By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 8/26/04)

Barry Breen knows that for this first year he will be, for many people, "the guy in Al Burch’s desk." Bishop O’Connell High School’s new president feels this is the beginning of a new era for O’Connell and students and staff are ready.

"I am humbled that Al has done so much for this school," Breen said. "He left it in great shape. It’s wonderful to have something like that to build on." The new president is looking forward to bringing new visions to this solid base.

Breen spent the past three years as headmaster of TASIS, The American School in Surrey, England. The school of 750 students, pre-school to 12th grade, was his only working experience outside the Church. From 1992-2000, Breen worked as principal of a Catholic high school in Lawrenceville, N.J., that, he said, was very similar to O’Connell. From 1984-92, he worked on the west coast as principal of a Catholic high school in Oakland, Calif. The inner-city school was a unique experience and a chance for Breen to learn the ropes.

"I learned how to be a principal at the hands of Dominican sisters, Franciscan fathers and Marist brothers," Breen said. He worked with students from the poorest area of Oakland, but he learned that keeping high standards pushed the students to succeed.

Prior to all this, Breen established an educational foundation to help find jobs for challenged kids — a program that is still in existence today.

He received his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Notre Dame and his master’s degree in theatrical arts from the University of California at Berkeley. He was working toward a doctorate when he decided to go into education instead. He has found this career path fulfilling, although he is still passionate about theatre and music.

Breen came to O’Connell after deciding it was time to leave England and return to the U.S.

"I felt apart from what was happening in America," he said, referring to events surrounding Sept. 11, and he missed being near his three adult children. He also wanted to get back into Catholic education.

"There is a holistic sense of Catholic schools that touches the social life, personal life and faith life," he said. In England, the ability to come together as a school and pray was lacking when one of the students was seriously injured in a rugby accident. The school raised funds and made hospital visits, but they were never able to pray for him. Breen missed that aspect.

O’Connell appealed to Breen for several reasons. First, he liked the area, including the many theatrical opportunities and the fact that one of his daughters lives nearby.

"It was a school I felt at home with and familiar with," Breen said.

Breen didn’t want to go back to being principal, so the president position offered many new challenges. As president, he will be able to devote more time and energy to things that a principal does not have time for — like forming a strategic plan for the school.

This plan will look at various aspects of the school, such as finances, school philosophy, curriculum, enrollment, resource management, facility maintenance and fund-raising. Breen said the purpose in asking questions is to get a sense of where the school is going and how it’s going to get there.

One of the first areas Breen plans to address is communication. Along with communicating better to students, parents and alumni, he hopes to strengthen communication with the community.

"We’ve got incredible achievements at our school, but people don’t know if we don’t talk about it," Breen said. He hopes to hire a director of communications and rework their marketing tools, including the O’Connell Web site. People will notice the renewed vigor, he said.

While interim principal Richard Martin will stay for the academic year, another duty Breen faces is finding a permanent principal.

Breen met the faculty in May at an informal reception. Since then, he’s continued to meet with department chairs and the administration to get a feel for the O’Connell family.

When it comes to extracurricular activities, Breen said he’ll attend the athletic events, but he’ll be "all over the arts." Although he won’t have time to direct any plays himself, he is excited to see what comes out of the drama and music departments.

"There is a fierce sense of pride of accomplishment here," Breen said. "The faculty and staff are loving and dedicated. They are very strong Catholics and dedicated to mission."