Earlier this year, Bill Crittenberger announced that he was stepping down as head of school from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, an end to what he said was one of the most joy-filled and satisfying chapters of his professional life.
“This is a great time in my life to be moving on,” said Crittenberger. “I have completed six fruitful, fulfilling, and successful years at O’Connell, and my 41st in the field of education — a profession that never has felt like anything but a calling to me.”
Jonathan D. Brand will take over as head of school July 1. Brand has many years of experience as an educator and administrator, most recently serving as head of school at Grymes Memorial School in Orange, Va.
Reflecting on his time at O’Connell, Crittenberger said that serving as head of school at “the finest Catholic coed high school” in the Washington area allowed him to be his positive, ebullient self and be part of a team of faculty and staff who love their work, love coming to work and serve the school community as they serve “our good and Gracious God.”
As Crittenberger prepares to retire, O’Connell students will remember how he loved supporting every bit that O’Connell has to offer. Whether it was greeting students every day with a fist bump before the school bell rings, attending athletic events and arts performances, participating in ministry retreats or simply smiling in the hallway and saying, “I’m praying for you,” he has supported the Catholic ethos that is central to the school.
“Mr. Crittenberger’s biggest concern has always been to get our students to heaven,” said Edward Fitzpatrick, director of campus ministry. “It is the first thing he tells them when he meets them at freshmen orientation, and it guides how he sees and interacts with students. This is the greatest gift of a Catholic educator.”
Crittenberger is excited about his next chapter within the field of education, as it has been his goal upon stepping away from administration to return to the high school mathematics classroom, where his career began.
While Crittenberger will no longer walk the hallways at O’Connell, his contributions and legacy to the school will continue. As the saying goes, “Once a Knight, Always a Knight.”
