Centennial School Board Directors Majority Chose Lucabaugh

WARMINSTER, PA — The Centennial School Board scored the candidates they interviewed for the school district's next superintendent. And one name came on top.

One superintendent candidate headed the list of five of the nine school board directors' scores, a school official told Patch. And that name was Abram Lucabaugh.

While protests and concerns have been brewing over Centennial's schools superintendent selection based on his latest job, it was quite clear among school board members that Lucabaugh was the candidate who could lead the school district, which represents Warminster and Upper Southampton townships.

"He did his homework. He was very knowledgeable about the school district," Centennial School Board President Mary Alice Brancato told Patch. "He knew about our test scores. He knew what he was talking about."

The Centennial School Board will vote on an employment agreement with Lucabaugh to serve as the district's next superintendent at its May 27 meeting.

Brancato wonders what public pressure will mount in that decision now that a group has formed to protest the board's choice of Lucabaugh following a superintendent search by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.

Concerned Citizens of the Centennial School District are expressing "strong opposition" to the hiring of Lucabaugh to replace Dana T. Bedden as schools superintendent. Bedden is retiring once his five-year contract expires at the end of June.

They are citing "his troubling and costly record" of irresponsibility, discrimination, censorship, and litigation during his tenure leading the Central Bucks School District.

The Central Bucks School Board reached a more than $700,000 severance agreement with Lucabaugh that was approved by the outgoing school board in November 2023.

Background on the Superintendent Search Process

The school board began its search process in January, engaging the Bucks IU to serve as its
search consultant.

The Bucks IU conducted vision exercises with various Board-selected stakeholder groups to understand the key traits and characteristics they wanted in the next superintendent.

In addition, the Bucks IU also distributed a community survey from Feb. 17-28 to identify the
community’s opinions and priorities.

More than 254 parents, guardians, taxpayers, students, staff, and other community members responded to the survey, offering feedback on the ideal characteristics and attributes of the future superintendent.

The survey also captured what the community believes to be the district’s priorities for the immediate and long-term future. The survey results were shared with the community on the district website and through district communication channels.

As the search consultant, the Bucks IU facilitated a comprehensive search process, actively recruiting qualified candidates and advertising the position in local, regional, state, and national publications.

The position was advertised from March 5-23 and 32 candidates applied for the position. The Bucks IU received applications from candidates in Arizona, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Brancato said that all decisions relating to interviews and candidate selection rested solely with the Centennial school directors.

She said the school board thoroughly reviewed all the candidate applications and selected seven applicants to move forward to a first round of interviews.

Following the initial interviews, the board invited three applicants back for a second, increasingly rigorous round of questioning, which required candidates to complete writing exercises and prepare presentations relevant to district priorities.

Brancato said that the Bucks IU suggested a third round, but she said that the board members were comfortable with their choice. A board majority agreed to authorize the district’s solicitor to negotiate an employment agreement.

Brancato said that the agreement needs five votes of approval from the nine-member school board.