Summary
- First Alert 4 reports Philip Riley has been placed on leave.
- The staff letter says the decision is unrelated to student safety.
- Riley’s appointment took effect July 1, 2024.
Leadership change at CBC
Philip Riley, president of Christian Brothers College High School in the St. Louis area, has been placed on leave, First Alert 4 reported on October 13, citing a letter to faculty and staff. The station identified CBC as a college preparatory school for boys. Its report did not establish why Riley was placed on leave. The board’s letter said the decision was not based on a concern related to student safety. [1]
What the board communicated
According to First Alert 4, the board expressed confidence in the school’s executive leadership team to maintain effective operations during Riley’s absence. The station said it had contacted CBC leadership for more information and comment. That account establishes a temporary change in who is available to lead the school, but does not establish misconduct, a disciplinary finding or a permanent termination. The reason for the leave remains undisclosed in the published report. [1]
Riley’s appointment
CBC’s own appointment announcement says Riley became president effective July 1, 2024, following a national search conducted by the board and the Christian Brothers of the Midwest District. At the time, he was president of the Xavier Catholic School System in Appleton, Wisconsin. The announcement described his background in program development, financial planning and institutional strategy, providing the school’s original account of the leadership selection. [2]
Experience before joining the school
The appointment announcement credited Riley with 32 years in Catholic education, including four years leading Xavier’s five-campus system. It also listed a history degree from Benedictine College and a master’s degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University, following military service. Those details are historical background from the school’s welcome message, rather than an explanation for the current leave. The October 13 staff-letter report remains the source for the change in his status. [2]