Support Our Schools Highland Park
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mark Krieger
    • Jen Voorhees
    • Chris Woodward
  • Platform
  • Voter Information
    • Voter Information
  • Contact Us

Highland Park Board of Education Member Sharice Richardson

11/7/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am writing to voice my enthusiastic support for the re-election of the Support our Schools Highland Park 2016 candidates for the Board of Education, Darcie Cimarusti, Judy Pietrobono, and Mark Krieger. As a current school board member, I have had the privilege and honor of working alongside Darcie, Judy and Mark; they are all deeply committed to the education of every child in our public schools.
​Darcie Cimarusti is adept at tapping into the unique talents of her teammates. She strategically assigned every school board member to committees where their talents could be best harnessed. Additionally, her grassroots organizing background and broad public education advocacy network have been great assets to our town. Darcie has relationships with key representatives, superintendents, teachers, and school boards throughout New Jersey, and advocacy groups across the nation. She has testified at the State Board of Education about the damaging impact of charter expansion on our public schools; written and presented a resolution opposing the use of PARCC as a high school graduation requirement to the State Board of Education in Trenton; and worked with Highland Park administrators and the Highland Park Education Association on developing and issuing a joint statement opposing the Christie Administration’s decision to increase the weight of standardized tests in teacher evaluations. At a time when public schools are under attack and school funding is shrinking, Darcie is exactly the kind of activist leader we need fighting for public schools and our town. She will keep the pressure on our politicians and keep our students needs in the spotlight.

Judy Pietrobono and Mark Krieger, who are serving currently in interim board positions have both taken on critical roles as Chair of the Personnel and Communications Committee and Chair of Finance respectively.
Judy Pietrobono, who has twenty years of experience as a librarian and is now Department Head, also serves on the curriculum committee. She generously shares her knowledge about literacy, digital learning, personnel, management, policy, and community relations to the work of the board. Judy is a vocal advocate for the needs of our students with disabilities, a strong supporter of the arts in schools, and an advocate for equity in access to educational opportunities. On the personnel committee, Judy asks tough questions, reviews candidates earnestly, and pushes for accountable hiring practices in our district. She is one of the most respectful, kind, and conscientious colleagues I could ask for as a board member.

Mark Krieger has served three terms on the Highland Park Board of Education as Vice President of the Board, Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Negotiations Committee. He and his wife, Nora, raised two children in Highland Park who both graduated from Highland Park High School. When Mark interviewed to serve in an interim seat on the board from February 2016 until December 2016, his knowledge of school board function, finance, technology, policy, personnel, and negotiations deeply impressed me. Stepping into a board with members with three or fewer years of experience, Mark immediately became an asset. A natural “teacher”, he has been happy to impart the nuances of past district practices, explain the intricacies of budgets, and sit with the district technology coordinator to review our schools needs and plans. His tenure has been marked by excellence. Working closely with our District Business Administrator, Superintendent, Board President, and building principals, as well as the Finance committee members, he led the effort to develop an accessible, transparent budget process, where community members had ample opportunity to review documents, ask questions, and get answers. Mark brings leadership, expertise, and institutional memory to the Highland Park Board of Education.

An ideal school board works cooperatively and taps into the talents of each of its members, drawing upon their strengths to build strong relationships with the superintendent, administrators, and teachers; maintains transparency and communication with the public; makes fiscally responsible decisions; ensures the curriculum is rich, culturally responsive, and academically challenging; plans for both short term needs and long term goals; and ensures that personnel hiring and retention practices reflect the needs of our district. In 2016 the Highland Park School Board, under the leadership of Board President Darcie Cimarusti, has fulfilled all of these critical roles at a time. While we all may have different opinions or points of view, we are clear that our primary goal is to provide our students, teachers, administration, and community with the highest quality public schools possible.
​
On November 8th, I urge the Highland Park community to stand with me and vote for Darcie Cimarusti (Ballot Position #1), Judy Pietrobono (Ballot Position #2), and Mark Krieger (Ballot Position #3).

​Sincerely,
Sharice Richardson
Highland Park Board of Education
Chair, Equity and Excellence Committee
0 Comments

Highland Park Public School Parent Amy Jacob Saville

10/26/2016

0 Comments

 
As a parent of two second graders in the Highland Park school district, and as a former education policy researcher, I enthusiastically endorse Darcie Cimarusti, Judy Pietrobono, and Mark Krieger for school board.
Darcie Cimarusti is a tireless advocate, not just for Highland Park, but for all public schools across New Jersey. As an education policy professional, Darcie has a tremendous grasp on the big-picture issues affecting the way our children learn in public schools across the state and nation, and she is able to use that perspective and wisdom to provide thoughtful guidance and insight into the way our district functions. We are extremely fortunate to have someone as knowledgeable and committed to public education as Darcie.
Judy Pietrobono has a long tradition of public service as a community librarian, while Mark Krieger also brings a wealth of experience as previous chair of the finance committee on the Highland Park Board of Education.
I am happy to lend my voice to support this slate of candidates and look forward to their leadership on the Highland Park Board of Education.


Sincerely
Amy Jacob Saville
Highland Park, NJ
0 Comments

Former Board President Sandy Kenyon's Endorsement

9/14/2016

2 Comments

 
As a former board member (9 years) and board president (3 years), I am delighted to endorse this slate. I know Mark's amazing abilities as Finance Chair from personal experience (we were colleagues back when), and I am equally confident of the dedication and good sense of his running mates, Darcie and Judy. We will all benefit from their leadership. 
2 Comments

Former Board President Sharon Krengle's Endorsement

9/14/2016

0 Comments

 
As a former school board member and board president, I know how important continuity can be for effective board and school district functioning. But continuity for continuity's sake is never enough. Continuity only works when board members are committed to their task, engaged in open discussion about improving our schools, and willing to learn and build together on behalf of our community and our community's children. Those things describe Darcie, Judy and Mark very well. Read their bios to understand how committed they are to public education, how much knowledge they bring to their roles, and how much they value open and transparent communication. I urge all Highland Park voters to give them the opportunity to continue the great work they've started.
0 Comments

Karen Bilton's Endorsement

9/14/2016

0 Comments

 
I am a parent of two children in the Highland Park public schools and
I am happy to write this letter to endorse Darcie Cimarusti, Judy
Pietrobono and Mark Krieger as the HPSOS BOE candidates for the 2016
election.
​Darcie has proven herself to be a fierce advocate for public education
for all children, not just in Highland Park but on the state level as
well. She is extremely knowledgeable of the many challenges facing our
schools from the over abundance and relentless restrictions of
standardized testing to the significant cutting of state aid over the
last several years. I am very happy that Darcie is currently serving
as the president of the school board and will work for her re-election
so she may continue this important work.

Both Judy and Mark are new to our school board, having been appointed
this past February and deserve to be elected for a full term.

I have known Judy for over 20 years as a close friend. She is one of
the most conscientious and understanding persons I have ever known. On
the school board, she draws on her long history of community service
as a public librarian to guide her vision for our public schools to be
safe havens for all children to gain an excellent education.

Mark served on the school board in the 1980's, serving as the vice
president as well as the chair of the finance committee. He has
extensive history working in the private sector and in universities,
working extensively with large budgets and finances, a valuable
resource to our school board.

Currently, our school board is made up of nine members who all strive
for transparency, fair budgeting, along with understanding, well
constructed and useful practices and policies that will provide for a
great educational experience for all of our children in Highland Park.
I urge all of my friends and neighbors to cast their vote for these
committed and caring individuals to continue the work of this
productive school board.
0 Comments
    Want to endorse us?
    ​
    Click here!

    Archives

    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.