From the Desk of the Principal– Drew Krause

volume sixteen, fall issue december 2017ridge high school pto

When I assumed the roleas Ridge High SchoolPrincipal this past July, I was excited about the opportunity to work withthe staff and students atRidge. Initially, I engaged

in various meetings with staff, parents, community groups, and our students. Some of those meetings were merely introductory,while others were on more substantive topics.Through it all, one common theme stood outabove others: the need to create more School Spirit and Pride at Ridge. I found this to be somewhat vexing given Ridge’sreputation and all of the honors garnered byits students in so many different endeavors.But, as I continued to listen and observe, it became clear to me that the student bodyfelt something was missing, and they wantedto do something about it. Late in the summer I met with studentgovernment representatives, class advisors,and PTO representatives with a request tohave a Pep Rally, something that had not occurred at Ridge since the fall of 2013. Careful planning ensued, which involved students, faculty, coaches, advisors, and administrators, with the singular purpose ofcreating a Pep Rally that was spirited and unifying. I am happy to say that it all came to fruition on October 13th at Lee Field. The Pep Rally was something to behold, as itbrought together our school community in away that had not been done in many years.

The band played, the cheerleaders performed,sports teams marched, the student bodycheered and even did the Wave in the bleachers, and the event culminated with afew rounds of tug ‘o war that saw some unexpected results. It was fun to watch and be a part of it. This is simply the beginning of morethings to come. I am reminded of the phrase“The journey of 1000 miles begins with one small step.” To that end, we have alsomade small aesthetic enhancements in theschool grounds to create a campus-like feeland display pride in all that we do. We will continue to make improvements to show whatwe truly are: THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. This isan incredible school with a gifted and caringfaculty and students who are second to none.Coupled with a supportive community comprised of parents who care deeply aboutRidge and its success, and you have all the ingredients for sustained excellence moving forward. I also want to personally thank the Classof 2018 for the leadership and enthusiasmthey have demonstrated this fall. You all havebeen a shining light for our school. Your spirithas been contagious and clearly recognizableat the football games, during Spirit Week, atthe Senior Tailgate, and at the HomecomingDance. I am more appreciative of this thanthese words can express. Let’s continue to move Ridge High Schoolforward and keep the Spirit and Pride growing!

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SPIRIT WEEK!!Oct. 9-13, 2017

“Tropical Day”

PEP RALLY!!!

Senior Tailgate

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RIDGE PTOA Word from OurPTO Co-PresidentsWe hope you’re settling into the 2017-2018 school year. The PTO has been verybusy with activities for students, teachers,and parents. Read more about the fallevents below.

PTO Parent Orientation

On August 28, the PTO kicked off theschool year with an Orientation for parentsnew to Ridge based on the PTO ParentHandbook. There were about 150 parentswho came out to learn key informationcritical to the beginning of the school yearat Ridge. The Ridge PTO Parent Handbookhttp://ridgepto.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Ridge-PTO-Par-ent- Handbook-2017.pdf provides in-depthinformation on all the areas of Ridge and is a great tool to answer all parents’questions. Principal Drew Krause and District Supervisor of School CounselingJillian Shadis assisted with the Orientationand questions.

Ridge PTO Membership

Thank you to the 900 plus families andteachers who joined the PTO! We are ableto provide items, such as mini-grants, giftsto the high school, and teacher luncheons,with your support.

The Ridge PTO offered advertisementsfor the first time in ourprinted and online directories. Thank youto those local busi-

nesses that placed ads! While we did notget a chair for the Directory Production,we did have a couple of volunteers whodevoted many hours to help the PTO.Without them, there wouldn’t have been aprinted directory so we are extremelygrateful to them. We need a chairpersonfor Directory Production for next schoolyear or we won’t be able to produce aprinted directory. Please let us know ifyou’d be willing to help!

School SpiritWe have been workingwith Mr. Krause and otherschool organizations to addmore Ridge signage aroundthe school to show ourschool spirit. The PTO provided the new campus

flags that are hanging on the light postsand Ridge t-shirts to the staff.

There are spiritbanners that havebeen hung on theback of the school

thanks to the Homecoming Committee,Booster Club, and Marching Band. More projects are in the works so be on the lookout for more Ridge pride!

Suicide Prevention Week

Suicide PreventionWeek was held atRidge for the first timefrom September 12-15.Joanne Marcus,

Scott Thompson, and Toni Anthony, along with Kaitlin Cartoccio from the Municipal Alliance, spearheaded theweek’s activities. Students wrote positivemessages on notes and posted them outsidethe Counseling office and received I Can NOT Be Replaced wristbands. Several outside organizations were also on hand to answer questions and providehandouts to students. Thank you to the organizers, parent volunteers, and studentswho supported this important week.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Spirit Week .........................................2A Word from the PTO.....................3-4PTO Executive Board ........................4PTO Class Parents..............................4Volunteers in Action ...........................5Proactive Parent Workshop ................6Save The Date For Dr. Bradley ..........6Class Advisors ....................................6Ridge AMS Scholarship Winner ........7American Legion Boys .........................7Books for Kids ...................................7Ridge Yearbook ..................................8International Welcome Night .............8Counseling Department News ......9-10Student Assistance Counselors.........10Tutorial Center ...................................10Choral News ....................................11Band News .......................................12Ridge Recognition............................13Drama Club News ............................14Dance News .....................................15Girls Volleyball ................................16Cheerleading ...................................17Girls Soccer ......................................18Field Hockey ....................................19ShopRite Cup Award........................20Boys Soccer......................................20Varsity Athletes of the Month ..........20

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THE RIDGE BRIDGEEditors: Betsy Bacot-Aigner

and Geraldine OngSubmissions may be made via email to

ridgebridge01@gmail.com

Mini-Grant Program

The PTO awarded approximately $2,900 to the Ridge staff for the fall mini-grants.Seven applications were submitted and all of them were funded in part or whole. The mini-grants will be used to purchase requested equipment, help fund programs,and support professional development foruse in many different areas of the school:English, Fine and Practical Arts, MediaCenter, and World Language.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

1. Frank Caccavale, Technology andEngineering Education:

International Technology & EngineeringEducators Association (ITEEA) Conference in Atlanta. 2. Jason Caputo, Fiorella Bologno, andJennifer Kang, World Language: GoPro Hero5 and SD card for use in worldlanguage classes to record dialogue forlearning purposes.

