EVERETT — The new president at Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy High School has been placed on administrative leave while his performance is being reviewed, school officials said.
The school year was just a few days old when the decision was made to put Deacon Patrick Moynihan on leave Sept. 9 “due to a number of administrative issues that have been raised,” read an e-mail to families sent by the executive committee of the Catholic high school’s board of trustees.
The memo didn’t elaborate on what those issues are and officials of the private school aren’t discussing it due to confidentiality issues.
“He is on paid administrative leave,” said Shawn Hoban, school board president. “We are going to move through this as rapidly as we can with the best interests of the school in mind.
“We don’t have a time line, but obviously we want to resolve the matter as quickly as possible,” he said. “I don’t think we want to comment much more.”
Moynihan, 42, of Mill Creek started in the position on July 1 after a national search.
“I cannot discuss it at this time,” he said Tuesday. “I remain very hopeful I will be returning to my job soon. I remain committed to my work at AMHS. I am also very interested in being part of the Everett community.”
The school’s executive committee has hired a consultant for advice. The consultant, Dick Gedrose, was president of Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore., and, more recently, interim president at Seattle Preparatory High School.
Moynihan was hired as the school’s first president last spring while longtime principal Kristine Brynildsen-Smith remains in charge of academics.
Moynihan came from the Diocese of Rockford, Ill., and earlier served 10 years 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.
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