Category: News

Liberty University remains open despite coronavirus pandemic

March 26, 2020

While college students are taking online classes due to the coronavirus outbreak, Alysa Mehl, along with other Liberty University students, had the option to return to campus following her spring break. Liberty is one of the few colleges in the United States to keep its campus open. Mehl, how...

Director of Curriculum: ‘Unprecedented times’ in education

Ellie Kim, Managing Editor

March 17, 2020

(Editor’s Note: Smoke Signal reporters planned to attend Monday’s Board of Education meeting. However, due to suggested COVID-19 precautions, they chose not to attend the meeting and instead used the livestream for its reporting.) Director of Curriculum Barry Bachenheimer addressed concerns over virtu...

Hutchinson named PV’s permanent principal

Rachel Cohen, Editor in Chief

March 17, 2020

(Editor’s Note: Smoke Signal reporters planned to attend Monday’s Board of Education meeting. However, due to suggested COVID-19 precautions, they chose not to attend the meeting and instead used the livestream for its reporting.) In a 7-2 vote, the Board of Education approved Brian Hutchinson, the Em...

Community expresses support for Puccio

Katie Mullaney, Editor in Chief

March 17, 2020

(Editor’s Note: Smoke Signal reporters planned to attend Monday’s Board of Education meeting. However, due to suggested COVID-19 precautions, they chose not to attend the meeting and instead used the livestream for its reporting.) During the Board of Education's meeting this past Monday, Superintendent Erik Gundersen read more than 70 letters that expressed support f...

Concerns of coronavirus affect PV events

Ellie Kim and Ava DeVincenzo

March 13, 2020

Talia Dian said she was shocked by an announcement while taking her physics test Thursday afternoon. “I didn't believe it at first, and I started crying,” said Dian, casted as John Hancock. “It was very emotional because we have all worked so hard and now it's gone.” PV Theatre’s spr...

District cancels international school trips

Katie Mullaney, Editor in Chief

March 10, 2020

District Superintendent Erik Gundersen notified the community in an email Tuesday morning of the Board of Education’s plans to cancel international school trips for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year due to the risks of COVID-19. The Board of Education arrived at its decision Monday night out ...

School trip decisions to be announced Tuesday

Katie Mullaney, Editor in Chief

March 9, 2020

The Board of Education made a final decision at its executive meeting Monday night on precautions against the coronavirus that the district will take on overnight, local, and international field trips. The plan will be communicated to students and parents Tuesday morning, district Superintendent Erik Gu...

District takes precautions against the coronavirus

Rachel Cohen, Izzy Zuluaga, and Katie Mullaney

March 6, 2020

The district is exploring ways to run a virtual day if the New Jersey Department of Health advises it to shut down its schools due to the coronavirus, district Superintendent Erik Gundersen said Friday afternoon. “As long as the district provided a plan to the county Department of Education on w...

Permanent district principals to be announced in March

Ilmie Xhaferi, Staff Editor

January 21, 2020

The permanent principal positions for both Pascack Valley and Pascack Hills will be announced by the end of March, according to District Superintendent Erik Gundersen. These positions were posted on Wednesday, Jan. 15, and candidates have until Feb. 2 to apply. After PV Principal Tom DeMaio retired on Dec...

Smoke Signal speaks at Bergen LEADS conference

Ellie Kim and Morgan Jones

January 10, 2020

Smoke Signal editors in chief Rachel Cohen and Katie Mullaney and adviser Bill Rawson spoke on an expert panel about the future of journalism at Fairleigh Dickinson University on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The panel also featured Frank Scandale, the Director of Investigations and Sports at Gannett, Rebec...

Physical education teacher tapped as interim assistant principal

Rachel Cohen, Editor in Chief

January 2, 2020

Physical education teacher Tom Gallione will become an acting assistant principal starting Tuesday, Jan. 7. Superintendent Erik Gundersen said he is recommending the position to the Board of Education at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 6. Gallione is stepping in for current interim Principal John Pucci...

Assistant principal to become interim principal

Rachel Cohen, Editor in Chief

December 9, 2019

Assistant Principal John Puccio was approved as the Pascack Valley interim principal from Jan. 2 until July 1, according to the Board of Education’s regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 9. A search open to internal and external candidates for the permanent principal will be held after the new year, acc...