January 16, 2026

A Message from the Superintendent

Dear Ramapo Indian Hills Families,

Happy Friday! As we move through the first month of the new year and get deep into the heart of January, we are thrilled to celebrate the incredible creative achievements of our students. This issue contains important updates for you, and as usual much to highlight across our district. Stay warm and healthy!

Warmly,

Shauna DeMarco

Superintendent, Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District

Students Selected for Regional Art Show

We are proud to announce that twelve talented students from our district have been selected for Young Expressions, an annual juried exhibition hosted by the Art Center of Northern New Jersey.

This prestigious show celebrates emerging artists, showcasing a sophisticated range of media and creative vision from across the region.

The following students had their work displayed at the Geltman Gallery from January 7–15, 2026 which provided a wonderful opportunity to see the professional-grade caliber of our students' work firsthand.

The video below shows all the pieces that were selected for the exhibition.

Featured Artists:

Indian Hills High School

Cadie Reed – Astronaut
Gracie Hernandez – Tongue Tied
Avery Gall – Paper Stars
Demi Walker – Stream
Mason Rutler – Crowned by Time
Teresa Gurnari – Leap and Take Flight

Ramapo High School

Dylan Seide – Cityscape
Philip Strauf – Looking for Tomorrow
Lucy Carr – The Phoenix
Julia Elliott – Jaz Night
Eirica Feehan – Helm of the Phoenix
Emma Mattioli – Descending

For more information, visit the Art Center website.

Congratulations to these exceptional artists on this regional achievement!

New Statewide School Cell Phone Policy

By now you might have heard about a recent update regarding student cell phone use on school grounds.

On January 8, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation requiring a "bell-to-bell" restriction on student use of cell phones and other internet-enabled devices in all New Jersey public schools. This law is scheduled to take effect for the 2026–2027 school year.

Our district will comply with the mandate and is currently awaiting additional guidance from the New Jersey Department of Education to inform local policy and procedures. The commissioner has up to 90 days from January 8th to release this guidance. We understand families will have questions about how this will apply to areas such as transportation, special education, extracurricular activities, and emergency situations. We do too! Once state guidance is received, we will share clear information, including any required exceptions, well in advance of implementation. Our focus is to implement required changes carefully, transparently, and in alignment with state expectations.

Last Call for Your Input

In planning future graduation ceremonies, we are committed to celebrating our graduates in a way that is both memorable and comfortable for students and their families. We want to understand your perspective. Please note that this is an updated survey; we encourage all community members to respond, even if you have shared your thoughts previously. Responses to this survey represent one data point and will be considered alongside additional information as part of a broader review process. Please complete the survey and submit thoughtful responses by January 19. Thank you for your participation.

Graduation Survey