3. Mary Jane McNally, Media Center:24" Color Poster Printer use for by teachers,clubs, athletics, and PTO. The Student Gov-ernment is funding the remaining amount.4. Rachel Miranda, Dance: Dance Professor Artist-in-Residence program for filming and choreography of Dance III students. The PTO will befunding 3 visits.

5. Bruce Morozko and Kristin Fox, Ceramics: The Old Oak Tree ceramic tileproject for Advanced Ceramics and Wood-working students.

6. Philip Pernice, English: MindfulnessFundamentals and Educator Essentials online professional development reim-bursement to support Social EmotionalLearning district goal.7. Laura Rieder, Psychology:Enchroma colorblind glasses for use in AP Psychology and other departments

PTO Meetings

Melissa and ChipDayton, founders ofYou Can NOT BeReplaced, presented

a Proactive Parenting workshop to about70 parents on October 25 to give parents a better understanding of the teen brain,mental health, and substance abuse. Parents gained tips for building trust andresiliency with kids and improving communications and expectations. Moredetails on the fall meeting, which was co-sponsored by the Bernards TownshipMunicipal Alliance, can be found on page 6. Mark your calendar for January 31when Dr. Michael Bradley returns for thefourth time to the Ridge PAC to discusswith high school parents Crazy-Stressed:Saving Today’s Overwhelmed Teens with Love, Laughter, and the Science ofResilience. There will be a second meetingon February 1 at the Bernards PAC formiddle school parents. These presentationsare being co-sponsored by the Ridge andWAMS PTOs, BHS and BMS HSAs, Bedminster PTO, Municipal Alliance, and Community in Crisis.

Thank You Volunteers

Lastly, we want to thank all the volunteerswho work hard on the many PTO andschool events. We’d like to thank AchintKaur and Kim Matarante for their expertisewith Directory membership and distribu-tion, Rachna Garg and Preeti Vivek fortheir help with back-to-school nights,Ameetha Iyer for a successful Week of Respect, Gayle Shimoun and JenniferMacchiarola for the distribution of schoolpictures, Alicia Martine for the wrappingpaper fundraiser, and all of the WelcomeDesk volunteers.

Thanks to the efforts of our co-VPsof Volunteers, Shannon Yu and JoanneMarcus, we have filled most of our Committee Chair positions but there are still opportunities to help. If you’reinterested, please email the PTO at rhsptocomm@gmail.com, which is ournew email address.We look forward to a great school year!Alyson McCauley and Christine ZieglerRidge PTO Co-Presidents

2017-18 RIDGE PTOEXECUTIVE BOARDCo-Presidents Alyson McCauleyChristine ZieglerCo-Vice Presidents, Volunteers Joanne MarcusShannon YuVice President, Programs Rebeca CuadrosNewsletter EditorBetsy Bacot-AignerTreasurer Kelly TangCo-Vice Presidents, CommunicationsAchint KaurGed OngRecording SecretaryLisa LaurinoBOE Representative:Elaine DiDarioBoard members may be reached atrhsptocomm@gmail.com

PTO Class ParentsIf you have concerns and questionsthat you would like addressed by theschool administration, please bringthem to your PTO class parents.They meet with Mr. Krause everymonth to raise issues and concerns.Grade 9 Doreen Beim and Vandana MehtaGrade 10 Lisa Laurino and Yongyong TangGrade 11 Kristina Folkart and Doreen Yan LinGrade 12 Elaine Edge and Dorit Kransdorf

Ridge PTO Events“Volunteers in Action”

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they will likely cover up their issues. When our kids come to us, don’t react. Instead, embrace that time and be sure youare there 100% to listen, help, and supportthem - leaning in to the problem instead of avoiding it. We need to teach our kids that theyneed to experience the consequence oftheir choices. “You have to let them fail.”And be there with them, added Melissa. If they come to you, explain to them howto overcome a problem. As parents, if wenever let our kids fail, then when they goto college and fail, who will be there tosupport them? And if they never failed andthen lose their job later on, how will theyreact? We also need to rethink healthy discipline practice within the confines ofthe family. Discipline is not punishment.Instead of telling them to “go to yourroom”, have a conversation with them,teach them. According to a study at the Universityof Michigan, the same areas of the brainget activated during social rejection as during physical pain. The Daytons alsoshared warning signs of suicide, such astalking about feelings of hopelessness,feeling trapped, or being in unbearablepain; talking about being a burden to others; increased consumption of alcoholand drugs. At the end of the workshop, the Daytonsshared new ideas about achieving success:“Do what you love, follow your vocation,do charity, do what you do well, give toothers. What is your sense of purpose?”

Useful resources shared by the Daytons(www.youcannotbereplaced.com):

- Local: Common Ground Grief Center; 2nd floor Youth helpline; Monmouth Medical Mobile Crisis- Personal Growth: Dr. Henry Cloud; BreneBrown; Dr. Thomas Legere- Substance: Steered Straight; Kevin Sabet- National: Erika’s lighthouse; American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; Jordan Porco Foundation;- Apps: Laudate; My3; Headspace- Books: Living an authentic life; Purpose DrivenLife; Man’s Search for Meaning; Reefer Sanity

Fall PTO Program: Proactive Parent Workshop with Chip & Melissa Dayton

On Wednesday, October 25, more than 70attendees participated in a Proactive ParentWorkshop led by Melissa and Chip Daytonat RHS PAC. According to the Daytons, we live in a busy society and kids are in constantstress. They are frequently logged intotheir computers, always checking theirgrades for example. We, as parents, push them to have a high success rate. The Daytons shared the results of onestudy among teens, where 80% of the kidssurveyed perceived that their parents valued their achievements more than their character. Melissa shared that this is a great timefor our kids to learn. Since their frontallobe is under development, they are impulsive and their decision making takeslonger. It is very important to understandand have a conversation with them, and to ask how they feel. We also have to bemindful about the chemicals in our brainthat link to happiness: for example, takinga walk with our kids liberates endorphins,the excessive use of a mobile device canbecome addictive and increases dopaminetransmission, and oxytocin increases bonding (but may not necessarily be withthe right person). “Our whole culture hasto go back to the conversation face toface,” added Melissa. According to the Daytons, unpredictableresponses create an insecure relationship.When we as parents react, our kids shutdown. If we want them to come to us, we have to respond better. Otherwise,

