More Concerns Aired About Support Staff Salaries In Ridgewood

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — More concerns were aired at the previous Ridgewood Board of Education meeting about the pay and benefits offered to support staff, classroom aides and/or paraprofessionals in the district.

"Without significant change" to how these staff are paid, one Ridgewood parent said, "my concern... is that they will leave for a better offer elsewhere."

In fact, the parent's call for more competitive compensation comes as the school district is seeking to fill vacant positions for support staff, Director of Human Resources Jaime Cangialosi-Murphy said at the Nov. 7 meeting.

Cangialosi-Murphy reported six vacancies just at Ridge Elementary School, as of mid-October; three of those vacancies were filled after board approval at the Nov. 7 meeting.

This was not the first time a parent has come forward with concerns about pay for support staff.

In a September meeting, several parents advocated for higher pay for special education teachers and aides, prompting trustee Sheila Brogan to ask the superintendent to look at how the concerns might be addressed.

During the same September meeting, the board approved an hourly wage increase of approximately $1-2 for some special education aides, Patch reported.

Cangialosi-Murphy added, at the Nov. 7 meeting, that the district would be continuing a conversation with paraprofessionals, particularly those in special education, on how to perhaps negotiate a better compensation package for them.

"We want to make sure that they feel valued in the district, because they are," she said.