Some recent articles
Mentions of Ridge and Valley in print and on the web.
Charter schools offer students expanded options
New Jersey Herald - August 18, 2012
"If they see a bird, there's a whole habitat involved with that, and they see the habitat instead of just reading about it in a book. As a result, they're making connections and seeing a bigger picture."
An Ode Especially For Trout
New Jersey Herald - June 2, 2012
"Students and guides, or teachers, at Ridge and Valley Charter School sang a goodbye song to the trout they raised from eggs during the winter before releasing them into the Paulinskill River..." (with a photo slideshow)
Ridge and Valley Charter School supports Avian Wildlife Center
Warren Reporter (NJ.com) - April 22, 2012
"...[the 2nd & 3rd graders] decided to "adopt" this Red-Tailed Hawk because they felt a special affinity towards it. At RVCS each class picks a class name every school year. This year the class picked the name Red-Tailed Hawks. During a recent field trip, the class found out that they could "adopt" a Red-Tailed Hawk from the Avian Wildlife Center, but had to figure out a way to raise over $100..."
A Good Time had by all at Town Clean Up and Free for All
Sustainable Blairstown (SustainableBlairstown.org) - October 4, 2011
"...Meanwhile, volunteers from all parts of the community donned bright green shirts emblazoned with the word “CREW” on the back and took to the road..."
Ridge & Valley Charter School in Blairstown earns national recognition for earth-friendly practices
Warren Reporter (NJ.com) - June 22, 2011
"...the school has...a school-wide goal of producing zero waste. Students use reusable containers for lunch items and are required to bring a reusable water bottle every day. Every classroom has a compost bucket. Organic waste is not discarded; it is composted and used in the school's greenhouse and organic garden..."
Malt-O-Meal® and TerraCycle® Award $4,000 to Schools Through Greenest Classroom Contest
NYInc.com - June 20, 2011
"...[the] Greenest Classroom contest, which invited schools across the country to submit their best ideas on how to make their classroom the most earth-friendly...."
Army-funded initiative brings science, engineering to life at Ridge and Valley Charter School
Warren Reporter (NJ.com) - Feb 27, 2011
"The Ridge and Valley students pick their subjects for the independent study period on Wednesdays... The enthusiasm factor is intense."
Eco Ed - on GoodDirtRadion.org
Short interview with our teacher, Kasey Errico - (Summer 2008?)
"Well we really try to work with them right in the natural world so that the world around them is their classroom. That can be out on the grounds of our school where we have a meadow and we have a greenhouse and a garden and we compost...
Ridge and Valley Charter School students come to the support of banned books
Warren Reporter (NJ.com) - Oct 8, 2010
"Books piled on tables in the Catherine Dickson Hoffman Library in Blairstown were wrapped in chains and locked with combination padlocks. This Banned Books Week display was created by the 7th and 8th graders..."
(A variation of this article also appears on the Hopatcong Patch website.)
2010 Northeast Championship WINNERS
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (www.nesea.org) - June 2010
"Where are tomorrow's technological trouble-shooters and scientists? Where are tomorrow's out of the box thinkers? RIGHT HERE..."
County’s eighth-graders dominate in solar car contest
Straus News (www.strausnews.com) - June 24, 2010
"Despite the forecast of rain, middle school students flocked in record numbers to the 2010 Northeast Junior Solar Sprint Championship..."
Ridge & Valley Charter School of Blairstown offers ‘different kind of educational experience’
Warren Reporter (NJ.com) - Mar 17, 2010
"...The charter school’s 105 students meet the same requirements of every other public school pupil in the state; they just get there by the scenic route."
Charter School Hosts Fall Festival
The Sparta Independent - Dec 3, 2009
"The students worked in committees to plan and prepare for the festival. They created all the games and prizes by hand from mostly recycled and donated materials..."
Autumn Olive Festival celebrated at Ridge and Valley Charter School, Blairstown
The Warren Repoter - Nov 11, 2009
"The festival included Autumn Olive treats including Autumn Olive Ice cream, Autumn Olive Muffins, Autumn Olive Waffles, and Autumn Olive Fruit Leather, just to name a few..."
Water lessons a drop in the bucket
NJ.com - Sep 26, 2009
"...a daylong series of interactive events, from learning about how our ancestors got their water to canoeing for older students, who also got a chance to investigate insect life in a nearby creek."
Musconetcong Watershed Association unveils educational programs
NJ.com - May 4, 2009
"[Megan] Bubalis has developed programs for three different age groups and has planned exciting activities that will include investigation of stream and field life, introduction to the ideas of sustainability..."
Blairstown school incorporates projects into curriculum
NJ Herald - Mar 23, 2009
"Ridge and Valley teachers, referred to as guides by the students, design coursework using real-life skills. Math is learned by figuring out the number of garlic bulbs the class can sprout in a garden plot, then the students do just that -- designing seed boxes, measuring wood, cutting it and constructing the equipment..."
Ridge and Valley Charter School
Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center - April 2, 2007
"Although these are by far the youngest students who come to Sedge (they range in age from four to fourteen) they are some of the most conservation minded. They are comfortable in the outdoors no matter what the weather because..."