Wyckoff School Board Chooses New Member

The Wyckoff Board of Education chose Chris Della Pietra to serve as its newest member, who will finish the final 10 months of the term started by Diane Sobin.

"I think you'll see that I'm the kind of person who will offer up a lot of opinions and suggestions, and try to do it positively and constructively," Della Pietra said.

The board chose Dela Pietra after interviewing both him and another candidate, Ken Porro, at a special meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Della Pietra, an attorney, has three daughters in Wyckoff schools: two in Washington Elementary and one in Eisenhower Middle School. They have lived in Wyckoff for about six years. Della Pietra said he has been involved in the community in a number of ways, including coaching rec softball and participating in programs at St. Elizabeth.

"I feel that we've connected to the town in a lot of ways," Della Pietra said.

In 2009, when Wyckoff was working on redistricting its elementary schools, Della Pietra said he was in frequent contact with district Business Administrator Alan Reiffe, giving him extra insight into the workings of the schools' administration.

"That was a very positive experience," Della Pietra said.

Della Pietra said he thinks the board has being doing a good job, has been happy with his daughters' teachers, but does hope he can help the board improve communication with parents, citing notification of the proposed 2009 redistricting as an example that could have been done better.

"People need to be heard and people need to respond to them," Della Pietra said.

due to a family move overseas. Della Pietra will hold the seat until April 2012, though he said he expects to run in the spring election to keep the seat.