Saint John's appoints new Principal
The school is delighted to name the newest addition to the administrative team.
Headmaster Alex Zequeira, along with the Board of Trustees of Saint John’s High School, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Margaret Rourke Granados to the position of Principal, effective July 1, 2017. Mrs. Granados will be the first female permanent Principal of Saint John’s High School, succeeding Interim Principal Jeanne Depasse, who has served as a strong and effective transition leader in the role since July 2016.
The school conducted the extensive search process in partnership with consulting firm Carney Sandoe & Associates, during which hundreds of qualified candidates were screened and three finalists spent a day on campus meeting with representatives from across the school community, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents, alumni, and board members.
Mrs. Granados is currently Dean of Studies PK-Grade 12, Assistant Head of School, and Head of Lower and Middle Schools at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, NJ, where she has served since 2013. There, she is responsible for curriculum development for all students and teachers, she coordinated and supported interdisciplinary and integrated curricular work, counseled parents, advised students, supported admission activity, successfully navigated NJAIS reaccreditation, and implemented several other schoolwide learning initiatives.
Previously, she served as Head of School at The Montclair Cooperative School (Montclair, NJ), and as a division head at The Shipley School (Bryn Mawr, PA) and The Berkeley Carroll School (Brooklyn, NY). Mrs. Granados also brings many years of experience in the classroom and as an admissions professional. She received her B.A. in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross, and went on to earn a Master’s in Education from Teachers College/Columbia University (New York, NY).
Headmaster Alex Zequeira remarked that “the feedback offered by the search committee and many within our community, as well as Mrs. Granados’ enthusiasm and demonstrated leadership, gives me great confidence in her ability to serve as the school’s next Principal, upholding the standards of academic excellence and care of the individual student that are characteristic of a Saint John’s education, as we strive to bring Christ to life in our young men.”
Mrs. Granados is eager to move into Central Massachusetts with her husband, Stefan, and her son, Will. “I fell in love with the school during my visits to campus, and I was genuinely inspired by the Saint John’s faculty, parents, and students. It is clear Saint John’s offers its boys a rigorous high school education with varied and valuable experiences in and out of the classroom that cultivate wisdom, character, faith, spirit, and pride. Resting on the school’s vibrant mission and values, there is a path ahead designed to continue and build upon Saint John’s High School’s long trajectory of success, and I look forward to embracing and leading this collective and collaborative work.”
Until Mrs. Granados formally commences her work in the summer, Mrs. Depasse will continue her leadership in her role as Interim Principal. She will resume her previous role as Academic Dean for Grades 11 & 12 in July.
