Dear Saddle River Community:

Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, the Board of Education and school administration have discussed the school district's budget and the overall impact of the State's 2% cap on the school tax levy. Rising healthcare costs, inflation, and continued enrollment growth have placed additional financial constraints on the school budget. To maintain high-quality educational programs and an exceptional learning environment, we have discussed the only way to increase the school tax levy would be through an operational question to the community.

On Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 7:00PM, the Saddle River Board of Education will hold a special public meeting to discuss and vote on the proposed operational question. If the resolution is passed by the Board of Education, the question would be placed on the November election ballot for Saddle River voters.

We understand the importance of this decision and remain committed to keeping our community informed throughout the process. We encourage our families and community members to attend the special public meeting to learn more about the operational question and the process. There will be additional presentations in the future if the Board of Education passes the resolution with the operational question on August 19, 2026.

We appreciate your continued support of the Saddle River School District and the children we proudly serve.

I hope you are all having the best summer and enjoying some well-deserved time with family and friends! ☀️💙 I wanted to send a quick note to let you know how excited we are for September. There is already so much energy building at Wandell as we prepare to welcome our students back! Throughout the summer, our incredible custodial staff has been working so hard to make Wandell look beautiful. We are incredibly grateful for the care, pride, and effort they put into our school each and every day. A huge thank you also goes to our administrators and summer staff who have been busy behind the scenes getting everything ready to rock and roll for another amazing year! There is nothing better than seeing our hallways filled with our students, and we truly can’t wait to have everyone back. 💙💛

🎉 Exciting News, Wandell Families! 🎉

📚✨ Before & After School Childcare is coming to Wandell School for the 2026–2027 school year! ✨🏫

We're excited to offer this convenient new program designed to support our families with quality care before and after the school day. 💙💛

📲 Visit the News section of our website for registration information and complete program details.

We look forward to welcoming your child! 💙🐺

#beforeandaftercare #WandellPride #SaddleRiverNJ #workingparents

🍎 We're Growing Our Team at Wandell School! 🍎

Please help us spread the word! We are currently seeking caring, dedicated professionals who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children.

Current Openings:
📚 Paraprofessional (Under 40 hours/week) – $18–$21/hour
🇪🇸 Part-Time Spanish Teacher – Mondays & Tuesdays (Full Days)
🍎 Substitute Teachers

If you are student-centered, dependable, enthusiastic, and enjoy working with elementary-aged children, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply or learn more, please email Wende Pettit at wpetit@wandellschool.org.

Thank you for helping us find outstanding individuals to join the Wandell School family. Please share this post with anyone who may be interested!

May we continue to inspire future generations through kindness, service, and a love for our country.

It's official!☀️⛱️

What a bittersweet day at Wandell School. As we close the door on another incredible year, we want to thank our amazing staff and students for making this year such a blast. We will miss all of our Wolverines this summer, especially our Class of 2026. What a truly special group of students. Have a safe, fun, and well-deserved summer break. We can't wait to see everyone again soon! 💙💛 #WandellPride #ClassOf2026 #OnceAWolverineAlwaysAWolverine

The Gifted & Talented students in grades 3–5 recently participated in a Classroom Design Challenge, where they were invited to imagine and create an innovative new classroom for Wandell School. Each student designed a unique classroom and wrote a persuasive essay to Dr. Macones explaining why their vision would be a valuable addition to our school.

Congratulations to our first-place winner, Diana Batista-Dinu, whose creative Woodland Theme Classroom captured the judges' attention with its originality and thoughtful design.

We are incredibly proud of all the students who participated in this challenge. Their creativity, imagination, and persuasive writing skills were truly impressive. Well done to everyone!

Bittersweet moments at Wandell as we prepare for our final day of the school year tomorrow. Today, our entire school came together for one last assembly, and a special thank you goes to Dr. Penna and Mrs. Budds for leading such a meaningful gathering. Our fifth graders finished their year the perfect way with a bagel breakfast and yearbook signing celebration. Thank you to our wonderful parents for making this possible. The excitement on our students' faces as they signed yearbooks, collected autographs, and shared memories with friends was priceless. What a great day for our Wolverines! 💙💛🐾

🎓 Congratulations to our Wandell School Class of 2019 alumni on their high school graduation!

It feels like just yesterday these students were walking our halls as fifth graders. Today, they are beginning exciting new chapters filled with opportunity, growth, and adventure.

We are so proud of all you have accomplished and grateful to have been a part of your journey.

💙💛 Once a Wolverine, Always a Wolverine. Congratulations, Class of 2026! 🎓

#ForeverAWolverine #WandellSchool #ClassOf2026 #WolverinePride #SaddleRiver #WandellAlumni

What a fantastic night in Saddle River celebrating America’s 250th Birthday! 🇺🇸 A special shoutout to Sloan Aubrey Smith for her beautiful rendition of God Bless America. The drone show was incredible, and it was wonderful to spend the evening with so many of our students, families, and community members. Happy 250th Birthday, America! ❤️🤍💙 #America250 #SaddleRiver #WandellPride

Fifth grade fun!

Fifth grade picnic fun!

What a great day for our 5th graders! They had an absolute blast at their Grade 5 Picnic Celebration. A heartfelt thank you to our parents, especially our Grade 5 Class Parents, for putting together such a fun and memorable event. It was the perfect way to celebrate a wonderful group of students and an unforgettable year. 💙💛 #WandellSchool #ClassOf2026

Class of 2026🎓

Congratulations to the amazing Wandell School Class of 2026! 🎓💙💛 This group has been a shining example of leadership, kindness, hard work, and school spirit. From academics to service, they have made a lasting impact on our school.

A huge thank you to Lieutenant Passaretti, the entire Saddle River Police Department, our Saddle River municipality, and especially Ms. Patty Nazzaro for their dedication to our fifth graders through the Youth Leadership Program this year. Your guidance, mentorship, and support have made a lasting impact on our students. We are so proud to celebrate their graduation today and grateful for the incredible partnership you provide to our school community. Congratulations to our graduates! #WandellSchool #YouthLeadership #WolverinePride

Happy Retirement, June Knoph! 💙💛 Your kindness, compassion, and unwavering commitment to children have made a lasting impact on our school and district.

Congratulations Suhaib Toor!! Gold Medal 🥇 Winner... partnership for a drug free art contest! We are so proud of you.