HUNTERSVILLE — Brendan Keane has stepped down as principal at Christ the King High School, and Assistant Principal Michael Smith has been named interim principal for the remainder of this academic year.
Keane had served as principal of the Huntersville school since June 2014.
Citing the desire to spend more time with his family, Keane left to start a new job Jan. 23 as co-director of the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy in North Carolina. He had already worked with EIRA as a regional coach for the Carolinas since 2013, and as an U16s head coach in 2015 and as an U17s head coach in 2016.
"After much thought and prayer, and with regret, I have decided to step down as the principal of Christ the King Catholic High School at the end of the first semester," Keane told parents in a Jan. 10 letter.
"The past few years serving the community at CTK have been the highlight of my career in education. The parents, students, faculty, staff, and supporters of Christ the King are second to none in your endeavor to create a community pursuing an excellent and holistic educational experience for everyone involved. The willingness of each of you to try something new and step out on the edge to create not only a school, but also athletic teams, clubs, support organizations, plays, musicals and a myriad of other programs is inspiring and humbling. So too is the generosity with which members of the community give their time, talents, and treasure to support the school in its mission and growth. I will never be able to thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to get to know you, to see your passions, and to be part of the amazing work going on at CTK," he wrote.
Christ the King High School has about 230 students, making it the smallest of the Diocese of Charlotte's three high schools. It opened in a temporary location in Mooresville in 2011 and moved to its current 100-acre location just outside Huntersville in 2013 to serve the growing Catholic population north of Charlotte. The school graduated its first senior class in 2015.
The Diocese of Charlotte schools office aims to appoint a new principal before the start of the next academic year, Dr. Janice Ritter, superintendent, said.
"I am confident we will find a leader who can build on the great foundation which has been laid these past few years," Ritter wrote in a letter to parents. "I know Mr. Keane takes with him the good wishes of the CTK stakeholders, and likewise Mr. Smith will have the support of those same stakeholders. I am confident the students, staff and parents of CTK will continue to be the strong community it has shown itself to be and will work together during this transition."
— Catholic News Herald