Brother Michael A. Smith, C.S.C. Named Interim Headmaster
1/26/2010
Dear Members of the Saint Edmond's Academy Community:
The members of the Board of Directors and Corporate Board are pleased to announce that Brother Michael A. Smith, C.S.C., has been appointed Interim Headmaster of Saint Edmond's Academy for a period of one year, effective July 1, 2010.
Brother Michael served as Headmaster of the Academy from 1991 until 2003. During that time, Brother Michael oversaw the expansion of the Academy with the building of The Rollins Center for the Performing Arts in 1997. When the school adopted a President-Headmaster model in 2003, he served as President for one year, leaving the Academy in 2004 to care for his aging parents. Brother Michael returned to the Academy in 2009 as Campus Minister.
Prior to his appointment at Saint Edmond's Academy in 1991, Brother Michael was a member of the faculty of the University of Notre Dame. He has had extensive teaching and administrative experience at all academic levels, having taught in grade schools and high schools on the East Coast sponsored by Brothers of Holy Cross. Brother Michael is very familiar with the Saint Edmond's Academy community and school history.
The Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of the Search Committee, believes that the interim appointment is most appropriate, given that the Academy is at the beginning of a strategic planning process which will be concluded in the coming months. The recruitment and subsequent appointment of a permanent Headmaster would be most effective after strategic plans have been formulated, so as to select the best candidate with the key qualifications and characteristics to help implement the future plans for the school.
Therefore, the Committee is continuing the process of securing names and resumes for the Headmaster position. As part of the strategic planning and Headmaster selection process, members of the Board will be in conversation with representatives of the Academy’s constituencies through a series of announced meetings in the coming months. These will be one-on-one conversations with either the Chair of the Board of Directors or members of the Search Committee. We look forward to engaging parents, students, alumni, administrators, faculty, and staff in the creation of the future vision for the Academy. Meetings times will be announced in the Knightly News.
Questions or concerns about this process or names of possible candidates may be directed to Larry Buonocore, Chair of the Board, or Fred Cottrell, Chair of the Search Committee in care of Sharon Scarpitti at Saint Edmond’s Academy (sscarpitti@stedmondsacademy.org). As we shape and form the Academy and its leadership for the benefit of our students, we continue our prayer to God for wisdom and guidance, through the intercession of Blessed Basil Moreau, priest and founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and Blessed Andre Bessette, brother and builder of the Oratory of Saint Joseph in Montreal.
Sincerely,
Lawrence Buonocore Fred Cottrell
Chair, Board of Directors Chair, Search Committee