Cliffside Park to offer preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds after aid shift; board outlines budget, counselor and safety plans

The Cliffside Park Board of Education on Feb. 26 said the district’s application to shift from early childhood program aid to preschool education aid for the 2025–26 school year was approved, a change the board said will allow the district to offer preschool programs for both 3- and 4-year-olds.

The funding change was presented during committee reports by Board Member Dr. Pantoliano, who said the approved application ‘‘means, in short, that we will be providing preschool programs for 3 year olds and 4 year olds beginning in the 25–26 school year.’’ The district’s business administrator, Lou Alfano, and Superintendent Dr. Hayes also discussed budget planning for 2025–26, and board members raised staffing and safety measures tied to the budget process.

Board members said the preschool-aid transition could bring additional state funding and expand the pool of preschool children served in the district, but they repeatedly framed staffing and schedule details as subject to the 2025–26 budget’s final approval. Alfano told the board the tentative total budget is expected to be ‘‘somewhere in the $70,000,000 range’’ for 2025–26 and that the district will have a more finalized figure as state allocations are confirmed.

The board discussed adding one dedicated elementary guidance counselor to each elementary building, a recommendation that surfaced in a district curriculum review (CUSAC) and which Pantoliano asked be considered in next year’s budget. Superintendent Hayes and board members indicated the counselor positions are already included in the district’s proposed capital/operational requests (noted as being in the PCR) but reiterated that hiring depends on the board’s approved 2025–26 budget.

Safety procedures also drew attention: board members proposed requiring bus-evacuation drills immediately before student field trips, especially for students who do not ride the bus regularly. Dr. Pantoliano said doing drills just before trips would keep emergency procedures ‘‘fresh in their minds’’ and that principals were receptive to the idea.

On personnel, Superintendent Hayes told the board there were 21 personnel resolutions on the meeting agenda, mostly appointments, substitutes, professional-development dates, leaves and spring coaching staff. He called attention to two retirements listed among those resolutions (resolution No. 3, Kathleen Matutowicz; resolution No. 8, Janet Kotowski) and introduced a former student who praised the retirees’ service. The transcript does not record separate board action on those resolutions in the excerpts provided.

The business office reported a small external grant award: Alfano said the district received a $5,000 U.S. EPA environmental grant administered through Bergen Community College to support sustainability design challenges in partnership with several high-need schools. Science supervisor Mr. Dano and staff member Mr. Bernstein were named as lead contacts on the grant paperwork.

Other district updates included athletics results for winter sports, the completion of a lobby expansion that the board said has a temporary certificate of occupancy, ongoing capital planning for summer projects, the start of teacher-contract negotiations ahead of the June 30 expiration, and an active superintendent search with candidate interviews forthcoming.

In public comment, a community member said a group of students earned an invitation to an international engineering competition in Washington, D.C., and asked the district to share fundraising letters with local businesses. The commenter also offered personal thanks to longtime district staffer Ed Meyer ahead of his retirement.

Shortly after public comment the board approved the evening’s meeting agenda by roll call. The motion to approve the agenda was moved by Board Member Michael Russo, seconded by Board Member Garcia; the roll call recorded affirmative votes from Mrs. Abreu, Mr. Capano, Mrs. Fredo, Mr. Garcia, Mr. Nedru, Dr. Pantoliano and Mr. Russo. The transcript does not show votes on the listed personnel resolutions or other individual items in the excerpts provided.

The board said a presentation on the preschool program and additional budget details would be scheduled for the community at a later date. The next board meeting was announced for March.