|
December 3, 2021
Dear School Community Member:
First and foremost, I want to congratulate our HS Football players, Marching Band members and Cheerleaders for an exciting season. The school spirit and enthusiasm they brought to Owl Nation served as a reminder of just how lucky we are to be part of the Park Ridge school community. Our victory over Hasbrouck Heights to capture the North 1 Group 1 State Sectional Championship will forever live in our hearts and minds.
I am writing to inform you that we have received an official request from the Emerson School District to co-op in HS football next year. Due to low enrollment, Emerson has been playing in the NJIC Union League for the last two seasons, which is designed for smaller programs. Both districts agreed to wait until the end of the season to discuss this matter, so as not to create a distraction for players and coaches.
Most of you will remember that we last entertained this idea in 2014. At that time, both schools were able to field a competitive team and the discussion was more for exploration purposes. However, the request from Emerson this year coincides with low football program enrollment, which will make it difficult for them to safely compete at the varsity level in the fall. Technically speaking Emerson can field a team, but the experience would be challenging at best and unsafe at worst.
I understand that this request might not be a surprise to our younger football families, since Park Ridge and Emerson have been playing together on the Junior Level (Gr. 1-8) for the past several seasons.
Please keep in mind that a merger in football would be similar to the programs we already share with Emerson in Golf, Cross-Country, Bowling, Wrestling and Lacrosse.
The Park Ridge BOE Education Committee will be meeting next week with stakeholders from our football, cheerleading and marching band programs. An invitation to attend this meeting has already been sent to PRHS coaches/directors, PRHS booster association representatives and PRAA junior commissioners. Next, the Board will schedule a BOE Special Meeting during the week of December 13th to discuss this request and give the public a chance to ask questions or provide comment.
It is important to note that this request is time sensitive due to the NJSIAA deadline of January 15th for applications of new 2022 fall season co-op programs.
By the end of next week I will inform everyone of the date, time and location of the BOE Special Meeting.
All the best to you and your family for a happy and healthy holiday season.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Gamper, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
| 
