Mrs. Margaret McGettrick, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Austin, will assume the position of Associate Director for Education at the Texas Catholic Conference on July 1, 2005 replacing Mr. George Solana who will retire after 24 years of service to Catholic education in Texas.

Mr. Solana has been Associate Director for Education since 1982. Initially responsible for implementation of federal programs in Catholic schools in Texas, Mr. Solana, working with the Catholic schools superintendents of the dioceses of Texas, established the accreditation system for Catholic school which is currently in use in the state.

Prior to assuming the position of superintendent, Mrs. McGettrick was an elementary and middle school principal and teacher in Corpus Christi, Texas and her hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Mrs. McGettrick and her husband Malachy immigrated to the United States in 1974. The McGettricks have four children and one grand child and reside in Buda, Texas.

Holy Cross Brother Richard Daly, Executive Director of the Texas Catholic Conference, stated "We are delighted that Mrs. McGettrick has agreed to join the staff of the TCC as Associate Director for Education. This means that the excellent work that has been accomplished by Mr. George Solana, his staff, and the school superintendents of Texas on behalf of the children who attend Catholic schools, will continue with no interruption."