January 3, 2023
After serving as Interim Dean of Students since August 2022, it is a pleasure to announce that Daniel McCarthy will be the next full-time Dean of Students at Central Catholic, effective January 3, 2023. The decision comes after interviews with Mr. McCarthy and feedback from faculty members, parents, students, and other members of the CCHS community.
Central Catholic High School President Jason Longoria '96 says, "Dan's personal and professional experiences have provided him with a commitment and understanding of how to help our students in their educational and faith journey at Central Catholic. It was evident from the beginning that Dan would be the right person for the role."
McCarthy has a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from St. Mary's University, a Master's of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in reading instruction from Texas A&M, and is currently completing his Doctorate of Education this year in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University. His dissertation focuses on "Principal and Teacher Perspectives" on Cultivating Fit in Catholic High Schools. For the past nine years at Central Catholic, McCarthy has been a certified teacher in English and Theology.
In addition to being a teacher, he served as the Director of Campus Ministry for three years. He became a Lay Marianist after being involved in a summer faith-based leadership experience for Marianist high school students called Marianist LIFE. "Working at Marianist LIFE made me want to work for a Marianist institution."
"Working at Central Catholic for the past nine years, I have experienced a significant change, but the one constant has been the institution's commitment to educating and forming young men from across San Antonio to be faith-filled members of their communities. My experience in the classroom has affirmed the words a mentor teacher once shared with me that students will often never remember a lesson that you taught them, but they will remember how you made them feel. In this new role, I hope to continue building relationships with students and making them feel respected and part of this Central Catholic community. As many former students will attest, I am often short on overt praise but am always honest and want what is best for the students here at Central Catholic, even in the most difficult circumstances."
Mr. McCarthy and his wife of 10 years, Dr. Jessica Solis-McCarthy, met while attending St. Mary's University and have two Boston terriers, Buck and Dexter. They both love to travel, bike around Boerne, where they live, and read.