Petition to: Superintendent Cathy Danahy and the River Edge Schools Board of Education

Hello River Edge Residents,

On January 18, 2023, Superintendent Cathy Danahy presented a proposal to the Board of Education to reconfigure our elementary schools. This plan would place all PreK to 3rd grade students in Cherry Hill School and 4th to 6th grade students in Roosevelt School.

We are asking you to sign this petition to stop reconfiguration and request that the Superintendent and Board of Education present alternative solutions to achieve optimal educational and operational benefits.  Reconfiguration would have a dramatic impact on our town:

• This proposal would “have a serious negative effect on traffic and safety” according to the River Edge Police Department
• Parents would have to drive longer distances, multiple drop-off and pick-ups
• It creates new driving routes, with additional traffic and parking issues
• It would separate siblings and create unnecessary stress on parents
• Students miss out on valuable leadership and role model opportunities

The most troubling is that the proposal would “have a serious negative effect on traffic and safety”, according to a recent report from the River Edge Police Department, which does not support the reconfiguration.  

This proposal lacks credible evidence that it will meaningfully improve the educational experience for our children, who have already been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown and several months of virtual learning.  

Due to community pushback, this proposal will not be implemented in the fall, but it is still on the table for the 2024/25 school year.  We need your help! Please sign for our town, families, and students.