The Board of Education discussed the potential cancellation of the international school trips for the 2021-2022 school year and tabled the discussion to further research and communicate with the travel companies. A presentation on the mascot and the logo process was shown by Mr. Paul Zeller. 

“My recommendation for this board is that we wait and see,” Gini Varghese, BOE Hillsdale Representative said. “We may have to remove these trips, but at the same time if things seem okay it can change positively.”

During the first public comment section, multiple parents and teachers went up to the podium to speak on the international trips.

“ACIS has travel insurance plans, an Ultimate Plus plan, allowing students to get a full refund four days prior for any reason,” Cindy Reese, a Science teacher at Pascack Valley and resident of Rivervale, said. 

“We have two more meetings before we must make a decision [on whether or not the international school trips will be canceled],” Tammy Molinelli said.  

Paul Zeller, Technology and Communications Director for the Pascack Valley District shared a presentation on the process of the mascot and logo selection process for both PV and Pascack Hills, including the input from students and other members of the mascot selection committee.

“[Logo selection committees that were formed] work with a consultant to get down the designs, [to figure out the] things that worked and didn’t work in the past,” Zeller said. “The consultant gave [the selection board] ideas and thoughts.”

Zeller said that many of the designs submitted were popular sports logos and some were drawings and art pieces by the students. 

“[The new logo ideas] were greatly inspired by a student’s drawing for the Panthers,” Zeller said.

After discussing the process of logo selection, the details of the font, the direction, and the colors of the mascot, Zeller shared his plans moving forward.

 “[The] next step is the students and staff would vote, sooner rather than later,” Zeller said. “After the designs are selected, a style guide will be developed [to be used for merchandise].”