The following represents interview questions from Caren Lissner from the Wyckoff Patch:

Name: Doreen Mariani

Age: 61

Length of time you've lived in town:

My family and I have lived in Wyckoff for 21 years. We also lived in South Hackensack for 14 years and I grew up in Little Ferry, NJ

Public service in the area:

I have devoted my free time to Wyckoff Sicomac Elementary School, Eisenhower Middle School (EMS) and Ramapo Indian Hills High Schools. I have volunteered for many PTO events, such as theme days at our schools. I was a very active member of the PTO, assisted in many school fundraisers, donated many hours over the years to the Wyckoff Economy Shop to benefit our schools. Over a span of 12 years, I helped fundraise thousands of dollars and the money provided for opportunities to enrich and ensure a wonderful school experience for our children, teachers and staff.

I was also a REC Cheer Coach and Gymnastic Coach employed by Palestra Gymnastics in Bergen County. Community Volunteer highlights include but are not limited to: currently in my third year serving as an elected official/ member of the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional Board of Education. For many years I volunteered my time at Oasis - A Haven for Women and Children. I am very proud my ongoing volunteer work for Wishlist by AM's Annual Night of Fashion and Fun events benefiting the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation, which funds Arteriovenous Malformation research an incredibly meaningful event. This foundation is near and dear to my heart, I am a member of their event leadership team. I am also an active member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Wyckoff. Giving back to my community and our schools will always be a priority in my life.

Family information: I married my high school sweetheart Frank Mariani and recently celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary. We have two sons, a daughter and two grandchildren with number three on the way!

Do you have kids who attended or attend the local public schools? If you chose to send them elsewhere, why?

My children have attended Sicomac School, Eisenhower Middle School, and Ramapo High School.

Do you have immediate family members working for local government?

No, but I did raise a school teacher and she proudly works for our local school system for almost 10 years.

Do you have a full-time job?

I am retired, which allows me to fully dedicate myself to the most important things in my life, supporting my daughter, a local teacher and her husband, by caring for my two grand children during school hours and serving on the RIH Board of Education. My schedule enables me to prioritize Board responsibilities, including attending meetings, engaging with the community, and advocating for our students. I have expanded my Board of Education knowledge base by participating in the New Jersey School Boards Associations Education Workshops, where I stay informed on best practices, updates to state policies, and innovative ways to support the diverse needs of our students and staff.

Educational background:

I earned a degree from Bergen County Vocational Technical School, where I developed a strong foundation in discipline, teamwork, and practical skills. I enjoyed a successful career as a professional hairstylist which honed my ability to listen, build trust, and address individual needs/skills that I bring to the Board of Education. Additionally, my years as a caregiver for local seniors in our community have deepened my commitment to service, empathy, and understanding diverse perspectives. These experiences, combined with my New Jersey School Boards Association education, have prepared me to effectively advocate for our students, who are my top priority.

Other experience:

This is my third year on the RIH BOE, in my tenure: I am currently Vice President of the Board, Arts, Athletics, Extracurricular and Communications Committee member in 2023-2025, Chair of the AAE&C committee in 2023 and 2025, Policy committee member 2023-2025, Member of the Negotiations committee in 2023 (successful contract negotiations with RIHEA), NJSBA RIH BOE Representative in 2024. In 2023, (my first year on the Board) when other Board members refused committee seats and stepped down, I stepped up and took on more responsibility and represented Wyckoff on three Board committees and chaired one. True leaders of their community step up, they don't step down. I’m In the process of achieving New Board Member (NBM) Boardsmanship Certification, the first tier of the NJSBA Board Member Academy certification program. Upon completion, I will be one of only a few Board members on the Board to have achieved this, to date I have earned 23 professional development credits, the certificate only requires ten. I have aspired to take my training to a higher level to better serve all stakeholders. I have a very firm foundation in Board governance skills to carry out my responsibilities with confidence that I possess the experience and expertise to do an exemplary job.

Who are your running mates, if any? Not applicable.

Website where voters can find more information: www.DoreenMariani4rihboe.com

Open-Ended Questions. Answers must be kept to 250 words or fewer.

1. Please tell us what makes you the most qualified candidate.

I'm proud to share my qualifications as a candidate, highlighted by my historic election win and three years of delivering on campaign promises. I have prioritized academic excellence, parental involvement, student safety, and fiscal responsibility. This year, I was elected Vice President of the Board of Education. I have actively served on various committees, including two terms as Chair of the Athletics, Arts, Extracurriculars, and Communications Committee, and played a key role to the successful negotiations on the RIHEA contract in just a few months, which was outside the previous norms.

My commitment to traditional family values and strong voting record reinforces Wyckoff's confidence in my candidacy for another term. As the only woman running from Wyckoff, my perspective as a wife, mom, and grandmother is essential in advocating for our children's education and culture.

School boards impact important issues like curricula, budgets, and parental rights. Losing female voices, particularly those of mothers, risks misaligning our priorities. Wyckoff has thrived with women in leadership positions on the Board. I believe maintaining a female voice is vital to ensure strong family-centric conservative representation on the Board for our students and community.

I am a very principled person and will not compromise my integrity even if it means that my constituents may not fully understand why I voted yes or no to a Board resolution due to confidentiality requirements. Leadership involves making difficult decisions. I have the courage to say yes or no in the best interest of the district, students, staff and our community regardless of how it may be perceived.

