Group Hopes To Win Neshaminy Board Seats, Reverse Consolidation Plan

A group of Neshaminy School District residents upset with the current direction the school board is headed are hoping to win seats in the upcoming primary election.

Robert Sanna of Levittown’s Region 2, Robert Feather of Levittown’s Region 2, Karen Lowry of Lower Southampton’s Region 1 and Staci O’Brien of Langhorne’s Region 3 are running for seats on the school board. The four have billed themselves the “Save Our Schools” group. All the candidates told LevittownNow.com in an interview that they plan to cross-file for the May 20 primary election.

The team, who all say they want what is best for the students and taxpayers, hopes to win the primary and then the general election in November. If they are elected, the four say they will work with current board members Mike Morris and Ron Rudy. The candidates all adhere to three main goals:

1. Move the fifth graders back down to the elementary schools
2. Keep all neighborhood elementary schools open
3. Do no build a new school in Lower Southampton

The four have had children going through the schools or currently have children in the schools. All four also say they can do a better job than the current board.

“We strongly disagree with where this board board is taking the district,” Sanna said, adding he felt many of the decisions made by the majority of the current board will hurt students and taxpayers. As Sanna spoke, many of the other hopefuls shook their head in support.

“This is a bi-partisan effort,” Sanna said. Lowry noted all the candidates have been actively involved in campaigning to save neighborhood schools.

Lowry, O’Brien and Sanna have been regular speakers at school board meetings since the effort to stop the current board’s consolidation plan was announced. Feather previously applied to fill the seat left vacant when former Board President Ritchie Webb  stepped down in late 2013, but John Allen was chose instead.

The four stated they want support from the community. From teachers to plumbers, the group is willing to work with Neshaminy stakeholders.

If elected during the primary, the candidates hope the current board halts their plans and waits until the November election. Feather and Sanna both explained they think successful primary bids would show the sitting board the community doesn’t support their plan. “What we’re hoping for is they would hold off on their moves if we’re elected at the primary,” Feather said.

If elected at the general election, the candidates hope to reverse, if possible, consolidation plans approved by the current board.

Several of the candidates disputed savings the district had claimed would come if the consolidate plan goes through.

O’Brien said the group would make improvements and renovations to schools as needed. Sanna cited the district’s $9 million capital improvement fund as evidence of how improvement projects could be paid for.

“It looks like there are other options that have been put on the table. We could look at those options,” Feather said. He added he has concerned because once a school is closed, it is difficult to get in back into service.

The Save Our Schools candidates aren’t just passionate about saving neighborhood schools and moving fifth graders back to elementary schools, O’Brien explained they hoped to improve educational opportunities offered to students.

“STEM education needs to improve and foreign language programs need to be reexamined,” she said.

Feather agreed with O’Brien and said the “children are the biggest asset we have.”

O’Brien and Sanna were all endorsed last week by the Middletown Democratic Party. A press release said they would not endorse Lowry because almost all of Region 1 sits in Lower Southampton.

“People have lost faith in this board,” Sanna said. “Someone has to be the voices of the children.”

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Robert Feather was endorsed by the Middletown Democratic Party. The story has been updated to note only Staci O’Brien and Robert Sanna were endorsed by the Middletown Democratic Party.