New School Board President, Vice President Named In Bensalem

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Democratic Party took control of the Bensalem Township School Board during its reorganization meeting on Monday night.

With Republicans holding a 5-4 majority going into the November general election, Democrats took four school board seats to take an 8-1 majority.

On Monday night, four new school board directors were sworn in, along with the naming of a new board president and vice president.

School Director Deborah King was named as president, while Stephanie A. Gonzalez Ferrandez, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor, was named as vice president.

“As the newly elected president of the Bensalem School Board, my vision is to foster a district built on transparency, accountability, collaboration, and student-centered decision-making," King told Patch on Tuesday. "I am committed to creating an environment where families feel informed, educators feel supported, and every child has access to the tools and opportunities they need to thrive. Together, we will strengthen our schools, invest in modern learning environments, and build a future that reflects the diverse and dynamic community we proudly serve.”

The four new school board directors who took the oath on Monday night were former school board member Rachel Fingles and newcomers Rodger Allen, Leann Hart, and Kate Pascucci.

They join holdovers Rebecca Mirra, Karen Winters, and Heather Nicholas, the remaining Republican on the board.

"It was a good night for the students and families of Bensalem," Ferrandez said."

Longtime GOP School Director Marc Cohen lost his re-election bid after serving a decade on the school board. Republican candidates Sheldon Per, Abby Koss, and Lee Schum also lost their election bids.

The school board race has focused on debate over a new middle school. The school board recently held off a vote to allow the new school board to make that decision.

Ferrandez spoke to Patch about "a lot of changes" on the school board.

She said those changes have to do with the backlash against the Trump Administration and Democrats making strides, especially in the Republican stronghold of Bensalem.

"We can finally have a planning session and plan out what the next five years might look like," said Ferrandez, now entering her seventh year on the school board. "We have a lot of holes to dig ourselves out of. But we're not dictated any more by politics. We're not controlled by someone else."

(Photos Courtesy of Stephanie Gonzalez Ferrandez)