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CHARLOTTE — A search committee has begun meeting to help recruit and screen candidates for superintendent of the Diocese of Charlotte's Catholic schools, and diocesan officials expect to fill the position by the start of next school year.

In a Nov. 15 announcement, Father Roger Arnsparger, diocesan vicar of education, said, "The members are representative of the different areas, schools, school personnel and formats of governance in the diocese."

Members of the committee include: David Longo, former Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools board member, who will serve as committee chair; Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College; Dennis Gibson, diocesan school board member; Kevin Parks, principal of Holy Trinity Middle School; Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury; Brooke Keane, teacher at Charlotte Catholic High School; Tony O' Meara, teacher at Bishop McGuinness High School; Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro; Carol Breerwood, principal of Immaculata School; and Molly Beckert, a parent with children in Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools.

The new committee chairman, David Longo, said the group will be looking for candidates who can continue the school system's "proven track record of success" in Catholic education, both in spiritual development and in academics. The group met for the first time Nov. 21.

"We believe the Diocese of Charlotte's Catholic schools are well positioned to leverage past success to leap to an even greater level next year, and realize that we have the opportunity to recruit a superintendent who can inspire and lead our schools to the forefront of educational excellence as formed by teachings of the Roman Catholic Church," Longo said.

"God has blessed us with an immensely talented committee," he said. "This group represents a great cross-section of individuals who are committed to Catholic education."

Committee member Molly Beckert echoed the significance of the group's task ahead.

"As a mother of five children, three of whom are already in MACS, I have a sincere interest in the selection of our next superintendent. I wholeheartedly believe in Catholic education and would love to see a superintendent who is an inspired leader and who is committed to both excellence in education and to the truths of our Catholic faith, while recognizing that those two aspects are not mutually exclusive."

Beckert added, "Our children need to be prepared to face the challenges of this world, both academically and spiritually, and I pray that the new superintendent will continue the work of creating an intentionally Catholic culture in our schools."

The superintendent of Catholic schools is responsible for leading the diocese's 19 schools, which includes the regionalized Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools with its nine schools and separate school board; parish-based schools in Asheville, Gastonia, Greensboro, Hendersonville, High Point, Salisbury and Winston-Salem; and the diocesan high school, Bishop McGuinness in Kernersville.

Longo said the search will be national in scope, utilizing trade publications, Catholic job web sites and newspapers, as well as networking with Catholic universities and organizations such as the N.C. Educational Association.

Applications will be accepted until the end of February. The committee will interview three to five finalist candidates, then recommend the top two to Father Arnsparger. He will select the finalist candidate for approval by Bishop Peter Jugis and Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese.

The aim is to have the new superintendent on the job by July 1.

— SueAnn Howell, staff writer