by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Jon McGee will become the next headmaster for St. John’s Prep School beginning July 1. He will be the first lay leader of the school, succeeding 29 St. John’s Abbey monastic members, since the school was founded in 1857.
McGee said he hopes to bring energy and more recognition to the school.
“I hope to bring a lot of energy to St. John’s Prep and lift it up to its next great place,” he said. “The opportunity to work as head of school is extraordinary and one I am excited to embrace. I would like the Prep School externally recognized as a school of excellence within our community and known as what it truly is, a place that is innovative, imaginative and creative. The strength of the Prep School is its community and community values. I want the Prep School understood as a significant part of the educational fabric of the St. Cloud area and all of Minnesota.”
Current Headmaster the Rev. Jonathan Licari announced his retirement last fall and the school enlisted a national educational search firm to help find his replacement.
Tom Stock, a member of the St. John’s Prep Board of Regents, chaired the Head of School Search Committee which included alumni, faculty, monastic, parent and board of regent representatives.
After a four-month search that generated responses from throughout the United States and abroad, the school’s board of regents voted unanimously in February to approve McGee as its next headmaster.
“Jon comes to St. John’s Prep with an extensive knowledge and understanding of the school’s rich history and strong Catholic Benedictine philosophy,” said Abbot John Klassen in a press release. “As Prep enters its third year of a three-year strategic plan, McGee offers the unique perspective and experience as a chief strategist and consultant to other institutions of higher learning, including secondary schools. He understands the economic, challenges and opportunities the school faces as a globally minded, independent school in the ever-changing landscape of education.”
McGee earned a bachelor’s degree in government from St. John’s University in 1984 and a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs in 1988.
He has worked at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University since 1999 as the director of institutional planning and research, following leadership positions at the Minnesota Private College Council and the Minnesota Department of Finance.
At the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University he has worked with planning and strategy, enrollment, communications and public affairs.
McGee is the author of two books, “Dear Parents: A Field Guide for College Preparation” and “Breakpoint: The Changing Marketplace for Higher Education.” He is also a trustee of the College Board and serves on the faculty of the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions.
McGee has written many essays and blogs for higher education organizations and consultant groups and is often asked to speak about economic and development trends in education for both schools and families.
He and his wife, Ann, live in Cold Spring and have four children. Two children have graduated from St. John’s Prep and two of them are currently attending the school.
McGee said he feels his children have received an extraordinary educational experience at St. John’s Prep and he looks forward to ensuring those advantages remain for students for generations to come.
“I think the Prep School has exceptionally prepared my children to succeed in college, both in the classroom and in life,” he said.
“This school has really helped them develop exceptionally as young men and a young woman. Prep focuses on the development of a person and uses the benchmarks of our Catholic Benedictine tradition to develop as humans.
“Our kids have learned a lot about inclusivity and diversity. They’ve learned instead of dividing people, it’s better to find ways to include each other. This call to welcome all as Christ is real, St. Benedict instructs us to receive all guests as Christ, and that’s what my children have learned and are learning. It’s a very diverse school with young people from 13 different countries. My children are exposed to that. They know there’s an expectation of inclusivity of others.”
According to Jill Pauly, St. John’s Prep director of communications and events, the school currently has students from 24 Minnesota cities attending grades six to 12 and will have 40 graduating students on May 25. There are 45 students from the St. Joseph area and 40 students from the Sartell area who attend the school. The school plans to add a fifth grade in fall this year.
Jon McGee will become the next headmaster for St. John’s Prep School, beginning July 1. He will be the first lay leader of the school since it was founded in 1857.
