Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Announces John Ciccone as 4th School President

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School has announced John Ciccone as the school’s fourth President. The community letter can be seen below:

“Dear Good Counsel Community,

After an extensive nationwide Head of School search, I write with great pleasure to announce that the Board of Directors has appointed John Ciccone as the 4th president of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. John was recommended by the Search Committee to the Board of Directors.  John was then appointed by unanimous vote.  He will succeed Dr. Paul Barker, effective July 1, 2023.

About John Ciccone

John Ciccone is a seasoned school leader.  For the past 14 years, he has served as President at Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy in Baltimore.  John’s prior experience was as Chief Administrative Officer at Rochambeau, The French International School in Bethesda and as Head of School at SEED Public Charter School of Washington DC.  Across two decades, John has an exceptional record as an educational leader at Catholic, independent, and charter schools, from early childhood through high school levels.  He earned his undergraduate degree in history and education from Rhode Island College and his master’s degree in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard. He has completed non-profit executive education programs at the Harvard Business School and the Kellogg School of Management as well as the New Heads Institute of the National Association of Independent Schools.  John serves as a board member for Innovation Works in Baltimore and Loyola Blakefield in Towson.

In John, we have found the extraordinary Catholic school leader that the community intended when we began thesearch process. He has the vision, strategic leadership, and experience necessary to move Good Counsel to our highest aspirations and goals for the future. John is an accomplished scholar of social inequality. Throughout the course of his career, he has demonstrated experience in fundraising, strategic planning, enrollment management, and strengthening school culture.

“I am extraordinarily honored to be selected as Our Lady of Good Counsel High School’s next President,” says Ciccone. “I am excited to be part of Good Counsel’s strong, vibrant, and inclusive community that clearly lives its mission to inspire students to excel, serve, and love. I look forward to meeting all the members of the Good Counsel community in the coming months.”

In Gratitude

The Board of Directors extends our deepest gratitude to the Search Committee members who worked tirelessly over the past year on behalf of Good Counsel. We all appreciate your dedication and commitment to this important and demanding work. We are also grateful to our alumni, faculty, staff, parents and students who participated in this process and gave their time to meet with the candidates and share their insights with the Search Committee. This engagement by all stakeholders is a testament to the strength of our community.

Looking Ahead

With the search process concluded, the Board of Directors will now focus on a smooth leadership transition and providing John with a warm welcome to Good Counsel. We are in the process of finalizing a Presidential Transition Committee to assist John as he takes his seat as our next president.

You will have many opportunities to get to know John in the months ahead and I will keep you updated on these opportunities as they are finalized. We look forward to welcoming John and his wife, Amy, to the Good Counsel community in July, 2023.
Sincerely,

Phil Mantua ’76”

Chair, Our Lady of Good Counsel Board of Directors