By William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer

When J. Michael Brandt retired as superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools in July 1998 after seven years in the post, it didn't take him long to find his next job.

One month later, Brandt - who had achieved the rare feat of rising from teacher to principal to superintendent in his hometown urban school district - accepted a position as "superintendent in residence" at Xavier University.

"I help train aspiring principals and superintendents," the 57-year-old former Woodward High School principal said. "I am teaching a full load of classes each semester in the graduate school of education."

Brandt said he is able to share his personal "successes and failures" in both positions with his students.

He's also the point person for the Catholic Schools Initiative, a program designed "to help improve leadership skills for Catholic school principals, and create a new pool of candidates for the jobs." The program is funded by a $2 million grant from the Buenger Foundation.

A college teaching career is something Brandt had prepared for. He has a master's in secondary school administration from Xavier.

"Even as a superintendent I taught a course (at Xavier) each semester," Brandt said.

Brandt was originally named interim superintendent for a year while the board conducted a national search for a replacement for Lee Etta Powell. His performance so impressed the school board that members abandoned the search.

"I felt comfortable with the job. I felt someone inside the district could navigate changes (called for in the Buenger Report on schools, which called for slashing administration and adopting a more corporate structure ) better than someone outside."

Brandt's decision to retire as superintendent was his own.

"I retired and wasn't fired. I'm proud of that,'' said the Delhi Township resident. "The average (tenure for an urban superintendent) is 18 months."

A ruptured disk in his back, subsequent surgery and post-surgery complications were the impetus for his "early" retirement, Brandt said. While recuperating, he wasn't sure he had enough energy for the demanding job.

"Most days started with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast meeting and ended at 6 or 7 p.m., not including night meetings and weekends. During levy time, it was nonstop."

His current job is less stressful.

"It tends to be five days a week instead of seven. As for the stress level, there's no comparison. You're not pulled in 50 directions as much."

Although he still experiences some numbness, his back has since improved "to the point that I'm back playing racquetball," said Brandt, who is regular at the Central Parkway branch YMCA in Over-the-Rhine.

As for the current status of Cincinnati Public Schools, Brandt said: "They're in academic emergency, which is a deep hole to come out of. (But) they have a very enthusiastic leader who I think the public supports."

Brandt, a father of three grown children, has no idea when he'll call it quits in an education career that started 35 years ago as a social studies teacher at C.M. Merry Middle School.

"As long as I still feel I can contribute and be productive," he said.

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E-mail bweathers@enquirer.com