LOWER MERION \u2013 With another school superintendent announcing his departure from Lower Merion after just over two years, school board officials touched on their next steps, while some members of the public are beginning to ask why the district can\u2019t seem to keep someone in that position.<\/p>\n
At its recent October board meeting, Kerry Sautner, school board president, announced that the district will hire an outside firm to search for a new superintendent.<\/p>\n
According to Sautner, the district has been in discussions with a search firm, which will conduct a local and national search. Sautner added that the district will be looking for its third superintendent in just over two years.<\/p>\n
The district hired its previous superintendent, Steven Yanni, with a start date in the summer of 2023. He left his position on June 30, 2024, after resigning to take a superintendent role in the Central Bucks School District. Ranelli was then hired and started with the district in April 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Ranelli is the second superintendent to leave the district in just a few years,\u201d Sautner said. \u201cNone of us are treating this as an abnormality, and it\u2019s a moment to pause and reflect on how we got here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sautner said this gives them a moment to ask how they choose to run a school district and how they choose to support a district.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur students and our staff deserve stability, and every transition costs us something; it costs us momentum, it costs us trust, and it costs us time. Time that should be spent on our kids,\u201d Sautner said.<\/p>\n
According to Sautner, the firm that the district brings in will conduct both a local and national search<\/p>\n
\u201cThe next leader of this district should reflect what the community values and what areas that we need to focus on,\u201d Sautner said.<\/p>\n
In a letter to the community in mid-October, Frank Ranelli announced he was leaving Lower Merion after just over two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter much thought and consideration, I will be resigning my position as LMSD Superintendent as of April 30. I am sure people will question why; and simply, this position is just not a good match for me,\u201d Ranelli wrote in his letter to the community.<\/p>\n
With the school district moving forward with details on finding a replacement, some members of the public are asking why Lower Merion can\u2019t hold on to a superintendent.<\/p>\n
During the public comment part of the meeting, Ruth Jenkin said the elected school board has hired several superintendents over the past six years. Those repeated changes at the top of the district can cause interruptions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not a distinction of excellence,\u201d Jenkin said. \u201cThere are huge stakes for instability, for taxpayers, parents, and school employees to be concerned about. There are constant shifts in philosophy every time a new superintendent has plans, and then those plans go awry. Search fees, salaries, severances all paid by the taxpayer. Eroded trust and loss of confidence in our board as they bicker about the wrong issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another resident, Adrian Seltzer, said the board should look back at past superintendents to learn why they keep leaving.<\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Ranelli, I\u2019m sad that you are leaving; another superintendent bites the dust,\u201d Seltzer said. \u201cI know you gave them a reason, not a good fit, but I hope that you give the board a better reason so that they know what was done wrong, that the job description did not fit the actuality of the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seltzer added that she hopes the board goes back to the other recent superintendents and asks how the job failed to meet the job description.<\/p>\n
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