O'Neil D'Amour Award 2002 - National Catholic Educational Association

Sr. Mary Michaeline Green, OP, the superintendent in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is being honored for her undaunting service in advancing and strengthening Catholic education boards. During her twenty-five years as superintendent, she has worked diligently to assure that an effective, diverse blend of people are considered for board membership and has ensured that the committee structure is both functional and effective. She conducts orientation sessions for new board members and for potential members annually in conjunction with the diocesan Home and School Association’s "Partners in Education" workshop. She has worked untiringly in re-kindling local school boards that began to show signs of faltering.

In 1990, she established a Collaborative Marketing Committee of the diocesan school board to bolster recruitment in schools with declining enrollments. Her efforts resulted in award-winning videos, TV spots, radio spots, print ads, billboards, recruitment brochures, and, most recently, flashcards (mini CD-Roms). During these years as superintendent, five elementary schools were built, two diocesan regional high schools were built, and more than 150 classrooms were added to existing facilities.

In 1990, she was named Distinguished Diocesan Leader by Today’s Catholic Teacher. In 1998, the Baton Rouge Advocate did a full feature story on her titled, "No. 1 Nun." In 1999, the Diocese of Baton Rouge School Board received the Outstanding Board Award at the NCEA Convention.

Sr. Michaeline, OP, joined St. Mary’s Dominican Community upon graduation from high school. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from St. Mary’s Dominican College in New Orleans in 1958 and her Masters of Education degree from Marquette University in 1966. She serves on the Louisiana Non-Public School Commission and on various other community boards.