Upper Dublin board appoints Joseph Berto to fill seat vacated Sept. 17

The Upper Dublin School District Board of School Directors on Oct. 13, 2025, appointed Joseph (Joe) Berto to fill the seat vacated by Stu Warshauer, voting 5-3 by written ballot after several rounds of nominations and ballots.

The appointment concluded a public special legislative meeting in the Upper Dublin High School Cardinal Room that the board advertised and held to satisfy the timeline in the school code requiring boards to fill vacancies by appointment within 30 days. The board received 10 applications and publicly interviewed five candidates before taking the vote.

The board president (chair) opened the meeting by explaining the process: “we are here tonight to hopefully, select a candidate to fill a vacancy created on our board by mister Warshauer's resignation,” and said the interviews would be public and that nominations and voting would be by written ballot. The district’s board secretary read the public notice that described the vacancy and the meeting time and location.

Public comment was limited to the appointment process; one resident, Anita Brewster of Fort Washington, asked whether candidates would be interviewed individually or as a group and how many people had applied. The board chair said answers would be provided during the process.

Five candidates — Lynn Rosenstock, Joe Bradbury, Morgan Golombek, Joseph (Joe) Berto and Mr. Caldwell — answered seven board questions in a panel format. Candidates described their understanding of the board’s role, how they would balance competing community perspectives, and how they would support district goals on equity, budgeting and curriculum. Morgan Golombek emphasized governance and oversight, saying the board “serves as a governing body with its authority resting in the board as a whole” and distinguishing the board’s policy role from the superintendent’s operational duties. Lynn Rosenstock and others stressed listening and collaboration as key board skills.

Board members discussed whether to prioritize an appointee with an education background or a different professional perspective. Several board members said the district would benefit from diverse viewpoints; others noted value in having K–12 classroom experience represented. As one board member said during deliberations, “we are very lucky… we are really blessed in Upper Dublin to have such a wealth of, excellent people interested in sitting in these seats.”

Nominations proceeded in multiple rounds. After written ballots and readouts by the board secretary, the board clerk announced that a candidate had reached the required five votes. The board then asked the appointee whether he would accept the oath of office; Berto responded, “Yes, ma'am,” and asked that fellow candidate Morgan Golombek consider running in the future.

Board secretary Jenna Evans administered the oath, with the appointee swearing to “support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of this commonwealth” and to “discharge the duties of my office with fidelity.”

The appointment is effective immediately; the appointee will serve the remainder of the term for the seat vacated on Sept. 17, 2025. The board did not adopt any additional actions as part of the appointment vote.

The board encouraged unsuccessful applicants to remain involved in the district and said future opportunities — including elections — would be available. The meeting adjourned after the oath was administered.