2. What is the biggest challenge facing Ramapo and Indian Hills high schools, and how would you address it?

One of the biggest challenges for the district has been declining test scores and graduation preparedness, which have been declining for years prior to the pandemic. Post the pandemic, these numbers worsened, while the district struggled to manage woke "mandates" imposed by Governor Murphy and the district floundered with various interim superintendents. It was clear to me that that strong leadership was necessary to get our district back on track, which is why I advocated strongly for hiring Mrs. Shauna DeMarco as our new permanent Superintendent. While this made total sense to me, it took three motions to get approval to simply hire an HR search firm to get the process started. In August 2024, we hired Mrs. DeMarco who joined us from a high school district that is ranked in the top 2% in the nation and #5 in Bergen County, which is why I supported her from day one, unlike my opponent. Her impact has been amazing to witness, and already we're seeing improvements in test scores which tells us our students and staff are benefiting from her leadership. To date, she has done exceptional work and brought much needed stability to the district.

3. What is your overall impression of the job that the RIH public schools are currently doing?

Under Mrs. DeMarco’s leadership we've prioritized the following:

• Improve Graduation Readiness, Math and Science Preparedness through an updated and revised Program of Studies that focuses on relevance, student interest, and variety. Updating the curriculum to make it more user-friendly for staff and students, ensuring curricular content consistency while providing parents with full transparency and access.
• Implemented a Block Schedule to improve productivity and increase student focus, including a later school start time supporting research that helps the "Teenage Brain,” increased instruction time which equals greater depth of learning, one unit lunch resulting in expanded peer to peer opportunities.
• Enhance communication and connections for all stakeholders, we redesigned the district website and launched the RIH Highlights and Happenings Community Newsletter. Most recently, we secured the expertise of an in-house communications specialist to further these efforts.
• Address Population Disparities: We're focused on addressing the perceived disparities between our two schools that have imbalanced enrollment. Our strategy consists of various components including effectively utilizing our new communications specialist and ensuring equality in our properties, facilities, and technologies.
• Continue upgrading Health, Safety, and Security measures: We’re committed to enhancing physical security, cybersecurity, and prevention measures, while also focusing on social and emotional learning, mental health, and wellness.
• Develop programs to enhance the district's performance and reputation. Adding CTE programs, providing internship and work experiences, increase AP opportunities, explore joint programming with other schools, plus continued expansion/enhancement of Special Education Services and Wellness programs.

Our district in on track to regaining its position as a top-tier school.

4. What do you believe has changed about public education from when you were little, if anything, and do you think the changes are positive? If not, how would you address that?

When I was a kid, schools focused primarily on reading, writing, math, science, and history. Nowadays, there seems to be a significant emphasis on social engineering and agendas such as gender identity, critical race theory, and political activism, which take time away from actual learning. In the past, parents were partners in education, but now they are often excluded from decisions about what their children are taught. It appears that educational standards have been lowered to ensure that no one fails, which ultimately does not prepare students for the real world. That’s why I strongly advocate for a more traditional, values-based education that emphasizes local governance and stronger parental involvement.

5. For whom did you vote in the 2024 presidential election? With proposed cuts to the Department of Education (see link to DOE release), do you see national politics affecting the local schools in the next few years? What do you think should be done about that, if anything? (Source: https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force)

I voted for President Trump, however, my voting preference should not influence my candidacy. As a member of the Board of Education (BOE), I ensure that all policies and decisions are focused on our students, rather than on politics or personal agendas. Based on the link provided, it appears that the Department of Education (DOE) is reducing its own staff to enhance efficiency and accountability, to "ensure that resources are directed to where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers." In today's highly polarized political landscape, we have witnessed how political ideology can impact our local school systems and the education of our children. The upcoming Governor's race will actually directly affect the Ramapo Indian Hills school district, depending on the outcome. I will continue to support Conservative candidates and values, as they have consistently prioritized improving traditional academics without ideological bias, and value parents as partners in education, development, and learning.

7. Do you believe all public school students should have the option to get free lunch in the local area? If so, how should it be funded?

Public school students can and already do have access to free lunch options through federal programs like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

8. Do you think students today require more mental health counseling than in the past? Do you believe current mental health programs in the schools are adequate, or would you increase or cut the programs?

Today’s students face challenges that previous generations like mine did not. Studies report that stress from social media and academic pressures is causing an increase in mental health concerns. Given how much time a student spends in the classroom, schools now play an important and expanded role in their lives. RIH offers robust mental health programs with very dedicated teams. However, we should focus on optimizing these resources to ensure they are tailored to each student’s needs, working closely with parents and, when appropriate, the student's private counselor. Rather than simply increasing or cutting programs, I advocate for a strategic approach: regularly assessing the effectiveness of our initiatives, prioritizing early intervention, and fostering collaboration between schools, families, and community resources to deliver personalized, impactful support.

9. Just for an offbeat question, do you believe the first snow day of the year should be done via remote learning, or a "traditional" day off? (Please note that "I'd leave it to the superintendent" is not an answer, as we're looking for your personal opinion, not a decision.)

When I was in school I loved snow days, so for me this question is easy, yes! I would choose a traditional day off that is not only fun, but provides an opportunity for much needed rest and family time.