Q&A: What Do Your Candidates Have to Say?
Sara: I have More than 20 years of experience in education, research, and learning, with a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science. My career has spanned higher education, educational organizations, research, and work with school systems. My expertise focuses on how people learn, how educational programs and curricula are implemented, and how evidence and data can be used to improve outcomes for students.
My recent feature article in Phi Delta Kappan, “Beyond adopt and hope,” explores an issue that will be especially important as we move into the implementation of a new K–5 math curriculum next year: choosing a strong curriculum matters, but how we implement it matters just as much.
What is your professional background:
Ethan: I am an associate professor in the Human Ecology Department at Rutgers University. I conduct research on sustainable agriculture and food systems, and I teach about environmental politics and policy. I love to teach, and I am always inspired by my students: their giving spirit, how hard they work, the fresh perspective they bring to every issue. Teaching at Rutgers and talking to my students there makes me realize every day that great K-12 teachers can make all the difference in a person’s life. That’s why I am so committed to making our schools in Highland Park the very best they can be.
Nikki: I am a health and wellness professional with a background spanning fitness and wellness, community health, program development and leadership, and business operations. Throughout my career, my work has been centered on helping people access the resources, education, and support they need to improve their health and well-being. That background has also shaped the perspective I bring to the Board, particularly my focus on student wellness, prevention, access, and the connection between a child's well-being and their ability to learn.
What is your involvement in the Community?
Ethan: With my wife and two children, I’ve lived in Highland Park for over 10 years. (As my neighbors all know, we also have a dog, Juniper!) My sons started out as Irving Dragons, moved up as Bartle Dolphins, and now—I can hardly believe it—they’re junior owls at the Middle School. From the very first day at Irving, I knew that Highland Park schools were something special. From discussions over the dinner table to talking with friends in the bleachers at school basketball games, I hear every day about what’s working well in Highland Park—and, sometimes, about what could be improved. I think we’re on the right track as a school district, and it would be an honor to be re-elected to the Board of Education for another three years.
There is no better town in New Jersey than Highland Park, and it’s the kind of place that makes you want to get involved.
Nikki: Highland Park is my home, and my three children attend Highland Park Public Schools. In addition to three years of service on the Board of Education, I have participated in district and community efforts focused on equity, student well-being, accessibility, and opportunities for children and families. I have also participated in the district's Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG) as a parent member.
Sara: I am an active member of the Highland Park community, including three years of service on the Highland Park Board of Education. I am also an elected Highland Park Democratic County Committee member and have been involved in community and district efforts focused on education, families, and strengthening opportunities for children.
Highland Park is my family's home, and my two young daughters attend Highland Park Public Schools. My work on the Board is both professional and deeply personal. I want our schools to be places where every child is known, challenged, supported, and given what they need to thrive.
What are you most proud of during your BOE tenure?
Ethan: As a BOE member, I’ve served at different times on the Facilities and Finance Committee and the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. I’m proud that I have helped keep the district focused on keeping academic standards high while making sure that we are always investing in programs to help all students achieve their full potential. As just a few examples of this I would put forward the following:
As a member of the board, I have made clear that math and reading intervention at Bartle Elementary should be a very high priority. These dedicated interventionists help to catch struggling students early, giving them the special attention needed to get them back on track. Despite difficult budgetary times, we have maintained support for early intervention programs, and the importance of this cannot be overstated.
We have been able to keep expanding pre-K at Irving School. Free, public pre-K makes early education accessible to families in Highland Park who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Students with a year of pre-K are better prepared for kindergarten, and their whole educational trajectory can be improved as a result.
We have maintained support for the arts and music at a time when, in many other districts, these programs have been cut. I have one son in the Middle School band and another in chorus. Every time I go to a concert I am so proud that our board’s dedication to the arts means that life-changing opportunities to get on stage and perform are available to every student, no matter their economic circumstances
Nikki: During my three years on the Board, I have served on the Equity & Excellence and Finance & Facilities Committees, as liaison to the Highland Park Human Relations Commission, and as a Board representative to the district's Central Leadership Team.
I am especially proud that we have continued investing in the needs of the whole child while navigating the financial realities facing our district. My priorities on the Board have included student mental health and wellness, equity and access, strong special education services, expanded opportunities for advanced learners, and preserving the programs and experiences that allow students with different strengths and interests to find places where they can thrive.
