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Boston Archdiocese's Top Education Official Resigns

BOSTON (AP) — The superintendent of schools for the Boston Archdiocese is resigning after five years leading the archdiocese's education system.

The archdiocese announced Friday that Mary Grassa O'Neill will step down, effective next month. A spokesman for the archdiocese said O'Neill's taking a break to decide what to do next.

In a statement, O'Neill said now is the right time to step away from the post, and she called it an "honor" to work with a team that served the system's 41,000 students.

The archdiocese credited O'Neill with reorganizing the Catholic Schools Office and making it a priority to support pastors, faculty and staff.

The archdiocese said O'Neill focused increasing early education enrollment, and the schools saw a 17 percent increase in those students during her five years.

Catholic school enrollment in Boston rose 2 percent during her tenure.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

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