Lower Merion residents who want to fill the school board seat vacated by Jennifer Rivera have until Wednesday, Sept. 9, to apply.
The Lower Merion Board of School Directors opened applications for the vacancy after Rivera, 41, of Bala Cynwyd, resigned Aug. 25 while facing felony theft charges, according to Patch. As we reported Aug. 27, the board will formally vote to accept her resignation at a special meeting at 5:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14.
Applicants must submit a letter of interest, a résumé and contact information for three professional references to Board Secretary Ruth Novak by the Sept. 9 deadline. The board said the letter should explain why the candidate wants to serve, what they hope to contribute and their relevant qualifications.
Materials can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Ruth Novak, Board Secretary, Lower Merion School District, 301 East Montgomery Ave., Ardmore, PA 19003-3399. Questions can be directed to Novak at 610-645-1930.
Who is eligible
The seat is open to adults who have lived in Lower Merion or Narberth for at least one year. District employees and holders of certain public offices are ineligible.
School directors must attend board meetings, typically held the third Monday of each month, plus assigned committee meetings that can fall during the workday or evenings.
What happens next
The board will review submissions and invite candidates it deems "highly qualified" for public interviews during a special meeting from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. The appointed director will serve until Dec. 5, 2027. A November 2027 municipal election will determine who fills the remaining two years of Rivera's term, which runs through late 2029.
Under Pennsylvania's Public School Code, the board must appoint a replacement within 30 days of formally accepting a resignation, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Background
Rivera was the top vote-getter among eight candidates in the November 2025 election. The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office charged her with four counts of theft and other third-degree felony offenses, accusing her of misusing more than $50,000 from her former employer, SMB Team, according to Patch. She turned herself in Aug. 24 and was released on $25,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Rivera is not accused of any criminal wrongdoing involving Lower Merion Schools.
The board last filled a midterm vacancy in August 2023, when director Shawn Mooring resigned after moving out of the district. Residents with questions about the application can reach Novak at 610-645-1930 before the Sept. 9 deadline.
