Richard O’Hara, head of The Wellington School in Columbus, Ohio, has been named the first president of The John Carroll School, Bel Air. The announcement was made by Augustus Brown, chairman of the school’s board of trustees, Feb. 20 following a unanimous vote by the board of trustees and approval by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
As president, Mr. O’Hara will be the chief executive officer and will be responsible for the overall operation of the school, including areas of finance, institutional advancement, alumni relations, public relations and facilities.
“The very first thing that struck me about the school was the mission statement,” said Mr. O’Hara, who is an extraordinary minister of holy Communion at his parish in Columbus. “I thought it was very strong and meaningful. All of the people I met seemed to share a very genuine commitment to John Carroll, and that’s the kind of place I want to serve.”
John Carroll, like most of the Catholic high schools in the archdiocese, has adopted the president/principal model. The school serves some 890 students with a faculty and staff of more than 100.
“With the tremendous growth that John Carroll has seen over the last five years, the board felt that implementing this model of leadership would continue to strengthen the operation of John Carroll,” said Mr. Brown in a Feb. 27 press release.
Mr. O’Hara said his goals for The John Carroll School are to help the school achieve the highest level of education and prepare the young people to accomplish their goals in the Christian mission.
“I believe in the importance of helping young people grow in the fullest realization of who they can be,” said Mr. O’Hara, who will officially take office July 1.