Upper Darby School District appoints Essence Cohen Fields and David Neil to fill two board vacancies

The Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors appointed Essence Cohen Fields and David Neil to fill two open seats created by recent resignations, the board announced after a poll vote at a meeting that followed candidate interviews.

Fields, who introduced herself as Essence Cohen Fields and said she is a Drexel Hill resident and a licensed professional counselor working as a clinical coordinator in the School District of Philadelphia, told the board she sees three pressing issues: school budgets, student mental health and wellbeing, and teacher recruitment and retention. "Budgets is a concern," she said, adding that teacher support and students' mental health are linked to stronger outcomes.

David Neil, who served on the board from 2019 to 2023 and identified himself as dean of student affairs and athletics at Strath Haven Middle School, told the board the district's top priorities include securing predictable funding, modernizing facilities and ongoing curriculum evaluation. "Our funding is unstable and inequitable," Neil said, criticizing shifts that divert public dollars to private options and noting the consequences for high-need districts.

The board opened the evening by confirming it had accepted resignations from directors Kimberly Glenn and Michelle Pianini Cow, noting Glenn's resignation was effective Nov. 11, 2025 and that the district follows policy 004 BOG-1 to fill vacancies. Administrators described the appointment process: applicants were interviewed individually, given a three-minute opening statement, each board member asked one question, and public observers could not intervene during interviews. The board also said public comment would occur prior to the vote; no speakers had signed up when the public comment period opened later in the meeting.

After interviews, the board moved to nominations. Members nominated Fields, Neil and Deborah Williams. The board conducted a poll in which each member named two nominees; the board then announced it had selected Essence Cohen Fields and David Neil to fill the vacancies. The board immediately administered the oath of office to both appointees.

Deborah Williams, another finalist who identified herself as a teacher in a neighboring district and a parent of a former Upper Darby student, was thanked by the board for interviewing and was not selected.

The meeting record shows routine consent items (supplies, facilities, donation and finance reports) were adopted earlier in the session by voice vote. The board closed the public hearing without speakers and adjourned the meeting.

The appointees will serve the unexpired terms through December 2027 and are expected to assume liaison assignments and attend regular board and committee meetings as described by the board earlier in the meeting.