The largest Catholic school system in the country will soon see a changing of the guard – Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, the Superintendent of the Chicago Archdiocese Schools, is stepping down as of Jan. 1.
The announcement comes just weeks after Archbishop Blasé Cupich was installed in Chicago.
Sister Mary Paul lead more than 207 elementary schools for the Chicago Archdiocese for six years and more than 60,000 students attend those grammar schools. Another 23,000 attend 37 high schools.
Earlier this fall the Archdiocese announced seven schools would close and six more consolidate due to financial constraints.
Sister Mary Paul will take on a new role working with donors in the Archdiocese capital campaign and as a liaison between the schools and the Catholic Conference of Illinois.
Dr. Mary Kearney, the current Associate Superintendent will fill in in her place. Kearney, a longtime educator at various Chicago Catholic schools including Loyola Academy, will step in as Interim Superintendent while a national search is underway.
A spokesman for the Archdiocese says this change was Sister Mary Paul’s request, although others note it is unusual for a school superintendent to leave in the middle of the school year.
