New President, Vice President For Centennial District School Board

WARMINSTER, PA —The Centennial School Board has changed its leadership for the coming year after nominations to keep the president and vice president for another term failed to pass.

At its reorganization meeting Monday night, the board selected board member Jane Shrader Lynch as president for the fifth time and Patti Crossan as vice president to lead the nine-member board for 2023.

They replace Charles Martin, who served as president, and Flemming Godiksen, who served as vice president. Both were nominated to continue their service during the meeting, but both of those nominations failed in close votes.

Shelly Eilenberg will serve as the board's assistant secretary.

Martin said at the meeting that he wasn't seeking another year as president and would happily defer to Lynch, but the board still voted since a nomination was made.

Lynch was selected to fill a vacancy on Oct. 3, 2003, representing Region 3 and has served on the board for 14 years.

"Lynch is dedicated, outspoken, hardworking, and honest. She has made it clear that the education of the children of the Centennial School District is the reason she has dedicated countless hours to serving on the school board and its committees," a school district statement said.

Lynch has served as board president in 2004, 2005, 2014, and 2015.

She has also served as education committee chairwoman, and has been a member of the education, finance and operations committees. She has also served as a member of Labor Relations, the Legislative Council and PSBA Liaison.

Lynch recently pushed for a railing for easier access to the field at William Tennent High School for football games and graduation ceremonies. The school board spent $12,960 for the improvements.

In late November, Crossan was honored at a Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women brunch as the Bucks County Elected Democratic Woman of the Year.

Crossan also served as board president for the 2021 school year.

Martin said the district had a "reasonably good year" during his tenure.

"I want to thank my fellow board members," Martin said. "In the past year, we returned to some state of normalcy. We functioned with a degree of civility and handled our differences with dignity and respect. Our meetings have been productive."

Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden presented Martin with a plaque for his service.

"As we make the transition, it's a great time to recognize that serving as a board member has to be a labor of love. It's a sacrifice to get elected and members are asked to give time on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday to prepare for the meetings. They have homework and assignments. They're charged with voting their convictions based on the facts."

The annual reorganization is required by state law.