Richard Vartan, who has served on the East Rutherford School Board for over three decades, was the focal point of the meeting. Vartan was lauded for his dedication, leadership, and commitment to the students and community. The Board President, Antonio Segalini, referred to Vartan as the “Yoda of school boards”, acknowledging his experience, wisdom, and invaluable contributions to the district. Superintendent Giovanni A. Giancaspro, along with various attendees, including former colleagues, family members, and community members, expressed their gratitude to Vartan, highlighting his impact on the community, particularly in the realm of education and mentorship.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the community to honor Vartan’s service and express their appreciation for his longstanding commitment to the students and the community. The expressions of gratitude and admiration from attendees reflected the positive impact Vartan had on the community, particularly in the realm of education and mentorship. His contributions were symbolized by a plaque and other tokens of appreciation presented to him by the Board and Superintendent Giovanni A. Giancaspro.

The Business Administrator and Board Secretary, Alessandro Verace, provided updates on various aspects of the district’s operations. He discussed the routine work orders and emergencies pertaining to the buildings and grounds. Transportation updates included a few absences due to medical and personal leave, which were addressed by sending out a general public letter to parents. He also mentioned the decommissioning of a bus and the sale of a switch gear that had been housed at the DPW for the past two to three years.

In terms of financial matters, the discussion covered various approvals, including the bill list for December 2023, state health benefits and prescription costs, and the approval of providers for extraordinary services for the 2023-2024 school year. This included an amendment to the contract with New Beginnings for out-of-district tuition. Additionally, there was a discussion about the need to renew the consultant services agreement with Brown and Brown, the district’s health benefits advisors.

Superintendent Giovanni A. Giancaspro updated the board on student enrollment, fire drills, and evacuation drills, along with preparations for the upcoming custodial and facilities walkthrough. He discussed initiatives related to information security, e-rate purchasing, and technological infrastructure upgrades, including server and networking upgrades through the federal e-rate program. The district’s information security program plan for the next three years and the ongoing phishing campaign to prevent cyber attacks were also discussed.

In the realm of special education, the Superintendent reported on the total number of students and the slight changes in Autism program quality indicators. He also mentioned fall training for all district IEPs and provided an update on the county’s Autism program quality indicators. There was also a mention of the district’s engagement in training staff on information security to avoid potential cyber attacks.

During the hearing of citizens, a parent expressed concerns about her child’s struggles with behavioral issues and the modified schedule affecting his education. The parent sought cooperation from the board to address her concerns and provide the appropriate support for her child.

The meeting continued with the adoption of prior board meeting minutes and the approval of student field trips and transportation requests for the 2023-2024 school year. The superintendent resolutions and personnel actions were also approved, including the acceptance of resignation and approval of an after-school academic intervention program appointment for the upcoming school year.

The meeting concluded with the successful approval of various resolutions and actions, contributing to the ongoing operations and initiatives within the East Rutherford School District. This included the approval of a District’s use of facilities application amendment for the Sford Civic Pride event, the approval of the District’s use of facilities application amendment, and the approval of bills, payroll, financial reports, consultant services agreement, and the amendment of out-of-district tuition contracts.