Parents press Marple Newtown board for clearer communication after alleged threats and bullying at Wuerl Elementary

Several parents and a Wuerl Elementary teacher urged the Marple Newtown School District board on April 22 to provide clearer, more transparent communication about incidents of bullying and a reported threat at the school.

Jacqueline Cornejo, a resident and parent, said she has three children in the district and that two were removed from Wuerl because of bullying that she said was not adequately addressed. “There was a threat made to children several weeks ago that has been swept under the rug,” Cornejo said during public comment. She told the board parents were being given general responses such as “we can't share because of HIPAA” and said she wanted to know what the district was doing to protect students emotionally and physically.

A district staff member who responded in the meeting said the district had not “swept” the situation under the rug and that “we are taking seriously the situation. Plans have been developed. They’re being carried out.” The staff member also noted that state and federal laws limit what the district can share publicly. The transcript does not record the staff member’s full name or title.

Several parents said they were frustrated by inconsistent communication and by reliance on informal channels such as parent text threads. One parent said she had to consult the police to address an issue because she felt the school had not resolved it; the parent said the family then faced out-of-pocket costs to enroll a child in private school.

Third-grade teacher Maureen Leon, speaking in the public comment period, defended Wuerl principal Doctor Sturtevant’s leadership: “Doctor Sturtevant does everything that she can to support both probably first and foremost students,” Leon said. Leon called the principal “an amazing principal that loves and cares about her students so much.”

Board members acknowledged the parents’ concerns and said communication is a difficult balance between transparency and legal constraints. The board and administration said they would continue to review procedures and consider whether additional messaging or policy steps are needed; no board action was taken at the meeting.

Clarifying details

• Parent statement: two children removed from Wuerl because of bullying (specific dates and actions not provided in the transcript).

• Administrator statement: plans to address the reported threat had been developed and were “being carried out.”