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Save The Date:Jan. 31, 2018

Dr. Michael Bradleyon

“Crazy-Stressed: Saving Today’s

Overwhelmed Teenswith Love, Laughter,and the Science of

Resilience”

Class Advisors 2017-2018

Class of 2018 (Seniors)Kim Clark- kimberlyclark@bernardsboe.comTim Howard- thoward@bernardsboe.comClass of 2019 (Juniors)Chiara Kupiec- ckupiec@bernardsboe.comDawn Piper- dpiper@bernardsboe.com

Class of 2020 (Sophomores)Vivian Scaturro- vscaturro@bernardsboe.comKimberlee Sweet- ksweet@bernardsboe.com

Class of 2021 (Freshmen)Emily Lipnick- elipnick@bernardsboe.comJanine Quimby- jquimby@bernardsboe.com

SCHOOL CONNECTION

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American Legion Boys State ProgramDear Parents:I am the committee chairman for the BoysState program for American Legion Post12 in Somerville. We’ve sent a few juniorboys from Ridge to Boys State over thepast few years and would like to sendmore. Boys State seeks to educate our futureleaders in the duties, rights, and privilegesof US citizenship. We aim to provide understanding in our system of govern-ment: how it works and how the variouspeople elected to public office go aboutmaking decisions, getting support for it,and signing the resulting legislation into law. Each day there are seminars given by people from various lines of work. A college fair is also held that has drawnas many as 80 colleges from all over the country, a newspaper published, and they even have a band. Weather andtime permitting, a part of each afternoon is devoted for intramural sports. It’s a college-level program run in fivebusy days starting with the election ofmayors on Monday and a governor andtwo senators on Friday.

Character and Nontraditional AchievementsCan Earn a Ridge Senior $18,000 in 2018

It doesn’t take a 4.5 GPA and 2400SATs to receive ascholarship. The 2018 RidgeAlumni MemorialScholarship is look-ing for graduating

seniors who have demonstrated “character,determination, and nontraditional achieve-ments” during their tenure at Ridge HighSchool. This year’s award is $18,000, thegroup’s largest to date. The award recipient may use the fundsfor virtually any educational, vocational orpersonal growth expenses — meaning tuition, a gap year, a car to get to work,studio time, or something a graduatingsenior needs that Ridge AMS organizershaven’t yet thought of.

Last year, Ridge AMS awarded a $15,000 grant to Molly Perdek (RHS ’17).It was the largest scholarship presented atRidge’s 2017 Awards Night, other thanones connected to a particular college oruniversity. “This is the 12th Ridge AMS scholar-ship,” according to Jane Cullinan (RHS ’67), who chairs the Ridge AMSBoard of Trustees. “What started with theannouncement of a $1,000 grant hasgrown dramatically. We’re grateful for the support of Ridge alumni and the community, and proud to say that 100% of the donations go to scholarships. We're committed to making a meaningfulcontribution to a deserving senior's future.That’s the purpose of the Ridge AlumniMemorial Scholarship – honoring the pastby supporting the future.”

Graduating Ridge seniors can learn more at the Ridge AMS website(RidgeAMS.googlepages.com, google“Ridge AMS”), or by contacting RHS Guidance counselors. This year, applications will be accepted via email to the Ridge AMS selection committee. Instructions appear on the website.

Deadline for applications is Wednesday,February 28, 2018.

Ridge AMS is a 501(C)(3) funded entirelyby donations. Ridge AMS contributionsare tax-deductible.

Graduation is Friday along with a familypicnic. One boy is elected Boys StateGovernor, who serves as an ambassadorfor Boys State during their coming yearand two are elected Boys State senatorsand will attend Boys Nation in Washington,DC. Former Boys State attendees are Governor Christie, Congressman LeonardLance, Senator Bob Menendez, basketballgreat Michael Jordan, TV commentatorTom Brokaw, and former president BillClinton.Additional information can befound at: www.aljbs.org. The week atBoys’ State almost always begins on Fa-ther’s Day and ends the following Friday. Feel free to call me if you have ques-tions. The Legion requires that candidateshave finished their junior year of highschool, maintained an excellent academicstanding, and have no serious disciplinaryissues. The Ridge Guidance Dept. willcontact me to come up to Ridge and speak to those interested in going toBoys’ State, so speak to your boys if theyare interested.

Frank Higbie, American Legion Post 12(732) 356-0271

The RHS Media Center recently concludedits annual Books for Kids book drive.Thanks to the Basking Ridge community’sincredible generosity, we were able to collect over 3,000 books! Books were sentto libraries in Newark, Irvington, AsburyPark and Long Branch and will be distributedas gifts to needy children. We were also ableto send books to the Salvation Army’sAfter-Care programs in Bridgewater and to“Books for Taiwan”, which ships books toTaiwan’s rural elementary schools, jails,public libraries and culinary schools. Weare truly appreciative of the contributionsmade by so many students, families andfaculty members. A special thank you toMr. Brush’s Mathematics students whocontributed to almost half of the total donations! It was especially heartwarmingto see the students hand-deliver those veryheavy bags and boxes of books! We’regrateful that the campaign was such ahuge success and would like to extend asincere thank you to all who donated sogenerously. The books were truly beautifuland will certainly brighten the holiday season for many children.

4th Annual InternationalWelcome NightThe Bernards Township Public SchoolDistrict had its 4th annual InternationalWelcome Night last September 11, 2017from 6:30 to 8 P.M. at the WAMS MediaCenter. The evening’s activities were led byKatherine Stotler, District Supervisor ofWorld Languages & ELL. New families inthe district were made welcome, and Mrs.Stotler shared basic information about ourschool district. Representatives from various school and community groupswere also present during the event, such asthe Somerset Hills YMCA, the BernardsTownship Public Library, PTOs, and otherorganizations. Each representative gave abrief overview of the services they offer. The evening also provided new families with opportunities to interact socially and meet with other families inthe district.

