By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted May 21, 2024

Archbishop Pérez announced May 21 that he has appointed William E. Brannick as the next Superintendent of Secondary Schools and Schools of Special Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. His appointment becomes effective Monday, June 24.

In making this appointment, Archbishop Pérez said, “I am filled with great joy to welcome William Brannick back to the ministry of Catholic education in our local Church as the new Superintendent of Secondary Schools and Schools of Special Education.

He previously served for over two decades in various leadership roles of increasing responsibility in our schools as well as the Office of Catholic Education. His deep experience and extensive knowledge of our school system will be an asset to the teams serving the students, families, administrators, faculty, and staff at our 15 Secondary Schools and three Schools of Special Education.

I’m confident he has the skills and enthusiasm to help our schools grow and flourish as centers of academic excellence that will help students grow intellectually, spiritually, and socially as they mature into well rounded young men and women who will serve as Missionary Disciples for Christ.”

As Superintendent, Brannick will provide faith formation, academic, and operational direction to the 15 Archdiocesan high schools and three Archdiocesan schools of special education throughout the five-county region. Combined, these schools serve tens of thousands of students each day.

He will work in close collaboration with key administrators in the Office of Catholic Education’s secondary education and special education divisions and report directly to the Chief Operating Officer for Secondary Schools.

In addition to a variety of key duties, Brannick will maintain and further strengthen relationships with administrative leadership from the Office of Catholic Education’s elementary division, the Office of the Vicar for Faith Formation, local Catholic colleges and universities, and a variety of philanthropic organizations supporting the work of Catholic education in the region.

Brannick is a seasoned educator with over 20 years of experience. The vast majority of that time was spent in leadership roles of increasing responsibility serving Archdiocesan high schools at the local level as well as within the Office of Catholic Education.

Currently, Brannick serves as the Director of Technology, Safety, and Child Accounting for Methacton School District in Eagleville (Montgomery County). In this position, he manages a multifaceted department that serves over 4,600 students and their families. In addition, he is a member of the superintendent’s cabinet leadership team. As part of his duties, he collaborates with district and school leadership on implementation timelines, setting goals and outcomes metrics along with execution of the respective onboarding plans.

For seven years he served as the Director of Technology PreK-12 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office of Catholic Education. In that role, he oversaw the strategic direction of technology use and engagement throughout all elementary schools, secondary schools, and schools of special education throughout the five county region. He also led strategic planning initiatives encompassing IT, Educational Technology, and Operational Systems.

Before joining the Central Office, Brannick held several leadership positions at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Upper Darby (Delaware County). Including as Assistant Principal for Student Affairs and Principal.

In reflecting on his appointment Brannick said, “I am extremely excited to return to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Office of Catholic Education. Having spent 20 years in the secondary school system, as a teacher, coach, and administrator, I am truly humbled to be given the opportunity to serve as Superintendent of Secondary Schools and Schools of Special Education.

Our goal as Catholic educators is to not only educate our students within the faith through academic rigor within the classroom, but also through the multiple avenues presented within our schools: leadership within our extracurricular clubs, our athletic programs, and through the visual and performing arts.

I look forward to partnering with Mr. Jay DeFruscio, Chief Operating Officer, the secondary and schools of special education staff within the Office of Catholic Education, and our building administrators and teachers in continuing to lead our students forward in preparation for their future as Catholic leaders within our society!”

Brannick earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a concentration in Media Studies and a Minor in Business from The Pennsylvania State University in 1999 and a Master of Science in Education in Instructional Leadership from Neumann University in 2007.

He also holds a certificate in Cybersecurity for Managers: A Playbook from Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan School of Management and is in-process of recertification for Google Certified Educator.