Ramapo-Indian Hills School Candidate Profile: John Kinney

WYCKOFF, NJ — Two candidates are vying to represent Wyckoff in a seat on the Ramapo-Indian Hills Regional School Board: John P. Kinney Jr. and Marianna Emmolo.

Wyckoff has its own K-8 school board, but also sends students to both Ramapo and Indian Hills high schools. See the list of all the candidates here.

Patch will only be running profiles of the Ramapo Indian Hills candidates representing Wyckoff, but the others can post releases, letters, and events on Patch for free any time. Here are the instructions.

Want to know who else will be on the ballot, as well as public questions and countywide races? See your sample ballot here.

There has been some controversy on the Ramapo-Indian Hills board in the last two years. Read about it here.

Kinney's answers are posted below. See Emmolo's here.

Name: John V. Kinney

Age: 55

Education:
BS in Chemistry – Penn State University
MS in Biochemistry – Seton Hall University
MBA – Finance, Marketing – NYU Stern School of Business

Occupation: Healthcare – Former CEO of Private Equity backed NJ Pharmaceutical Company (sold this year)

Past volunteer service:
RIH Board of Education – 2019-2021
President (2020)
Vice President (2021)
Negotiations Lead (2019)
St. Elizabeths Cornerstone Men’s Team Director
Volunteer coach for Wyckoff Rec for multiple seasons (Soccer, Basketball, Baseball)

Links to social media and website:
www.supportingourstudents.org/...
https://www.facebook.com/JohnK...
https://www.instagram.com/John...

Email: John.Kinney@SupportingOurStudents.org

Questions and Responses

Do you have any relatives in town government or the schools now, or working on town boards or schools?

My wife is a substitute teacher for the Wyckoff K-8 school district and is the former co-President of the Ramapo Association of Parents, Teachers and Students (APTS).

How long have you lived in town, and where did you grow up?

I grew up in Franklin Lakes and am a graduate of Ramapo High School. My wife is also a Ramapo graduate. My cousins were all graduates of Indian Hills. Our family has a significant history with the district. After living out of state for a few years, we moved to Wyckoff in 2014.

What do you think are the most important issues facing your constituents, and what will you do to address them?

The key issues include:

Financial responsibility: Under the current board majority, spending has spiraled out of control—legal fees alone have increased by over 400%, and nearly $250K was wasted canceling a superintendent’s contract with no explanation. These reckless decisions have eroded trust in the board. When I served, we prioritized financial responsibility, approving a 0% budget increase during the pandemic, ensuring our schools had the resources they needed while protecting taxpayers. I will restore accountability and transparency to the district's finances.

Academic focus: We need to ensure that our schools remain focused on student achievement at all levels. I support the continued high-performing academic programs and standards to prepare students for their futures.

Community trust: The current board majority has been on the front page of the Suburban News more than it has not been. The best way to operate moving forward will be to continue to build our programs and our teaching talent, and fostering an open dialogue with the community, as we did when we worked to pull together the strategic plan.

Why should someone choose you over your opponent?

I served as president of the RIH Board during a challenging period—the pandemic. With many differing opinions on the best course of action, I helped guide the district to the best outcome for students, despite a divided board. We also worked hard to ensure transparency, with over 1,500 people attending our board meetings online. This turbulent time taught me a great deal about board dynamics and how to build consensus on key issues.

Unfortunately, the current board majority, including my opponent, has created chaos that has harmed our district. They've voted down critical mental health funding, driven away key staff, and damaged the district’s reputation. I have the experience needed to restore stability to the board. During my time as president, we succeeded by focusing on students, not politics. My leadership restored trust, and I will bring that focus back.

Should you win, how would you get people more involved in the issues who aren't currently involved, or who supported your critics? How can town politics become more inclusive instead of divisive?

Transparency: As a long-time resident, parent, and volunteer coach in our community, I know firsthand how important it is to listen and involve everyone in the conversation. Many parents feel unheard by the current board, and that needs to change. I will ensure that everyone’s voice matters by expanding opportunities for engagement—through interactive livestreamed meetings, occasional town halls or focus groups, and open-ended surveys to gather feedback. My focus is on rebuilding trust and bringing our community back together so that we can focus on what really matters—our students.

