New Centennial Schools Superintendent Makes Introduction

WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PA — The Centennial School District's new superintendent has one month in the books.

Following his controversial selection, former Central Bucks Schools Superintendent Abe Lucabaugh has settled into his new gig, leading the school district representing residents in the Warminster and Upper Southampton townships.

Lucabaugh began his tenure on July 1, replacing Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden, whose five-year contract ended at the end of June.

He recently introduced himself to the Centennial School District community.

"I want to say hello and thank you for the opportunity to serve as your new superintendent here in Centennial," he said in a post by the school district. "Working to provide our students with a dynamic educational experience is a privilege, and I'm excited to continue building on the great work that is occurring here."

Lucabaugh said that during his first week, he met staff, as well as some students and parents.

"I'm incredibly impressed with the dedication, professionalism, innovation, and sense of pride within our district," he said. "Education is a tremendous force for change, individually, locally, and globally. It has the power to transform the trajectory of our students' lives and create access to incredible opportunities, and that is why our work matters."

Lucabaugh announced that he will host a series of community forums over the next few months with the "purpose of listening intently, learning your priorities, and engaging in conversations with you."

"I want to know what is important to our students, families, employees, and community, what we are doing well, and how we can improve the services and support we provide," Lucabaugh said. "Most importantly, I want to meet as many of you as possible, learn your stories, and build relationships that will lead to positive experiences for our students."

He said once dates are finalized, the school district will advertise the meetings on its website and social media platforms.

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

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.

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Editor's Note — An earlier version incorrectly stated that the Bucks County Intermediate Unit was responsible for the hiring. Patch apologizes for the error.