BOE Approves Engravalle’s Contract as ‘Interim’ Superintendent

Public expresses frustration and even anger with the way the school board is handling the search for a permanent superintendent.

Formerly Acting Superintendent of Schools Steven Engravalle is officially “acting” in the role no longer, after the Fort Lee Board of Education approved a walk-in resolution at its regular business meeting Monday approving his contract as Interim Superintendent through Feb. 29. But the meeting, which grew heated at times, was dominated by discussion of when a search for a permanent superintendent would be conducted and where the search process stands now, with some members of the public openly criticizing the board for what they saw as a lack of transparency and potentially doing damage to its own public image and trust. Board secretary and business administrator Cheryl Balletto explained the walk-in resolution and the reason for the …

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Engravalle Assumes Duties of Acting Superintendent

Tuesday was Steven Engravalle’s first day on the job; he took a few moments out of his busy first day to sit down with Patch and discuss his new role

Tuesday started like any other day for Steven Engravalle. He arrived at the Fort Lee Board of Education central offices on Whiteman St. earlier than anyone else—4:45 a.m. on that particular occasion—and he knew he would be the last to leave. But Tuesday wasn’t just another day at the office for Engravalle; it was his first as Acting Superintendent of Schools, a role he will serve in for at least the next four months, and there was a lot of work to be done. “I was very excited; I’m not going to lie,” Engravalle said Tuesday. “I didn’t sleep too much.” Engravalle was appointed Acting Superintendent by the Board of Education after now former Superintendent Raymond Bandlow announced in late August that he was leaving the district to take over …

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School Board Appoints Engravalle Acting Superintendent for Four Months

The BOE also voted to solicit bids from superintendent search firms at its regular business meeting Monday

After voting 5-4 in late September to table a resolution that would have appointed Fort Lee Assistant Superintendent of Schools Steven Engravalle “Acting” Superintendent when Raymond Bandlow leaves the district on Oct. 31, and subsequently holding a special meeting to take public comment on the issue last week, the Fort Lee Board of Education voted unanimously Monday in favor of appointing Engravalle to the post for the next four months. The school board also unanimously approved an accompanying resolution to solicit bids from superintendent search firms, including the New Jersey School Boards Association; Leadership Advantage; West Hudson Associates; Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates; Ray and Associates; Spencer Stuart; and McPherson …

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BOE Takes Public Comment on Role of Acting Superintendent

The special public meeting Tuesday held little of the drama that characterized the regular meeting in late September that precipitated it

The Fort Lee Board of Education took public comment for about 45 minutes Tuesday on the role of “Acting” or “Interim” Superintendent at a special meeting at Fort Lee School No. 1. The meeting was called after the board tabled a resolution that would have appointed Assistant Superintendent Steven Engravalle “Acting” Superintendent when Raymond Bandlow leaves the post on Oct. 31 at its last regular business meeting on Sept. 26 because of public outcry questioning Engravalle’s suitability for the role. “I know there were a lot of concerns that the board was making decisions without listening to the community, and it is for this reason that I asked the president to set up a meeting where we could be listening to the community,” said board …

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Tracy Mattei

12:25 pm on Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Anna-- I agree 100% ! I think your comments have been great and pivotal in refocusing our fellow citizens back to the real issues! Keep it up! You are great!   more ›

5 Things You Need to Know

Busy Week in Borough Highlighted by BOE Special Meeting, Candidates Night

A quick look at just some of what’s going on in Fort Lee this Columbus Day week

Monday is Columbus Day, a federal holiday—meaning no school, among other things, and hopefully, a day off from work; but once we get to Tuesday, Fort Lee’s in for a pretty busy week. Below is a quick look at five things you should know about this week and/or might not want to miss: Number one: (Tuesday, 6 p.m. – Fort Lee School No. 1) BOE Special Meeting The Fort Lee Board of Education meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the School No. 1 library for a special public meeting on the role of acting superintendent. The board will listen to the public for one hour—from 6 to 7 p.m.—and then go into private session. Members of the public will be limited to three minutes each, and the meeting will be capped at one hour. This will be strictly enforced, …

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BOE Calls Special Meeting To Discuss Acting Superintendent

The special meeting will take place Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m.; speakers will be strictly limited to three minutes, no action will be taken and the meeting will adjourn after one hour

The Fort Lee Board of Education has announced that a special public meeting will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 11, to discuss the issue of the Acting Superintendent of Schools. The special meeting was precipitated by the tabling of a resolution at the BOE’s last regular business meeting on Sept. 26 that would have appointed now Assistant Superintendent Steven Engravalle to the role when current Superintendent Raymond Bandlow leaves the district at the end of October. The board will listen to the public for one hour—from 6 to 7 p.m.—and then go into private session, said board president Arthur Levine, adding that people can speak “for three minutes once on the role of acting superintendent.” The board will adjourn after exactly one hour, and …

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Tracy Mattei

2:13 pm on Saturday, October 8, 2011

Billy Billy Billy!! October 17th, Monday at 8PM, School 1 Library. Love to see you!   more ›

School Board Tables Appointment of Engravalle as Superintendent

Questions raised about Assistant Superintendent's readiness and suitability to run the district prompt close vote in favor of tabling resolution; Board president will appoint a committee this week to "review the matter"

The Fort Lee Board of Education voted 5 to 4 Monday in favor of tabling an agenda item that would have appointed Assistant Superintendent of Schools Steven Engravalle “Acting” Superintendent when Raymond Bandlow leaves the post at the end of October after concerns raised by a member of the public called Engravalle’s suitability to take on the role into question and highlighted the desire on the part of other members of the public to have a say in the decision-making process. Fort Lee resident Paula Colbath lead the charge, asking the board during the public comments portion of the BOE’s regular business meeting to table the agenda item in light of information that had come to her attention and that she said would be potentially …

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Volkul

12:17 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Anna, I agree wholeheartedly. You expressed exactly what I was thinking while reading through this rant... can't find another word for it (and I can't believe I had the patience to read all of it). Believe me I have no knowledge of either Engravalle or Romano, except from what I read in the local papers, so I have no poker in this fire. I wouldn't know Romano from a hole in the wall, certainly …   more ›