Search Underway For New Bristol Schools Superintendent

The search for a new superintendent to lead the Bristol Borough School District is underway after the June retirement of Dr. Broadus Davis.

The Bucks County Intermediate Unit is assisting the school board with the search process.

The intermediate unit will compile community feedback and application data into a leadership profile to guide the screening and interview process, but the school board maintains final authority over all hiring decisions.

Applications for the job are being accepted through Sunday, Aug. 2.

According to the job listing, the district is seeking a candidate with classroom experience and “strong management and financial skills,” with a doctorate preferred.

“Selecting our next superintendent is one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to the Board of School Directors,” Bristol Borough School Board President Anthony Smith said. “We are seeking a hands-on, visible leader who will be actively engaged throughout our close-knit community.”

Smith added that the ideal candidate must have a proven track record of raising student achievement, managing finances responsibly, and building partnerships within the community to ensure student success.

The vacancy come on the heels of the retirement of Davis, a U.S. Navy veteran who first joined the Bristol Borough School District in 1976. Davis left in 1993 for administrative roles in the Neshaminy School District but returned to Bristol Borough as superintendent in 2003. After retiring in 2010 – and later returning to assist with a special learning program in 2014 – Davis was brought back to lead the district a second time in 2022. Davis also serves on the Bucks County Community College Board of Trustees.

Bristol Borough is one of three local districts currently using the intermediate unit’s services to find new leadership. The organization is also assisting the Bensalem Township and Morrisville Borough school districts in their superintendent searches.

The intermediate unit, which serves the county’s public and private schools, said it acts as a neutral facilitator by managing advertisements, gathering public input, and coordinating interviews.

“Every school district has its own strengths, opportunities, and aspirations, which means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to selecting a superintendent,” said Dr. Mark Hoffman, executive director of the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.

The organization’s goal is to provide a complete process that helps school boards find the right fit for their specific community, Hoffman said.

In a statement, the intermediate unit noted that while each of the three active searches reflects different local priorities, they all share the objective of finding leaders who can “build trust, inspire confidence, and guide their districts into the future.”