On Thursday morning, an email was sent out to all students and parents/guardians by Pascack Valley Vice Principal John Puccio. The email details a new school policy in which “water bottles and outside beverages/containers” will not be permitted at the Indians’ athletic complex for all football games, starting with PV’s contest against Ramapo last night.

The policy was implemented for all spectators, and is meant to deter fans from drinking, and especially students who are underage.

“We’ve been dealing with issues of alcohol at the games… And it’s happened more than once,” Pascack Valley Principal Tom DeMaio said. “This is a high school game, and so we should be coming here without alcohol involved.”

Along with the new rules detailed in Puccio’s email, backpacks and other bags will continue to not be allowed at the football games. That policy was put in place last season.

“In the last couple years, we’ve been really good, but it just seems to have all kicked back up again…We just needed to take further steps, because we are just still having issues,” DeMaio said.

School officials and the Hillsdale Police Department will assist in enforcing the new policy. Meanwhile, food and beverage will be sold on-campus, just as they have at each home game this season.

While Puccio acknowledged in his email that the new policy may be an inconvenience to spectators, school administrators do feel that it is an important measure to take.

“We want to create a positive and safe environment for all of our fans,” Puccio wrote.