Deacon Patrick Moynihan, the new Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy High School president, has been fired after just more than three months on the job.
The Catholic school’s board of trustees cited “significant differences with Mr. Moynihan (over) management and leadership” in reaching its decision to terminate his contract.
“While we shared common goals for the school, there were significant differences in how to achieve them,” said Shawn Hoban, school board chairman.
Moynihan, who was on paid administrative leave since Sept. 9, thought things could be resolved.
“After 29 days of being on paid administrative leave with no clear understanding as to the basis of that leave, I was informed (Monday) that I am fired,” he said. “I remain totally perplexed as to why. I thought I was doing a great job for only being on the job for 70 days. I still hold hope that the conciliation process set out in my three-year contract may lead to my return.”
The school year was just a few days old when the decision was made to put Moynihan on leave.
Moynihan, 42, of Mill Creek, started in the position on July 1 after a national search.
He was hired as the school’s first president last spring while longtime principal Kristine Brynildsen-Smith remained in charge of academics.
Moynihan came from the Diocese of Rockford, Ill., and earlier served as president of a Catholic secondary boarding school for poor students in Haiti. He once taught Latin and English at a Catholic high school in Connecticut.
When he was hired, Moynihan was told to focus on board of trustees relations, administrative staffing, long-range planning, budgeting and finances, community relations and fundraising.
The board also announced Monday the hiring of Thomas Lord as interim president for the remainder of the year. Lord has an extensive background in both public and Catholic school administration over 40 years. He will resign from the school’s board of trustees to accept the post.
Lord was a principal at Nathan Hale High School and Meany Middle School and was headmaster of Villa Academy in Seattle. After retiring in 1997, Lord assisted the Archdiocese school’s office in its mentoring and evaluation of principals.
His relationship with Archbishop Murphy began in 1999 when he was asked to help in the transition from Holy Cross High School in north Everett to its new campus near Mill Creek. He joined the school board a year later and has watched Archbishop Murphy enrollment reach record numbers this fall.
Moynihan said he doesn’t know what will happen next.
“I’m sure that my family will continue to find the support necessary for us to get by during this time from those who supported my 12 years of mission work in Haiti as well as our new friends here in the Everett area,” he said.
“I have no concerns about the school being OK in this process because the faculty is the life blood of that school.”
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