Osbourn High Appoints Falls Church Educator as New Principal

The school board of the City of Manassas announced Tuesday that Cathy F. Benner will become the new principal of Osbourn High School.

Benner's appointment comes after the resignation of form Osbourn principal John Werner who announced in April  he would be taking a job in Albemarle County, Va., according to Washington Post reports.

“We are excited to have Ms. Benner join the Manassas City Public Schools family as the new principal at Osbourn,” said Superintendent Catherine Magouyrk.  “She has a strong leadership background and a proven track record for finding creative solutions to produce higher student performance.”

The Manassas City School Board has appointed more new principals to lead its schools. Read more now:

• Weems Elementary Gets New Principal 
• New Principal to Lead Round Elementary 
• Weems Elementary Principal to Lead Metz

 Benner is currently the principal at Falls Church High School, a position she has held since 2008.  She began her career in education as a social studies teacher with Hopewell City Schools in 1979 before moving to Fauquier County Schools to teach social studies from 1984 to 1999.

 Additionally, she served as the Secondary Curriculum Specialist and Social Studies Coordinator for Culpeper County Schools and an assistant superintendent for Orange County (Va.) Public Schools.  Prior to her role as principal in Falls Church, she served as the Sub-School Principal for Centreville High School in Clifton.

Benner says she believes a powerful, rigorous, and relevant high school education are the keys in helping young people become viable, competitive, and credible adults in their own right. “I am very excited about working with the Osbourn community,” she said.  “I believe some really wonderful things will happen in the coming year.”

 In addition to her work in public schools, Benner formerly served as an adjunct professor at George Mason University where she taught School Finance and School Law.

 Benner, a Phi Delta Kappa, earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Richmond.  She also has master's degrees in curriculum and instruction from George Mason University and in administration and supervision from Shenandoah University.  She is currently in the doctoral program at Virginia Tech University.

 Osbourn High School serves approximately 2,100 students in grades 9-12.

Some exciting changes in Manassas schools! What do you think?