Educational Excellence slate wins three Teaneck school board seats

TEANECK — The Educational Excellence Board of Education slate was victorious at the polls Tuesday, displacing incumbent Nadia Hosein and her two running mates.

Running mates Gerald Kirschenbaum, David Gruber and James Wolff placed first, second and third among six candidates vying for three seats on the nine-member Board of Education. Gruber previously served on the board. Kirschenbaum received the most votes, with 5,392, followed by Gruber with 5,325 and Wolff with 5,299, according to unofficial results from the Bergen County clerk's office.

Hosein ran with Seleene Raquel Wong and Jose Zenon on the Excellence Progress Equity slate. Hosein received 4,207 votes, Wong 4,299 and Zenon 4,082.

At stake were three open seats on the board, with Hosein the only incumbent seeking a new term. Board President Sebastian Rodriguez and trustee Denise Sanders previously announced they were seeking only one-year terms last year and did not run for reelection this year.

"I look forward to returning to the Board of Education after a six-year hiatus," Gruber said Wednesday. "Much needs to be done. Opportunities are clearly evident to improve academic performance while becoming fiscally responsible."

More: After a long night of waiting for results, Bergen County Democrats declare victory

Wolff called the contest “cordial despite our differences."

"I wish to extend my gratitude to all of those who supported my candidacy, as well as to opposing candidates, Seleene, Nadia and Jose," Wolff said. "As a parent and soon-to-be Board of Education trustee, my commitment to our children’s well-being and success transcends politics. I'm determined to represent all of Teaneck's children, and I look forward to engaging with and building bridges across our diverse community.”

Kirshenbaum thanked voters for the "strong mandate from the Teaneck community to ensure educational excellence for all Teaneck students." He also praised Hosein, Wong and Zenon for their "positive campaign."

"I greatly appreciate the efforts of Dr. Spencer, the board and the community to acclimate our team to the Teaneck schools," Kirshenbaum said, referring to Superintendent Andre Spencer. "Our goal of educational excellence will propel our efforts as we work to address educational needs in Teaneck. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with the community on behalf of our students."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Educational Excellence slate wins 3 Teaneck NJ BOE seats