Parents urge Cheltenham board to delay midyear principal reassignment at Cedar Brook East

Several parents during the public-comment period urged the Cheltenham School District board to reconsider the timing of an administrative reassignment affecting Principal Nelson at Cedar Brook East.

Emily Sharamewalls, who identified herself as a Ward 6 resident, asked the board to allow Principal Nelson to remain through the end of the school year so sixth graders can finish the year with continuity: "For the sake of the students at Cedar Brook East specifically, I urge the board to allow miss Nelson to remain through the end of the school year so these sixth graders can finish with the stability that they so deserve." Other speakers, including Elizabeth Saavedra and Rebecca Cohn, echoed concerns about a lack of community input and asked the administration to explain how the timing benefits students.

In response, Superintendent Doctor Scriven told the board he made the personnel decision as an administrative action and said the item on the agenda did not require board approval: "I do wanna clarify that even though I put this on the board agenda, this is not, a move that needs to be approved by the board." He acknowledged the communication could have been clearer and told the community, "I will own that," while asking for time and promising opportunities for parents to meet the incoming administrator and to participate in transition meetings.

Board members and staff said there will be opportunities for parents to meet Dr. Russell (the incoming administrator) and to receive more information. There was no board vote to change the personnel decision at the meeting.

The district did not provide a timeline in the meeting for a formal review beyond the superintendent’s pledge to meet with parents and to post additional details; parents asked for clearer justifications for the timing and for the rationale that the move serves student needs.