The Record , March 10, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2022. "An appellate judge has sided with residents who sought to move the election dates for the Village Council and Board of Education to November.... Voters supported the changes 7,582 to 5315. School board elections were previously held in April, and council elections in May."
35. "We are on our way to Cambodia!". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009.

External links

• Ridgewood Public Schools official website
• School Performance Reports for the Ridgewood Public Schools , New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Ridgewood Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• Village of Ridgewood Math -- concerned parent group