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Interim superintendent introduces himself, board pledges more outreach amid parent concerns about Hackensack high school
Summary
Interim Superintendent Giovanni Giancaspro introduced himself to the community, outlined district communications on immigration‑related inquiries and QSAC preparation, and said the district is in ongoing negotiations over the Hackensack send/receive relationship after parents raised concerns about student impact and safety.
Giovanni Giancaspro, the Rochelle Park interim superintendent, used his first public Board of Education meeting since starting Jan. 1 to introduce himself and promise increased outreach to families. “I’m the luckiest man in the world,” Giancaspro told the meeting, thanking staff, municipal partners and the Board for support.
Giancaspro said the district will send an eblast this week with information about procedures related to inquiries from immigration enforcement and encouraged parents to register for district communications. He described recent meetings with the township, the PTO and Hackensack administrators and said Rochelle Park is preparing for QSAC, the state monitoring review for school districts.
Why it matters: parents at the meeting raised concrete concerns about student safety and the effect of recent revelations at Hackensack High School on Rochelle Park students who attend Hackensack under a send/receive agreement. Those comments prompted the board to confirm they are negotiating with Hackensack while urging patience as details are discussed.
Parents asked the district to provide more information about high‑school options. One resident asked whether the district was re‑evaluating the send/receive relationship; Giancaspro said the district is in negotiations and therefore could not discuss details at the meeting, but added that the district is exploring options and will work to bring information to families. “Because we are in negotiations with the send/receive agreement, I can’t talk about that right now,” he said.
Board President Scott Kral and other members acknowledged parental concern and repeated the board’s commitment to communicate: Giancaspro said he and staff (including the business administrator and principals) will continue meetings with Hackensack officials and said administrators will present information to parents when appropriate. The board also urged families to check high‑school websites and attend any informational sessions the district arranges.
The meeting also featured a presentation of the school safety data report for July 1–Dec. 31, 2025, by Midland School Principal Dr. Courtney Carmichael. She said HIB reports decreased while incidents such as tardiness, insubordination and cheating rose and noted that the district will continue to address behavioral trends.
The board closed by reaffirming routine communications channels and encouraging parents to contact building principals or the interim superintendent with questions. No formal action on the send/receive agreement was taken at the meeting; negotiations are ongoing.
