Cliffside Park places transportation coordinator on paid leave after investigation and arrest notification

The Cliffside Park School District informed the board on March 20 that transportation coordinator Glenn Luciano has been placed on paid administrative leave while the district and outside counsel complete an affirmative action investigation and await legal outcomes.

An administrator told the board that the investigation began after allegations were raised by a district employee; multiple employees have since met with counsel in hour‑long interviews. ‘‘Based on the information provided to us, we felt strongly enough that an affirmative action investigation was warranted,’’ the administrator said.

The administrator said the district was notified last week by an investigator from the New Jersey Department of Education that Luciano had been arrested; the investigator indicated the pending charges could be a disqualifying crime for school employment if they result in a conviction. The district placed Luciano on paid administrative leave with no contact with school employees or students pending the outcome of the internal investigation and any legal proceedings.

Board members asked for clarification about the no‑contact restriction; the administrator confirmed it covers both staff and students. The administrator emphasized that no determination of guilt has been made and that the district will await the affirmative action report and legal outcomes before taking further employment action.

The district said outside counsel has set up witness interviews and that additional interviews remain to be completed.