Former Pascack Valley School Board President Abruptly Resigns

Jeffrey Steinfeld will lead the Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education as its 2014 president.

Steinfeld, of Hillsdale, has previously served as board president and was picked by a 6-0 vote, with three abstentions, during the board's annual reorganization meeting Monday. 

The vote immediately followed another vote on a motion to re-elect 2013 Board President Bertram Siegel, which failed 6-2, with Siegel abstaining. He announced then that he was resigning from the board and left the stage. 

"I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve the public," Siegel, of Woodcliff Lake, said before exiting.

Steinfeld thanked Siegel for his service on the board.

"Dr. Siegel has been extremely supportive of this district, of the students of this district," Steinfeld said. "He always put education first."

The board, short one member, also unanimously elected Janet Bissinger, of Montvale, as their 2014 vice president. 

Steinfeld told Patch he was excited about taking on the board presidency again and that his biggest goal for the year would be successfully implementing the new hybrid schedule. 

There has been some concern among parents and students about the new schedule, particularly with the new "Pascack Period," which will allow students to pursue individual interests, and the single school-wide lunch period.

"I can't say the reaction has been entirely positive," PVHS student rep Allison Toledo told the board.

Steinfeld said the district had been preparing for any issues they could anticipate with the new schedule and were working with schools with similar programs to see how to be implement the system.

"There's always going to be bumps along the way, but we're doing as much research as possible to be sure we're ready," Steinfeld said.

School officials plan to implement the new schedule in the 2014-15 school year.