Candidates for the Board of the Wallingford-Swarthmore Schools
Four seats on the board of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District will be on the ballot in Pennsylvania’s May 18 primary election. In Region 1, four candidates are competing for two seats. In Region 2, two candidates are competing for one seat. In Region 3, one candidate is running for one seat.
Candidates in school board races are permitted to cross-file on both the Democratic and Republican primary ballots. If they win in either primary, they will appear on the general election ballot in November. (If they win in both primaries, their name will appear on both parties’ ballots in November.)
Michele Downie, a Region 2 board member, resigned last month, but her seat will not be on the ballot in the primary election. Instead, the board will appoint an interim member to serve in her seat between now and the November election, and the parties will select the candidates who will run in the November general election to fill out the remainder of Downie’s term.
The profiles presented here are based on information provided by the candidates in response to a questionnaire. They have not been fact-checked.
Amy Caruso • Region 1
Amy Caruso is running for a school board seat in Region 1, cross-filed on both the Republican and Democratic ballots. Photo courtesy of Amy Caruso
Amy Caruso has lived in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District for 11 years. She has been a homeroom parent, participated in parent-teacher organizations, and served as president of the Strath Haven Middle School Home and School Association. She has attended quarterly superintendent meetings and meetings of the school board and its various committees for years while also coordinating multiple district-wide fundraisers.
“This generation needs help getting lost learning time back,” says Caruso. “The greatest impact of Covid-19 on our adolescents has been the closure of school. The board needs new leaders who will listen, convey trust, and manage policy with a fresh perspective.”
Caruso values the district’s combination of academic excellence, teacher distinction, and afterschool programs. She lauds the talents and enthusiasm of teachers; applauds the many clubs that foster social, emotional, and physical wellbeing; appreciates the many sports teams; and welcomes students’ freedom to choose courses as they get older.
She believes that the district has lacked stability and leadership, and that it has experienced too many tax increases. She would like to see “stronger dialogue and transparency regarding curriculum changes before they are implemented,” and believes that changes in instructional methods don’t always translate to better education. She thinks that teachers, as professionals, “should have more input into curriculum and the delivery of education programs,” and should not have their time diverted by “burdensome professional development.”
The district’s “dangerously low” reserve fund balance worries Caruso, and she says litigation costs seem excessive, especially since “as PTO chair, I have had teachers ask me for pencils and basic supplies.”
Caruso wants to make sure lunch is available for students at Strath Haven High School next year and would like to see the high school’s current block schedule (four long academic periods a day) be modified. She wants more information about the district’s sleep study and also about its plans for students currently enrolled in the Online Academy.
Caruso believes that “important conversations” have begun in regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion via the board’s DEI subcommittee. But, she says, “the committee needs restructuring and oversight by the new superintendent.” She also believes that the voices of families of students with individualized educational programs, known as IEPs, should be included as part of DEI, saying, “People move here for the schools, and they also move here for the special education program.”
A consultant who worked for 10 years as senior director of administration at a global volunteer organization with an $80 million budget, Caruso says, “I am often called upon to take over projects requiring immediate attention and response, and to collaborate as an outside consultant with internal managers. This requires finesse and strong collaborative skills, while quickly assessing the project status and objective. All of these skills would contribute to my role as a school director.”
Kevin Henry • Region 1
Kevin Henry is running for a school board seat in Region 1, cross-filed on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. Photo: Jack Henry
When Kevin Henry graduated from high school, his family could not afford to send him to college, so he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After being honorably discharged, he used the GI Bill to help pay for his undergraduate degree. “The military taught me valuable lessons in self-discipline, integrity, and leading by example — skills I will bring to the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District,” Henry says.
Henry is eager to see the district do more to support students who seek an alternative path to higher education, helping them explore opportunities other than a traditional college degree and the debt that often comes with it. “I will be an advocate for those students interested in trade schools, technical schools, community colleges, culinary school, the military, AmeriCorps, etc.,” he says.
He would also like to see equality and diversity embedded throughout the curriculum. “Young people need to hear stories and learn about people of different races, religions, genders, and people from the LGBTQ+ community,” Henry says. Citing studies showing that student discipline disproportionately affects students of color, Henry supports a district-wide review of “how student discipline is applied and what changes need to be made to school policy to ensure fairness of application.” He also supports mandatory diversity and equity training for teachers and staff, with progress reports given to the school board.
Henry points to the district’s music program as a particular strength. “From our elementary schools, where all students are in the choir, to our middle school and high school marching and symphonic bands where anyone interested is accepted, our school district music department sets a great example of what inclusivity should look like in our community,” he says.
Professionally, Henry is the chief underwriting officer of special risks for a global insurance company. He has spent his career “making difficult decisions, negotiating with a wide variety of personalities, and managing a global team with a multi-million dollar budget,” he says.
