Glen Ridge Keeps the Good Things Going with New People and Ideas

The Glen Ridge Board of Education is full of “good news” about our continuing tradition of educational excellence.  Here are a few recent developments that make us proud:

q     New Administrative Team – Led by Superintendent Dan Fishbein, our administrators are bringing energy and creativity to the challenges of district management.

q     New Educational Space at Glen Ridge High School – The successful bond referendum passed on September 25, 2001 means that elementary school students will also benefit from new roofs, doors and windows.

q     New Staff Contract – Our recently approved contract with the Glen Ridge Education Association (GREA) will help us attract and retain a high quality professional staff.

q     New Partnerships – Partnerships with Borough government and organizations have helped us upgrade facilities and buy equipment and supplies without using tax dollars.

q     New Opportunities – Electoral redistricting means new representation and new opportunities to make our voices heard in Trenton.

q     New People – Good schools keep our property values high, attracting a bumper crop of new families to town with their energy, ideas and, best of all, their kids!

Glen Ridge – Excellence Every Day!

 

Did you know that:

q     100% of our students graduate from high school.

q     90% of our high school students participate in extra-curricular activities such as athletics, band, clubs, etc.

q     Last year (2000-2001 school year), Glen Ridge seniors were accepted at a variety of highly competitive colleges and universities such as Cornell, Johns Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania and Brown University.

q     Regarding state tests, last year our 4^th graders took the Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) and 100% were rated “Proficient or Advanced Proficient.”  Our 8^th graders took the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA) and our 11^th graders took the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) and 100% were rated “Proficient or Advanced Proficient” in Math and Writing.  Overall, 95% or more of all our students were rated “Proficient or Advanced Proficient.”

q     In Advanced Placement testing, over one third of our high school students who took Advanced Placement tests in a variety of subjects ranging from Calculus to U.S. History scored 5 (the highest possible score) on at least one of their tests.

q     In 2002, Glen Ridge produced seven National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Students and one National Merit Scholarship Program Semi-Finalist.

q     The Glen Ridge Public School district recently passed New Jersey State monitoring, a comprehensive evaluation of the district’s programs and facilities conducted by the Department of Education.

q     Our girls’ varsity soccer team became 2001 Group I State Soccer Champions!

Doing the Right Thing – At Home

 

In the Glen Ridge Public Schools, we make the most of what we have – in more ways than one.  Whenever we can, we save money and achieve great results by keeping our Special Education students in the district, rather than sending them away from home to costly out-of-district placements.  This is better for kids, better for families, and better for taxpayers.

The State of New Jersey requires us to educate Special Education students between the ages of three and twenty-one.  Continuing to invest in our Pre-Kindergarten program, at a cost of about $200,000 per year, allows us to comply with state law and mainstream these three and four-year old Special Education students in Glen Ridge rather than placing them outside the district.  For the past three years, this program has been funded by a special $300,000 grant from the State that also offset some of our district-wide technology costs.  Presently, there are twelve Special Education students at the Pre-K level, and we expect that number to rise.  Placing them outside the district would cost between $10,000 - $30,000 each in tuition, excluding transportation.  It isn’t hard to see that doing the right thing for all our youngest students is also cost effective.

 

Keeping Good Things in Good Shape

Building and Grounds Supervisor, John DuBuque, and his team are charged with cleaning and maintaining our buildings, many of which are nearly a century old.  Over the past year, they have saved time and money by doing many jobs in-house that might otherwise have been contracted out.  Similar efforts are planned for the upcoming year.  Past and future projects include:

q     Installing French drains to prevent water from puddling on the gym/cafeteria floor at Forest Avenue School (completed).

q     Painting and refurbishing the After Care classrooms (in progress).

q     Replacing worn and unsanitary carpeting at Forest, Linden and Ridgewood Avenue Schools with vinyl tile (in the 2002-2003 budget).

q     Converting the maintenance shop at the Ridgewood Avenue School into a classroom to accommodate increased enrollment (scheduled for this year).

q     Converting #12 High Street to offices for the Superintendent and Business Office in order to free up much needed classroom space at the Ridgewood Avenue School (completed).

