On Monday night, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education discussed the New Jersey School Board Association (NJSBA) Workshop and school safety. The BOE also discussed recent school events, such as the Best College Fit Night, Alternatives to Domestic Violence (ADV) panel, and other Hills accomplishments.
Vice President Gini Varghese attended the NJSBA School Board Association Workshop in Atlantic City from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26 along with other associates. Varghese reported on the contents of the workshops along with meaningful takeaways from what she learned.
“The first session that I did was about leadership and that we, as elected board members, are all leaders, but leadership is not a title and true leadership is not awarded, appointed, or assigned, and that trust is a foundation of leadership. And, in order to build trust, one should exhibit competence, connection, and character,” she said.
Additionally, Varghese was educated on ethics, ‘Robert’s Rules,’ and board governance. At the workshop, she was asked to rate the school board’s functionality, in which she determined that the BOE of the PVRHSD is an eight.
“I don’t believe in a perfect score, I think saying a ten, means you have no room for growth or improvement. So, I rated us an eight…we function pretty well as a group…Because we function so well, there are some nuanced changes that we can implement to bring us to a nine,” she said.
BOE student representative Olivia Ge gave her monthly report. She discussed PH Cares’ “Out of the Darkness Walk,” Hills’ History Club “Montvale in Motion” television interview, athletic accomplishments, AP Scholar awards, and National Merit awards.
Under new business, BOE member Elizabeth Calderone inquired about school safety and her attendance at the Alternatives to Domestic Violence (ADV) panel. Regarding school safety, she pointed out the issue of leaving the doors open in the school gym. Calderone recommended that those doors stay closed. Superintendent Sarah Bilotti reassured the importance of locking doors during school hours and reminders to gym teachers being sent out regarding Calderone’s concern.
“Any building use forms should say clearly: no doors get propped open and reminded when they’re granted that access. I understand that it is tough, people are coming and going, but somebody could slip in and stay here overnight,” said BOE President Joseph Blundo.
Two River Vale residents spoke up when the BOE opened to take comments from the public. One resident started by discussing the Pascack Valley High School concessions stand. Following his statement, another River Vale resident addressed the concession stand as well.
Earlier in the meeting, BOE member Debra Stephans discussed the Best College Fit Night.
“I learned so much about the whole college process…it was wonderful, it was a really good presentation…I would have liked to have seen more students there because it was really geared towards the students,” she said.
