For the first time in 24 years, Pascack Valley will have a new man at the helm of the Athletic Department.

On Monday night, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education, approved Mr. Shawn Buchanan to be the Supervisor of Athletics and Physical Education at Pascack Valley High School. He will officially assume the position on July 1.

“I have always wanted as a career to be an athletic director. It’s something that I have always aspired to be,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan, who has been an English teacher at Pascack Valley, will take over responsibilities from Mr. Tom Gattoni, who is retiring as Athletic Director at the end of this school year.

On top of handling the responsibilities currently held by the Athletic Director, Buchanan will also oversee the physical education department at Pascack Valley, a job currently held by Mr. Joe Orlak. Orlak will continue to supervise the social studies department.

Buchanan has devoted time over the past decade to prepare for the possibility of becoming an athletic director. In addition to teaching, he has a lot of experience in youth sports. He founded and coached the Pascack Valley Regional Swim Team, helps out with the Pascack Lacrosse programs, coaches youth sports in the local communities, and is the swim liaison for the Bergen County Coaches Association.

Buchanan also spent a lot time with Gattoni in recent years to learn as much as possible about the ins and outs of being an athletic director.

“[Gattoni’s] willingness to work with me, I’m extremely grateful for it,” he said.

According to Gattoni, a committee formed by district administrators was responsible for choosing the new Supervisor of Athletics and Physical Education. Buchanan was chosen over a number of other candidates, both from inside and outside the Pascack Valley community.

As the Supervisor of Athletics and Physical Education, Buchanan will no longer be teaching any classes at Pascack Valley. At this point, it is unknown as to whether he will be forced to step down as the advisor of PV’s Executive Council as well.

In his new role, Buchanan’s day to day responsibilities will include a lot scheduling and coordinating for the various teams at PV as well as dealing with finances and the school’s athletic budget. He also said that one of his main focuses will be to ensure that athletics continue to play a vital and major role in the school community.

Buchanan is eager to begin in his new position as the Athletic Director and is excited for what the future will bring.

“We have such huge tradition here at Pascack Valley, and athletics is apart of that… It is something we really can use to help bridge connections with community and within the building itself,” he said.