Dear Ridgefield Park School Community,

Welcome to the Ridgefield Park Public Schools digital newsletter. We hope you find this to be an excellent way to stay connected with our district family. In this edition, we are pleased to share numerous examples of the exceptional learning experiences taking place across our schools.

As we approach the end of another remarkable school year, I am filled with pride as I reflect on the incredible learning experiences our students have enjoyed across all grade levels and programs. Each classroom has been a hub of creativity, discovery, and growth. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to provide engaging, hands-on learning opportunities that challenge our students to think critically, solve problems creatively, and develop essential life skills. I invite you to read about the exciting activities and achievements happening throughout our schools. These highlights showcase the dynamic learning environment we have cultivated together and the bright future ahead for our students.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to provide an update on the 7th and 8th Grade Building Placement survey results. We had just under 600 respondents, and there is strong community support for restructuring the current housing arrangement for 7th through 12th grade students, with 85% responding affirmatively and an additional 7% remaining neutral. This overwhelming positive response provides clear direction for the district's consideration of separating 7th and 8th grade students from the current shared building with 9th through 12th graders.

With this strong community backing, the district will move forward over the summer months to explore implementation options in collaboration with our architect of record. This next phase will focus on developing concrete proposals for alternative arrangements that align with the community's expressed interest and the district's educational objectives. It is important to note that this process will be both transparent and collaborative.

I want to wish everyone a healthy, safe, and relaxing summer break. Most importantly, take time to rest, create lasting memories, and enjoy this special season. I look forward to welcoming everyone back in September for another year of learning, growth, and achievement.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer!

Best,

Dr. Joseph P. Vespignani

Superintendent of Schools

We understand that members of our school community may not be able to attend Board of Education meetings. To help keep stakeholders informed, the Take Five Briefing has been developed to touch upon five key topics discussed at the most recent public Board meeting.

1. District Released form State Monitorship: The district was publicly released from state monitorship. This represents a major milestone and accomplishment for our district. The completion and public release of this monitorship demonstrates our commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. It reflects the hard work and dedication our entire school community
   
   
2. New District Mission Statement Approved: The Board adopted a refreshed mission statement emphasizing our commitment to nurturing lifelong learners who achieve academic excellence, prepare for future careers, and develop strong character through integrity, respect, and empathy.
   
   
3. Key Personnel Appointments: The Board approved several important new hires including a Human Resources/Office Manager, Financial Analyst, Network Administrator, IT Support Specialist and additional teachers/support staff to strengthen our educational team for the 2025-2026 school year.
   
   
4. Summer Learning and Support Programs Launch: The Board approved extensive summer programming personnel including Title I programs and Extended School Year services ensuring continuous educational support for students during the summer months.
   
   
5. Comprehensive Equity Plan Implementation: The Board approved the district's 2025-2028 Comprehensive Equity Plan, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to ensuring all students have equitable access to educational opportunities and resources.

We have some exciting news to share with our Ridgefield Park School Community! We are pleased to announce that we will be launching our new and improved website along with a brand new mobile app for the upcoming school year! Stay up-to-date with access to events, documents, news from administrators, student stories, and important alerts.

There will be a soft launch this summer for those who wish to download the app now, but we will be sending additional details and informational videos as we near the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

You can download the app for free on Google Play or Apple App Store.

Download for Android https://aptg.co/1q78lB

Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/bN8rzt

Little Stars held their first annual Tea Party, where families and special friends joined them for one final celebration to wrap up the school year. It was a big success filled with smiles, laughter, and love!

Also in April, Pre-K 3 and 4 classes went on an exciting trip to Turtle Back Zoo! The children had a blast exploring, learning about animals, and making unforgettable memories.

The Ridgefield Park Public Library and our RP Preschool Program teamed up this year for a magical partnership — Preschool Storytime sessions! These special storytimes were perfectly aligned with our curriculum and preschool studies, making learning even more fun and meaningful!

We are excited to share that Ms. Ariel Barreras, the wonderful Head Children's Librarian, will be bringing back these sessions next year, and she is already planning some amazing programs for the fall! Keep an eye out for these exciting opportunities and don’t forget to visit the library this summer for some awesome adventures in reading! Happy Reading!

As we continue to grow and strengthen the Ridgefield Park Preschool Program, your voice matters! We kindly ask all families to take a few minutes to complete our Preschool Family Survey. Your feedback helps us better understand the needs of our preschoolers and their families, and ensures we are providing the highest quality experience for all. Together, we can make our program even stronger! Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Click here to complete the survey.

Students had a fantastic year making music together in the classroom and performing for family and friends at our concerts! If you are looking for some fun and free music events this summer, check out Ridgefield Park’s Free Summer Concert Series or Bergen County’s Movies & Music in the Park Summer Series. Also, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is presenting a series of six free summer concerts at venues throughout the state. (All concert schedules can be found online.)

If you are looking for ways to make music at home during the summer, the following websites have lots of ideas and activities:

• Chrome Music Lab (musiclab.chromeexperiments.com)

• Incredibox (incredibox.com)

• Carnegie Hall Kids (kids.carnegiehall.org)

• Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids (dsokids.com/community-education/dso-kids)

• PBS Kids (pbskids.org)

• Sesame Street website (sesamestreet.org)

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer, and I am looking forward to seeing our returning PreK-5th grade students in the fall!