 

Facilities Expansion

Building Partnerships and Forging Ahead

After passage of the bond referendum on September 25^th, the Construction Oversight Committee, comprised of Board of Education members Robert Salvatelli (Chair) and Elisabeth Ginsburg; former Board member John Lacey; Borough Council members Peter Hughes and Norbert Trojanowski; Mayor Steve Plate; Superintendent Dan Fishbein; School Business Administrator Peter Caprio, and Borough Administrator Mike Rohal, began its work.  Since then, the Committee has interviewed construction management and value engineering firms, evaluated various construction methods, conducted community outreach, and consulted with the Board’s architect, site planners, value engineers and other professionals on the details of the expansion process.  All recommendations made by the Committee are sent to the Board of Education, which then deliberates and acts upon them.

OUTREACH:  The Board and the Construction Committee have met with owners of properties adjoining the High School to discuss their concerns.  This is an ongoing process that will continue throughout the expansion project.

BOND SALES: To finance construction, bonds in the amount of $9,142,000 were sold at the end of January.

APPROVALS: The expansion plan has been reviewed and approved by the Glen Ridge Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and the Planning Board.  Further consultation with these bodies will take place as needed during the course of the project.  The plan is currently under review by the New Jersey State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO).  It will also be reviewed by the New Jersey Economic Development Agency or its local designee.

TIMELINE: We project that the expanded facilities at the High School will be ready for students in September 2004.  New roofs, windows and doors at the elementary schools should be completed by September 2003.

 

Two New Inductees for 25 Year Club

At our January 28^th Board of Education meeting, two long-time staff members were welcomed into the 25-year club – Mrs. Randie Blauth, an instructional aide at Forest Avenue School and Mrs. Adrienne Thomas, 6^th grade teacher at Ridgewood Avenue School.  In addition to being recognized by the Board for their twenty-five years of dedicated service to the children of Glen Ridge, the staff members were honored at a reception attended by their family and peers.  During this reception, they were presented with a congressional citation, courtesy of the Epstein family via Senator Torricelli’s office, commemorating their milestone achievement that was recently read into record during a Congressional session.  Congratulations to Randie and Adrienne!  Look for their names on the plaque outside the main office at the High School as they join other 25-year club members!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Budget and Board of Education Elections Scheduled for April 16^th

After much speculation by the Governor’s office, the Annual School Budget and Board of Education elections will not be postponed but will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 as previously scheduled.  There had been some discussion about postponing the vote until May or June due to the uncertainty in the State budget and economic forecasts.  In addition to voting for local Board of Education candidates, the annual school budget is also up for vote.  This budget, which provides the annual funding for running our schools and programs and paying our staff, should not be confused with the recent vote on September 25, 2001.  That vote, in which residents approved an $11.8 MM school expansion plan, provides funding to expand and repair our buildings, much like a home equity loan or mortgage.

In order to be eligible to vote on April 16^th, residents need to have registered with the County by March 18^th.  Additionally, if you expect to be out of town or unable to get to the polls (open from 7 AM – 9 PM) on April 16^th, you may apply for an Absentee Ballot application.  Absentee Ballot applications may be obtained through our Business Office by calling 973-429-8304 or via our school website at www.glenridge.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Report Card Data Released; Glen Ridge Students Earn High Marks

 

The New Jersey Department of Education recently released its State Report Card.  Available for viewing at http://nj.evalsoft.com, the Report Card data compares school districts across the state in a variety of categories including per pupil spending, test scores, etc.  A comparison of the following districts shows Glen Ridge among the highest in SAT scores and the lowest in per pupil spending:

	School District		5 Year Change in Enrollment	SAT Avg.		% Going to College	5 year Change in Per Pupil Cost	Per Pupil Cost
	Ridgewood		-2%	1162		90%	16%	$9,864
	Northern Highlands		25%	1150		89%	7%	$12,827
	Glen Ridge		54%	1167		91%	-3%	$8,320
	Livingston		8%	1138		85%	10%	$10,998
	Millburn		30%	1213		94%	9%	$9,674
	Chatham		12%	1162		76%	6%	$9,680
	Mountain Lakes		1%	1141		86%	16%	$12,208
Source:  NJ Department of Education State Report Card: 2001-2002

Local Resident Glen Ridge, NJ  07028   Non-Profit Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Paid Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 Permit No. 603   Local Resident Glen Ridge, NJ  07028     Glen Ridge Board of Education Carol Harpster, President Elisabeth Ginsburg, Vice President Dr. Lauraine Hollyer, Vice President Sharon Dougherty Robert Salvatelli Dr. George Kirsch Robert McGovern Dr. Christopher Ward Richard Vecchiarello   Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools Peter R. Caprio, Business Administrator/ Board Secretary