To Buy a 2018 Yearbook:Order online on Jostens.com or go to:

http://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1057891/Ridge-High-School/2017-Yearbook/2016092904185057792/CATALOG_SHOP/Cost: $85Cover personalization and icons $5 each

Attention Seniors and Parents of Seniors:Baby Ads are due by Friday December 15!!

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Yearbook Information

Please click on the “Academics” tab of the Option II website for the details and applications:http://bernardsboe.ss5.sharpschool.com/de-partments/counseling_department/ridge_high_school_counseling/option_i_i/Note: Mrs. Shadis is still overseeing theOption II Academics program.

Navigating the College Admissions ProcessCounselors met with juniors on Nov. 30during the school day to discuss not onlythe college admissions process, but alsohow to find the right school.

College Planning NightAn evening event geared toward sophomoreand junior parents, College Planning Nightwas held on November 30 at 7pm in theRidge PAC.

The College Application Process Continuesfor SeniorsDuring the month of December, Counselors will continue to process college applications for Rolling, Early Decision II and Regular Decision deadlines. Remember to request transcripts forschools with early January deadlines wellbefore December 23, as no staff will beavailable to send materials over the holiday break.

PSAT ResultsPSAT results will be returned to studentsonce available, along with directions onhow to find information online that willhelp them use the scores to prepare for future standardized testing. Much of the information that can be extrapolated fromthe PSAT scores is online, as opposed tobeing printed on the Score Report itself.The counselors strongly advise students to use their Online Access Code to log onto their personalized College Boardwebsite for more information. The websiteand code will be found on the PSAT Score Report.

For AP StudentsIn mid-January, all AP students will receive a hard copy of the Bulletin for AP Students and Parents during the school day. 

Option II AthleticsMr. Krause and Mr. Thorp are the new Option II Athletics Supervisors. The program is no longer coordinated by Mrs. Shadis. Mrs. Eckel remains theOption II Secretary, and she is now locatedin the front of the Counseling Suite.

Seniors - MP1 GradesStudents who needed their first markingperiod grades sent to college(s), shouldhave completed this online form (no laterthan November 8), which was the last dayof Marking Period 1:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9E9fJbvp2cYRdFZdrqVC5BEFiIQC9bLq1MmWYVhTf1qP4Rw/viewformPlease note: if a college contacts us and specifically requests a student’sgrades, we send them even without thisform on file.

College VisitsJuniors and seniors have been encouragedto sign up for College Representative visitsto Ridge, which began to taper off in earlyDecember. Dates, times, and registrationfor college visits are on Naviance. If yourchild lost his/her Naviance username orpassword, please ask him/her to see one ofthe counseling secretaries. Please also notethat parents cannot sign their children upfor College Visits; students must log onthemselves, register, and print out the confirmation page.  Students must also ask their teacher for permission to attend atleast a day in advance.

Option II Academics – Spring CoursesThe deadline to apply for approval forspring 2018 courses taken outside of Ridgewas November 15.  Students were advisedto apply to take a Financial Literacy/Personal Finance course, or any othercourse not already offered at Ridge.  

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News and Notes from the Ridge Counseling DepartmentThe Bulletin contains information aboutAP Exams, their administration, and examsecurity policies and procedures designedto provide all students with a fair and uniform testing experience. On exam day,all exam-takers sign their answer sheets,indicating that they understand and agreeto the policies and procedures in the Bulletin. Shortly after students receive thisBulletin, parents and students should be onthe lookout for a letter sent home regardingregistration for AP exams. The mailing willprovide you with specific information anddirections for registering.

Sophomore Career ModuleCounselors will meet with sophomores in the computer labs upon return from theholiday break for a career presentation.Sophomores will then access their personalNaviance account and take a “Career Interest Inventory” to help them identifytheir strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes,and potential fields of interest.

Naviance “Training” for JuniorsOn January 9 and 11, counselors will meetwith juniors in the computer labs duringtheir Social Studies class to further exploreNaviance as it relates to college searches.

For SeniorsSenior English Language Arts classes willreport to the Counseling Office on eitherJanuary 18th or 19th to have them updateany responses they have had from collegesin Naviance. This “Midyear NavianceCheck-In” and system clean-up allows the Counseling Department Staff to send midyear grades more efficiently and effectively. The Counseling Department will auto-matically send midyear grades to any col-lege you have applied to. No additional requests are required, and we need no additional forms. These midyear reports go out in mid-February. All colleges require them, so there is no “opting out.”

December 2017

News and Updates

January 2018

Counseling Department WebsiteFor the most up-to- date news and information, please remember that theRHS Counseling website is constantlybeing updated:http://bernardsboe.ss5.sharpschool.com/departments/counseling_department/ridge_high_school_counseling/

Scholarships & Special ProgramsAll scholarships and special programs received by the Counseling Office areposted on Naviance. While many aregeared toward juniors and seniors, thereare a number that any student, grades 9through 12, can apply for. Log in; click“Colleges,” then “Scholarship List” to seethe current offerings. Check back often, as we post new opportunities as soon aswe receive them.

News and Notes from the Ridge Counseling Department...continued

There is a newpilot programunderway for providingextra help to

students instead of the Tutorial Center. Administrators, supervisors, and teachersapproached Principal Krause during thesummer months suggesting changes. Data and feedback suggested that studentspreferred working with their own teachersand the number of students utilizing theTutorial Center for help was diminishing.At Back to School Night, most teachersmentioned their availability for extra helpduring the day and before and after schoolfor students to seek extra help. If this format proves successful, the Tutorial Center will be repurposed over the nextfew months. Teachers’ schedules areposted under the Tutorial Center on thewebsite and many teachers have provided a period 0 option before school to accom-modate students with conflicts.

