Mr. Cussen comes to us with a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our Catholic values and educational mission. His passion for fostering academic excellence and nurturing a supportive learning environment aligns perfectly with our school's ethos, and we are confident that he will lead with integrity and dedication.  He holds multiple advanced degrees; a Master of Arts, Educational Leadership from the University of Notre Dame; a Master of Education, Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Massachusetts; a Master of Theological Studies, Boston College; and a Bachelor of Arts, Theology & Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame.  He has been Director of Campus Ministry and Chair of the Theology Department at Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle WA since 2019.  He spent nearly 10 years at Bellarmine College Preparatory School in San Jose, CA in various teaching and administrative positions.  His professional credentials are impeccable.  He is a native of Kingston, MA, and a graduate of Boston College High School.  We are happy to welcome him back home to Massachusetts.
  
 We have been blessed to have had the dynamic leadership of Linda Anderson over the past 5 years, and we are confident that Mr. Cussen will continue the commitment to excellence that Principal Anderson has fostered.  We are forever grateful to Linda for her passion and leadership at what was one of the most crucial times in our 100-year history and look forward to her being an integral part of the transition as Mr. Cussen immerses himself into our community.
  
 I also want to express my sincere appreciation to the members of the search committee for their tireless efforts and dedication throughout this process. Their commitment to finding the best possible leader for our school has been truly commendable, and we are grateful for their hard work and expertise.  The committee was broadly representative of our community, consisting of 2 board members (Ann Racine and Bill McSheehy); 4 members from the faculty and administration (Cindy Merrill, Heather Tullio '88, Rob Carlin, and Sarah Dzerkacz '97); Coach Tom Bingham P'21 '23 representing our athletics programs; Fr. Joe Dolan, Pastor at St. Bernard Parish at St. Camillus Church; Debra Mulcahy Jeffries '81, All Bernardian, and current Fitchburg School Committee member, representing the community at large; 2 of our school parents (Chuck Courtemanche P'26 and Nathan Kenney P'23 '25 '27); and last but certainly not least, 2 of our students, Claire Norton '25 and Cobbi Okyere '25.

Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Mr. Cussen. At a date and time to be determined soon, we will schedule a virtual introduction of Mr. Cussen to the community.  He and his wife Christine will be relocating from Seattle WA in the coming months.  Let us come together as a community to support him as he embarks on this new chapter of leadership, and to continue our collective efforts in providing an exceptional educational experience for our students.

 Warm regards,