Dr. Wagner Marseille, former superintendent of the Cheltenham School District and current superintendent of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (Delaware County), has found himself at odds with a number of parents, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported today.
According to the article, some Wallingford-Swarthmore parents say Dr. Marseille “has disrespected administrators and teachers and is threatening to undermine the highly ranked district.”
Dr. Marseille, who left Wyncote in July 2021 after accepting the position, has been the subject of a petition with 270 signatures, along with a series of letters and social media posts since July. Some feel the district has seen a deteriorating morale during his tenure vis-à-vis administrators leaving, teachers retiring early, a teachers’ contract impasse, and accusations of excessive spending, the Inquirer said.
An excerpt from the petition: “The administration led by Dr. Marseilles is not leading with our shared values. We have witnessed a culture of support and collegiality amongst our administrators, teachers and staff erode over the past two years.” It includes a suggestion to conduct “a formal, independent, evaluation of Dr. Marseilles performance with emphasis on his ability to create a supportive and collegiate work environment.”
Some parents are asking the school board to deny his contract’s extension next year, the Inquirer said.
The school board issued a statement on Monday:
Organizational change often includes some level of challenge, frustration, or resistance, but it is clear that our current path is not serving our school district well or creating the kind of fully supportive environment that we need to thrive. It is time to reset.
Born in Haiti, Dr. Marseille medaled at several international track competitions and championships and represented Haiti in the 1996 Olympic Games.
In 2008, he was enshrined in the Athletic Hall of Fame of his alma mater Princeton High School (New Jersey). He matriculated at Fairleigh Dickinson on a full athletic scholarship where he was named a Division I All-American.
He started his teaching career at his alma mater Princeton High where he taught accounting, economics, business ethics, and entrepreneurship and also served as track and soccer coach.
In 2017, the Cheltenham NAACP Area Branch honored him with the annual President’s Award.
Dr. Marseille served Cheltenham schools from 2015 to 2021.
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Photo: cheltenhamnaacp.com