General Reminders

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Tutorial Center

Ridge Student Assistance Counselors Update

National Suicide Prevention WeekSunday, September 10 marked the beginning of National Suicide PreventionWeek, and provided an opportunity to start the school year on a healthy note. The Ridge SACs collaborated with thePTO, Mr. Thompson/Ridge Wellness Club,the Health Department, and several otherorganizations to promote two themes:“Kindness Takes Courage” and “You CanNot Be Replaced.” The Ridge Wellness Club promotedYou Can Not Be Replaced by handing outwristbands that remind students that theyare irreplaceable. The goal of the campaignis “to reduce the factors that can contributeto someone in crisis while empoweringyoung people and families to improve relationships, communication, and trust.”Students were asked to wear the wristbanduntil they saw someone that they feelneeded the reminder that they, too, cannotbe replaced. Additionally, local mental health organizations set up tables outside of thecafeteria during lunch periods to promotewellness and mental health services: • High Focus Centers • Zufall Community Health Center • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI NJ) Wellness Club volunteers also askedstudents to write kind words or statementson Post its, so that the Ridge lobby wouldbe filled with positive messages.

Week of RespectMonday, October 2began New Jersey’sannual Week of Respect. Students and faculty were asked to wear royal blue to join the Stomp Out

Bullying campaign. Many students alsosigned a pledge to not bully. Teachers were encouraged to infuse topics like respect, empathy, and kindness into classroom lessons.

September 2017

October 2017

School Violence Awareness WeekMonday, October 16 kicked off New Jersey’sSchool Violence Awareness Week.The district as a whole observed this weekby providing age-appropriate instruction to discuss methods for keeping schoolssafe from violence, and to learn how torecognize students in need of help. Ridge raised awareness in various ways,including morning announcements and posters.

Domestic Violence Awareness MonthOctober also marked Domestic ViolenceAwareness Month, the purpose of which is to connect, educate, and empower victims of domestic violence. Ridge raisedawareness of this important issue by asking students and staff to wear purple on October 19, which was the official Domestic Violence Awareness Day. Also on that date, the Student GovernmentOfficers attended a Leadership Sympo-sium on the topic of Consent. The presen-tation was given from Zufall Health andfocused on NJ laws, consent, and sexualassault prevention tips. Additionally, on Friday, November 3,members of the School Safety Team,including the SACs and members of theRidge Feminist Club, were at the footballgame and collected money for Safe andSound, an organization which helps domestic violence victims. Safe and Soundprovides support legally, physically, andemotionally to victims. They also provideeducation for all. In addition to thefundraising at the event, the Feminist Clubis hosting a feminine products drive, collecting tampons, sanitary napkins, etc.,which will be donated to the Safe andSound Shelter of Somerset.

Ridge High School Student Assistance

CounselorsMr. Chad Gillikin - grades 9 & 10 908-204- 2585, x616Mrs. Toni Anthony - grades 11 & 12908-204- 2585, x145

Ridge Music Department Highlights

2017 New Jersey All-State Mixed ChoirMembers sang two concerts…

Erik Aigner, Rebecca Blanchard, KarthikIyer, Emmalee Lafean, Ginny Lafean and Melissa Nora joined 325 of the tophigh school singers in the state as they performed at the NJEA Convention on Friday November 10 and at NJPAC onSunday November 19. Choralpalooza hosted clinician YouTubephenome Casey Breves…On Tuesday November 21, the Ridge HighSchool Choral Program hosted SomervilleHS, Hanover Park HS, Warren Hills HS,New Providence HS and Newark Academyin our annual Choral Festival, Choral-palooza. Our clinician for the day wasCasey Breves. From his webpage: CaseyBreves performs across the United States, Europe, and Asia as both a pop and classicalvocalist. Born and raised in New York, he sangwith the GRAMMY Award-winning male vocalensemble Chanticleer for three seasons (2010-2013) immediately after graduating from YaleUniversity, where he was a member of ScholaCantorum, the Duke’s Men of Yale and theWhiffenpoofs. He has recently been recordingoriginals and pop covers, and releasing videoson YouTube. He has been a guest soloist onSaturday Night Live and recently sang withAdele at Radio City Music Hall. Casey lives inLos Angeles where he performs regularly. His debut EP, “Away We Go” and several single releases are available on iTunes andSpotify. His YouTube channel can be found atCaseyBrevesMusic.Region II Chorus auditions…were held at JP Stevens HS on SaturdayDecember 9. Good Luck to the members ofthe Choral Department who auditioned!Winter Choral Concert…The Winter Choral Concert will be held on Tuesday December 19 at 7:00 p.m. inthe Ridge PAC. Featured ensembles willinclude the Ridge Chorale, the A cappellaChoir Honors, Voices of Ridge, Ridgemen,Madrigal Singers and the Concert Choir!The concert will conclude with the annualalumni song O Holy Night and the GrandFinale of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. An evening not to be missed!

C H O R A L N E W S

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The 2017-18 Ridge A cappella Choir with their director, Barbara Retzko, following their performance at theJacobus Vanderveer House Colonial Christmas Celebration on November 26. See flyer below for the “A Cappella Caroling Schedule”. Please join us at one of the upcoming performances.

Music on the Move: Ridge Marching Band Gets the Community on Its Feet

It begins in the searing heat of August and ends in the crisp chill of November. It moves forward rain or shine, in boisterousFriday night rituals and stirring street parades. It is at once modern and a throw-back, toe-tapping and heart-stopping.There’s nothing quite like the Ridge HighSchool Red Devils Marching Band. The 2016-2017 band continued its annual mission, providing that brassy,boom-y live soundtrack at Lee Field, without which Friday night footballwouldn’t be the same. But this year’s bandand color guard wasn’t just about Friday.It was an everyday march toward musicaland theatrical excellence, turning the spacebetween the sidelines into a stage for 15minutes of excitement time and time againin weekend competitions against top bandsaround the region. Add to that the parades,including a rainy Memorial Day in LibertyCorner and the community celebration of

the Presbyterian Church’s 300th anniversary,and you have an energetic musical schedulethat goes well beyond the usual football-season cycle. For his ninth season, director Dan Zugaleand his staff developed a challenging, engaging show called Duality, which considered the two natures of humanity in musical compositions from Berlioz toBeyoncé. Talented instrumentalists becametalented dancers as well, forming interestingvisuals and coordinating with the flags andsabres of the color guard to delight crowds.Dramatic voiceovers woven into the songsemphasized the overall theme. Audiences and competition judges approved. Ridge started off strong with afirst place at Piscataway High School andconcluded the season winning the CadetAward of Excellence at Nationals in Allentown, PA, achieving the highest scoreof all New Jersey bands.

