Wyckoff Board Of Education Candidate Profile: Juan "Tony" Molina

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.

Juan "Tony" Molina is bracketed together with incumbent Louis Cicerchia and another newcomer Jim Schappert, running under the slogan "Reading, Writing, Arithmetic." The trio is facing another bracketed group comprised of three newcomers.

Here are Molina's responses:

Name:

Juan “Tony” Molina

Age:

52

Town of residence:

Wyckoff, NJ

Position sought:

Wyckoff K-8 Board of Education

Family:

Married with 3 children

Education:

Master’s Degree Walsh College, Troy, MI & Bachelor’s Degree from Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI

Occupation:

Chief Executive Officer

Why are you running for this office?

‘People helping people’ has been my professional mantra as I have been in the credit union industry for over 20 years. I am taking that philosophy to give back to my community. I believe parents can be more informed on the issues affecting their children’s education, and I would like to help with communication.

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

The impact of remote learning on our students during the pandemic is not fully known. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support a detrimental effect. It is incumbent on parents, guardians, teachers, the community, and the Board of Education to assist our students in recovering from those effects. One way we can do that is to focus our collective efforts on teaching fundamentals like reading, writing, and arithmetic through the same proven classroom techniques we used pre-pandemic.

What other issues or ideas do you feel deserve attention?

I would like to explore a potential school security assessment to ensure our schools have appropriate security measures in place.

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

I have served on many committees to move organizations forward. I believe my professional experience will lend itself to moving our schools forward as well.

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

I would like to also focus on financial health and accountability. I will ensure tax dollars are used strategically, responsibly, and prioritized to the needs of our students while ensuring our educators have the resources they require for success.

We are committed community members, experienced leaders, and are devoted to our families and friends. It would be our honor to serve and support parents/guardians, students, and our Wyckoff community.

We invite residents to learn more about us and our upcoming events by visiting our website, www.123forWyckoffBOE.com, our Facebook page, and Instagram.