Nonpartisanship: One of the main ways to reduce division is to keep partisan politics out of education. My priority has always been ensuring that every student in our district has access to the best education possible. I don’t believe in bringing political ideologies into our schools. Unfortunately, under the current board too many decisions have been politicized instead of reflecting what is best for our community and, most importantly, our students. My goal is to unite our community around our shared priority: student success.

Empathy: One of the main reasons it’s difficult to attract good candidates for these positions is the personal attacks that often come with serving in public office. During my time on the board and in business, my approach has always been to listen empathetically and break down issues and opinions so they can be discussed constructively. When parents talk about their children’s futures, emotions can run high. In those moments, it's important to focus on the core message, not just the emotional delivery, to truly understand their concerns and address them effectively.

What is one local issue that no one really talks about, or has spoken publicly about, that you think should be addressed while you're in office?

The biggest issue is aligning a financial plan to a strategic plan. Given the enrollment disparity, the need for more varied programs, and the need for teacher talent, we need to pull together a plan that is supported by the operational and capital budgets. Without a full-time superintendent, we’ve seen a lack of clear leadership on both operational and financial planning. The district has been operating without a cohesive strategy, which is unacceptable at this critical time. We need to create a long-term plan that aligns the budget with the district's strategic goals—particularly as we face challenges like enrollment disparity and the need to attract top teaching talent. It’s time to get the district back on track with strong leadership and a well-defined plan for the future.

To what political party do you belong? Who did you vote for in the last presidential election (if you're willing to say), and do you think it should matter in terms of your candidacy?

I am a registered Republican, and my wife is a Democrat, but in our house—and on the school board—politics never come before what’s best for our children. I believe in keeping politics out of the boardroom and putting students at the center of every decision.

What else would you like people to know?

My opponent and her RIH Board majority colleagues have, according to the Bergen Record, transformed our schools into a “Troubled District,” and supported decisions resulting in:

Wasting Taxpayer Dollars
Incurred $700K in legal fees (400% increase) with3 different law firms
Spent $245K to cancel a superintendent contract with no explanation
Hired an outside PR firm to spin controversial actions

Risking Student Welfare
Voted “NO” to fund critical mental health programs
Voted “NO” to Superintendent’s disciplinary recommendations, exempting bad behavior and potentially re-traumatizing victims

Harming Teacher Morale
Drove away a best-in-class Superintendent, Business Administrator, Curriculum Director and several key staff members
Added administrative personnel at the cost of needed teachers
Lack of ability to attract top teacher talent, especially in high demand areas like STEM.

Fostering Mistrust in the Community
Forced a divided (5-4) vote for a Superintendent after rescinding the contract of a unanimously supported (9-0) candidate at the last minute
Revised meeting minutes in order to fit their political narrative

The board’s mismanagement has resulted in the loss of top talent, unnecessary risks to student safety and mental health, and a considerable lack of financial oversight.

When our family moved back to Wyckoff in 2014, one of the major factors in our choice of the FLOW area was the fantastic school systems. Recent actions have me, my friends, and many others concerned as the districts reputation has suffered. The excellent school systems have been “a given” in the FLOW area for decades – and it’s time to get that back on track. I am running to restore common-sense leadership and bring accountability back to our schools.

Upcoming Deadlines, How To Vote

• Want to vote by mail? The Bergen County Clerk's Office must receive your application by Oct. 29. Read more about that here.
• You can submit your ballot any time through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
• Want to vote on the machine? Polls will be open a few before Election Day for early voting, and then on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. See the early voting hours here.
• See more information on the Bergen County website on all three ways to vote, and Bergen County ballot drop box locations, here.

Other Information

Got a letter, press release, or event to post on Patch? You can do it for free. Just follow these instructions.

See the New Jersey voter information portal and election timelines here.

See the timeline for the general election here.