Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Guardians and Community Members,

It is a pleasure to welcome you back to Passaic Valley for the 2019-2020 school year.  Our school population including the class of 2023 is 1092 students. We have repaired, cleaned and painted to make our school an inviting place to learn. This is the seventh year of our peer mentoring program for the incoming ninth graders, which gives upper classmen the opportunity to help our new students adjust to the rigors of high school.  We are a school with great tradition and pride and hope you will join us in making Passaic Valley a great place.

I urge you to stay involved in your child’s education.  Only through a cooperative effort can we provide the best possible education for our students.  Please consider this an invitation to contact any member of our professional staff should you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns.

As you continue the journey through high school, I feel it important to emphasize punctuality and good attendance as key factors in a successful high school career.  The consequences of unauthorized tardiness and excessive absence are twofold.  First, the loss of learning time puts a student at a disadvantage in the quest for good grades.  Missing notes, assignments and tests are obstacles that are difficult to overcome.  Secondly, excessive absence and tardiness have disciplinary consequences.  Our policy now provides for the loss of academic credit for any student reaching fifteen unexcused absences.  Please review the Student Handbook to become familiar with our attendance/tardiness policies.

Take the time to review our school’s policies and procedures, especially the student handbook, they are designed to make the opening of school less overwhelming.  Included is your child’s schedule for 2019-2020.  It is important that your son/daughter bring this schedule with them on, September 4th, 2019.  The early dismissal bell schedule will be in effect that day (Wednesday, September 4th, 2019).

Be sure to contact your child’s teachers and Guidance Counselor on a regular basis and be sure to make use of our Parent Portal to access information regarding Grades, Assignments, Attendance, and Discipline.  Do not feel this is interfering, we welcome communication. We will be offering training on our parent portal and hope you will attend.  If you have a question regarding your child’s schedule, contact our Guidance Office at (973) 890-2520, Questions regarding rules and regulations, or the opening of school can be directed to me at my office (973) 890-2578.

It is particularly important that members of the Senior Class (2020) review with their Guidance Counselor all the necessary courses and credits needed to graduate in June 2020.  A senior cannot participate in the graduation ceremony if he/she did not meet all the requirements of graduation prior to Commencement.

I look forward to meeting everyone and truly look forward to a great school year.

Sincerely,

Mr. Joseph Abate
Principal

NOTE TO PARENTS/STUDENTS:
New I.D. badges will be distributed during the first week of school.  Save your old one as a spare.