Who We are
The Ridgewood Community Task Force and Municipal Alliance Membership
Sheila Brogan, Chair
Susan Knudsen, Mayor
Deanna Schablik, Grant Administrator
Jacqueline Luthcke, Chief of Police, Ridgewood
Detective Anthony Mormino, Ridgewood Police
Elizabeth Lucas, Valley Hospital Community Health
Dawn Cetrulo, Ridgewood Health Department
Heather Wilke, Drug and Alcohol Counselor
Tom Gorman, Superintendent of Ridgewood School District
Basil Pizzuto, Vice Principal Ridgewood High School
Katie Kashmanian, Principal George Washington Middle School
Tony Orsini, Principal Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Kevin Feeley, Crisis Counselor Ridgewood High School
Lauren DePinto, Student Assistance Coordinator, Ridgewood High School
Kelly Buchsbaum, Home and School Association (HSA) President , Ridgewood High School
Mary Micale, HSA Federated
Melinda Cronk, Realtor and Chamber of Commerce representative
Glen Sherman, High school parent and Municipal Alliance Webmaster
Alanna Sherman, Ridgewood High School senior and Assistant Webmaster
Nancy Bigos, Director Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Department
What We Do
The Ridgewood Community Task Force and Municipal Alliance oversees the use of the Municipal Alliance Grant to fund programs and projects to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) use and abuse. In the winter of 2008, the Task Force conducted a Village wide needs assessment to identify goals for the next three years. Through this assessment it was discerned that early first use of alcohol among our middle school and high school students was a problem in our community. Ridgewood has a high density of students age 5 to 18 and is the largest school district in Bergen County with 5,800 students. We are a wealthy community where our youth have money to spend and availability of alcohol in their homes. We know that our students are experimenting and using ATOD products. The Community Task Force and Municipal Alliance has made a concerted effort to work closely with our middle school and high school principals and our Crisis Intervention Counselors. Municipal Alliance grant funding is used to support programs for our middle school students at the Community Center and Kids Write Now in 6th grade health classes, support participation in the Heroes and Cool Kids Program for our high school students, fund speakers and training for our high school Peer Counseling and Freshman Focus programs, and design and develop a web site to provide information and resources regarding ATOD prevention for parents and students.