Bensalem Naming New Schools Superintendent

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Bensalem Township School District Board of School Directors will vote on the appointment of Victoria Velazquez as the district’s next superintendent at its meeting next week.

Velazquez has served in the district for more than 12 years, including a stint as interim superintendent since April, replacing Samuel Lee, who announced his resignation after it was reported that the district was dealing with a "severe financial crisis."

The school board is expected to vote on her appointment at its Sept. 23 meeting. Following approval, Velazquez will be sworn in as schools superintendent on Oct. 1.

Velazquez brings more than 26 years of experience as a public educator and educational leader, along with a connection to Bensalem as both a district leader and the parent of a district graduate.

“I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the Bensalem Township School District as District Superintendent," she said in a statement. "For more than 12 years, Bensalem Township School District has been far more than the place where I work. It is my home, and it is a community I care deeply about and am incredibly proud to serve. I experienced firsthand as a parent the opportunities, relationships, and support our schools can provide to help our children discover who they are, pursue their dreams, and build a future filled with possibility."

Velazquez has worked in the school district for 12 years in several key leadership roles: Assistant to the Superintendent for K-12 Administration, Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction/Federal Programs, and Supervisor of Data and Assessment/Federal Programs.

The school board appointed her as the interim schools superintendent, thrusting her into the spotlight of a school district struggling to reduce a 2026-2027 school budget and a deficit of $15-16 million.

In her first meeting in her new post, the Bensalem School Board approved eliminating 31 teacher, administrative, and staffing positions.

Her nomination follows a search facilitated by Bucks County Intermediate Unit that drew 27 applicants from five states.