Darcie Cimarusti has lived in Highland Park since 2004 and has twin 8th grade daughters. She is also the proud wife of a public school teacher.
She became active in public education advocacy work in 2011 and was first elected to the Board in 2013. She has been the Board president since January, 2016. In addition to her board work, Darcie is also an active volunteer organizer with Save Our Schools NJ.
Darcie's advocacy work garnered national attention, which allowed her to turn her passion for public education advocacy into a career. She is now the Communications Director for the Network for Public Education, a national public education advocacy organization co-founded by Diane Ravitch. Dr. Ravitch is widely considered the leader of the national movement to end the privatization of public education.
As Board President, Darcie has overseen a dramatic shift in how the Board conducts its work. The first year of her presidency saw the District, Board and school community engage in a strategic planning process that has guided the Board's work to date, with a clear focus on equity.
Under her leadership, collegial, collaborative relationships are being built between the Board, the Superintendent, the Highland Park Education Association (HPEA) and the Highland Park Administrators' Association (HPAA). Guided by our strategic planning goals, we endeavor to work together in a respectful manner to meet the needs of all of Highland Park's students.
Darcie also revamped the Board's structure to include monthly Workshop and Voting Sessions during the school year. Workshop Sessions allow the Board and community to engage in open discussion of agenda items before they are put to a vote. All meetings are live-streamed, broadcast by HPTV, and archived on the district's YouTube channel.
Darcie is particularly honored to be able to run for office with committed public servants like Mark and Chris.