Villadom Times Weekly Newpaper Online-January 28, 2009 Issue

Midland Park January 28, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3 Board mulls 2009-10 school calendar options The Midland Park High School graduation may or may not be on a Friday next school year. The Midland Park Board of Education last week failed to commit to the traditional date, which the board didn’t adhere to only once in the school’s 50-year history. The discussion on the 2009-10 calendar was tabled to a future meeting. Trustee Ray Moraski, chairman of the board’s curriculum committee, presented the board with a tentative calendar which he said had been developed under the premise that graduation would be on a Friday, which he understood to be an important consideration. He said the community would not be supportive of a change. Trustee William Sullivan agreed, pointing out that holding graduation on a day other than Friday, as was the case two years ago, presented a hardship for the parents dismantling the graduation ball. Trustee James Canellas questioned the practice, saying that he did not think 90 percent of the school community should be inconvenienced for the 10 percent affected by graduation. In order to keep the Friday graduation and fit in the required 180 school days for seniors (plus two snow days), Moraski’s committee recommended cutting the week-long February break to just three days for Presidents Week. “It was a compromise instead of eliminating the entire vacation,” Moraski said. Trustee Paula Lein, a member of the committee, said that there was more educational value in having two days of school in February than adding the two days at the end of June. Cannellas disagreed, saying that if students took off for the winter break even though school was in session, education would be affected. “No education would take place in those two days,” said trustee Sandra Criscenzo, herself a teacher, in support of the February break. A member of the public suggested that absentee records for the years in the early ‘90s, when there was no week-long break in February, be analyzed to see if there was a significant drop in attendance. She also noted that having the February break causes a hardship for the working parents who cannot afford to go on vacation and must arrange for childcare. When asked if there are significant savings in closing school in February, Business Administrator Stacy Garvie said that schools are open anyway during the week because of sports. She said she would analyze the potential savings. Moraski said the committee had also considered starting school before Labor Day, which will fall late this year (Sept. 7). Lein cautioned that to start before Sept. 7 would be too short notice for families who have already made plans for the summer and include Labor Day as part of their vacation. “Better to have kids lose two days of vacation at the beginning of the school year than in mid-February,” Cannellas said. The committee will continue consideration of the various options and bring the subject to the full board at a later date. The calendar is finalized before the board’s reorganization meeting in April. �� Introducing The Dr. Patrick E. Ryan 909 Belmont Ave North Haledon, NJ 07508 973-304-1577 �� GET A FRESH START �� D ental & enter C osmetic C (regularly a $70 fee) STOP �� State of the Art Dentistry Over 20 Years Experience �� • Botox $9 per unit • Juvederm $480 per syringe • Porcelain Veneers $600 per unit • Crowns $690 per unit • Most Extractions $150 • One Hour Teeth Whitening $300 FREE Exam and Digital X-Rays (less radiation) J.D. Power and Associates Reports Local Insurance Agencies Provide a Higher Level of Service Satisfaction. Westlake Village, Calif.: November 2008 – Insurance customers who interact with a local agency tend to be more satisﬁed than customers who interact with their insurer’s call center, according to J.D. Power and Associates. Call, click or stop by for a FAST, FREE QUOTE with no obligation. Enjoy more than just a great price. 801 Franklin Avenue Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 (201) 891-8790 www.CarInsurance4NJ.com