Election 2022: Moorestown School Board Candidate Mark Villanueva

MOORESTOWN, NJ — In the 2022 general election, residents of South Jersey will be voting for state and local officials. Patch has asked candidates in contested races to answer profiles about their campaigns.

Here is the candidate profile for Mark Villanueva, running for another term on the Moorestown Board of Education.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact Michelle.Rotuno-Johnson@patch.com.

Name: Mark Villanueva

Age: 45

Town of residence: Moorestown

Position sought: Moorestown Board of Education

Family: My wife, Kate, and I were married in 2007. We have four children, Liam (13), Paige (12), Reese (9), and Hugh (6), that make us smile, cringe, and burst with pride every day. My father, Dioscoro, lives in the same house in Moorestown he moved to with my late mother, Kate, in 1977.

Education: I graduated from Moorestown High School in 1995. I then received my Bachelor of Arts from Bucknell University in 1999, and Juris Doctor from Catholic University Columbus School of Law in 2002.

Occupation: I’m a litigation attorney and partner at the Philadelphia based law firm of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP.

What previous or current elected/appointed offices have you held?

I have served on Moorestown’s Board of Education since 2017.

Why are you seeking to run for the school board?

I would like to continue my service to the District, advocate for students and families, and make fiscally responsible decisions. Board service presents complex, multifaceted issues that require an understanding of the history here, and I believe my experience on the Board brings significant value to the District, particularly with a relatively new Superintendent.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Having served on the Board of Education since 2017, I am more experienced than the other candidates, and I understand the historical context for decisions made in the past. I currently serve as the chair of the Board’s Finance and Operations Committee, and I previously served as the chair of the Board’s Policy Committee. I have twice served on the Board’s Negotiations Committee, which facilitated the last two contracts with the Moorestown Education Association. I am intimately familiar with the issues related to the 2019 bond referendum that proposed a significant capital project, and I have worked through five budget cycles in the District. I was on the Board when our prior superintendent retired during the pandemic, I helped appoint an interim superintendent, and I was integrally involved with the Board in appointing our current superintendent, Michael Volpe.

I am most proud of my contributions to the Board and to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite ever-changing circumstances and strong views regarding our remote learning environment, I was a tireless advocate for students and parents and tried to be a voice of reason during these extremely challenging times.

What is your stance on the sexual education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year?

While the curriculum standards issued by the State are mandatory, current guidance from the New Jersey Department of Education provides local districts with latitude in how to interpret and apply the health and physical education standards. In April 2022, Moorestown’s Superintendent detailed in writing and at a public Board meeting how the District will apply these standards, and I am comfortable with the District’s approach.

Significantly, parents in our District have a choice about whether their children will receive certain health and physical education lessons. I value the importance of parent choice and input in education, particularly with respect to sexual education issues, and it is my expectation that the District will continue to provide parent choice on these issues.

What would have been some of your important considerations if you had been on the board during the recent negotiations with the Moorestown Education Association?

I was on the Board’s negotiations committee for the 2019 and 2022 negotiations with the MEA. For over 20 years as a lawyer, I have litigated and negotiated complex contracts. But negotiating a public sector contract that involves teachers, community members, and a complicated regulatory framework is uniquely challenging. Having spent hundreds of hours over two negotiations, it is impossible to concisely capture the multitude of issues in this column.

Because much of the negotiations with the MEA are confidential, I will refrain from sharing our strategy and negotiations with the MEA this past year. In terms of future negotiations with the MEA, it is important to maintain our high standards and attract the best talent for our teaching staff. One way to accomplish this is to increase starting salaries for teachers entering the profession. The District should also explore including merit bonuses to recognize outstanding staff. Another important issue to address is the structure of the staff salary guides, which may present financial strain on the District if they are not restructured. There are ways to restructure the salary guides in a manner that continues to recognize and reward our staff, while also remaining fiscally responsible and respectful of taxpayer dollars.

What is the most important issue in your district and how do you intend to address it?

There are many important issues facing the District, but ultimately we are charged with ensuring students are learning and achieving to the best of their abilities – whatever those abilities may be. On the heels of the pandemic, the District should continue to assess and address learning loss. During my tenure on the Board, the District utilized CARES Act funding for staff and programs to provide additional support, and we will need to find ways to continue providing such support. The District will need to find additional revenue sources to provide such support. I am actively working with District Administration to identify and pursue additional revenue sources. And during my tenure, I have consistently demonstrated fiscal responsibility in an effort to continue providing programs to support student needs.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in your school district that have not been discussed already and how would you tackle these?

There are many complex issues that face the Board – too many to list here. One issue that I am currently evaluating is the potential impact the new fair housing developments may have on student enrollment. As chair of the Finance and Operations Committee, I track the status of these projects, the Township’s predictions regarding potential increases in student enrollment, and the financial impact increased enrollment may have on the District. Significantly, at least some of the new developments are subject to PILOT agreements, which permit the developers to submit payments to the Township in lieu of property taxes. School districts can, but oftentimes do not, receive any portion of the payments under PILOT agreements, which can result in increased student enrollment without any accompanying revenue stream. This can significantly impact the school’s budget and increase the tax burden for residents. The Board and Administration are exploring these issues, and I hope to work with the Township to ensure that the District receives an equitable revenue stream to support additional students.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

As a resident of Moorestown for over 40 years, I can say without reservation that I love Moorestown. In addition to serving on the School Board, I am a member of Moorestown’s Breakfast Rotary Club, the Vice President of the Moorestown Lacrosse Club, a liaison to the Moorestown Recreation Advisory Committee, and a volunteer for countless activities. But I am only one of hundreds, if not thousands, of others who volunteer their time and energy to making our town great. I am proud to be a small cog in the wheels that make Moorestown, Moorestown.

During my terms on the Board, I have demonstrated a commitment to advocate for students and parents in Moorestown, and I hope to have the opportunity to continue my service. I ask for your vote on November 8th, and I pledge to continue my commitment to this community.