5 minute read
New President
New Leadership for DLS
De La Salle Selects First Lay President John M. Knight named Brother Thomas Lackey’s Successor
The De La Salle Collegiate Board of Trustees has selected John M. Knight to be the next President of the school. He becomes the first lay President of De La Salle. Dr. John Moore, Board Chairman, made the announcement in late February 2015. “I am grateful to the Board of Trustees for the invitation to serve the De La Salle Collegiate community as its next president,” said Knight. “A Lasallian education is a gift from God, and a call to each one of us to continue each day to live out the Gospel message of Jesus to love one another, to be accepting of all, to forgive those who harm us, and to always take care of those who are marginalized in our world. De La Salle Collegiate is a school that has, through its storied history, represented well the spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle. It is an honor to be joining this exceptional school community.” Knight succeeds Brother Thomas Lackey, who announced in June 2014 that he would be stepping down at the conclusion of the 2014-15 academic year after four years at the helm. Knight’s appointment concludes a seven-month search process led by a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees, and involving stakeholders from within the De La Salle community. President Brother Thomas Lackey, President Emeritus Brother Robert Carnaghi, and Brother Patrick McNally, also interviewed each of the finalists.
As President, Knight will have primary responsibility for reinforcing and amplifying the high school’s Lasallian Mission, achieving the goals of the recently completed strategic plan, and serving as the school community’s faith leader. “We could not be more pleased to announce John Knight’s joining our De La Salle family. He is well-equipped to represent the Lasallian charism that makes our Catholic educational institution so unique,” said Dr. Moore, a 1975 De La Salle graduate. “We are also excited that he brings his considerable experience to help forward our strategic plan, build upon the great things that are happening right now at our school, and help La Salle to become an ever more important and positive change agent in the greater southeast Michigan community. “We are grateful for the service that Brother Tom has rendered to the school,” Moore added. “As a result of the efforts of Brother Tom, our Principal Pat Adams, the administrative team and the faculty, our school has an impressive list of accomplishments over the past four years. We look forward to working with John, Pat, and the DLS team as they continue in our tradition of building boys and making men.” Knight brings a wealth of experience to his new position, having spent the last 28 years in Catholic secondary education. He has served as school president at both St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco (CA), and Canisius High School in Buffalo (NY). Prior to moving into school leadership, Knight spent 15 years at University of Detroit Jesuit High School in Detroit in campus ministry and as a teacher and coach.
John M. Knight
Senior Charley Bemiss, John Knight, senior Josh Colina, Principal Patrick Adams, and junior Quinton Glaspie meet informally in mid-March.
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Knight attended St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo before earning a Bachelor’s of Education degree from the University of Toledo, and a Master’s of Religious Education from Chicago’s Loyola University. He was a Jesuit seminarian from 1983-89 before leaving the order for a calling to family life. Knight joins De La Salle at a very exciting time. Now in its 89th year, the school’s annual enrollment is consistently near 800. All students in the class of 2014 earned college acceptance, including financial aid awards totaling more than $11 million. In October 2014, the school became just the third private school in the state of Michigan, and the first in Macomb County, to be approved as an International World School for the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. And in November, the De La Salle Pilots won the first state football title in the school’s history. “I am so happy that John has accepted the position of President of De La Salle,” said Br. Tom Lackey. “His major task is to continue the Lasallian Mission at De La Salle Collegiate. Because of John’s background, he understands Mission. And not only has my support, but the support of the Brothers locally and nationally.” “John will be a tremendous addition to the De La Salle family,” said Br. Bob Carnaghi. “I am ready to help him get acclimated and begin introducing him to our generous alumni, our supportive parents, and to the Brothers’ community. Along with our fine faculty and staff, these are the pillars of De La Salle Collegiate, and together, we will have a strong team.” Knight makes his home in Bloomfield Hills with his wife and two daughters. He will take office, effective July 1, and begin a formal transition on May 1. “I am pleased for the De La Salle Collegiate community that the Board was able to identify a person of such capability and proven Catholic educational leadership as John Knight. We are grateful to De La Salle’s Board for conducting the presidential search process with broad consultation and with great integrity. The transition of leadership is always a time of some anxiety but also a time of renewed hope, vision and energy. I am confident that the Lasallian educational community at De La Salle is well prepared to welcome and to work with John Knight and the Brothers of the Christian Schools, District of Eastern North America, to continue the excellent work that has been a hallmark of this school throughout its 89 years in metro Detroit.” Br. Dennis Malloy, FSC Visitor/Provincial of the District of Eastern North America.
