Christ the Redeemer Schools superintendent makes way for successor

Times Contributor    

 

Michael O’Brien, superintendent of Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools for the past five years, has announced he will retire this spring. 

O’Brien taught and administrated in the Calgary Catholic School District for 21 years before coming to Christ the Redeemer in 1997.

“Working with such wonderful people, community members, parents, principals, trustees” and “the wonderful collaborative work of … a group of very diverse communities” have been the highlights of his time with Christ the Redeemer, O’Brien says. 

“It’s been a pleasure to serve, and I meant that,” he said. “It’s been a great honour.”

After 37 years as an educator, O’Brien says his goal is now to spend “time with my wife and family … family things … lots of time with family and friends.” 

His mother is 86 years old, so he says, “you treasure each moment. I want to spend time with her.”

Christ the Redeemer is short-listing and interviewing candidates for his replacement, and O’Brien says he’d now like the attention to shift away from himself. 

“I’d really like the focus put on the new person coming in,” he says. In addition to meeting provincial requirements, the new leader will be “a practicing Catholic and a very faith-filled person,” he says, “because a major part of the role is a faith leader in the schools.”

O’Brien says spring, “while everything’s rolling,” is the ideal time of year for a new leader to step into the role. 

“To get them to know the lay of the land and meet people … I can spend a little bit of time mentoring … it’s just a really, really good time in leading leadership to start while things are moving along,” rather than in fall when a new school year is beginning.

2013 is also “a great year to bring in a new person,” O’Brien says. “New beginnings … new Pope, new (school board) elections, new superintendent. Perfect time.”

As he prepares to step aside, “I’d just like to thank everyone for a wonderful opportunity to serve as the Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools superintendent,” O’Brien says. “It’s been wonderful and I just wanted to thank everyone for their help and cooperation as we work together to bring the best Catholic education possible to the students and families we so love and we serve.”