Fair Lawn, Rochelle Park Schools Enter Shared Services Agreement

unanimously approved a proposal Thursday to take over school business operations for the township of Rochelle Park.

Under the shared services agreement, Rochelle Park will pay Fair Lawn $65,000 to handle its finances.

Fair Lawn Schools Superintendent Bruce Watson called the agreement a “win-win situation.”

“They’re gonna save some tax dollars for their district -- their one-school operation -- and we’re going to bring some additional revenue into Fair Lawn Schools,” he said.

Watson said the revenue coming into the district will be used for personnel.

Assistant school business administrator John DiPaola, who will serve as the point person for the Rochelle Park account, will be paid $16,000 on top of his regular salary, and the remaining money will support a full-time health benefits coordinator.

Watson said this would be the first time that Fair Lawn would help run another school district's business operations.

“It’s an exciting thing,” he said. “I think we’ll see more districts follow this trend.”