Board of Education

6-Jan.-2014
   On Tuesday 6- Jan the Bogota Board of Education held their Re-organization meeting for the year 2015. At this meeting 4 new members were sworn in as Trustees to the Board. Three James Moore, Patrick McHale & Consuelo Carpenter were sworn into three year terms. The fourth Kathryn VanBuren was voted in to fill in a 2 year Unexpired Term.
   The first order of business was to elect a new Board President. Mary Ellen was voted to that position by a 6-3 vote. Charles Severino was elected Board Vice president also by a 6-3 vote. The next resolution to be voted on was to adopt a new Calendar for the year 2015. The date of the next Board meeting on Tuesday 20- Jan was approved. The  vote on the rest of the Calendar was tabled to allow for discussion to go back to a Bi-Monthly meeting  for the Board of Education. This will be decided on at the  20- Jan. Meeting.
   The next item discussed was a topic brought up by Superintendent Dr. Pantoliano. She acknowledged  that is was unusual to begin new business at this meeting, but she had a time critical item to inform the Board about. At this moment  Athletic Director  Brad DiRupo was asked to speak to the Board. Mr. DiRupo inform the Board that a number of other School Districts have approached him about merging a few  sports programs together.  For a number of years Bogota and Weehawken have competed in Wrestling as a joint program. Mr. DiRupo talked about merging the Bogota Football, Wrestling, and Girls Soccer with the Woodridge School District. Mr. DiRupo concern was that over the last few season the Bogota Bucs Football team have suffered from the lack of players to fill out a full roster. Including the one season the program had to be suspended for not enough players. The concern about the well being of the Student-Athletes is one reason. With such a small roster of Players one , or two injuries would force the playing of younger players against  Senior Varsity Players on the opposition. He did stress the fact that at least half the Home games would continue to be played at Fiegel Field. He also said that this would not be a permanent situation.
If in the coming years the Student population grows enough  to support a full squad then Bogota would again be it's own team.
   The Wrestling Squad would also join with Woodridge. This would allow them to work with a school that is located in Bergen County and be closer to Bogota. Speary Gym would be the Home venue for all the Wrestling Matches.
   A full Varsity Girls Soccer team would play their Home Game in Woodridge. This would help the female Students from Bogota to play a full schedule Varsity games while not putting other Bogota Women's sport in jeopardy  of Students having to pick one sport over another just to fill out a roster.     At this time the idea of combining the three sports are in preliminary discussion. Dr. Pantoliano urge that the Attorneys from both  District work on a contract of combined services as soon as possible in order to have the framework in place before the 2015 Fall Season Schedule is made up. Detail of cost of Transportation, the hiring of Coaching Staff,  insurance, and even Cheerleading Squad & Bands performance also needs to be agreed upon before it is presented to the Board for a vote.
   Some members of the Board expressed their interest in this idea, but would like to know detail and financial information by the next Board meeting.

Consuelo Carpenter (L) James Moore, Patrick McHale & Kathryn VanBuren
being sworn in by Janet Behrmann

Athletic Director  Brad DiRupo addressing the Board about merging
some Sports Program with another school.
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