Centennial Schools Superintendent's Tenure Ending In June

WARMINSTER, PA —Despite a presentation showing the Centennial School District's improvement and achievements over the years, including pushing through the pandemic, the tenure of Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden will be ending at the end of the school year.

While some board members hoped that a new contract could be given to Bedden once his five-year contract expires in June, other school board members decided to move forward and find a new leader for the district which covers Warminster and Upper Southampton townships.

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.

"We did not vote to get rid of Dr. Bedden," School Board President Mary Alice Brancato told Patch Tuesday. "He sent us a letter telling us he did not want to be renewed."

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.

See the presentation here

He said that accomplishment resulted in over $4 million in refinancing savings.

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.

While the school board voted to accept Bedden's letter, a board vote to begin a new superintendent search failed in a 5-4 vote.

During the Nov. meeting, public comments revealed mixed sentiments about Bedden's leadership, with some expressing gratitude for improvements while others criticized a perceived toxic environment under his administration.

Calls for stability and acknowledgment of teachers' contributions surfaced amid discussions of Bedden's contract, highlighting the community's desire for continued progress in educational outcomes and a focus on student well-being.

Some speakers at the meeting stated that losing Bedden would stop the momentum the school district has made, saying Bedden needs to remain to ensure continued success and suggested the need for a transition plan to manage any future leadership changes.

Some community members expressed gratitude for Bedden's proactive engagement and positive influence on the district.

Other speakers, though, expressed strong opinions regarding Bedden's leadership.

One speaker was dissatisfied with Bedden, recounting personal experiences of retaliation and hostility that led to their resignation after a long tenure as a bus driver.

The speaker argued that the positive test scores should be attributed to the hard work of the students and teachers rather than solely to Bedden, suggesting that his administration has fostered a toxic environment where employees fear reprisal for voicing concerns.

Another speaker, while acknowledging the recent uptick in test scores, questioned the overall effectiveness of Bedden's tenure, drawing attention to a spreadsheet indicating that scores have generally declined since his arrival.

Meanwhile, the discussion about Bedden leading up to the vote got testy among school board members.

One board member said Bedden's decision should be accepted and board members shouldn't be trying to change his mind.

Another board member raised the school district's tumultuous history with leadership changes and reflected on the importance of stability and academic focus that the current superintendent was supposed to provide amidst prior challenges.

One board member passionately defended Bedden and called for the resignation of an offending colleague, while others expressed discontent about the transparency of communication among board members regarding the superintendent hiring processes.

Board members also questioned the lack of communication regarding Bedden's departure.

Tensions arose as board members complained about a previous executive session, claiming they were misinformed about discussions related to a superintendent search initiated by another member.

School Director Mark Gindhart questioned why certain information exchanged with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit was not shared with the entire board, highlighting a lack of transparency.

School Director Jane Lynch attempted to clarify by referring to written communications that suggested no formal decisions were made, while other members pushed for the matter to be resolved and the vote to proceed on the notification to formally notify him that his contract will not be extended, which aligns with legal requirements.

The board then argued about providing reasons for their votes to accept Bedden's letter.

School Board Charles Martin said that while board members are not required to justify their votes, transparency is crucial given the interest and potential division surrounding certain decisions.

Other members agreed on the value of sharing reasons for votes, referencing a previous instance during budget discussions where members explained their positions.

The school board's next meeting is on Jan. 14.