2023 – RIH In the News (and not in a good way)

I have gone to almost every RIH BOE meeting this year. What has happened to our district is an abomination. As a reminder, here is recap of the 2023 headlines, describing the chaos. Note the headlines, we are now referred to as a ‘dumpster fire’ and a ‘troubled district’. Our reputation is in tatters, endangering property values in our community if the chaos continues.

'Dumpster fire': New Ramapo Indian Hills trustees start term with changes

January 11, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/01/11/dumpster-fire-ramapo-indian-hills-new-trustees-start-with-changes/69792705007/

Ramapo Indian Hills trustees question school board president on ethics charge

January 31, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/2023/01/31/ramapo-indian-hills-nj-ethics-complaint-school-president-judith-sullivan/69852473007/

Ramapo Indian Hills BOE overturns more of superintendent's new discipline recommendations

February 15, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/02/15/ramapo-indian-hills-school-boe-overturns-superintendent-student-discipline/69906042007/

Op Ed: Adults Are Failing to Protect Our Kids

February 19, 2023

Link: https://north-jerseynews.com/2023/02/19/opinion-adults-are-failing-our-kids/

Ramapo Indian Hills adds new holiday to school calendar

March 15, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/03/15/ramapo-indian-hills-adds-eid-al-fitr-holiday-school-calendar/70008444007/

Ramapo Indian Hills budget for 2023-2024 introduced. Here's why some will see a tax hike

March 16, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/03/16/ramapo-indian-hills-budget-2023-tax-increase/70007651007/

Ramapo Indian Hills school board's legal fees overshadow budget talks as accusations fly

April 26, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/2023/04/26/ramapo-indian-hills-boe-legal-fees-district-budget/70149998007/

'Not nice': Ramapo Indian Hills school board members fill meeting with arguments

May 12, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/05/12/ramapo-indian-hills-school-board-trustees-fill-meeting-with-arguments/70206752007/

Ramapo Indian Hills school board attorney quits after three months in the job

May 22, 2023

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/05/22/ramapo-indian-hills-school-board-attorney-adam-weiss-quits/70240859007/

Ramapo Indian Hills attorney resigns because of trustees' 'attacks against each other'

May 23, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/05/23/ramapo-indian-hills-school-board-trustees-behavior-behind-attorneys-resignation/70246952007/

Ramapo High School baseball coaches suspended. They, parents, players want to know why

May 23, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/05/23/ramapo-nj-high-school-baseball-coaches-suspended/70246927007/

Ramapo High reinstates suspended baseball coaches. What we know

May 25, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/05/25/ramapo-high-school-baseball-coaches-suspended-reinstated/70256412007/

Plan unveiled to examine enrollment disparity between Ramapo, Indian Hills high schools

June 14, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/06/14/ramapo-indian-hills-nj-high-school-enrollment-disparity-study/70316617007/

Ramapo Indian Hills hires third attorney in six months during four-hour meeting

June 30, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/06/30/ramapo-indian-hills-school-board-meeting-remains-contentious/70371821007/

Parental rights candidates are rattling NJ school boards. Meetings have been tempestuous

July 12, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/education/2023/07/12/parental-rights-candidates-are-shaking-up-nj-school-boards/70367731007/

'This is overreach': Ramapo Indian Hills school board kills student mental health programs

July 25, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/07/25/ramapo-indian-hills-school-board-mental-health-programs/70460639007/

Ramapo Indian Hills board will meet to reconsider defeated student mental health programs

July 27, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/07/27/ramapo-indian-hills-board-will-revisit-defeated-mental-health-programs/70475585007/

Ramapo Indian Hills school board ends mental health programs

July 27, 2023

Link to News Broadcast: https://www.pbs.org/video/ramapo-indian-hills-mental-health-1690477386/

Link: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/ramapo-indian-hills-school-board-votes-to-end-student-mental-health-programs/

In about-face, Ramapo Indian Hills school board approves three mental health programs

August 2, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/08/02/ramapo-indian-hills-board-of-ed-oks-mental-health-programs/70511577007/

School board OKs mental health funding for students amid angry outbursts

August 2, 2023

Link to News Broadcast: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/school-board-oks-mental-health-funding-for-students-amid-angry-outbursts/

Ramapo Indian Hills board president not seeking reelection. Here's why

August 2, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/08/02/ramapo-indian-hills-board-president-not-seeking-reelection-heres-why/70507549007/

The Transfiguration of Schools to Psyche Wards

August 2, 2023

Link: https://www.insidernj.com/transfiguration-schools-psyche-wards/

Fair Lawn hires Ramapo Indian Hills superintendent to lead its school district

August 15, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/fair-lawn/2023/08/15/fair-lawn-rui-dionisio-superintendent-ramapo-indian-hills/70599562007/

Ramapo Indian Hills schools superintendent becomes latest defection for troubled district

August 16, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/08/16/ramapo-indian-hills-officials-react-to-superintendent-departure/70602800007/

Op Ed: Mental health education is imperative for New Jersey's students. Here's why

August 24, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/2023/08/24/mental-health-education-is-imperative-or-nj-students/70643416007/

Ramapo Indian Hills approves school curriculum, interim superintendent search

August 30, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/08/30/ramapo-indian-hills-school-curriculum-interim-superintendent-search/70706472007/

Ramapo Indian Hills board fell one vote short in effort to remove President Judy Sullivan

September 12, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/09/12/ramapo-indian-hills-board-fell-short-in-effort-to-remove-president/70830284007/

$800-a-day interim superintendent hired to lead Ramapo Indian Hills school district

October 22, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/franklin-lakes/2023/10/22/james-baker-hired-at-800-a-day-to-lead-ramapo-indian-hills-schools/71256904007/

See where candidates for the Ramapo Indian Hills school board stand

October 24, 2023

Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/oakland/2023/10/24/candidates-ramapo-indian-hills-nj-school-board-election/71270404007/