By Colleen Cochran
Contributing Writer

The Avon Grove School Board voted at its Oct. 24 meeting to accept the resignation of Superintendent of Schools M. Christopher Marchese, Ed. D., which will be effective Jan. 3, 2025. Dr. Marchese has held the superintendent position since 2013.

At the meeting held Nov. 21, the board voted to approve Nicole Harvey, Ed.D., as the interim superintendent. She will hold this position for a term commencing on Jan. 4, 2025, and ending June 30, 2025. Dr. Harvey presently serves as assistant superintendent, elementary education, and she will continue to perform this role as well. 

Harvey’s appointment roused a round of applause, after which many meeting attendees, including board members, students, administrators, and community members, directed words of thanks and praise toward Marchese.

School board vice president Dorothy Linn, Ed.D., called Marchese a visionary who has brought the Avon Grove School District well into the 21st century and she said she appreciates his efforts on behalf of students, whose numbers include her grandchildren.

Board member Ken Roark said “I’ve already had two students graduate and still have three more to go. Avon Grove School District has come a long way since my first one started. I thank you for all the effort you have put into the district.”

One of the board’s student representatives commented, “The culture at the high school is so incredible; we have so many amazing teachers and students, and I am sure that is in large part thanks to you.” 

Kristen Bishop, CEO/Head of School for Avon Grove Charter School, gave a special presentation to thank Marchese for his service during the process of authorization of the charter school. 

She said, “This task came with its own set of challenges and complexities, and you embraced the collaborative spirit, even when it wasn’t easy.”

Bishop later told The Chester County Press that competition often exists between traditional public schools and public charter schools, but Marchese’s willingness to support the charter school so as to put needs of students and families first ultimately strengthened the community.

“It is what the relationship between a traditional public school and a charter school should look like,” she said. “They should have the same goal, to help kids in the community thrive.”

Avon Grove School Board President Bonnie Wolff delivered the final commentary. She read off a lengthy list of Dr. Marchese’s accomplishments during his tenure. Included among this list was the building of a new high school, reconfiguration of the grade levels housed at each district school, reinstitution of programs that had been eliminated during the recession, and his remarkable feat of achieving financial stability for the Avon Grove School District so that tax increases have remained at the Act 1 Index or below. The Act 1 Index is calculated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to determine the maximum amounts school districts can raise real estate property taxes in a given year without seeking approval from the community via a referendum. 

Welling with emotion, Wolff stated that Marchese was going to be missed not only because of his accomplishments but because he has become a friend to so many people in the district. She ended by saying, “We are going to move on, we are going to get better, and that is because of you.”

Dr. Marchese responded to meeting participants’ comments saying, “Eleven years is a long time. It is pretty much a third of my career. It has been the best third of my career.”  

Board members then presented Dr. Marchese with a plaque that read:  

“In gratitude for your transformative years of service to the Avon Grove School District, we extend our deepest appreciation for your exemplary leadership, unwavering dedication, and inspiring educational vision that will have a profound and lasting impact on generations of Avon Grove students, staff, and families.” 

The board had regular business to attend to as well, including committee reports. 

Rick Dumont delivered the Education Committee report. He stated that the Dual Language Immersion Program will be available to all incoming kindergarten students, including both English-speaking and heritage Spanish-speaking students, with half of the instructional minutes being given in English and half in Spanish. The goal will be for enrolled students to remain in the program through secondary school so they can attain high levels of bilingualism and bi-literacy.

Mike Woodin provided the Operations Committee report. He said that audit report results were in, and the district received a clean audit for the period ending June 30, 2024. He also announced that the per-pupil allocation amount increased by $5 per pupil, bringing the total to $180 per pupil. The per-pupil allocation is a factor that is set annually and establishes a building-based budget allocation for non-personnel operational costs, such as instructional supplies.

In his superintendent’s report, Dr. Marchese announced that the Avon Grove School District enrolls 4,881 students, including brick and mortar and cyber charter enrollments. 

He reported that the Pennsylvania Department of Education has painted an overwhelming positive trajectory for Avon Grove schools since the high school, middle school, and intermediate school had received higher-than-average Act 13 scores (a PA educator effectiveness evaluation score). He stated that Penn London received no score due to its atypical grade span. He congratulated teachers, staff, and the children for this achievement.

The high school received the fourth-highest Act 13 score among all comprehensive high schools in Chester County. The score was 84.5, while the Chester County average score is 76.5.  

The middle school had the fifth-highest Act 13 score among all Chester County middle schools. Its score was 78.1, and the average Chester County middle school Act score is 72.5.

The intermediate school had the 15th-highest score among elementary schools in Chester County with a score of 85.9, which was higher than the Chester County elementary school average score of 80.6.

Marchese also reported that Citadel Credit Union is accepting nominations for the Citadel Heart of Learning Award. Each year, Citadel Credit Union partners with the Chester County Intermediate Unit to honor teachers across the greater Philadelphia area who have gone above and beyond their duties to contribute to the school and the community. He encouraged caregivers to nominate an Avon Grove teacher on the Citadel Credit Union website. This year’s winners will be awarded a total of $80,000 in grants and prizes.