Father Charles Conaty named president of SJHS

THG/Julie Fink

Newly appointed president of St. Joseph High School Father Charles Conaty and Principal Lynn Domenico.

Bishop Joseph A. Galante of the Camden Diocese appointed the Rev. Charles Conaty on July 1, 2008 as president of Saint Joseph High School in Hammonton.
“I am thrilled at the choice of Father Conaty and I view his appointment as a stepping stone as we move the school into the future. The faculty and students are thrilled to have Father Conaty back at Saint Joseph High School,” Principal of Saint Joseph High School Lynn Domenico said.
As president, Conaty will serve as the spiritual leader, as well as, the long range planning leader of the school.
His duties will include managing business and financial functions, interacting with alumni and friends, developing the budget process and community relations.
Along with his duties as president, Conaty will again be teaching religion at the school.
His excitement for working at Saint Joseph High School resonates in the positive direction that the school has taken, he said.
“I believe the bishop’s decision to implement the president/principal model at Saint Joseph High School (a model already being used with great results at Camden Catholic, Paul VI and Holy Spirit) indicates that he recognizes we are on the cutting edge of education. It shows he is pleased with the direction the school has been going and that he expects even more success in the future. I look forward to working with Mrs. Domenico, who has done so much to set the tone and implement new strategies at Saint Joseph and I will be happy to find myself back in the classroom. Teaching has always been my first love,” Conaty said.
Conaty hopes that his being there will help to emphasize the Catholic nature of the school and increase the religious presence.
“Strengthening and placing an emphasis on the school’s religious identity is important because it spills over into everything else. Religion should permeate the whole curriculum,” Conaty said.
Conaty felt that he could not turn the position down because of what Domenico has been doing at the school.
“She has done so much in such a short amount of time. How could I not want to be a part of it?” he said.
Domenico has known Conaty both on a professional and personal level for many years. She believes that he is on the same page as she is regarding to the educational direction of the school and its Catholic identity.
She also feels that his experience blends well with the implementation of block scheduling for the upcoming academic school year.
“We believe this [block scheduling] puts more emphasis on academics and less on the management of it. It gives a higher quality of education and is more focused on the students’ interests. It is a hands on, minds on approach. Having Father Conaty here complements that,” she said.
Conaty served as a teacher and Chaplain for Saint Joseph High School from 2003-2005.
He has more than 10 years of teaching experience.
He has a master of divinity degree from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York and a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa.
He attended high school in Bordentown, New Jersey and graduated from Saint Joseph Elementary school in 1971.
“We hope this sends a message to the community that Saint Joseph is moving forward and should be recognized for that,” Conaty said.
Conaty resides at Saint Martin de Porres Church in Hammonton.