PV Officer Chip Stalter Transitions to be Substitute Teacher
Everyday for the past seven years, Chip Stalter was the first face students would see as they walked into the building. He will continue to carry his hospitable character to the classrooms.
On Friday, Nov. 12, Officer Chip Stalter stepped down from his position as a Special Law Enforcement Officer at Pascack Valley after seven years.
“I’m at that point in life [where] I’m looking for a little more freedom,” Stalter said.
Stalter has worked closely with the administration to make PV a safer place. Although much of the time he is seen monitoring the front desk, Stalter has spent a lot of time dealing with the lockdown procedures.
Among his duties were to secure the school as well as welcome students at the front door with a smile.
Stalter is enthusiastic to be taking on the role of a substitute teacher here at PV.
“I think [being a substitute] will make me closer to the students,” Stalter said. “[I’ll] get extended time in a classroom where now it’s just the passing, ‘good morning’, ‘good afternoon’, ‘have a good lunch’, whatever it is. Some kids will come by and chat or tell me what’s going on or complain about something. I’m hoping it will be a positive thing as far as getting to know the kids a little better.”
Stalter’s initial plan was to transition at the end of the 2021-2022 school year, however, after his duties as a PV officer were altered, he concluded that he would make the shift mid-year.
Along with the changes within the job, Stalter desired a position that would allow for more flexibility in his schedule.
“When I retired from the police department and [came] here, that was my first step towards retirement. It was good because I got the summers off, I got the school holidays off. My wife is a director of Hillsdale United Nursery School, she works the same schedule as the public schools, so we were off [at the same time].”
Over the course of his career, Stalter has been able to obtain experience with being a substitute teacher. He worked closely with well known PV substitute, Stephen Wells.
“I covered classes when [there was] a missing teacher or somebody had to leave unexpectedly,” Stalter said. “I’ve been telling some kids, ‘Yeah, I studied under Dr. Wells, I know everything I need to know about subbing.”
Stalter is thankful to be working at PV, he has a great appreciation for the staff and school itself especially after being exposed to many other institutions.
“I enjoyed my time at Pascack Valley [and] I hope you guys do [too],” Stalter said. “Sometimes I run into kids that I don’t think really appreciate what they have here. You really got a good deal here. Nothing’s perfect, but we have great faculty [and services here] so I hope everybody appreciates it.”
