New Equity Officer Appointed In Abington School District

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —The Abington School District has appointed a new equity officer.

Carmen Lesesne was named as the new equity officer on July 1.

She will serve the district’s 8,600 students and 1,200 staff members.

Lesesne, who was appointed at the Feb. 27 meeting of the Board of School Directors, comes to the district after previously serving as an assistant professor at Lincoln University in the graduate school of education.

She brings a wealth of experience in the area of equity leadership, also having served as the Supervisor of Equity and Assessment for the West Chester Area School District, a racial equity coach for a national consulting firm, and a principal and equity task force member for a Greater Philadelphia-area charter school.

“As one of the first school districts in the state to implement such a position, we look forward to having Dr. Lesesne serve as the Abington School District Equity Officer and continue our decades-long commitment to educating all students through inclusive and equitable practices,” Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Fecher said.

The position of Equity Officer in Abington School District was initially created in the fall of 2019 to assess and cultivate equity to enhance recruitment and retention of staff, provide professional development, and promote the achievement of students from diverse and under-represented populations within the District.

The equity officer works with school leaders to address disparate impact and ensure the K-12 curriculum reflects a diverse set of perspectives, and with students to continue to provide opportunities for their voices to be heard.

“I am proud to welcome Dr. Lesesne to the Abington School District family,” Board President Shameeka Browne said. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are key elements that enable all students to reach their highest potential. I am excited to have Dr. Lesesne help us to continue in this work.”

Lesesne earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Lincoln University and her Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology from Temple University. She also obtained her Principal Certification from Cabrini College and her Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University.

"I am excited to be joining the Abington School District community,” Lesesne said. “I am appreciative of the warm welcome I have already received, and look forward to making connections and being of service to the students, staff, and families in ASD."