The product of a family of school teachers, Henry has lived in the district for 19 years. He says he thinks the board needs a fresh voice and renewed energy, adding, “I’m a strong believer that, to make things better, we have to be active participants in our community and schools.”
Kelly Wachtman • Region 1
Kelly Wachtman is running for a school board seat in Region 1, cross-filed on both the Democratic and Repulican ballots. Photo courtesy of Kelly Wachtman
Kelly Wachtman is running for a second four-year term on the board of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District to continue the work she has begun on teaching and learning; finances; and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the district. She also wants to help ensure a successful transition for the district’s incoming superintendent, Wagner Marseille.
“We will soon begin work on a new five-year strategic plan,” Wachtman says, adding that it must take into account the job opportunities of the future, build on academic research and on the experiences of other high-performing districts, be informed by demographic changes, and anticipate funding projections and updates to state policies and laws. She believes that her professional experience in enterprise transformation and public policy, in addition to strategic planning, prepare her well to shepherd this work.
Improved communication and enhanced transparency are at the top of Wachtman’s school director to-do list. She is currently reviewing recommendations from communications experts as well as the communications policies of other districts. She would like to see a new board policy requiring that all standing meetings of school board committees be posted on the district website.
A founding member of the board’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Wachtman wants DEI work in the schools to expand. She says this means, in part, completing a district equity audit; expanding required professional development in DEI for the board, staff, and some contractors; evaluating district policies and procedures through an equity lens; revising K-12 curricula to reflect the core values of DEI; and inviting students and families from marginalized communities to offer feedback on priorities and progress.
A 12-year resident of the district, Wachtman cites the “exceptionally talented, caring, and dedicated teachers and support staff” as one of the schools’ greatest strengths, along with the depth and breadth of academic and extracurricular opportunities for students.
Wachtman believes that her perspective on leadership and serving her community has been shaped by being part of one company as it grew from a small local enterprise to an industry leader with a national footprint. She says she would bring the company’s “core values of advocacy, compassion, dignity, diversity, and stewardship” to a second term on the school board.
Robert Kelly • Region 2
Robert Kelly is running for a school board seat in Region 2, cross-filed on both the Republican and Democratic ballots. Photo courtesy of Robert Kelly
Robert Kelly is running for a seat on the Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board to make the school experience “better for all students,” he says, adding, “This past year has shown the importance of electing people who are engaged and question the administration on policies and programs.”
Kelly values the quality of education and diversity of programs available to students in the district, citing foreign language opportunities in elementary school, the district’s music program, and other activities that allow students “to explore and find areas of interest that can last a lifetime.”
He is concerned about budget issues, saying “WSSD has asked to exceed the allowable tax rates in four of the last five years, putting a disproportionate burden on seniors and lower-income families.” He would also like to see better short-term and long-term planning. “While nobody could plan for the pandemic,” he says, “our lack of planning and of the transparency of board decisions created more questions in our community than answers. It also divided our community.”
Kelly wants more focus on physical and emotional wellness, saying that the psychological difficulties of the past year will have a lasting impact on students and families.
One of the main reasons he is running for school director, Kelly explains, is “the lack of diversity of thought and ideas” among board members, which he says leads to programs and policies that fail to reflect the diversity of opinions in the district. He also expresses frustration with the lack of debate at board meetings, saying, “This past year, major issues were rarely debated with the entire board participating.”
Kelly has lived in the district for 15 years and has been an active community volunteer, including serving on the Summit School Committee, which made recommendations to Nether Providence Township about the future of the former school building on Plush Mill Road. A vice president of a risk management and cost-containment company, he believes his business experience, negotiation skills, and budget-management expertise will serve the district well if he is elected.
In describing what kind of school director he would be, Kelly recounts his experience as a high school student representing the student body on a search committee for a new principal. Impressed with one candidate’s advanced degrees and publications, the committee selected an out-of-state candidate rather than the current assistant principal — a decision that Kelly says turned out to be a mistake. The new principal’s ideas were a bad match for his new school, and he soon resigned.
“That experience taught me the importance of finding qualified people who are committed to working with others to build an inclusive, caring, and understanding culture focused on accountability and academic success,” Kelly says.
Rachel Holbert • Region 2
Rachel Holbert is running for a school board seat in Region 2 on the Democratic ballot. Photo courtesy of Rachel Holbert
If she is elected to the board of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, Rachel Holbert says, restoring the community’s trust in the school district will be one of her primary goals. “Pride in our school district holds this community together,” she says.
Holbert believes that, when responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, school board members and administrators often failed to effectively communicate their evolving solutions to the problems it posed. “Yet our district is filled with smart, caring, hard-working administrators who really do deserve our confidence,” she says. She believes the board can play an active role in ensuring that communication is clear and decision-making is transparent.
The district’s finances would be another focus for Holbert. “The board will need to make some hard decisions regarding expenses, finding additional revenue, and refinancing,” she says, adding that it will also need to balance quality with affordability. Holbert notes that, as a longtime program evaluator and project manager for governments and nonprofits, she understands data and has experience providing “accountability for organizations that are largely funded by our tax dollars.”
