March 26, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 23 Police investigate luring attempt The Wyckoff Police Department reported that the attempted abduction reported on March 17 did not occur, but praised the 13-year-old girl who felt threat- ened for doing the right thing in being suspicious and evading all personal contact. “On March 17 at 3:22 p.m. Wyckoff police responded to an incident on Everett Avenue that was initially reported to police as the attempted abduction of a young girl,” Police Chief Benjamin Fox said. “The resulting investigation determined that no such inci- dent of an attempted abduction or luring occurred. The 13-year-old girl observed two men seated in an older gold-colored vehicle with the doors open. She felt that they were looking at her, and because she was uncom- fortable with the situation, she did the right thing and correctly walked away from the area. There were no words exchanged between the men and the girl. She reported the incident to a parent who initially spoke with someone else, and the police learned of the inci- dent second hand. The incident reported to the police was simply overstated compared to what the investi- gation ultimately determined had in fact actually hap- pened.” Chief Fox, however, said that the girl had done the right thing in distancing herself from adults who made her feel suspicious, and in contacting trusted adults afterward. Fox cautioned that there have been recent reports of luring incidents in other towns in Bergen County. He provided the following tips: Children should be encouraged to travel in groups when possible. If a stranger offers a child a ride, he or she should say “no” and run away. If a car is following a child, he or she should turn and walk in the other direction. “Never go anywhere with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable,” Fox added. “If a stranger tells you that a parent sent them for you because someone in the family has been injured, speak with a trusted adult before you leave with anyone you don’t know. If some- one physically grabs you and tries to pull you into a car, know that it is okay to scream loudly and kick and fight back as much as possible. “Just as this young girl and her parent did, all similar incidents should in fact be reported to police so that it can be investigated fully. There is really nothing more important than the safety of our children.” Wyckoff Wanderings Golf Outing announced Blue Moon Mexican Café will host its first Golf Outing on Tuesday, May 13. The event, to be held at the Knoll West Golf Club in Parsippany, will benefit the Wyckoff Parks and Recreation Foundation. In addition to the golf, former football players and athletes will be joining in the day’s activities. The cost for the outing is $250 and includes the day of golf, lunch, dinner, awards, and prizes. Registration will be at 11 a.m. and lunch will follow. There will be a 1 p.m. shot- gun start and cocktails and dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Tick- ets for those who want to attend just the dinner are $75. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more infor- mation, visit info@wyckoffparks.org or visit Blue Moon at 327 Franklin Avenue in Wyckoff. Pre-natal classes available Expectant mothers are invited to participate in the classes available at Bump to Bump Maternity at 300 Frank- lin Avenue, Wyckoff. This maternity consignment store hosts pre-natal yoga classes on Saturdays at 8 and 9 a.m. A breastfeeding class meets on the last Monday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. The next class is scheduled for March 31. Stick with school (continued from page 11) the job candidates completed. According to the United States Department of Labor, employees with a bachelor’s degree earn about 54 percent more on average than those who attended college but did not finish. Workers with For more information, visit www.bumptobumpmater- nity.com. Revaluation information session set Wyckoff residents who wish more information about the township’s ongoing revaluation are invited to attend the April 2 public information session. The program will be held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Shotmeyer Room at the Wyckoff Public Library, 200 Woodland Avenue in Wyckoff. The tax assessor will be on hand to explain the revaluation process and answer questions. Bereavement support groups forming Beginning April 1, the Church of Saint Elizabeth in Wyckoff will hold two Bereavement Support Groups for individuals who have experienced a loss at least three months ago. The groups will meet in the Amadeus Room on the second floor of the church’s parish center on eight consecutive Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Open to men and women of all faiths, the ses- sions will be guided by trained, experienced leaders who have also lost loved ones. Advance registration is requested. For more information, and to register, call (201) 891-1122, extension 266. advanced degrees (master’s, doctoral, etc.) can average $20,000 to $30,000 more per year than those with bache- lor’s degrees, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Some students, however, will insist that failure to have a diploma is not a barrier to success. For example, Rich- ard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur who owns Virgin Group, did not graduate from high school. However, his case is not the norm. Typically, a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree are the key ingredients to landing a good job and enjoying professional success. Making his mark Wyckoff Fire Chief Lou Graglia greets Eagle Scout candidate Ethan Bell, who is working in conjunction with the Wyckoff Fire Department on his service project. Bell and his volunteers from Wyckoff Troop 89 have already installed approximately 100 hydrant markers throughout Wyckoff. Residents and property owners who want to request snow/ location markers, may purchase them for $15 per marker. To purchase a marker, send payment referencing the hydrant location to: Wyckoff Fire Department, Attn: Ethan Bell Eagle Scout Project, Scott Plaza, Wyckoff, NJ 07481. Superintendent (continued from page 6) said his primary motivation for staying in a district always comes from being in a place where he can engage folks in great work for children. He added that great work can only occur when partnerships are strong. “Boards change, their goals change, and as a result, partnerships change,” Romano said. “The school board and I reached a point where we respectfully agreed to disagree, and that makes it time for us to part ways for the sake of the school community.” That disagreement began after the board conducted a 2010 survey of parents concerning the restructuring of the schools in the district and found the most respondents pre- ferred the neighborhood school structure. In early 2011, Romano created a committee to investi- gate the quality, efficiency, consistency, and equity of the demographics, school processes, student learning, and perceptions of the school district. Any structural changes approved for the school district would be implemented in the district after the 2013-14 school year, and after feasibil- ity and implementation studies were completed. That led to a controversial split of opinions on the school board and several trustee challenges in the November 2012 school board election. The school board president and another incumbent member of the board were defeated in that election. In May of 2013, Romano resigned when his recom- mendation to grant tenure and to renew the contract of the school district’s curriculum director was turned down by a controversial 5-4 vote of the school board. Hired in Franklin Lakes in 2010 to replace Roger Bay- ersdorfer, whose retirement became effective on June 30 of that year, Romano previously was the assistant superin- tendent of schools in Fort Lee. Romano began his career in education as an English teacher in Ramsey. He later became an administrator in Tenafly, serving as director of technol- ogy and as the assistant to the superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Prior to assuming the position in Fort Lee, he was assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruc- tion in Millburn Township. Romano holds a doctorate in education from Seton Hall University, a master’s degree in school administration and supervision from Montclair State University, a master’s in teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and a bachelor’s degree in English and psychol- ogy, also from FDU.