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RAMAPO INDIAN HILLS 

REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 


Maximizing opportunities to meet the needs of all students for a meaningful life


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Reflections on the Past ... A Focus on the Future

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


January 16, 2022

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When we say the IHHS CHOIR has been outstanding, we mean it! These students battled the cold, COVID, and the constant pivoting. IHHS Choir students have demonstrated resilience, and they deserve our applause! Director Ms. Heerema took the IHHS choir to sing on stage for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in December.


This weekend we lead up to recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Day when we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King as a civil rights leader. On Monday, January 17th, the IHHS Choir will participate 40th Annual Interfaith Service Celebrating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. held each year in Ridgewood.


We hope you find the information in the Weekend Morning Brew informative and evidence of the progress our school district is committed to. We have much work ahead. Together we will continue to make the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional a place we can all continue to be proud of.


All my best,

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Dr. Rui Dionisio

Superintendent of Schools


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Ramapo students participated in a virtual reality program with their Anthropology and Geography classes. Pictured are Ms. Vander Molen’s Anthropology students with the program creator, documentarian, and world-famous explorer Denis Belliveau. Mr. Belliveau, from Queens, NY, created the program which is based on his 2008 PBS documentary, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo. Mr. Belliveau, along with a close friend, traveled for over two years from 1993-1994 to retrace the route of Marco Polo from the 13th century. Traveling from Venice, Italy to China and back along the Silk Road navigating the high seas, their expedition was recreated as a virtual reality learning opportunity for our students in the classroom so they could engage with history from around the globe.

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By incorporating history, culture, economics, and travel, our students used the virtual reality experience to visit notable cities such as Venice, Tabriz, Kashgar, Samarkand, and Dadu along the Silk Road. Students worked in teams to perform various tasks in each city utilizing the VR headset and hand controls. As part of this pilot program, our students were the first to engage with this specific experience and provide feedback and insight towards its effectiveness as an educational program.

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We would like to extend our gratitude to Ms. VanderMolen and Mr. DelBuono for coordinating this special event by bringing Denis Belliveau and Lisa Taylor to RIH. We are grateful to Lisa Martone, Erin Weise, and Nick Amaral for providing interdisciplinary assistance. A special thank you to Mr. John Chang and the entire ITC Department who helped make the technology possible to support this wonderful initiative.

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The Indian Hills University Program in Science, Medicine & Research (UPSMR) hosted a fundraiser and goods drive to support RBARI Animal Shelter in Oakland and Wildlife Freedom Rehabilitation Center, who is also scheduled to Zoom in to speak to our students about biology and wildlife rehabilitation efforts in New Jersey.  Freshmen participated in the Live Ask a Biologist Friday Program with Jess Griglak from the Pequest Trout Hatchery.  Our Junior UPSMR research projects class completed presentations at the local level during an interdisciplinary lesson with UPISB for the COVID Innovations NJECC Competition and will be moving forward with the local winning design at the next level of competition.  

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Shortened Recommended Isolation and Quarantine Periods

January 14, 2022


On Thursday, January 6th, 2022 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  released updated guidance for COVID-19 prevention in schools which shortens the recommended isolation and quarantine periods for COVID-19 positive individuals and close contacts. On January 12th, the New Jersey Department of Health released COVID-19 public health recommendations for local health departments for K-12 schools. Read more here.

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Schools are required to conduct at least one fire drill and one school security drill each month during school hours as per the School Security Drill Law N.J.S. 18A:41-1. The drills often involve staff and students; however, all of the mandatory drills do not have to include students. Our local law enforcement partners are sometimes present during these drills as we work together to ensure the safety and security of our buildings. 


Newly enacted revisions to the School Security Drill Law requires that “a school district provide written notification to the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the district following completion of a school security drill, which notice shall be provided to the parent or guardian by no later than the end of the school day on which the school security drill is conducted.”


You can expect to receive monthly drill notifications. Students who are at home but attending school via a zoom link will not participate in our safety and security drills and will resume with instruction after completion of the drill.  


School security drills are exercises to practice procedures in response to an emergency situation including, but not limited to a bomb threat, non-fire evacuation, active shooter/lockdown, or shelter-in-place. These drills are similar in duration to a fire drill.  



The health and safety of students is of paramount importance and our professional staff will continue to review and update our school security drill procedures as necessary while working cooperatively with our local law enforcement partners. Please do not be alarmed if you see emergency responders present on our campuses from time to time, and be assured that in the event of a true emergency, you will be notified.

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The Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Education recently implemented a new video streaming platform on our District webpage. RIH Board of Education meetings may be viewed directly on our District website by clicking HERE or at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/RIHBOELivestream


Archived Board of Education videos may be accessed at the following link. Additional information is available on the District webpage under the Board of Ed tab at the top of the page.

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