The band capped off the year with a tripto Disney World in Orlando, Fla., where itjoined in an exciting instrumental clinicand represented New Jersey by marchingdown Main Street USA in the daily parade. And through it all, Ridge kids kept alivecherished band traditions. Every home-game third quarter, after their performance,Ridge band members took donuts and ciderto the visiting band for a few moments ofhospitality and camaraderie. But the mostimportant tradition — that of the bandworking as a team, caring that extra bit,working through fatigue, homework, andweather to do itself and the school proud— that one came through loud and clear,like the band itself.Go Ridge!

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Ridge Marching Band SeniorsYamaha Cup at MetLife Stadium

In November, the Ridge Marching Bandmarched in the parade down Main Street USA

at Disney World Magic Kingdom

Ridge Recognition highlights the accomplish-ments of RHS students, faculty, and staff. If you or someone you know is deserving ofpraise and recognition, please send us anemail at ridgebridge01@gmail.com.

Students

On Tuesday, October 10, 2017, a group of very talented Ridge High School students gathered in the PAC and were inducted into the Ridge High School Science National Honor Society (SNHS).The SNHS was created in 2000 to recog-nize those students who excel in the fieldof science. Its goals are to encourage scientific thinking, to advance knowledgeof science, to communicate with the scientific community, and to share the understanding of science. Through theiroutstanding commitment to scientific excellence at RHS, 54 students haveearned special recognition by applying for and being accepted by the SNHS.While there are over 600 school districts in the State of NJ, there are fewer than 80chapters of the Science National Honor Society. This is a direct function of the immensely rigorous and stringent criteriafor student membership set forth by the national organization. The certificates of achievement and award pins were presented by Mrs. Margaret Mitchell,Ridge SNHS Advisor and Mr. Tom Misiak,Supervisor of Science and Technology.

Members of the RHS Girls Golf Teamvolunteered their time this summer servingmeals at the Community Soup Kitchen andOutreach Center in Morristown.

Faculty

This summer Business Education teacherDawn Piper, attended a three-day accounting workshop in Philadelphia. The Accounting Pilot and Bridge Project(APBP) is a program that trains highschool educators to teach a higher level accounting curriculum that parallels thoseoffered in college. Research conducted by the AICPA has demonstrated that thefirst accounting course high school students take impacts their decision to pursue accounting as a major and as a career choice.

The Social Studies Department is gettingsmarter and smarter . . . both Liz Seiffertand Laura Rieder earned Masters of Artsand Letters from Drew University this past May.

Physics Teacher Matt Blackman, washonored by the National Science TeachersAssociation (NSTA) for making educationalgames that are used by thousands of students worldwide every day. Matt hascreated games and apps such as Crack theCircuit and Action Graphing which are designed to supplement and enhance (but not replace!) good teaching.

Math Teacher Steve Brush, announcedthat the RHS chapter of the Hearts ForHuman Rights Club was recognized bythe mayor of Bridgewater, Daniel Hayes,for its significant contribution to the "Tree 4 All" activity at the Bridgewater Library on October 7, 2017.

Weddings

Special Education teacher JenniferD’Armiento, married her high schoolsweetheart, Stefan White, on July 1, 2017 in the happiest place on earth! They extended their stay and honey-mooned in Disney World too!

Social Studies teacher Patty Tamagnini,married Julian Gorenstein, on August 12,2017. The lovely newlyweds honey-mooned in the Florida Keys!

Clearly August 12, 2017 was a special day. . . Chemistry teacher, Jeff Stellitano, also got married on that day! Melissa Ciandella is the lucky bride, and thesenewlyweds traveled to Wildwood, NJ to celebrate their marriage!

Births

Assistant Principal Gina Donlevie and her husband Mike, welcomed a beautifulbaby girl, Jordan, on May 25, 2017. Big brother Brett is mighty proud of hisnew baby sister who weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz.and was 21 inches long!

Two days later on May 27, 2017, Tech Education teacher, Mark Dotta andhis wife Kirsten, also welcomed a beautifulbaby girl, Mia Grace. Mia’s big sisterTessa, is also very proud of her new littlesibling who weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. and was18.5 inches long.

Lily Theresa Boop waited until after theRHS Class of 2017 graduated before she made her entrance into the world. This considerate little lady is the daughterof Math teacher, Travis Boop and his wife,Jamie. Lily arrived on June 21, 2017weighing 8 lb. 13 oz. and was 20.75 incheslong. Her big brother Charlie, loves “reading” to his baby sister!

Ethan James Harding made his way intothe world on August 7th and weighing 8 lbs. He is the handsome young son ofEnglish teacher Julie Harding and her husband Jason. Ethan’s arrival promotedEric to the coveted role of big brother!

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R I D G E R E C O G N I T I O N

RIDGE CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

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Peter and the Starcatcher, performed byRidge High School, revealed the intricateprequel to Peter Pan. Filled with pirates,mermaids, lost boys, and mollusks, there were not many childhood dreamsoverlooked. The cast and crew spent twomonths perfecting the show, and reachedrecord-high ticket sales for any fall playput on by the school. First-ever interactiveseating was introduced and it brightenedup the lives of everyone who dared take a seat on the stage. The cast and crew encouraged the audience to take flight back to their childhood and thriving imagination.

Drama Club’s “Peter & the Starcatcher” Wows Crowds!

