PASCACK VALLEY—Most Pascack Valley regional and local school board elections are contested this Nov. 7, with 10 candidates vying for four seats on the Westwood Regional School District board, while Montvale and Woodcliff Lake have double the number of candidates vying for two open seats on each.
Across the Pascack Valley’s local and regional school boards, candidates filed petitions for the Nov. 7 school elections by the deadline, July 31 at 4 p.m., with many competitive races coming into focus throughout the valley.
Due to increasingly fractious and divisive school board meetings, generally over issues such as the state-mandated health and sex education curriculum, LGBTQ+ and Pride support, and parental rights, some boards have become lightning rods for community battles over social, religious, and occasionally, educational issues.
On the two regional boards, Pascack Valley Regional High School District and the Westwood Regional School District, the Westwood district remains a highly contested district this November, while only one seat on the Pascack Valley Regional BOE is being challenged.
The PVRHS District had four vacancies, two from Hillsdale, one from Montvale and one from Woodcliff Lake. In uncontested races In Hillsdale, incumbents Kristen Martin and Gini Varghese filed for reelection, and in Montvale, incumbent Michael Weaver filed for reelection.
In Woodcliff Lake, one open PVRHS BOE seat is being contested by two newcomers, Stephanie Mong-Ping Huang, and Jennifer L. Levison.
The school board election for the Westwood Regional School District school board, a K-12 district which covers Westwood and Township of Washington, and recently a focal point of controversy over the state-mandated health and sex ed curriculum content, as well as a debate over a Pride flag display on school grounds, has a crowded field vying for four open seats.
Five candidates are running for two Township seats, three candidates are running for one Westwood seat, and two candidates are running for a one-year unexpired term for the Township.
The five Township candidates include incumbents James T. Parrino and Irene Fenarjian, challenged by newcomers Heather M. Perrin, Meghan Stamatopoulos, and Loni Azzolina.
The three Westwood candidates include newcomers Nicole Martin, John C. Boccellari, Jr., and Darren Deluca.
Competing for the Township’s unexpired one-year term are incumbent Stacey Price and Jorge E. Pertuz.
The Borough of Westwood and Township of Washington have the only combined regional, K-12 school district in the Valley.
Local BOE races
In Emerson, three candidates have filed for two open seats. Competing are three newcomers: William Graulich V, running under the Experienced, Passionate, Reliable slogan and two bracketed running mates, Anthony Khiami and Amanda P. Riccardi.
In Hillsdale, three candidates have filed for two open seats, including incumbents Nicole Klas, current BOE president, and Christina Jennings. Challenging for a seat is Michael Kenduck.
Five candidates are competing for three open seats in Montvale, including incumbents Amaka A. Auer, running under the slogan Veteran, Nurse, Mother; John F. Carvelli, under a Children, Community, Civics banner; Rachel S. Baskin, Committed to Excellence; and Dominic L. Disalvo, Putting Students First. Also running: Zaheera Khan.
In Park Ridge, four candidates are competing for three open seats, including incumbent Natalie Agoos. Also challenging: Rachel Browne, Taylor Keenan, and Robert A. Fisher. Fisher’s slogan: Incumbent Board President.
Four candidates are running for three seats in River Vale, with three incumbents vying for reelection. Incumbents include Steven Rosini, Patrice Pintarelli, and Jamie Assor. Assor’s slogan: Approachable, Compassionate, Educator. Challenging is Glenn Pagano.
In Woodcliff Lake, four candidates have filed for two open seats, including incumbents Lysbeth Espinosa and Kristin Saks. Challengers include Alison Stein-Jakter and Elizabeth M. Sagat.
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