Longtime Member Steps Down From Pennsbury Board

TR Kannan, a longtime fixture of the Pennsbury School Board who helped steer the district through the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, has resigned after a decade of service.

Kannan submitted his resignation prior to Thursday evening’s board meeting.

In an interview with LevittownNow.com, he cited the mounting pressures of his career. As a pharmaceutical procurement expert, Kannan said his job requires extensive travel that prevents him from dedicating the necessary time to his board duties.

“I’ve been here for 10 years now, and I wanted to not be on the board forever,” Kannan said. “My life is demanding more of my time between work, family, and personal commitments.”

His departure marks the end of a tenure that began in December 2015.

During his time on the board, Kannan served as president and sat on several key committees, including finance, policy, and facilities.

Kannan’s exit coincides with the start of a high school construction project.

The board voted Thursday evening to approve bids for the project.

Kannan said the project is moving into an “execution phase” that will span the next several years.

“I think we’re at a good point where we got the bids,” Kannan said. “It’s all execution for the next couple of years.”

Kannan, whose two sons graduated from the district in 2020 and 2025, said he had planned to remain on the board until both children finished their Pennsbury education.

The board member has contemplated his resignation over the past several months and felt it was the right time.

Reflecting on his decade of service, Kannan highlighted the 2015 rollout of a Chromebook program as a defining success. The early adoption of the technology proved vital when the pandemic forced students into remote learning years later. He also pointed to the development of the district’s artificial intelligence policy and the hiring of Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith as accomplishments.

The pandemic years, however, proved to be taxing.

As board president during the health crisis, Kannan faced the challenge of balancing the needs of parents, staff, and students.

“There’s no way you could make everybody happy, so you had to make decisions that you could make enough people happy or everybody a little happy,” Kannan said. “I always felt that students come first.”

“I realized very quickly that things are not going to be in our control and things are going to go at their own pace,” Kannan said, reflecting on the patience he learned as board president. “Even if you can’t solve it for them, they’ll feel better if you at least hear them out and empathize with them.”

Kannan was on the board during a turbulent time that included federal authorities probing around, staff lawsuits, a First Amendment lawsuit, the departure of controversial former Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula, and a number of culture war issues that were mentioned by national commentators.

While on the board, Kannan compared the Act 1 index, which is the state-mandated limit on tax increases, to a credit card limit rather than a spending goal. He also worked to mend fractured relationships between the board and district staff that existed when he first took office.

Though he was elected as a Democrat, Kannan later changed his registration to be an independent.

Kannan characterized his time on the board as public service rather than a stepping stone to another political office. He said he has no immediate plans to run for another office.

The Pennsbury School Board will move to fill the vacancy created by his departure on the nine-member body.