Centennial School Board Prepares For Superintendent Search
WARMINSTER, PA—With Superintendent Dana Bedden’s upcoming departure, the Centennial School District will now have to weigh options in its search for its next leader.
School Board President Mary Alice Brancato told Patch that the school board will decide how to go forward at its next meeting on Jan. 14.
School Director Jane Lynch said the school board needs to decide how far the search will go: whether it will be local, across Pennsylvania, or also seek applicants from New Jersey.
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“That would cost some money for the taxpayers,” Lynch said. “It has to be done professionally.”
Brancato said that the cost factor is crucial for a school board trying to hold the line on school taxes.
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She said that a search by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association would cost taxpayers between $5,000 and $20,000.
Meanwhile, a search by an outside private firm would cost $30,000 to start.
Brancato said the best way to go would be the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, which conducts superintendent searches for school districts throughout the county.
“It’s really a no-brainer,” said Brancato.
That’s because the cost is free, she said.
“I am confident we will find the best possible person for the job,” Brancato said. “I think there are plenty of candidates out there for the Centennial school directors to work with. We have a great community.”
Bedden recently informed the school community that he wouldn’t seek renewal of its five-year contract once it expires in June.
In a 5-4 vote, the Centennial School Board voted at its Nov. 26 meeting to recognize Bedden’s letter.
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The Centennial School District serves Warminster and Upper Southampton townships.
In his decision, Bedden stated that he was “deeply proud of what we have achieved together.”
He noted implementing new academic programs which have resulted in the district meeting or exceeding for the first time in over a decade 100 percent of the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System performance targets, achieving Moody’s Aa2 General Obligation Bond Rating, surpassing the national and the median rating for Pennsylvania K-12 districts.
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He said that accomplishment resulted in over $4 million in refinancing savings.
A few school board members have clashed with Bedden at meetings throughout the tenure of Brancato’s presidency over the past year. At one meeting, some residents called for Bedden’s ouster when security was breached at the high school.
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