Meet the BOE candidate: Eli Moallem
Eli Moallem is a River Vale resident who is running for Board of Education election. He discussed why he is running, his goals, and changes he wishes to see made.
Why Moallem is running
“As a father of 4 and a youth coach, I want the best for my kids and our community’s kids. Our schools should be a pathway to careers and success. The world is more challenging and competitive than ever, and we need to ensure that our kids are the smartest and best paid workforce in the world. We live in a community with diverse success and we should be tapping into this great resource for our kids’ benefit. My goal is to make PVRHSD a top school in N.J. and nationally.”
What Moallem plans to prioritize if elected
“We need to prioritize our core education curriculum. Our schools’ ranking and reputation has slipped and we need to focus on correcting the disparities between us and our neighboring towns, as well as the major disparity between Hills and Valley. We have great students and great teachers, and all we need to do is provide the environment for each to achieve their best.”
The skills Moallem has that he thinks are useful to be a BOE member
“As a father, youth coach, and mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters NYC, I have worked directly with a lot of kids. I have experience motivating, teaching, and instilling confidence in kids in order to get them to believe in themselves and to get them to achieve. As a business owner. financial planner and advisor, I bring a set of skills that will help run a massive enterprise like PVRHSD. I have experience hiring employees, managing budgets and negotiating contracts. I have also been actively attending BOE meetings and have a good grasp of the current issues PVRHSD faces.”
What Moallem hopes to see change from last year
“The communications and transparency of the BOE need a major overhaul. Our schools drive so much of our community. It’s where we send our kids to prepare for the next phase of life, and it has the biggest impact on our property taxes and home values. Open dialogue and access to important information on a timely basis is critical for the residents to properly evaluate the quality of our schools and the direction and decisions the BOE is making.”