Saint John's Appoints Head of School
On November 13, the Saint John’s High School Board of Trustees unanimously selected Benjamin P. (Ben) Horgan, Ed.D., Saint John’s class of 2005, as Saint John’s High School’s Head of School to succeed Alex Zequeira on July 1, 2024.
Ben is currently Formation Director at Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools (XBSS) in Baltimore, Maryland.
Tom Buckingham, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said, “Ben emanates the Xaverian mission and is deeply committed to the formation of the boys and young men in our school’s care. His experience in the classroom at Red Cloud Indian School, on the administrative team at Loyola Blakefield and in the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools office – where he has worked extensively with boards, heads and leadership teams across our network of thirteen schools – positions him well to deliver on Saint John’s strategic plan. He is exactly what we need in our new Head of School and is eager to take on the role.”
Ben has had opportunities, both through the XBSS and Jesuit school networks, to participate in all aspects of school leadership - curriculum development, team leadership, mission formation, advancement, and building collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders within school communities. Colleagues relied on him as a trusted mentor and an open, collaborative leader. One shared that Ben taught them the importance of ensuring school programs have the required structure, funding, and people for long-term success.
In reflecting on the appointment, Ben shares “I am truly humbled to return home to Saint John’s and serve as its next Head of School. I am blessed to have experienced firsthand the transformational impact of a Saint John’s education. The Xaverian Brothers, faculty, and staff I had as a student inspired me to devote my life to Catholic education and helped me form a strong foundation of faith, service, and leadership that I have carried with me throughout my life. As the next Head of School, I look forward to collaborating with the Saint John’s community to build upon the strong traditions that make Saint John’s so special and advance the school’s mission in innovative ways to meet the needs of future generations of Pioneers.”
Ben began his career in Catholic education as a teacher, department chair, and Director of Spiritual Formation at the Red Cloud Indian School, a Jesuit high school on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Here, Ben mentored teachers with respect to instructional techniques and cultural awareness. While at Loyola Blakefield, a Jesuit prep school in the Baltimore area, Ben was tasked with forming the first Ignatian Mission & Identity team. References who worked with Ben said he was animated with an authentic passion and energy that are contagious. “Ben can be prophetic and bold when needed and also discerning. People turned to him for guidance. His expertise and wisdom empowered people, even when they had more years of experience.”
Knowing the power of the brotherhood and feeling the pull of the Xaverian Charism, Ben returned to the XBSS network as the Director of Formation. In this role, he has partnered with the schools, faculty, chief administrators, board chairs, and the Xaverian Brothers on governance, institutional leadership, spiritual formation, and all aspects of school operations. Ben helped define and refine what it means to be Xaverian in our current time and context. He has been a guide for our schools on how to carry on in the great tradition of the Brothers to promote academic excellence and personal responsibility, living out the Gospel through community service, and helping students at Xaverian schools grow to be committed, faithful, hard-working, and compassionate adults.
Br. Dan Skala, C.F.X., General Superior of the Xaverian Brothers, shares “I am confident that Saint John’s will continue to thrive under Ben’s leadership. He understands the demands of leadership, supports mission in its many dimensions and is tremendously talented. He listens with care and compassion. With Ben’s leadership, everything that Saint John’s values will be preserved and enhanced.”
In reflecting on the school’s next leaders, current Headmaster Alex Zequeira believes that, “Dr. Ben Horgan’s appointment marks a pivotal moment in the continued legacy of Saint John’s High School. His leadership, talent, embodiment of our mission, and unwavering commitment to the Xaverian charism and values are truly unparalleled. I look forward to partnering with him in the transition over the next seven months and offer my full support and confidence in Ben as he takes on this role. I am excited to see how he will continue to foster excellence and champion the spirit and principles that define our Pioneer community.”
Ben earned his Doctorate in Education at Creighton University, after earning a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies at Loyola University Maryland, and a Bachelor’s Degree at Bates College. Ben’s doctoral dissertation examined effective strategies for strengthening board governance and leadership within Xaverian Brother Sponsored Schools.
Ben and his wife Hillary are the proud parents of a daughter, Finley, and look forward to relocating to the Shrewsbury area where Ben was raised and his parents still live.
Click here to read the full announcement materials.
Click here to read the full announcement materials.
