Just received a press release announcing that the Colonial School District’s Board of Directors will vote to appoint Dr. Michael Christian as the new superintendent for the district on Thursday, June 15th. Dr. Christian has served as the superintendent of schools in the Owen J. Roberts School District in Chester County since 2012. Below is the press release:
The Colonial Board of School Directors will vote to appoint Dr. Michael Christian as the District’s next superintendent during its regularly scheduled public business meeting on Thursday, June 15.
“We are thrilled to welcome a superintendent with Dr. Christian’s experience and background,” said Board President Susan Moore. “He will be able to continue the great work of the district under Dr. MaryEllen Gorodetzer’s leadership.”
“Dr. Christian has served in many capacities in education,” added Mrs. Moore. “His experiences as a teacher in the classroom, as an athletic director, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent will bring a valuable perspective on the complexities we face in education today. And, he will be able to draw upon that varied experience in a number of educational roles to inform and guide his decisions.”
Dr. Christian will be replacing Dr. Gorodetzer, who is retiring at the end of the summer. Dr. Gorodetzer has been with the Colonial School District for 19 years. During this time, she served as an elementary school principal, district director of elementary education, assistant superintendent and superintendent.
“We are excited that we are gaining a proven leader in Dr. Christian” said Mrs. Moore. “However, we are also losing an outstanding educator who has been a member of the Colonial School District family for nearly two decades. Dr. Gorodetzer’s leadership has created an outstanding educational system of which the entire Colonial community is proud.
“We are extremely grateful to Dr. Gorodetzer,” Mrs. Moore continued. “She will be greatly missed.”
Dr. Christian is currently the superintendent of schools in the Owen J. Roberts School District (OJRSD) in Chester County. He has served as superintendent at OJRSD since 2012. Prior to Owen J. Roberts, Dr. Christian served as the superintendent in the Garnet Valley School District in Glen Mills, Pa. He has additional administrative experience as an assistant superintendent and middle school principal during his thirteen years at Garnet Valley. Dr. Christian is a life-long resident of Montgomery County. He began his educational career in the Methacton School District teaching high school English.
“The Colonial School District is a premiere school district in the region and throughout the state,” said Dr. Christian. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to work with the Board of School Directors to continue their good work as well as build upon the strong foundation that Dr. Gorodetzer and her administration worked so diligently to create.”
The district’s incoming superintendent will be no stranger to the area. He and his wife and children live in neighboring Methacton School District. An active member of the community, Dr. Christian volunteers as a youth coach for various sports for the Audubon Recreation Association and Freedom Valley YMCA. In the past, Dr. Christian also was a swimming instructor for children with disabilities, tutored students for PSATs and SATs and served as a Literacy Volunteer of America.
Dr. Christian earned a masters in education from Arcadia University, principal certification from Penn State University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Wilmington University.