Ho-Ho-Kus board approves staffing reductions to address budget shortfall

The Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education on Aug. 6 approved a resolution to eliminate and reduce several staff positions after Superintendent Dr. Linda Bovino-Romeo told the board the 2025–26 budget is “stretched very thin.”

Dr. Linda Bovino-Romeo, the district superintendent, said she and the interim business administrator began work July 1 and found key cost drivers that exceed the approved budget, citing “a more than 30% increase in health insurance premiums,” “a more than 20% increase in utility costs,” and out-of-district special-education tuition obligations. She said administrators renegotiated transportation routes, saving over $60,000, and cut other recurring technology costs.

“The blacktop will undergo much-needed repairs and resurfacing to ensure it is safe, kid-friendly, and welcoming for students,” Dr. Bovino-Romeo said, noting community groups donated repairs and other local supporters will fund maintenance of the courtyard pond. “This is not how I envisioned starting my time as superintendent. But leadership means facing hard truths with transparency and care.”

Faced with remaining shortfalls, the superintendent recommended personnel changes intended to stabilize the district’s finances while keeping core student supports. The board approved a resolution that, as written in the agenda and minutes, does the following: abolishes three full-time paraprofessional positions (employee identifiers H0000631, H0000633, H0000635); abolishes one full-time day-evening custodian position (H0000577); abolishes the full-time wellness counselor/school social worker position (H0000581); reduces a full-time speech-language pathologist to 0.6 FTE and notifies Employee H0000612 (on leave) of the change; and terminates a leave-replacement agreement (H0000678) while authorizing the superintendent to offer that person a 0.6 leave-replacement contract effective Sept. 1, 2025.

The motion to approve the superintendent’s recommendation was moved by Mrs. Maggie Lilijegren, vice president, and seconded by Mrs. Deborah Wunder; the minutes record the vote as 5-0 in favor. The resolution also instructs the Interim Business Administrator/Board Secretary to notify affected employees in accordance with the resolution’s terms.

During public comment, Vanessa Giannone asked whether work previously handled by the wellness counselor would be covered; Jackie Derr requested clarification about kindergarten coverage. Dr. Bovino-Romeo answered both questions, saying the district will maintain a guidance counselor and a full Child Study team including a school psychologist and school social worker and will add reading-teacher time and additional support staff during key kindergarten transition times.

The board’s agenda notes it convened in executive session earlier in the meeting to discuss personnel and related matters; the minutes record that motion and indicate the board reconvened and then approved the personnel resolution. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 a.m.

The Interim Business Administrator/Board Secretary is directed to notify affected employees; the superintendent may offer a .6 leave-replacement contract effective Sept. 1, 2025, as described in the approved resolution.