Exclusive: Bristol School District Suspends Superintendent Search to Bring Back 2nd Fmr Sup

The Bristol Borough School District suspended its search for a new superintendent temporarily bringing a former district administrator back into the fold, sources told Lower Bucks Source over the weekend.

The school district will be bringing back Dr. Broadus Davis until a new superintendent is chosen the sources said Saturday.

Davis served as superintendent for the district from 2003 to 2011, and before that he served in the Neshaminy School District as principal and assistant principal for 10 years also.

Last year, Davis was appointed by the Bucks County Commissioners Bucks County Community College Board of Trustees, a report from the Lower Bucks Times  said. 

Since 2011, Davis has been interim superintendent, interim principal, interim assistant principal, and consultant in several school districts, most recently serving as an interim assistant principal in the West Chester Area School District, according to the Lower Bucks Times report.

The question yet to be answered  by district officials is why the sudden move and change in plans. Current interim Superintendent Dr. Thomas Shaffer, by law, will return to retired status this October.

The moving administrators started when Dr. Rose Minniti resigned in August of 2021, to take a similar role in the New Hope-Solebury School District. 

Many believe she was pushed out of the chief district administrator’s role as a result of a behind the scenes power struggle with School Board President David Chichilitt

Shaffer was appointed to the position as a stop gap measure on an interim basis.

District officials meet last week with Bucks County Intermediate Unit officials to discuss the IU’s progress with their search to fill the vacancy on a permanent basis.

Chichilitti, who was unavailable for comment Sunday, confirmed late last week the meeting with IU officials.

The school board president  also said the board would be updating the public on the search at the next board meeting scheduled for April 7 at 7 pm.