Centennial Superintendent Choice Causes Stir Among School Board

WARMINSTER, PA — Before a packed house Tuesday night, the Centennial School Board debated its top choice of Abram Lucabaugh as its next superintendent.

School Board President Mary Alice Brancato made an announcement at the beginning of the meeting Tuesday night before a large crowd of residents to "quell some rumors" that surfaced in the community about the superintendent search.

"The interview process was the same for all candidates, and the same process was used as in previous superintendent searches," she told residents of the search conducted by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.

Brancato said a "marathon evening" of candidate interviews was held in the first round, followed by a second "marathon." She said school board members scored all candidates using the same method and that no school director of the nine-member board wanted a third round of interviews because a leading candidate — Lucabaugh — had emerged.

Brancato then contacted the school district's solicitor to arrange an informational invitation-only meeting with the candidate and teachers, Act 93 representatives, and parents from each school district region that would be facilitated by the Bucks County IU. That meeting is Thursday.

Meanwhile, a public community forum will be held at Log College on May 22. Residents can also submit questions for Lucabaugh to answer on the school district's website.

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.

"I've been the subject of some very unsettling rumors," Brancato said. "I have not forced anyone to select Dr. Lucabaugh as our next superintendent. It saddens me that our amazing community is allowing anyone to separate us from political gain. We should all be here for the children, the teachers, the staff, and our fabulous community. I hope this brings some of you peace."

Following Brancato's statement, some residents booed.

School Director Jane Lynch then spoke at the meeting — with Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden present — that lasted for three hours.

She said the finalists were chosen by a number system — Zero to 3 — and that the choice was done by a point system.

"The questioning that has been lingering in my head, for a while now, did we violate the Sunshine Act?" Lynch pondered. "We didn't take a vote, but we had a consensus. After that, there was talk about a contract for a superintendent. I know Mrs. Brancato has tried her best. We have been besieged with phone calls, emails, and text messages. I think this process could have been better. We had very few doctors in the mix. Two finalists were unemployed as a superintendent. One was out of state and had never worked in Pennsylvania."

Lynch said "it was wonderful" that the community came out to voice their opinion and that school board members have not expressed their opinion because they wanted to hear from the public.

And the school board certainly did on Tuesday night.

What brought the public out is concerns over Lucabaugh's history as superintendent of the Central Bucks School District.

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.

School Director Patti Crossan said the community should have been involved in the interview process, which drew applause and whistles from the crowd. She said no meeting should be held on Thursday because a contract is already being worked on.

School Director Tony Sadowski also voiced concerns about the hiring of Lucabaugh during Tuesday's school board meeting. He cited articles about the hiring process in the Warminster Patch.

Over 500 residents filled out a community survey about what qualities are important for a superintendent candidate. Sadowski said school board members should have been able to offer their opinions as well as the community, and "serious questions" about the candidate weren't asked.

Brancato challenged Sadowski, saying that "we were all asked to submit questions when we sat in this executive session room, and nobody submitted any questions."

"Did you submit any questions?" Brancato asked Sadowski. "I'm one school board member."

One school board member said that another candidate emerged who was close to Lucabaugh's rating.

Some residents shouted from the crowd that the school board should launch a new superintendent search.

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