Archdiocese of Washington’s Superintendent of Catholic Schools Appointed Superintendent of Durham Public Schools
Thursday, June 5, 2014
WASHINGTON – Today Deacon Bert L’Homme, Ph.D., the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Washington, was appointed by the Board of Education for Durham Public Schools in North Carolina to be their next superintendent. In his new role, effective July 14, 2014, Deacon L’Homme will have responsibility for over 33,000 students enrolled in public schools in and around Durham County, North Carolina.
For the past four years, Deacon L’Homme has provided leadership and oversight to 96 Catholic schools serving over 27,000 students in the District of Columbia and the five Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s. During his tenure, Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington successfully transitioned from individual school accreditation to comprehensive accreditation of all archdiocesan schools through AdvancED. As a result of this extensive process, all archdiocesan schools and the archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office now engage in regular continuous improvement planning which has led to improved academic performance and Catholic identity. “Deacon L’Homme has greatly enhanced Catholic school education in the Archdiocese of Washington over the past four years,” said Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington. “I am grateful for his joyful service and dedication to this local Church.”
“It has been a great pleasure and honor for me to serve Cardinal Wuerl and the Archdiocese of Washington, and I am thankful for the opportunity to work with so many wonderful families, teachers, principals, pastors and staff,” said Deacon L’Homme. “I will always cherish my time here and will miss my interactions with people of the archdiocese, but I am also looking forward to this new opportunity in Durham.”
In addition to the enhanced accreditation for archdiocesan schools, some of the accomplishments of the past four years under Deacon L’Homme’s leadership include development and usage of Scantron Performance Series testing systems leading to improved instruction, significant enhancements to teacher professional development, the formation of a teacher advisory board, and a new “Future Leaders Academy” that helps many teachers develop into successful principals. “Deacon Bert built and strengthened the structures for ongoing success in Catholic schools, structures and systems that will continue well into the future. He has accomplished much in a short period of time, and done so with a love for students and a commitment to Catholic identity and excellence,” said Thomas Burnford, D.Min., Secretary for Education for the Archdiocese of Washington.
Ms. Kelly Branaman, Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the archdiocese, has been appointed Interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools effective July 1, 2014. A search committee has been formed to identify candidates for superintendent, and recruitment will begin in the coming months.
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The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 96 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.
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