For the first time in several years, the River Dell Regional School District will be looking in to bring in a substantial number of new teaching positions, a total of eight, under the proposed 2012-13 school budget.

A vast difference from two years ago when the Regional district lost all of its state aid, River Dell is expected to receive $632,193 in state aid. Another difference in the proposed $30,064629 budget and $26,016,756 levy is a drop-off in the district's debt service which will reduce the tax impact on residents.

"The levy is at the 2% cap, but the overall impact on the taxpayers is .91% due to debt service falling off," Board Administrator Thomas Bonfiglio said. "The direct impact on residents is a 1.9% increase."

With debt service falling off and an increase in state aid, the district is planning on hiring eight new teachers for September ranging from physical education to special education to mathematics or a professional development coordinator. According to Superintendent Patrick Fletcher, the exact nature of the positions will be determined once class schedules are completed for September 2012.

"the overall goal is to redce class sizes, create greater opportunities in the core classes and electives, which could result in better test scores," Fletcher said. "We could create additional sections leading from one level to another."

The rest of the budget maintains all current programming including middle school athletics which had faced the chopping block in prior years.

For an Oradell resident with the average assessed home of $531,810, there is a projected increase of $41. River Edge residents with the average assessed home of $436,000 will see an increase of $33 annually.

The public hearing is scheduled for March 26, 8pm at River Dell High School.