Cast & Crew of “Peter & the Starcatcher”

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Ridge Dance Department HappeningsRidge Dance Students Learn from a Hip Hop Master!In October, Ridge students participated in a hip hop master class with Cebo. Cebo has won some of the world’s largestdance battles such as Juste Debout andHouse Dance International. In 2003, he set out to open a studio in Japan based onteaching the fundamentals of street dance. The studio is called Next Generation New York Studios. It now has well overone thousand students making it one ofthe largest street dance schools in theChugoku region of Japan. He is the program director for Everybody DanceNow!, a nonprofit organization that provides weekly hip hop and street danceprogramming for young people through-out the United States. In this master class, students learned various street styles andthose participating will perform in theWinter Dance Showcase 2018 on January19 at Ridge PAC. The students truly enjoyed learning from Cebo and look forward to performing their hip hop dance!

Ridge Dance Team Preparesfor the Upcoming SeasonThis fall, the Ridge Dance Team workedwith Jude Cassion and Vanessa Salgadoto learn choreography for the team’s competition season this spring. Cassionand Salgado are both professional chore-ographers; Cassion choreographs in New York City for Jude Cassion Produc-tions and Salgado’s credits include NBC’sEmmy award winning series SMASH andDisney Cruise Line’s Frozen. Workingwith both choreographers has provided theRidge Dance Team members an invaluableopportunity to network with professionalsin the industry of dance and compete withunique and entertaining performances thisspring. To fund its competitions, the teamhosted a car wash on Sunday, September 17and is very grateful for its remarkable success. In addition, the team participatedin the RHS Pep Rally for the first time and had so much fun representing RidgeDance! They look forward to a wonderfulseason this spring as they competethroughout New Jersey!

Hip Hop with Jude(photos left & below)

Hip Hop with Cebo (photos above)

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Ridge Girls Volleyball 2017A Magical Unprecedented Season

After not making States last year, Ridge Girls Volleyball was determined tonot just make it back to the tournament,but to make a statement. The girls set outwith two goals: 1) to win Counties, and 2) to do well in States. Mission Accom-plished, and then some! They not onlywon counties, Ridge finished the season26-1, a historic and magical season thatsaw them win the Skyland ConferenceTitle over perennial powerhouses NorthHunterdon and Hunterdon Central, Somer-set County Finals defeating Bridgewater-Raritan and Mount St. Mary's, and GroupIV State Title besting Westfield in threesets in the semis and Cherokee in two inthe Finals. Their only blemish was a toughtight loss against River Dell 25-23, 25-22in the Tournament of Champions. After along grueling season, the girls left every-thing on the William Paterson Universitycourt until the last whistle. The herculeaneffort was symbolic of what the Ridgegirls put into every match this season. In 2017, Ridge was led by its three senior starters: middle blocker EvelinaAdamczyk and setter Zoe Pan, who wereboth First Team All Skyland Conference,and middle blocker Julia Syrdahl, who hascommitted to D2 Goldey-Beacom College.Ridge also graduates three seniors whohave made significant contributions intheir Ridge careers: outside hitter SophiaMaggio who usually provides instant offense when she enters the game, setterSalma El Agizy, who gives the oppositiona different look when Ridge runs a 6-2 offense, and defense specialist Carollyne"CC" Conway, who came up big in theTournament of Champions against River Dell.

While Ridge graduates six impactful seniors from the squad, Coach Milot has a pipeline of players ready to carry the mantle. Ridge will return four starters: pin hitters Isabela Garcia (109 kills) andChelsea Winegar (109 kills) both SecondTeam All Skyland Conference, outside hitter Peyton Robb, (111 kills) NJ.com’sSecond Team All Group IV, and liberoRachel Tam (337 digs) NJ.com’s First teamAll State and The Courier News Player of the Year. Ridge Volleyball is looking forward to defending its Group IV title nextyear. Bring it on!

Ridge High School Cheerleading Fall 2017

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The Ridge Cheerleaders have been hard at work this year, encouraging their teamand leading the football fans under the Friday night lights. This season the Varsityteam had the lucky opportunity to teachmembers of PEC, cheers at a special clinicin preparation for a Friday night Varsityfootball game. The cheerleaders loved the opportunity to further engage the community in special events. In addition,the RHS cheer team was able to host theRidge Youth Sports cheerleaders tofurther unify the programs and offer anopportunity for younger athletes to learnHS level material and join in on leadingthe crowd in cheers, stunts, and dances.There, the cheer community of BaskingRidge wore gold in honor and support of pediatric cancer. The cheerleaders were also able to encourage the Gran Fondo cyclists at thebest NJ Cycling event at the Seeing Eyerest stop in Peapack Gladstone, where they chanted “Cyclists! Take a break, get a drink of water!”. They won the cyclists’ hearts, who chanted, clappedback, and graciously thanked them.” In addition, the September Athlete ofthe Month is Katelyn Mackey. Katelyn’sskills inspire growth in others on the Varsity Cheer team. Having made Varsitysince her sophomore year, her fan favoritestanding tucks and her all-star level flyingability makes her a strong asset to theteam. Katelyn’s love and pride for team iscontagious and her morale holds others tothat same standard. At games, you can findKatelyn’s stunts directly in front of the fansection as she is a seasoned crowd leaderand a true performer on the track or in anyroutine. Katelyn is pictured on the top(flyer position) of the photo to the right.

The Ridge girls soccer team has donesomething most other teams would onlydream of, and that is, becoming a Group 4State Champion for the 2nd time in threeyears and for winning the North 2 Sectional Championship three years in arow. The Ridge Girls team ended the 2017season with an 18-4-2 record (see chart tothe right) and saw several team membersearn All-Conference and All-State honors,including one member being selected toparticipate in the All-American game.The girls dedicated this season to local 4th grader Katie King, who is battlingcancer (see photo top right). All playersstepped up to play for Katie and foundstrength as they went undefeated in theirlast 6 games. The following are more highlights fromRidge girls soccer:All State:Maddy Lui, Kaitlyn Madden,Sam Weyrauch, Erin KeefeAll Conference:Ally Lindsey (GK),Maddy Lui, Kaitlyn Madden, Erin KeefeSecond Team All Conference: SamWeyrauch, Molly MahoneyHonorable Mention: Katie ArriganSelected to participate in All-AmericanGame: Erin KeefeSectional Championship: Knocked off undefeated Westfield for the second season in a row on penalty kicks. Ally Lindsey made 3 saves and HeatherCortese netted the game winner on the 6th kick.

