Centennial Hires Administrator Named In Child Abuse Case

WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PA — The Centennial School District has added another Central Bucks School District administrator to join new Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh.

At its meeting on Tuesday night, the school board voted 6-2 to hire Kathleen Veisz, the former CBSD special education supervisor named in a Jamison elementary child abuse case.

The school board had already added David Bolton, a former Central Bucks administrator, as interim human resources director to help fill five administrative vacancies after Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden left the district.

Veisz was hired as Centennial's new assistant director of student services. She was previously placed on leave from Central Bucks for her alleged role in mishandling an abuse investigation.

Veisz replaces Lori D'Andrea. She will earn $154,000 a year in the position and is expected to start by Nov. 1.

Her hiring drew criticism from residents and a parent group over the district's lack of transparency and Veisz's past.

"This is the second former CBSD hire since Lucabaugh has come on board. Not only does this smack of cronyism, but shows a blatant disregard for the well-being of our kids. I have the distinct impression that many board members didn't even know who she was," said Nicole Lynch, an Upper Southampton Township resident and member of the Concerned Citizens of the Centennial School District who fought against Lucabaugh's hiring.

School Board Directors Tony Sadowski, Mary Alice Brancato, Michael Hartline, Kathleen McGuire, Mark Ginhardt, and Charles Martin voted for Veisz.

Centennial school board members Jane Lynch and Patti Crossan voted against the hiring. Vice Chairman Flemming Godiksen was absent at the meeting.

In late August, the Central Bucks School District cut ties with two employees over an incident involving the suspected abuse of students inside a special education classroom at Jamison Elementary School last year and its handling by district administrators, including Veisz.

No criminal charges have been brought against the Central Bucks school officials regarding the child abuse case.

Lucabaugh's hiring happened in a 5-4 vote and was surrounded by controversy among Centennial School Board members and the community. Lucabaugh began his tenure on July 1.

Lucabaugh took a $700,000 severance payout to leave Central Bucks.

Lucabaugh's selection was blasted by the concerned citizens group, parents, and several school board members, who said the selection process was weak and did not provide community and school board input. The Bucks County Intermediate Unit conducted the superintendent search.