Upper Darby School Board adopts routine reports and budgets, elects Diamond Gibbs to fill vacant seat

The Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors on the meeting adopted a series of routine administrative reports and approved its personnel and finance budgets, then filled a vacant director seat by election and administered the oath of office.

Board members moved and seconded adoptions of the instruction and curriculum report, the personnel budget, the policy report, the supplies report, the facilities and donation reports, and the finance and budget report. Each motion was carried by voice vote, with the transcript recording “motion carried” but not providing detailed vote tallies for those items.

The board then opened nominations to fill a vacant director seat. Don Fields nominated Diamond Gibbs; with no other nominations, the board proceeded to a roll-call vote conducted by Mr. Rogers. Miss Deborah Williams voted no; Miss Piaentini Ko, Mr. Hussein, Don Fields, Miss Glenn, Miss Britney Williams and Miss Murphy Mercy voted in favor. The motion carried 6–1. The board administered the oath of office to Diamond Gibbs, who will serve the term ending the first Monday of December 2025.

During the finance and budget portion of the meeting, Miss Deborah Williams offered public remarks thanking staff and the superintendent for their work. During the public comment period, Jamal Austin thanked the administration and staff for “the good work” and credited district employees for his children’s successes. Austin said his daughter was accepted to 22 schools and “received over $2.2 million in scholarships” and that his son was accepted to 20 colleges and “received $1.4 million in scholarships.” He named several staff members he praised for supporting students.

No contested motions or formal amendments were recorded in the transcript. Several routine items were adopted by voice vote; nomination and election to the board were decided by roll-call vote with the recorded 6–1 tally on Diamond Gibbs’s nomination. The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn was made and seconded.

The board also paused to welcome a newly hired supervisor of special education who was present in the room and to thank administrators and staff for their work. The meeting adjourned after routine business and public comment.