Wyckoff Board Of Education Candidate Profile: Joseph Kiely

WYCKOFF, NJ — Candidates are set for the K-8 Wyckoff School District Board of Education race on the Nov. 8 ballot.

In anticipation, Patch sent questionnaires to each of the six candidates vying for the three open seats on the Board of Education, asking them to share facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent the township's school district.

Joseph Kiely is bracketed together with two other newcomers Rachel Schulties and Lisa-Ann Michaels, running under the slogan "Serving Our Students." The trio is facing another bracketed group comprised of one incumbent and two newcomers.

Here are Kiely's responses:

Name:

Joseph Kiely

Age:

33

Town of residence:

Wyckoff

Position sought:

Wyckoff Board of Education

Party affiliation:

Unaffiliated

Family:

Married with one child

Education:

B.A in Literature; M.A. in Theater Studies. Teaching Certification for English and Theater

Occupation:

High School Teacher

Why are you running for this office?

I have always valued education. In fact, I have devoted my life to it. I grew up in Bergen County and one thing that drew me back here, and to Wyckoff specifically, is the schools. Schools are the center of a community, and the effects of what happens in a school stretch far beyond the walls of the schools. I want to ensure that our schools continue what is working and support the changes that need to happen.

What do you feel is the most important issue facing constituents, and what do you intend to do to repair or resolve it?

School districts will continue to feel the effects of the pandemic for years to come. There are real mental health struggles that have emerged or become more apparent in the last few years. And, even though this is true throughout the world, we do need successful plans for continued strategies for pandemic-related learning loss. Just because the hardest part of the pandemic is in our past, we need to remember that that period is a large part of the children of the community's formative years. A whole child and whole district plan should be in place to continue the transition, and can be done with the talent we have in the district already.

In addition to this, it is imperative that schools maintain compliance with state requirements to retain their rankings and funding. Politics should remain out of this non-partisan position, so that the board can continue to support all of the students and parents they represent.

What differentiates you from other candidates?

I have over a decade of professional experience in schools, understand how boards of education work, and know what they can and cannot accomplish. I have worked in various capacities with my school administrators and board. I have extracurricular, professional development, and student and teacher mentorship experience.

What other issues or ideas do you feel deserve attention?

I am interested in doing an evaluation of security in the schools. As an educator, I know there are often many things that happen behind the scenes that the public isn't aware of. However, coming in as someone with experience how things are done elsewhere, I can add my own first-hand experience to the evaluation. I can bring both perspectives as a teacher and parent to understand multiple stakeholders' perspectives.

In addition to evaluating physical safety, I am interested in mental health. Students cannot perform at their best if they don't have tools to regulate and talk about their mental and emotional health. Proactive approaches that give students skills, rather than reactive approaches that act as band-aids, are the most likely to succeed.

I know that with an unexpected and significant increase in teacher health insurance premiums, the budget will require creative and difficult decisions. We will need a cohesive and committed board who show up ready to work with each other in order to continue to tackle this and other challenges. Our childrens' education and the overall well-being of this community are too important to have a divisive board of education.

What accomplishments in your past demonstrates that you are the best candidate for this job?

My role in the performing arts requires that I consider my students and their parents, my colleagues, the administration, and the larger community. The ability to consider all stakeholders in decisions both large and small is essential to a well-functioning board of education and district. The greatest successes I've seen in my career have come from collaborations, so I hope to bring the same collaborative team mindset to the board of education.

Do you want to tell voters anything else about you or your positions?

I'm in this for the long-term health of the district. I have a son who will spend the entirety of his elementary and middle school years in this district. The pendulum swings back and forth in education, and it is important that individual districts successfully weather the passing trends, fads, and political movements with foresight and perspective. Schools must obviously adapt and change as needed, but they must also remember that the consequences of every decision they make are real, and so those decisions must be evidence-based and deeply considered.