Bishop Ford Central Catholic H.S., Park Slope, has welcomed its new principal, Thomas P. Arria Jr., and new board chair, Bishop Ford alumnus and former teacher Myles Davis.
Principal Arria officially welcomed the school’s 51st freshman class – the class of 2017 – on Sept. 9. He takes over as the school’s permanent leader replacing interim principal Sam Sued, who returns to his role as vice principal.
Arria has 39 years of continuous leadership and teaching experience at the high school level, with 12 years as a principal and headmaster. He has successfully guided a number of high schools in their operations, missions and academic goals.
He previously served as principal of Notre Dame Cristo Rey H.S. in Lawrence, Mass. Prior to that, he was vice principal at Stoneham H.S., headmaster at Cathedral H.S. and headmaster at Malden Catholic H.S., all in Massachusetts. He was the first lay headmaster at Malden Catholic H.S., where he spent 30 years teaching, serving as department chair and also as vice principal.
Born and raised in Somerville, a suburb of Boston, he earned his bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in education from Boston State College. He also has a certificate of advanced educational studies from Boston College.
Myles Davis is a well-known and highly regarded member of the Brooklyn community. He currently serves as senior vice president for corporate services at Lutheran HealthCare, Sunset Park.
With more than 35 years of involvement in community and civic leadership, he has been the recipient of numerous awards from a wide range of organizations including the N.Y.C. Council, the N.Y.S. Assembly and Senate, the NYPD, FDNY and the Office of the Mayor. Shortly after the World Trade Center attacks, he was selected by the Giuliani administration to help open and operate the city’s Family Assistance Center at Pier 94.
In December, 2001, he was appointed as an honorary deputy fire commissioner, and in 2013, he was named Man of the Year by the FDNY’s Holy Name Society. He is also a lifetime member and former president of BRAVO Volunteer Ambulance.
Bay Ridge Roots
Davis was born and raised in Bay Ridge and educated at Our Lady of Angels (OLA), Bishop Ford (Class of 1967), St. Francis College and Wagner College. A former Franciscan brother, he was a teacher at OLA and Bishop Ford and was inducted into the Bishop Ford Hall of Fame in 2010.
“It’s a new beginning for Bishop Ford as we chart our legacy for the next 50 years,” said Davis. “The challenges are great for Catholic schools today, but our commitment to paving the way to success for our student body remains as strong as ever.”
“I have great respect for the deep-rooted history and rich community tapestry that makes up Bishop Ford today,” said Arria. “As someone who was inspired to the field of education by my own high school teachers and mentors, I am extremely honored to have been selected to articulate the school’s Catholic mission and philosophy to a new generation of students and graduates.”
“We are particularly pleased to welcome Tom to Brooklyn and to Bishop Ford,” said Brother Thomas Barton, O.S.F., campus ministry director.
“With his rich experience and strengths in strategic planning, professional development, evaluation and supervision, he was the perfect choice to shepherd Bishop Ford into a new chapter of its storied history.”