5 Top Centennial Administrators Depart School District

WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PA — Several top administrators have left the Centennial School District with vacancies open as the new school year nears.

The departures have come as the Centennial School District is transitioning from former Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden to former Central Bucks Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh.

This past week saw Anthony Gabriele, the school district's assistant superintendent, leave the school district, school officials told Patch.

He follows four other administrators who have departed the district since Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden's five-year-contract ended on June 30.

Among the other departures are: Gina Ross, the executive director of student services; Lori D' Andrea, the assistant director of student services; Brian Wilson, another assistant schools superintendent; and special education supervisor.

All of the jobs are open on the Centennial School District website's human resources page, with interviews underway and positions needed to be approved by the Centennial School Board.

Patch sent an email to school board members seeking comment.

"Dr. Bedden assembled an excellent group of administrators who managed to align educational components and significantly improved test scores," School Director Charley Martin said. "Additionally, they developed widely recognized innovations. The board majority decided to go in a different direction. Hopefully, the new group will be hired timely and do as well."

"After a period of relative stability in leadership that is historically rare in our district, we started losing talent. Some of this exodus is likely due to budgetary unpredictability and outright hostility toward members of the administrative team from our own school board over the past few years," School Director Tony Sadowski said.

For example, the school board president (Mary Alice Brancato) called for the elimination of roles while questioning pay increases for work absorbed by remaining employees as others leave and roles are eliminated, and saying they want to "hurt grown ups" during public meetings, may not exactly inspire confidence that your position is safe or your contributions to our students' education are valued," Sadowski said.

Brancato sent an email to Patch on Monday night responding to the departures. (See her comments in a story on Tuesday.) She also denied Sadowski's allegations.

"This is a scary time in public education. Stability matters to employees in any organization, and these skilled professionals neither want nor deserve to feel their importance is being questioned despite the progress they have helped Centennial make over the past several years," Sadowski said. "So, I believe chaotic and unsupportive school board leadership is at least partially to blame. You're less likely to leave if you feel heard, respected, and supported."

Lucabaugh's appointment by the school board came in a controversial 5-4 vote based on his past with Central Bucks, in which he accepted a $700,000 severance agreement.

A citizens group criticized his selection and numerous residents packed school board meetings to protest the hiring.

"Obviously, a change at the top can coincide with a changing of the guard," Sadowski said. "Dr. Lucabaugh coming in is a pivot point for Centennial, and some probably took the opportunity to revise their resumes and see what else is out there for them. However, administrative turnover is an ongoing issue in Centennial. and I think some of it may have been avoidable."