Cheltenham Elementary Interim Principal

Shareese Nelson is in her first year as the interim principal at Cheltenham Elementary. Most recently, she served as the lead administrator / vice principal at Cedarbrook Middle School East. Prior to that, Nelson served as the interim principal at Elkins Park School for a year after four years as vice principal. 

In her five years at Elkins Parkj, Nelson provided strategic leadership to develop and implement instructional initiatives aligned with school goals and district standards; fostered a culture of continuous improvement by facilitating professional development workshops and coaching sessions for teachers on effective instructional strategies, assessment practices, and data-driven decision-making; and led curriculum development and revision efforts to ensure alignment with state standards, instructional best practices, and the diverse needs of students.

Ms. Nelson is a PBIS leader and champion whose work has been showcased twice at the PA PBS State Forum and featured on the University of Oregon’s “Teach by Design” blog. Nelson has served as a guest speaker at Arcadia University on developing PBIS programs in schools and presented at the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) conference on developing equity programs in schools. Through her commitment to positive school climate and systems-driven leadership, she has strengthened family and community engagement by building meaningful partnerships with local businesses and universities. Her initiatives—including Lunch and Learn opportunities, community service outreach, and cultivating strong PTO collaboration—have fostered authentic connections between school and community. This intentional focus on culture, climate, and collaboration has led to a more positive and supportive school experience for students and families alike. 

Nelson came to Cheltenham in 2017 as the administrator for climate and culture at Elkins Park. In that position, she developed and trained staff on Positive Behavior Intervention Systems; created and maintained programming to support a positive school climate and culture; provided classroom support to teachers in instruction and classroom management; supported students through mentoring and restorative practices; and developed positive and proactive responses to negative student behavior.

Prior to coming to Cheltenham, Nelson was a classroom teacher at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School in Willow Grove for 11 years, instructing first, second and fifth grades.

The author of the children’s book “The Me Inside,” Nelson resides in Wyncote with her husband and two children.