Dr. Darlene Ruscitti

Regional Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Darlene J. Ruscitti is the Regional Superintendent of Schools for DuPage County. She is the first woman ever elected to the position of Regional Superintendent of DuPage since the inception of the office in 1854.

Darlene earned her Doctor of Education Degree from Loyola University, Chicago, in Policy Studies and Administration, and Masters and Bachelor of Education Degrees from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago. Dr. Ruscitti has been a school board and PTO president, teacher, staff developer, administrator, and the assistant regional superintendent of schools for DuPage County.

Dr. Ruscitti’s experiences include appointments and nominations to a myriad of education and business committees that currently include, DuPage County Strategic Planning Initiative, DuPage Work Force Investment Board, DuPage Youth Council, DuPage Juvenile Justice Commission, Federation of Human Services Board, DePaul University Education Board, University of Illinois Chicago’s CASEL Board (The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning), Board of Directors for the Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development, Three Fires Council Boy Scout Troop Executive Board, Illinois Delegate to the annual Congressional Conference on Civic Education, and the DuPage Area Project, to name a few.

Darlene has won numerous awards/recognitions in education that include:

In 2003

* Recognized in the International Edition of Who’s Who of Professional Educators
* Awarded the YWCA prestigious honor of Outstanding Woman Education Leader of the Year for DuPage County
* Inducted into ELI (Educational Leaders of Illinois)
* Awarded the Lincoln Public Service Fellowship

In 2004

* Recognized in Who’s Who in The Leadership of America
* Recognized in Who’s Who in The Leading City and County Government and Local Authorities
* Awarded the 2004 Friends of Education Award
* Nominated to serve on the College Board of Trustees.
* Recognized in Rising Tide: The Magazine of the Republican National Party
* Appointed to the Governor’s Task Force on Education Accountability

In 2005

* Awarded the 2005 Lamp of Learning Award
* Innovative Solutions Award, DuPage Workforce Board
* Appointed by County Board Chairman Schillerstrom to serve as vice-chairman of the DuPage County’s Strategic Plan Steering Committee

In 2006

* 2006 Award of Excellence in Education by IL State Crime Commission
* 2006 Educator of the Year for the DuPage Mental Illness Association
* Appointed by County Board Chairman Schillerstrom to serve on Board of Directors for DuPageBiz
* 2006 Honorary Board Member of United Way of DuPage

In 2007

* Awarded by the Education Commission of the States, membership to the commission’s 100 District Leaders for Civic Engagement
* Impressa Award, granted by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian American

Accomplishments

Accountability to Taxpayers

Under her administration, the office is dedicated to achieving excellence in education while keeping a watchful eye on taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars. The office has aggressively pursued and obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants from both the state and national governments, to pay for critical educational programs that go directly to schools without any additional burden on homeowners. She continues to explore the legal and financial advantages of pooling health and liability insurance costs, transportation costs and the centralization of school district accounts payable expenditures to save taxpayers even more.

Student Safety

The office has initiated policies designed to assist neighborhood schools, in developing specific guidelines and crisis management plans, to maximize the safety of every child in every DuPage County classroom. Dr. Ruscitti launched the focused coordination of activities between the County’s Homeland Security Department, schools, and local Fire and Law Enforcement agencies to ensure that every school provides an environment that is safe and conducive to learning.

She also successfully initiated legislation that strengthened the role of mandated reporting, school investigations, and protecting children from victimization.

Highest Classroom Standards

Dr. Ruscitti’s objective is to make every DuPage County school great for every child. To achieve this she has created programs providing technical assistance and support to enhance teacher quality and guarantee excellence in every curriculum. Particular attention has been paid to core courses of math, science, reading, gifted education and language skills. Her professional staff works closely with schools in meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Legislation.

Darlene believes that her office has a special responsibility to every child.

A responsibility that ensures that every child has access to a school that provides him or her with an education worthy of their potential. A special responsibility to help children form values, character and the skills they’ll need to enhance every community and our nation. She looks forward to continue serving our children and our communities.