I am equally proud that we have continued identifying where improvement is needed rather than treating progress as a reason to become complacent. I believe responsible leadership means being able to celebrate what is working while still asking difficult questions about what could work better.
Sara: I am particularly proud that, we worked to protect what matters most for students while also remaining thoughtful and responsible stewards of district resources. During a period of significant budget pressure when surrounding districts were making difficult and sometimes substantial cuts, Highland Park continued to prioritize all of our students by strengthening academic supports, expanding intervention programs for students who need additional help, while also improving how we understand the performance and needs of all learners, rather than relying only on district averages. Good data should help us see children sooner, understand what they need, and intervene before small struggles become much bigger ones.
What would you say is your area of expertise?
Ethan: As a teacher at Rutgers for the past 10 years and at other universities before that, I have personally seen how educational “technologies” have changed what it means to be a student—and not always for the better. Laptops make taking notes easier; but they also make checking your email in class just a click away. Reading books and articles on a screen means less to carry around; but it also means, often, that students skim rather than read deeply. And cell phones in the classroom—don’t get me started!
For all these reasons, I have a special interest in making sure that Highland Park schools have a healthy, even skeptical, relationship to technology. As a board member, I pushed hard for the Middle School to install holding boxes for cell phones in each home room, so that students wouldn’t be tempted to use their phones during the day. That is now the policy today, and I believe that the culture at the Middle School has improved as a result. More recently, I strongly urged the administration to make non-reliance on screens an important criterion for choosing a new math curriculum for grades 3-5. The curriculum ultimately selected features real paper workbooks that students will bring home every day, reducing the need to use their Chromebooks.
Nikki: Student health and wellness; mental health and well-being; special education; advanced learning; inclusive school communities; whole-child education; student engagement; and access to opportunities beyond core academics, including the arts, athletics, STEM, clubs, and enrichment. I also homeschooled my kids before we moved to Highland Park.
My professional background has taught me that outcomes are rarely determined by one factor alone. The same is true in education. Students learn best when they are appropriately challenged, supported when they struggle, physically and emotionally well, and able to feel that they belong in their school community. My experience homeschooling my children also gave me a hands-on understanding of curriculum, different learning styles, and just how differently children can experience the same educational material.
Sara: Teaching and learning; curriculum and implementation; research and evidence; student achievement; early identification and intervention; supporting diverse learners; using data to understand student needs and improve educational programs; and ensuring that strong ideas translate into meaningful experiences for students and teachers.
Nikki: Being a part of the Board of Education is deeply personal to me. I grew up as one of five children in a low-income Latino household, in a Spanish-speaking home and community; also surrounded by family members who were educators. Access and opportunity weren’t always a given, but education was always a top priority. That experience has stayed with me and shaped how I think about the opportunities every child deserves. These are some of the reasons why I tend to make decisions through the lens of: Who does this help? Who might we be missing? And what can we do to make sure every student has the opportunity to succeed?
Today, I am the mother of three children in Highland Park Public Schools, so I experience our district not only as a Board member, but as a parent and community member.
Outside of the Board, music is a big part of my life - I’m a singer in a local band, play piano, and am trying to learn guitar and banjo. I also love being active, spending time with my family, and being outdoors exploring in nature. A life long learner, I’m constantly seeking opportunities to challenge myself and learn something new. I strive to stay curious.
Can you share something personal about yourself? What do you want your voters to know about you?
Ethan: In addition to serving three years on the Highland Park Board of Education, I was a district representative for four years on the Highland Park Democratic Committee. Outside of Highland Park, my wife and I are active members of Kehilat Shalom, a Reconstructionist synagogue in Belle Mead.
If you see me walking Juniper around town, please stop and say hi! I always want to hear from people in the community about their experience with Highland Park schools. With everyone’s support, there’s nothing our students can’t do.
Sara: I am a mom of two Highland Park students, an education researcher by training, and someone who genuinely loves learning. I bring a researcher's curiosity to the Board, but also a parent's very practical perspective: What does this decision actually mean for children, teachers, and families? I care deeply about this community and believe public education is one of the most important investments we make in one another.