The Archdiocese of Baltimore announced the formation of a new archdiocesan school board to oversee implementation of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Catholic Schools’ Strategic Plan released in June 2010. The Archdiocesan Catholic School Board will hold its first meeting on Monday, January 10, at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park.
Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien will serve as the chair of the new 23-member school board, which includes well-known and highly respected leaders in education – Catholic and non-Catholic alike, business, and philanthropy. Among the members are Mr. Anirban Basu, Chairman and CEO, Sage Policy Group; Mr. Benjamin Civiletti, Senior Partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable LLP; Ms. Beverly A. Cooper, Vice President, Reginald F. Lewis Foundation; Mr. Byron Pitts, Chief National Correspondent, CBS Evening News with Katie Couric; Brother Robert Schieler, FSC, General Councilor, De La Salle Christian Brothers Conference; and Mr. John Smyth, President and Founder, Calvert Mechanical Solutions and Trustee of the Marion I. and Henry J. Knott Foundation.
Educational leaders include Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson, Interim Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese, Mrs. Jane Dean, former elementary school principal; Sr. Kathleen Feeley, S.S.N.D, Interim President, Institute of Notre Dame; Dr. Nancy Grasmick, Maryland Schools Superintendent and former member of the Blue Ribbon Committee; Dr. Catherine Hickey, former Secretary for Education and Superintendent of Schools, Archdiocese of New York; Dr. Peter Murrell, Dean of the School of Education at Loyola University; and Dr. Thomas H. Powell, President of Mount St. Mary’s University.
Mr. Frank Bramble, Sr., a member of the board of directors for Bank of America and past chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, will serve as the vice chair. Other school board members from the Blue Ribbon Committee include: Msgr. Robert Hartnett, Mr. James Davis, and Mr. James Stojak. The Archbishop has asked Msgr. Richard Bozzelli, the facilitator of the Blue Ribbon Committee meetings, to represent pastors on the board and Mr. Joseph Liberatore, Managing Director of Anthem Energy, to serve as a parent representative.
The board will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the strategic plan and overseeing ongoing strategic planning for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese. In addition, the board will recommend policies for the Archdiocesan school system and advise the Archbishop and Superintendent concerning advancement, finances, facilities, and leadership matters affecting Catholic schools.
“We are blessed to have such a fine group of leaders join us on this school board, said Archbishop O’Brien. “The caliber of their expertise, as well as their strong commitment to Catholic schools, will help assure that the strategic plan is successfully implemented and that our Catholic school system is strong for years to come.”
The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Catholic schools provide an academically excellent, Christ-centered education that empowers students to reach their full potential. For more information about our schools, please call 1-800-5-Catholic or visit www.archbalt.org
Media note: Archbishop O’Brien and members of the school board will be available to meet with the media from 1:45 – 2:00 p.m., prior to the start of the closed door session.