Ridge Girls Soccer Ties for State Championship!

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State Semi-finals: Beat Morris Knolls 1-0.State Championship:After 2 overtime periods, the State Championship wasawarded to both teams as penalty kicksare not used in the final game.Captains: Erin Keefe, Kaitlyn Madden,Sam Weyrauch

Kaitlyn Madden (left); Sam Weyrauch (above); Erin Keefe (above right); Seniors & Coaches (below left); Maddie Lui (below right)

Goalkeeper Ally Lindsey (above)

Ridge Field Hockey 2017

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The Ridge field hockey team began the2017 campaign with only 4 returners from 2016's starting line-up. Early in theseason, building team cohesion on and offthe field was the primary focus for headcoach Kim Clark. The team worked hardduring pre-season but had fun along theway enjoying barbeques and a white waterrafting adventure! The 2017 season was full of ups anddowns as the Red Devils finished with arecord of 9-12. Highlights of the seasonincluded a 3-0 win over Mendham, which ended up being a turning point forthe team. The team was 3-7 up until theMendham game, which seemed to jumpstart their offense. The team finished the second half of the season with a 6-5 record! Standout junior Noor Kaur led theteam in both goals and assists, garnering12 of each. Sophomore Jaclyn Narleskiwas a consistent role-player, finishing the season with 8 goals and 1 assist. Key players also included a pair of defenders - Maggie dePoortere and Hannah Ingal, both senior captains wereinstrumental in the team's success duringthe latter half of the season. They willsurely be missed next season. Senior Bridget Doherty and junior Nicole Roberts

shared goal keeping responsibilities, they each had standout games during theseason. Senior captains Sydney Mahon (9 goals) and Carolyn Heffernan helpedanchor the offense, while newcomers Taylor Ligozio, Megan Olsen, LaurenLusardi, and Janie Islinger showed dramatic improvements throughout theseason. Coach Clark expects great thingsfrom underclassmen Erin Macchiarolla,Liz Ong, Grace Rhead, Haley Bell, andKatherine Polos in the years to come. Senior attackers Clare Mohan, AmeliaSchmall, and Bissy Ursino have left a lasting impact on the field hockey program and will be missed next year. Perhaps one of the most memorablemoments of the season was the "Play-4-A-Cure" game against Pingry,during which the athletes and their families honored 4th grade Basking Ridgeresident Katie King. The girls donned purple ribbons in their hair and Katie wasable to join the team on the sideline. The emotional game helped the team raise$1,700 for cancer research and make a $600 donation to the King family. The 2017 season brought so much joyto all the athletes, parents, coaches, andfans that comprise the Ridge FieldHockey family - GO RIDGE!

Ridge High School was presented with theFourteenth Annual ShopRite Cup Awardin being named the Most OutstandingAthletic Program among Group IVschools in 2016- 17. The presentation wasdone prior to the home football game with

Ridge High School Presented with the ShopRite Cup Award

Linden High School on Friday, September22, 2017. Presenting the award were GuyCisternino, Manager of the BernardsvilleShopRite and Bill Bruno, Assistant Directorof the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. The NJSIAA award

points to schools for success in state tournament competition in all sanctionedsports. Ridge garnered 82 points, which included those awarded for statechampionships in girls’ cross country,girls’ tennis, ice hockey, and girls’ trackand field. Additional points were earnedfor sectional championships and state finalists in other sports, as well as for remaining disqualification free each season. Skyland Conference rivals Hunterdon Central, Bridgewater-Raritan,and Montgomery placed 2, 3, and 4 in the Group IV field. This marks the 3rd consecutive year that the Red Devils athletic program has been the recipient of this prestigious award.

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The ‘Ridge Red Devils’ boys varsity soccerteam’s season was mixed with a 4-0-12record. They enjoyed wins against Montgomery, Philipsburg, and NotreDame and most notably beating Plainfieldto extend their “senior night win” recordto 8-0. The team also qualified for thestate tournament but got beaten in a toughfirst round draw against Elizabeth. The varsity, JV and freshman teamscame together on Dec. 3, to close the season with their annual banquet, duringwhich the boys, coaches and parents cele-brated the 13 graduating seniors. The coaches recognized many players across all of the teams for their outstand-ing contributions during the season. Cap-tains thanked the coaches, staff,teammates and parents for their support,and challenged the rising seniors and un-derclassmen to work hard, have fun andsavor their time in the program.

Ridge Boys Soccer

Three players received special recognitionwith conference, county and state awards: • Mark Stachowski - All Skyland Conference 2nd Team; All Somerset Honorable Mention • Jason Clingensmith - All Skyland Conference Honorable Mention; All Somerset County Honorable Mention • Gabriel Jefferies - All Skyland Conference 1st Team; All Somerset County 2nd Team; All-State Team NominationThe evening closed with Coach Cherry announcing his retirement, having served 14 years as head coach, and special messagesreceived from Alumni were shared.

V A R S I T Y AT H L E T E SO F T H E M O N T H

September 2017Cheerleading – Katelyn Mackey Girls Cross Country – Amanda PassmanBoys Cross Country – James GlockenmeierField Hockey – Noor Kaur Football – RJ MilliganGymnastics – Rachel WalkerBoys Soccer – Jason ClingensmithGirls Soccer – Maddie LuiGirls Tennis – Navya YemulaGirls Volleyball – Rachel Tam-Libero

October 2017Cheerleading – Cassie RaiaBoys Cross Country – Will Pinto Girls Cross Country – Mamon StephenField Hockey – Jaclyn NarleskiFootball – Andrew LusardiGymnastics – Maggie CooneyBoys Soccer – Gabriel JefferiesGirls Soccer – Katie ArriganGirls Tennis – Co-Captain Camila Scharlach and

Tira AlvarezGirls Volleyball – Evelina Adamczyk

Varsity boys Captains & Coaches: (l to r):Coach Enzo Minicozzi, Gabe Jefferies, Jimmy Waldron,Ahmed Sheikh, Mark Stachowski, Coach Ken Cherry.

Jason Clingensmith

Gabe Jefferies Mark Stachowski