Westlake | Meet Principal Obrien Apply Visit Us

While I am new to this role as Principal, the 2023-2024 school year will be my fourth year with Julie Billiart Schools. I began at JB Akron as a fifth-grade Intervention Specialist, and last year, migrated up to Westlake to assume the role of Assistant Principal and Director of Special Education. In my handful of years at Julie Billiart, it has been so exciting and inspiring to watch our faculty, staff, and student population grow. As of this fall [2023], JB Westlake will serve over 120 students coming to us from over 30 different school districts.

This growth would not be possible without the support from our board members, donors, administrators, teachers, therapists, support staff, and families who all make the leap to our unique school setting and contribute to or trust in our expertise in special education.

The growth that JB Westlake has experienced truly speaks to the need for our services, programming, and mission on the west side of Cleveland. I am so proud to play a small part of a program that does so much good for the students that we serve.

If you are interested in learning more about JB Westlake or taking a tour, I invite you to reach out today!

Thank you,

Patrick O'Brien, M.Ed. 
Principal, JB Westlake

About Principal O'Brien

Patrick O’Brien graduated from John Carroll with his undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education. He also completed his masters from Youngstown State University in Educational Administration. He taught for four years at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School as an Intervention Specialist before finding his home at JB Akron in the fall of 2020. He and his wife Christine reside in North Olmsted with their dog parker and are expecting their first child, coming September 2023.

“I am most looking forward to building upon the exceptional school culture that already exists here at JBW,” he said. “Not only do our teachers go above and beyond to create thoughtful, engaging lessons; but they simultaneously curate the most welcoming, understanding environment a student could ever experience. All the credit goes to our teachers, I am simply excited that I get to play a small role in helping them do their jobs as well as they do. Now, I have the pleasure and responsibility of maintaining what already exists, finding areas in which we can improve, and welcoming any families that join our school community in years to come.”