May 10, 2020
Dear Ramsey and Saddle River Communities,
To all the moms out there – Happy Mother’s Day! As the father of two daughters and a husband of 22 years, I can attest that no single day can truly give mothers the justice they deserve. From the 9 months of pregnancy to childbirth to the countless hours of attention children need, mothers are truly special people.
My mother is one of them. Adriene Murphy is 83 now, a first-generation immigrant whose parents were from Italy and Sicily (and yes, they are very different places). As the eldest, my mom was not allowed to go to college. She followed my father around as he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and made a home for us as they settled in the “upstate” hamlet of Pearl River, NY. Every morning we had a breakfast made from scratch, a lunch of chicken cutlets and broccoli rabe (as you could imagine, no one wanted to sit next to me on those days) and made us walk to and from school starting in kindergarten by ourselves. We had a family dinner every single night. No takeout. No going to a restaurant. She gave of herself, putting our needs before her wants, desires, and dreams. My mother took pride in being our mother, not our friend, and she never let us forget it.
While tough love was not in vogue back then, she successfully raised me and two siblings without any major incidents (we can talk about the minor ones once we are allowed back at Brady’s). We all earned college degrees, found careers we love and someone with whom to share our wonderful lives. While life was not always easy (divorced, no college degree, no real “work” on her resume even though I would argue raising three of us is enough for anyone to get a six-figure job) my mother’s legacy was simple: Work hard, don’t feel sorry for yourself, do the right thing especially when life throws you a curve. Thank you to all the moms, including mine, who have made more sacrifices than we will ever know.
Well, life has thrown us a heck of a curve. A lot more for many of our friends and neighbors. Lives have been lost, businesses have been decimated, jobs have been eliminated. And on Monday Governor Murphy closed our buildings until the end of yer and extended Executive Order No. 107 (EO 107) which prohibits gatherings of individuals for parties, celebrations, and other social events, and includes all in-person graduation ceremonies (Administrative Order No. 2020-12 from Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, State Director of Emergency Management). Thus, all in-person graduation ceremonies are prohibited this year and only virtual graduations are permissible. With this, we have lost many of our favorite end-of-year traditions, celebrations, and honors that we treasure. I don’t know about you, but I was angry, relieved, saddened, and frustrated when the Governor made his announcement. Combine all of this together, and it could be a recipe for disaster. But this does not mean we will just give up and say, “It is what it is.” We are Ramsey Strong!
I don’t have details yet, but once we know the rules of engagement, I do know that our staff will make the end-of-year traditions the very best they can be. We will be in touch about how to get your belongings from school, etc. I ask for your patience. As you have done throughout the pandemic, please work with your building principals, teacher advisors, and PTOs — not against them — as this unfolds. Now more than ever we need to stay together. Here are a few reminders.
- On Monday at 2pm, you are invited to participate in a drive-by to show thanks to the Valley Hospital healthcare workers. Check the Ramsey Strong Facebook page for more information.
- On Tuesday, at 8pm, I will co-host a live-stream event with Michael Tozzolli, CEO of West Bergen, to share tips and strategies for managing stress and anxiety during COVID-15. Join us via YouTube.
- Ramsey Strong and Ramsey Responds continue to need your help. They are among the many ways to help during the COVID-19 crisis.
- If you would like your child to get a birthday shout-out, please send me the name, picture, and date with a few day’s notice!
- I am still collecting food and PPE equipment at the Board Office: 25 North Franklin Turnpike, between 10am and 2pm Monday through Friday.
- Don’t forget to send your pictures of support for the healthcare workers and First Responders
From the bottom, my heart, THANK YOU for your continued support, and THANK YOU to all the moms who have blessed us with such terrific Ramsey children. Feel free to send me pictures from past or present Mothers Days!
Matthew J. Murphy, Ed. D.
Superintendent
Ramsey Public Schools
#GoRamsNJ #RamseyStigmaFree #RamseyStrong
Cc: Staff
