Note: Our first version of this story appeared April 23; this update weaves in quotes and developments from the April 26 district board meeting.
MONTVALE, N.J.—P. Erik Gundersen, who has served Pascack Valley Regional for 27 years as a teacher, supervisor, director, and for the past 10 years, superintendent, tendered his resignation on April 21, saw it accepted at the board meeting of April 26, and is set to depart on June 30.
He has accepted an offer to serve the Suffern Central School District as its new superintendent, beginning July 1. He will receive a base salary of $265,000. His four-year contract was unanimously approved by the Suffern Board of Education at its April 20 meeting, according to a post by Suffern Central Board of Education President Matthew Kern.
Gundersen, embattled over the four-town Pascack Valley Regional High School District’s retirement and replacement of its longstanding school mascots, said he is “forever grateful for the opportunity to work alongside an unparalleled team of educators and staff as we have made impactful improvements to our programming, curriculum, facilities, and community.”
He said, “We have carried out the district’s vision of promoting inquiry, innovation, and individuality and are making significant strides to promote inclusivity within our district.”
He lauded the district’s “willingness to take calculated risks to improve student outcomes, whether it be implementing virtual days six years before COVID, creating the ‘Pascack Schedule’ to redefine the high school experience, providing internship opportunities for career exposure, improving and expanding our classroom and athletic complexes or, most recently, promoting a more inclusive, bias-free school culture and climate have been real points of pride these last 10 years.”
He said, “I will certainly miss working with the Pascack team, but am confident that Pascack has the talent, tools, knowledge, and drive to continue the district’s successful path forward.”
He said, “I look forward to learning how the district continues to embrace all students and strives to make them feel welcomed, challenged, and supported, just as you have made me feel welcomed, challenged, and supported these last 27 years.”
For its part, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District issued a statement April 23 lauding Gundersen for his service, notes that were repeated April 26.
It said Board President Molinelli and Vice President Joseph Blundo have contacted the New Jersey School Boards Association to discuss next steps “in anticipation of Dr. Gundersen’s June 30 departure” and would keep residents apprised.
It added Gundersen has received recognition at the county, state, and national levels for his leadership of the district. “His leadership has helped our schools be recognized around the nation for outstanding achievement in instruction, technology, and student wellness.”
At the April 26 school board meeting, according to PV Student Publication, Molinelli said the board is considering an interim superintendent while the search for a permanent replacement goes on.
There, Gundersen reported on the district’s plan to resume full in-person learning next year, and said the school should have a new logo by the end of this school year.
He discussed end-of-school-year plans, noting Gov. Phil Murphy’s recent easing of capacity limits for various events. “Social distancing protocols will stay a prevalent guideline during senior prom and other senior events,” the student news outlet reports Gundersen said.
The board also accepted, 8–0, the 2021–2022 district budget (see story, page 1) and welcomed Montvale member Debra Stephans.
And the board accepted the resignation of PV custodian Jorge Ospino, effective April 30.
PV Student Publication quotes Gundersen saying, “Custodians do more than clean; they represent our buildings when the rest of the staff isn’t here. They’re the eyes throughout the building. They’re truly part of the fabric here, and Jorge has been part of the fabric for 28 years. He has made me feel very welcome from when I started, and still makes me feel really good when I bump into him from time to time here at PV.”
Mascot tempest
Recently, Gundersen and the PVRHSD board came under fire from the district’s four mayors—Hillsdale’s John Ruocco, Montvale’s Michael Ghassali, River Vale’s Glen Jasionowski, and Woodcliff Lake’s Carlos Rendo—who called for an independent investigation over the June 22, 2020 meeting where a unanimous vote was taken to retire the mascots of both Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley high school.
It was the mayors’ third letter on the subject. They asserted that the mascot change was “run through by the board at the behest of a very small but coordinated group of students… the One Spirit Club.” (See “District’s four mayors seek investigation over mascot selections,” March 15.)
At an emotional three-hour meeting March 22, Gundersen defended his actions related to retiring the Cowboy and Indian mascots, said no longer to represent the district’s values around inclusiveness, while a majority of callers—including Ruocco—criticized the process used as non-transparent and not inclusive of all students.
Most trustees—including Molinelli—called for respect by callers criticizing the board and its decision to retire and replace the mascots—and said they were upset about the treatment from some residents who had made threats on social media or inappropriate comments in person to them or their family members.
Student representatives from both Pascack Valley and Pascack Hills mascot committees had made several presentations to board members and took surveys of each high school’s students and staff about mascot options.
Responding to the mayors, Gundersen denied that the process lacked transparency.
Following discussion by trustees Michael Weaver, Joseph Blundo, and Gundersen, it was determined that any concerns about ethics or investigations involving personnel were best addressed via the state education department’s ethics commission.
Blundo noted if any trustee still felt “unsettled” weeks from then on the issue, they could request an executive session to discuss school personnel.
As for an independent board investigation into the mascot selection process, Molinelli said it’s “not anything I’m recommending or supporting.”
At one point, Molinelli said, “This is a final decision” and that there’s no ongoing board dialogue on the matter.
She said that as students were watching the discussion she hoped callers would “keep the comments respectful.”
Last year, the regional board posted a 1,000-word explanation of its vote on the district website.
Student journalists at Pascack Valley High School have been following the matter closely, reporting on it in a ranging and award-winning series, “What’s in a Name?”
As PV Student Publication reported March 18, the school’s logo selection committee is composed of seven students and three faculty members. On April 26, Director of Technology and Communication Paul Zeller reported that a related survey was sent to the PV community and that would be used to inform logo options for the PV Panthers.
Gundersen said his views on the retired Indian mascot evolved from his days as a district teacher, dating to 1994. He dismissed allegations that the process was not transparent and highlighted the ongoing role of students in pushing for change in the school mascots, starting in 2015 and most recently in 2019.
In a lengthy statement, he decried efforts to “discredit” the mascots’ selection, and noted “We are in the midst of a pandemic and need to get our students back into our buildings. This board needs to focus on our district goals and moving our schools forward with the cutting-edge curriculum and instruction methods that we are known for.”
He said “We need to focus on celebrating our seniors, allowing them to rally around new mascots that they helped develop, and gather for proms and graduation.”
Gundersen noted 68% of students and staff supported Pascack Valley Panthers and 70% supported Pascack Hills Broncos.
He said nearly $7,500 has been spent compiling and reviewing mascot-related emails requested by the public via public records requests and he estimated “substantial” costs to review and release nearly 14,000 more requested emails.
“Do we really need to spend more time and money to see how many more can discredit this process?” Gundersen asked. He said “a small but every vocal group of adults” in district towns were leading the opposition to the selection process and new mascots.
Suffern Central School District, headquartered in Hillburn, a village in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, N.Y., posted its welcome to Gundersen in an announcement to its community.
It said, “Dr. Gundersen brings 10 years of experience as a superintendent and embodies a true passion for innovation in education on both a local and national stage,” said Board of Education President Matthew Kern. “He has had great success highlighting student equity and inclusivity in his current role, he is devoted to student wellness, and his expertise will continue to strengthen the social/emotional resources already available to our student body.”
The Suffern Central School District has seven schools. According to its website, during the 2019–20 academic year approximately 4,000 children were enrolled in Suffern Central’s five elementary schools, middle school, and high school.
The district serves students residing in the Rockland County communities of Airmont, Hillburn, Montebello, Sloatsburg, Suffern, Tallman, and part of Monsey.