Announcement Comes at Launch of Principals Leadership Institute
Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore, today named Dr. Barbara Edmondson Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Msgr. Richard Woy, Vicar General for the Archdiocese, made the announcement today at Loyola University Maryland’s Graduate Center in Timonium at a gathering of all Catholic school principals and assistant principals for the launch of the Archdiocese’s inaugural Principals Leadership Institute for Advanced Study. Dr. Edmondson had held the position in an interim capacity since July 2010.
“It is my privilege to serve as Superintendent of Catholic Schools at a time of renewed commitment and dynamic change,” Dr. Edmondson said. “I thank Archbishop O’Brien and the Archdiocesan School Board for this appointment and the opportunity to partner with my colleagues in the Department of Schools, school leaders, faculty and staff in our mission to educate and enrich the lives of more than 29,000 students who meet Christ each day as they enter our schools.”
The announcement follows a year-long national search to replace former superintendent, Dr. Ronald J. Valenti, who retired in November 2009 after serving 20 years in the position. A search committee led by Dr. Mary Pat Seurkamp, President of College of Notre Dame of Maryland, made the recommendation to the Archbishop to appoint Dr. Edmondson to the position of superintendent, which was a key focus of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Catholic Schools’ June 2010 Strategic Plan for Catholic Schools.