Central Bucks Expected To Appoint New Interim Superintendent

DOYLESTOWN, PA ? The Central Bucks School Board at its Jan. 9 meeting is expected to appoint a veteran superintendent to the role of interim superintendent while it engages in a thorough search for a new, permanent superintendent.

At its January meeting, the board is expected to act on the appointment of retired West Chester Area School District Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon, who will bring 22 years of experience as a superintendent to the role. Scanlon was superintendent in West Chester for 12 years before retiring in 2021. He is a Central Bucks East graduate and was a principal at Doyle Elementary School.

When the district?s former superintendent abruptly resigned in November, the board moved to appoint its assistant superintendent for secondary education, Dr. Charles Malone, to the role of acting superintendent. Pennsylvania School Code requires districts to continuously maintain an acting superintendent, even in times of transition.

?We are very grateful to Dr. Malone for fulfilling the responsibilities of acting superintendent, and for his dedication and leadership at this challenging time,? said school board president Karen Smith. Dr. Malone will continue in his previous role, which had not been filled.

?It is imperative that the district has the support and leadership of a very experienced and accomplished superintendent who can provide stability,? Smith said.

?It is common for school districts to appoint veteran, retired superintendents during times of transition,? said Bucks County Intermediate Unit Executive Director Dr. Mark Hoffman, who provided the school board with a list of vetted candidates for the interim position and facilitated interviews. ?This gives the board the peace of mind that the district will be well managed by an experienced leader who can focus on the educational system without any aspirations of applying for the position.

"Dr. Scanlon has a strong track record of being a very collaborative educator and an honest, caring communicator," continued Hoffman. "As a superintendent in three districts, he has led initiatives that resulted in significant increases in student achievement, as well as enhanced and expanded student programming.?

A contract with Scanlon is pending the review and approval of the Board of School Directors on January 9 at 7 p.m. at the district offices, 16 Weldon Drive, with a start date of January 10.

Scanlon is expected to be appointed initially to a six-month term at a rate of approximately $135,000, which is commensurate with industry-standard superintendent salaries in districts the size of Central Bucks. The district will not contribute to any pension or healthcare benefits, however they will provide some mileage reimbursement.

?Central Bucks is an outstanding school system with extremely talented educators and students,? said Scanlon. ?It would be an honor to return to my alma mater to support the district through a transitional time. I look forward to getting to know the staff, students, and parents.?

After retiring from West Chester in 2021, Scanlon, age 65, was interim principal at Lower Merion High School for seven months after the tragic death of the school?s leader. He was also interim superintendent in the Octorara School District in Chester County for three months.

Scanlon currently leads the Pennsylvania cohort of the American Association of School Administrator?s national superintendent?s certification program. His post-retirement consulting work has extended to mentoring superintendents and supporting school boards and superintendents in developing positive working relationships and public protocols.

Prior to working in West Chester, Scanlon was superintendent in the Brandywine School District in Wilmington, Delaware for three years, and in the Quakertown Community School District for seven years.

Scanlon began his career as a middle school English teacher in South Brunswick Township School District in New Jersey and taught for seven years in the New Hope-Solebury School District. He was a curriculum director and assistant superintendent in the Neshaminy School District. He earned a Master's degree and Educational Doctorate with Distinction from Temple University and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh.

Scanlon is the father of a Central Bucks South graduate. He lives with his wife and their two teenaged sons in West Chester. He believes his experience as a parent gives him a valuable perspective as an educator.