Saint Mary's School names Brendan J. O'Shea 14th Head of Saint Mary's School

RALEIGH, N.C. - Nov. 21, 2016 - PRLog -- Saint Mary's School Board of Trustees Chairman Ted Bratton of Raleigh announced November 18, 2016, to a gathering of students, faculty and staff in the historic Saint Mary's Chapel, that Brendan J. O'Shea, has been named to serve as the 14th Head of School in Saint Mary's 175-year history. O'Shea's tenure begins July 1, 2017.

O'Shea is a native of Baltimore, Md., and is a graduate of the Gilman School and the University of Virginia. He holds a B.S. in Commerce from the McIntire School of Commerce and an M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from the Curry School of Education.

O'Shea began his educational career at Woodberry Forest School, an all-boys' boarding school in Orange, Va. During his 16-year tenure at Woodberry Forest, O'Shea served in numerous senior administrative positions, including Director of Admission; Assistant Headmaster for Admission, Marketing, and Financial Aid; and Assistant Headmaster and Dean of Academic Affairs. These positions involved O'Shea in virtually every area of school administration. He directed the school's daily operations and administered its academic program. He was responsible for hiring faculty members and managing the school's processes for faculty professional development and evaluation. O'Shea's roles also allowed him to work closely with the school's Board of Trustees to set policy, and to plan for the school's future. Perhaps most importantly, O'Shea continued to work closely with students, parents, and faculty in every position he held.

In 2004, O'Shea was appointed Headmaster of Charleston Day School, a co-ed, K-8 school in Charleston, S.C. As Headmaster, O'Shea designed and managed a successful capital campaign that resulted in the construction of the new Student Academic Center at Charleston Day School. He also led the school through a successful SAIS/SACS accreditation process. Many members of the Charleston Day School community have commented that O'Shea's leadership will always be distinguished by the culture of welcome, care, and civility that he has fostered.

"We were fortunate that the reputation of Saint Mary's School generated interest from a deep, diverse, and qualified group of candidates," said Board of Trustees Chair Ted Bratton. "From the scores of applications submitted, the Head of School Search Committee interviewed a host of candidates. Brendan's candidacy, however, clearly stood out from the rest. He holds a deep appreciation for and commitment to single-gender and boarding education and envisions a compelling future for Saint Mary's School that both honors our traditions and culture and places us on the forefront of modern education. These attributes, and others, left us all with the conclusion that Brendan would be the ideal leader for our school at this point in its history."

O'Shea will reside in the head of school's home on Saint Mary's historic campus with his wife and two daughters.

He succeeds Monica M. Gillespie, Ph.D., who has served the school with distinction as the 13^th Head of School at Saint Mary's since 2012.

About Saint Mary's School:

Saint Mary's School in Raleigh, N.C., is an independent, Episcopal, college-preparatory, boarding and day school dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement for girls in grades 9-12. Founded in 1842, Saint Mary's is celebrating its 175^th of excellence in educating women. http://www.sms.edu

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