Our third graders had a wonderful time wrapping up the school year by creating their very own time capsules; a long-time cherished and meaningful tradition. As part of the project, students reflected on their school memories and milestones, capturing the spirit of their 3rd grade journey. These time capsules will be safely stored away and opened again during the final month of their 6th grade year, just before graduation—a moment many students eagerly anticipate! As we head into summer, please make sure your child has a fun and enriching break. We encourage families to sign up for the summer reading program at the town library, visit museums and other new places, and to continue practicing multiplication facts to keep those math skills sharp. It has been such a joy teaching this group of bright, fun, and capable students. They have grown so much in so many ways this year. I wish all our 3rd grade families a relaxing, safe, and memorable summer!

Lincoln School 6th graders had their formal on June 5th at the Grand Habana Room in Hackensack. The dance was a blast, where students dressed up, ate great food, played games, and danced away the night. Musical chairs was certainly the highlight! A huge thank you to the 6th Grade Committee for putting this memorable night together. Off The Wall Donuts also had a donut wall! We will certainly miss our Lincoln School Class of 2025.

Positive attitudes and a strong willingness to learn have defined our 5th grade year. As we wrap up the school year, our class read-aloud, Number the Stars, has sparked meaningful conversations and a deep interest in World War II and the Holocaust. As a culminating activity, the students sketched a scene of Gilleleje, Denmark, and on the reverse side wrote a postcard from the perspective of the main character, Annemarie, to her father in Copenhagen. Despite the heavy themes, the students demonstrated a thoughtful understanding of these events and made powerful connections to current events. Their discussions were deep, insightful, and reflective of their growing ability to apply historical knowledge to real-world situations.

We have been very busy in Enrichment and Gifted and Talented classes. Students in Kindergarten and 1st grade heard the story, "A Color of His Own" by Leo Lionni. We learned about chameleons and created habitats for them to camouflage themselves! Students in 2nd grade completed a Fairytale STEM lesson. This lesson was a twist on the classic tale, Hansel and Gretel. In this version, students planned and created a trap to help them catch the witch! Next up, students will learn about the Engineering Design Process to design their dream playground! Students in 3rd grade are completing their tiny house unit and will finish out the year solving logic puzzles. Students in 4th grade are studying famous artists and creating brochures to turnkey and share with each other. Students in 5th grade G&T are being introduced to the zany world of Rube Goldberg. We are studying his famous contraptions and sketching an idea of our own. Finally, students in 6th grade G&T are sharing their Mythical creature projects and will finish out the year completing various STEM challenges and logic puzzles!

We wanted to take a moment to celebrate the exciting accomplishments and activities your children have experienced in Physical Education and Health over the past month.

🏀 Basketball Madness: March brought the spirit of March Madness into our gym! Students learned a variety of basketball skills including dribbling, passing, shooting, and teamwork. They applied these skills through mini-games and full-court matchups, bringing energy and friendly competition to the court. It was great to see so many students engaged, encouraging one another, and showing great sportsmanship.

🧠 Health Highlights: In Health class, our focus has been on the digestive system and personal safety. Students explored how the body processes food and the importance of maintaining a healthy diet. We have also been discussing strategies for staying safe in various situations—whether at home, in school, or in the community.

🏐 Large Group Games & Summer Safety: We ended the school year on a high note! With the weather getting nicer, we have been getting outside to use our amazing field for large group games. These activities include Capture the Flag, kickball, 4 square, whiffle ball, and a variety of tag games. Students are having a great time being active and moving in fun new ways while learning about sportsmanship and teamwork. Older students will also begin a Volleyball Unit, learning the fundamentals of serving, bumping, setting, and game play.

In health, all students learned about summer safety. Topics include water safety, bike safety, and sun safety. It is important students understand that although summer is a great season, staying hydrated and wearing appropriate clothing can be a huge help during the warm months ahead.

The Village of Ridgefield Park's Environmental Commission hosted an environmental festival on June 14th, and we are proud of how our students stepped up to support their community! In addition to artwork on display from our elementary schools, RPJSHS's Environmental Club shared educational resources while the Key Club led a trivia scavenger hunt, staffed informational tables, and volunteered with setup and cleanup. It is wonderful to see our students actively engaged in making a positive impact in the community!

Congratulations, Class of 2025! You have made the entire Ridgefield Park community so proud. As you step into this exciting next chapter of your lives, we look forward to watching your bright futures unfold. Go make your mark on the world!

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the incredible resources available at the Ridgefield Park Public Library. From books and research databases to digital media, online learning tools, and special programs, the library offers valuable support for schoolwork, projects, and personal interests. Visit the library or explore their website to discover everything you can access with your library card.

We have highlighted a few exciting events below, but be sure to check out the full calendar for even more activities and programs!

Additional information can be found by clicking on the flyer (when available).

The following events are not district sponsored:

July 4 - District Offices Closed

July 16 - Board of Education Meeting - Board Retreat, 5:30 PM

August 25 and 26 - New Teacher Orientation

August 27 - Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 PM

2025-2026 Calendar