Centennial Board Reviewing 24 Superintendent Applications

WARMINSTER, PA — Members of the Centennial School District's board of directors are reviewing 24 applications to replace outgoing Superintendent David Baugh.

The applications were submitted between April 27-May 23. Baugh, who was named Pennsylvania's Superintendent of the Year in November, plans to leave June 30 for a similar job in Colorado.

"The board is pleased to announce that 24 highly qualified applicants applied for the position and the board is now reviewing resumes, credentials and is in the process of determining which candidates to interview," the board said in a news release Tuesday.

As part of the hiring process, the board commissioned a survey of people in the district and community which brought in more than 800 responses.

The survey asked members of the community to rank the importance of traits and characteristics for a new superintendent. The top five were:

• Is student-centered
• Is safety-centered
• Has clear educational vision
• Has deep knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• Works well with the school board to set a clear direction for the community

It also asked respondents to rank priorities for the new superintendent's first year. The top five responses to that question were:

• Academics and instruction
• School safety
• Building relationships with students & staff
• College and career readiness
• Social and emotional learning

The survey was conducted by Bucks County Intermediate Unit, which the board engaged to lead the search process.

Board members said Tuesday that finalists for the position will visit the district and meet with groups from within the Centennial community. The board also will host a community forum to let the public meet finalists.