To the Editor: My name is Mike Pych, and I am writing this letter to present myself as a candidate for the West Milford Board of Education. A little on my background my family first moved here to West Milford in 1972. I grew up in town living on Kitchell Lake, went to kindergarten in the old Hillcrest School on Macopin Road, then later was part of the first class at Westbrook School. I grew up playing in the town sports programs and recreation facilities. After graduating from Rutgers University in 1990 I took a position in the field of Information Technology as a Director of Global Sales. When it came time for my wife MaryLou and I to decide on a place to raise a family, we came right back to West Milford. In 1995, we built a house not too far from the one I grew up in and have been here ever since. I have two boys, Michael who is nine years old and Ryan who is five years old. The reason that I am running for West Milford Board of Education is simple. I believe that a quality education is one of the most important things that we can give our children. I believe, as many of you do, that while there are some very positive things happening in our school system, there are also some definite areas that are in need of our attention. Although we have three schools rated in the top 11 percent state-wide (Maple Road, Westbrook and Paradise Knoll), our middle school and high school both score in the lower half of state rankings. I am fortunate; my boys are flourishing at Maple Road School, which is rated in the top 8 percent of all elementary schools in the state. I can’t say enough about the positive things that the board of education and the administration of that school are doing to provide quality teachers, to invite parental involvement, to provide extra-curricular activities, and ultimately to achieve high student performance. The school is truly a model of excellence. As a board member, I would encourage the superintendent to look to those areas of excellence within our school system and to apply those resources to areas in need of attention. When balancing quality education and fiscal responsibility, there are no quick and easy answers. After reviewing issues in detail with members of our current board, however, I am confident that our goal can be accomplished. Quite simply, it will take creative ideas applied to the complex issues facing our school system. Based on the combination of my local background and 16 years of global business experience, I believe that I am uniquely qualified to serve as a member of the West Milford Board of Education and that I am the candidate most qualified for the position. Your votes and your help in tackling those issues would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration. Mike Pych West Milford