CFES principal retires unexpectedly; school board director announces resignation

***Update: A message sent to parents on April 24 said an interim principal has been named for Chadds Ford Elementary School. Tom Tobin starts Monday morning, April 28.***

Chadds Ford Elementary School Principal Mark Ransford retired unexpectedly effective immediately. His retirement was announced and voted on during the April 21 School Board meeting.

District Director of Curriculum and Instruction John Nolen and current Hillendale Elementary School Principal Steve Dissinger will temporarily fill in to provide administrative assistance at CFES.

School Superintendent John Sanville said during the meeting — and repeated in an e-mail to parents afterward — that there had been a break down in protocol during the March 31 PSSA testing.

“Mr. Ransford, Chadds Ford Elementary School principal, provided 12 students with the opportunity to finish certain sections of the PSSA after testing had concluded. This violation of PSSA testing protocols was reported to the District Office by CFES staff. At that time we contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Education and launched an investigation,” Sanville said.

“Our inquiry concluded that irregular testing procedures had occurred.  All information from our investigation has been sent to Harrisburg.

Mr. Ransford has decided to retire. Mr. Ransford’s decision is personal. The Board has accepted and approved his retirement request.”

Sanville also said it was a one-time offense.

Other business

• School Board Director Eileen Bushelow also announced that she would be resigning as of May 24. This means she will not be voting on the budget for the 2014-2015 budget scheduled for June. Bushelow said her resignation was for personal reasons.

Bushelow represents Region B, which includes Birmingham and Pocopson Townships.

• The votes was close, 5-4, but the board agreed to raise the fees for participation in sports and other activities in the district.

The new fees range are $25, $50, $75 and $100, per student per activity, but there are caps of $250 per individual participating in multiple activities and a cap of $500 per family with more than one student involved in activities.

According to Director Keith Knauss, the fees are roughly 15 percent of the actual per student cost and are reasonable. However, other directors disagree.

Michael Rock said taxing participation is an “unmitigated failure” and unconscionable. And Gregg Lindner called it a slippery slope.

Kathy Do, who voted for the increase after making sure there were individual and family caps, said she struggled with the idea but would support it. She added that she hopes the action does not set a precedent for increasing fees on a regular basis.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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