Centennial School District has a new superintendent – and not everyone is happy about it.
At a regular business meeting Tuesday night, after more than 90 minutes of public comment – sometimes pleading, sometimes angry – Centennial school board directors voted 5 to 4 to offer
Abram Lucabaugh its top job as its next superintendent.
Lucabaugh was the divisive and controversial former superintendent of Central Bucks School District, costing taxpayers millions in litigation and attorney’s fees before ultimately resigning in 2023 after a general election that flipped the makeup of Central Bucks school board from Republican to Democrat.
“By approving Dr. Lucabaugh’s appointment, the board has ignored the serious, documented harm that occurred under his leadership in Central Bucks,” said Nancy Pontius, a Warminster resident, parent, educator and the spokesperson for the Concerned Citizens of Centennial. “Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting our students, holding leadership accountable, and ensuring that our district’s values of inclusion, equity, and educational excellence are upheld.”
School board members: Mary Alice Brancato, Fleming Godiksen, Mark Gindhart, Kathleen Maguire and Michael Hartline voted yes. Directors Jane Schrader Lynch, Patti Crossan, Tony Sadowski and Republican Charles Martin voted no.
Republicans Brancato (Region 3), Godiksen (Region 1), Gindhart (Region 2) are up for reelection in November as is Lynch, who switched parties this year and is running as a Democrat representing Region 3.
Nicole Lynch, a Centennial parent from Southampton Township, is now looking toward the November election.
“I’m extraordinarily disappointed and angry that the majority of the board chose to ignore the very real concerns and wishes of their constituents in an apparent bid to further their own agendas,” said Lynch. “Our work is not done. We will continue to keep a watchful eye on the board, and Dr. Lucabaugh, as we move forward and work to flip our open board seats in November.”
A national search for Centennial’s top job began earlier this year. The BCIU received about 32 applications and from them offered Centennial a hand-full of vetted candidates.
Centennial’s current superintendent Dana Bedden resigned last November. His last day is June 30.
Neal Miller of Warminster said Lucabaugh’s contract, which runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 “was sorely lacking; it showed no evidence of board negotiation … they gave him what he wanted.”
Prior to the vote, Miller said Lucabaugh’s contract did not provide for any performance measurements or metrics regarding raises or any other incentives.
Under the contract voted at the Tuesday meeting, Lucabaugh comes to Centennial with a $225,000 annual salary. The board voted to amend the contract to include $7,000 for conference attendance and another $7,000 for professional organization memberships, per year.
Centennial is facing a tough budget year with a projected tax increase to shore up a projected $6 million shortfall.
The school board voted 5-4 to adopt the preliminary budget before the Mary 31 deadline, mandated by the state Department of Education.
The vote pledges not to raise taxes more than the state’s Act 1 index of 4 percent. Brancato, Godikson, Gindhart and Maguire and Hartline voted yes; Lynch, Crossan, Sadowski and Martin voted no.
“If you think I’m voting for a $6 million deficit and we’re going to take $2.9 million out of our surplus – again – no,” board member Lynch said after the vote. Prior to the meeting, Lynch had pleaded with Lucabaugh to withdraw from the appointment as superintendent.
During public comment, many speakers referred to the Q&A styled listening session May 22, in which Lucabaugh took the stage to answer 10 pre-submitted questions culled from about 56 submitted in advance. BCIU Executive Director led last week’s forum, held at Centennial’s Log College Middle School.
Questions centered on financial stewardship, leadership, communication, treatment of marginalized groups and LGBTQ+ students and library operations and books, among others. No live questions were permitted.
At the May 22 meeting, Lucabaugh admitted he had become “the face” of the former far-right, Moms for Liberty aligned Republican Central Bucks school board majority.
Centennial community members against his Centennial appointment questioned if – and when during his time at Central Bucks – Lucabaugh challenged their school board or advised them against certain policies regarding discriminatory behavior toward LGBTQ+ students or restrictive learning environments including banning library books.
Lucabaugh claimed to have been caught between his position and a “politically divisive board,” as he carried out its will to ban books from the district’s libraries, classrooms and building Pride flags and emblems and implement other, punitive, restrictive and limiting practices.
READ: It Takes a Village: Expelling Right-Wing Extremism from Bucks County School Districts
“And I will acknowledge that when policy was passed in Central Bucks and it was my responsibility to implement policy, I did become the face of that policy,” he said, adding, “And I will sit here and tell you that it was personally and professionally very taxing.”
The right-wing Central Bucks school board majority rewarded Lucabaugh with a new contract and $90,000 a year raise – four months before the 2023 election. After Democrats swept Republicans and regained the board majority, Lucabaugh swiftly resigned. The outgoing board gave him a $700,000 “golden parachute” severance package on his way out the door.
Since April when it was announced Lucabaugh was Centennial’s top candidate, a grassroots advocacy group “Concerned Citizens of Centennial School District” worked to raise public awareness and encourage others to share concerns over a potential Lucabaugh administration.
“Our students deserve leadership that uplifts, not undermines, their dignity and opportunity. We sincerely hope Dr. Lucabaugh chooses a new path — one that aligns with the inclusive and diverse values of the Centennial community. But make no mistake: we are prepared to challenge any action that threatens the rights, well-being, or educational future of our children,” Pontius said.
Tuesday’s meeting may be viewed here.