Holbert has lived in the district for seven years. She says that having been part of a different district in the past helps her value our local school district’s attention to balance. “It’s academically rigorous, yet it doesn’t weight grades or declare class rank,” she notes, adding that the breadth and quality of the high school’s classes and extracurricular clubs, together with its arts and athletic offerings, make the district special.
Citing research that movement helps children academically, socially, and physically, Holbert would like the elementary schools to provide at least two recess periods a day, through at least third grade. “Sitting for long periods of time decreases absorption and retention of content,” she says, “while unstructured time using large motor skills helps children re-center and be prepared for the next lesson.” She believes that schools should balance students’ personal, social, and academic well-being at all grade levels.
Holbert supports “ongoing, long-term efforts” to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in district schools, noting that one-time activities and trainings have been shown to promote little change. She says she is “committed to promoting an environment where all people feel understood and encouraged.” She believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts must include students, teachers, staff, administrators, parents, and the rest of the community, and that “communication has to be multifaceted,” with opportunities for all to speak and be heard.
As a former president of Strath Haven High School’s All-Sports Boosters, a volunteer group, Holbert collaborated with the Foundation for Wallingford-Swarthmore Schools to make the sports support group part of the foundation so it could receive tax-deductible donations. She led an effort to consolidate and upgrade out-of-date policies, an endeavor that she says “wasn’t glamorous, but left the organization stronger, with increased accountability and transparency.”
“I’m willing to take on the tasks that don’t create headlines, but make for a better district,” she says.
Suzanne Guillé • Region 1
Suzanne Guillé is running for a school board seat in Region 1 on the Repulican ballot. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Guillé
Keeping schools fully open is one of the main reasons Suzanne Guillé is running for school director from region 1. “Education, fraternization, and socialization are absolutely essential,” she says.
Guillé advocates improvements to school buildings to make them healthier for students, faculty, and staff. These include upgrades to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; replacing non-functioning windows with ones that open; and installing humidity controls. She would also like to see the schools make better use of their outdoor spaces for learning, eating, and gardening.
Guillé wants more transparency regarding district budgets and spending. “Our community wants to know where the money goes,” she says. She would focus on smaller class sizes, hiring more teacher’s aids, and improving the schools’ technology program.
When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Guillé says she thinks the district “has an opportunity to be truly progressive and not just follow suit. All lives matter, and our focus should be on unity and celebrating the melting pot that is our community. You should practice equality and inclusion, but you shouldn’t minimize peoples cultures or heritage.” She says she does not support busing or rezoning.
Guillé, who has lived in the area since 2019, says she “values that parents are heavily invested in the district and its success.” Her professional background includes real estate, technology, and financial solutions. “I’ve controlled budgets for more years than I care to remember,” she says, “which is key for this position.”
Ultimately, though, she describes herself as “simply an invested parent who wants to provide the best foundation and educational experience possible for my daughter.”
David Grande • Region 3
David Grande is running for a school board seat in Region 3 on the Democratic ballot. Photo courtesy of David Grande
David Grande, the current board president of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, is running for a second four-year term to provide continuity of leadership — especially since a new superintendent, Wagner Marseille, has been hired.
“I initially ran for the school board four years ago because I wanted to contribute my time and energy to making sure our schools continue to be outstanding,” Grande says, adding, “Our schools are the core of our community.”
Grande cites teachers as a particular strength of the district. “Each and every year, as parents, we have been nothing but impressed with the quality of teachers and the educational experience for our children,” he says.
As the worst threats of the Covid-19 pandemic recede, Grande wants to see the district focus on long-term strategic planning. “While we are one of the best districts in the state,” he says, “we need to manage our finances and continue to innovate our educational models if we want to remain outstanding.”
He also wants to help the district develop a deeper engagement with families through a more robust communication plan “so that parents, students, and community members feel more informed and have more opportunities to engage.”
Grande supports investing time and financial resources in order to make schools welcoming for all students, to close achievement gaps, and to “create a diverse educational environment.” He believes that the board should set goals for the new superintendent and ensure that he has the resources to support those goals. Grande recommends that these goals include “creating a more inclusive environment in all of our school buildings, and conducting an equity audit,” both to identify key areas for action and to create accountability.”
Grande has lived in the district for 10 years. “Moving here was one of the best decisions we have made,” he says. A physician and health policy researcher, he never expected his professional expertise to be broadly relevant to his school board service. But, he says, he has “tried to use as much of my training and expertise as possible in my school board role to help guide the district through the pandemic.”
Grande also points to the similarities between being part of a healthcare team and being a school board member, particularly the imperative to work collaboratively. “There are many times in health care that you have to collaborate with other providers to work through very difficult decisions and challenges,” he says. “Collaboration is what leads to the best decisions and the best outcomes.”
