Friday, April 12, 2013
The Christie Administration released its new School Performance Reports for the 2011-2012 school year Wednesday.
Students at Oradell Public, Roosevelt and Cherry Hill elementary schools were found to be better performing than those at the Regional schools when compared to their new peer groups and the state according to the new School Performance Reports. Released Wednesday, the reports are a new version of the long-running School Reports Cards that have measured school performance on a variety of metrics since the 1990s. Oradell students academic performance is considered high when compared to their peer group (in the 73rd percentile) and statewide (92nd percentile). Roosevelt School was ranked in the 70th percentile (peer group) and 88th (statewide) for their academic achievement while Cherry Hill was 55th (peer group) and 82nd (statewide). …
Thursday, April 11, 2013
If approved by Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf, River Edge residents would begin paying a greater portion of the levy over a two-year phased in period
Almost nine months since the initial arguments were given over a two-day span before Administrative Law Judge Leslie Z. Celentano, the boroughs of Oradell and River Edge have received an answer to the ongoing River Dell Regional school district funding inequality fight. Celentano has recommended that the state change the funding formula for River Dell to an 80-20 mix formula and placing the majority of the tax burden for the district on River Edge. Her decision called for a two-year phase in period. Oradell which sends approximately 653 students to the River Dell district spends about $20,360 per pupil. River Edge, with 1,024 students, pays about $14,330 for each of its students. According to James Kirtland, a CPA who testified on behalf …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
From changes in teacher evaluations to student assessments and new curriculum standards, the regional district will be facing several major changes in a very short period of time
Facing an upcoming complex web of new education reforms, the Regional School District is hoping to get a jump start during the remaining school year and work towards crafting a three-year plan. The plan, which has yet to be drafted, would include how the district will handle the many reforms that are expected within the next two years. Among the upcoming education reforms are a change in teacher evaluations, new student achievement requirements in standardized testing and a switch to the Common Core Curriculum. "These things will consume an enormous amount of time and district resources and may be pitfalls along the way," Superintendent Patrick Fletcher said. "There are whole other issues with the two percent cap with the budget and the …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
For the 2012-13 school year, Thomas Bonfiglio will serve as the district's Assistant Superintendent/Board Secretary so as to complete his school administrator's certification
Since July 2011, River Dell Board Adminstrator Thomas Bonfiglio has been wearing a second hat of Assistant Superintendent of Business and for the next year, his title will change slightly. During Monday evening's Regional Board of Education, he was appointed as the district's Assistant Superintendent/Board Secretary for the 2012-13 year and after which point he would revert back to a Business Administrator's position only. The one-year change in title and duties is to allow Bonfiglio, who has been the district's Board Administrator since 1996, the opportunity to undergo a one-year mentorship with an out-of-district program to receive his school administrator's certification. But the approval did not come without controversy. "I think …
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The district will also celebrate the Field House's Grand Opening this fall and welcome a new boys soccer coach
The new school year is just around the corner for students at the River Dell Regional district and each grade level will be greeted by a variety of new upgrades and changes. High School Similar to many other districts, River Dell will begin transitioning from the New Jersey core curriculum standards to the national common core standards. The national standards primary goal is to make sure that all students receive the best possible education rather than the previous state standards which differed from one state to another. So far, only the new content requirements for K–12 in English language arts and mathematics have been released, although new standards for science and social studies are in the works. Until the new science standards are …
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
After two days of testimony, Administrative Law Judge Leslie Z. Celentano will have to rule in the future about whether the River Dell funding formula should be amended or not
After several years of legal wrangling and a failed public referendum, the River Dell Regional Funding fight has moved one step closer to a final resolution following two days of testimony last week before Administrative Law Judge Leslie Z. Celentano in Newark. "It was a long two days," Oradell Councilman Tony Meo said. "I was very impressed by our attorney and expert witnesses who were all very informed and had a strong understanding of the borough, its demographics and economics. I am very confident that we weill get a fair recommendation from the administrative law judge that will benefit the taxpayers of the town of Oradell." Oradell which sends approximately 653 students to the River Dell district spends about $20,360 per pupil. …
Friday, June 1, 2012
A breakdown of how the tri-district schools performed last year
The New Jersey Department of Education released report cards for the performance of every school in the state during the 2010-11 year Thursday. Overall, the tri-district schools are scoring higher than their District Factor Group (DFG) counterparts in Language Arts, but mathematics continues to be a struggle in some grades levels. Per-pupil expenditures are down but class sizes have increased at the same time. Oradell Public School reported spending $13,860 per student for the 2010-2011 school year. The Middle School was spending $18,428 per pupil with the high school averaging $18,429. Cherry Hill was spending $14,156 per pupil with Roosevelt's expenditures at $14,156. The cost includes district expenditures on classroom instructional …
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The second annual River Dell Distinguished Graduate Dinner will honor seven alumni
Tonight The Friends of River Dell (FORD) and the River Dell School District will honor the seven alumni who were selected as Distinguished Graduates. The seven alumni have made outstanding contributions to society and made River Dell proud that they began their career preparation with the regional district. "I would say that that is a very impressive list of graduates," dinner organizer Cindy Sherlock said. "We are a very fortunate district to have such an accomplished group of individuals to have walked our halls. To think we have only scratched the surface. I can only imagine what will happen next time we ask for nominees." This year's honorees include the Honorable Patricia Broderick '67, Dr. Elizabeth Vierling '71, Robert Harrison '72…
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Program and staff cuts could be restored, River Dell looks to hire eight teachers.
For the past few years, River Dell budget hearings were held in the high school cafeteria to accomodate the overwhelming number of residents and students in attendance. Last night, the Board approved its budget before its smallest crowd to date - one single resident. Because the district chose to remove the public vote on the budget, the Board of Education won't have to worry about whether the $30 million budget could be defeated or not. Instead with a $26 million tax levy and $632,193 in state aid, River Dell will be looking to hire eight additional teachers. According to Superintendent Patrick Fletcher, the district will focus on restoring some of the programming and staffing cuts from three years ago. "The overall goal is to redce class…
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River Dell Regional School District
230 Woodland Ave, River Edge, NJ
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Friday, March 2, 2012
While levy reaches 2% cap, tax impact on residents is .91% following loss of debt service
For the first time in several years, the River Dell Regional School District will be looking in to bring in a substantial number of new teaching positions, a total of eight, under the proposed 2012-13 school budget. A vast difference from two years ago when the Regional district lost all of its state aid, River Dell is expected to receive $632,193 in state aid. Another difference in the proposed $30,064629 budget and $26,016,756 levy is a drop-off in the district's debt service which will reduce the tax impact on residents. "The levy is at the 2% cap, but the overall impact on the taxpayers is .91% due to debt service falling off," Board Administrator Thomas Bonfiglio said. "The direct impact on residents is a 1.9% increase." With debt …
Roma
7:46 am on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Very disappointing report for riverdell...it is clear that the $20k per student that the taxpayers of RE and Oradell are are paying to educate these kids is not well managed. We need more accountability , where is the money going? With all the outrageous high salaries we pay most teachers and administrators, we should not be "lagging in academic performance" with respect to our peers. more ›