Council Rock School Board Member Announces Her Intentions To Resign

NEWTOWN, PA — Kristin Marcell, who won election in November as a state representative in the 178th legislative district, announced on Thursday night her intentions to resign her Council Rock School Board seat representing Wrightstown Township and two voting districts in Newtown Township.

“After serving on the board as a volunteer for over the past four to five years, I am announcing my intentions to resign, once a date has been finalized with Superintendent Dr. Andrew Sanko. It is the best decision for my family and what I promised to my incredibly supportive husband months ago.

"While it has been difficult to figure out my schedule without having a PA House session calendar, I will be moving forward with stepping down regardless," she said. "Once Dr. Sanko and I finalize a date in the coming days, the district will share more information with the community about the vacancy and next steps.”

On Friday, in an email to school board president Ed Salamon, Marcell said intends to resign effective Feb. 16.

Marcell's dual role as both state representative and school board member had raised questions among some district residents, prompting school board president Ed Salamon during Thursday's board meeting to ask the board's solicitor to weigh in on that issue.

According to solicitor Erin K. Aronson, there is nothing in the school code that prevents Marcell from serving both as a state representative and on the school board.

"The fact that a director would be elected to a statewide office is not disqualifying. There's no requirement that Kristin resign," she said.

The board will have 30 days to fill the vacancy following Marcell's official resignation. Marcell represents Region 9, which includes Wrightstown Township and Newtown Township Districts 1 and 2.

Marcell attended her first school board meeting in 2014 as a parent advocating alongside community members to save their local elementary school from closure. “That’s when I knew there was more I could do to help my community,” she said.

Marcell successfully ran for the Council Rock School Board in 2019 and 2021, where she advocated for students and to give parents a voice in their kids’ education. She also worked with others to safely reopen Council Rock schools during the pandemic.