The best way to experience the Prep community is to visit us! Immerse yourself in classes, connect with faculty, and make new friends! Learn why our inclusive community is a place that is truly beyond ordinary.
Saint John’s Prep is a premier arts and sciences world school where we prize imagination, creativity and discovery. Prep offers experiences that nurture curiosity and expand horizons. We invite you to discover Saint John’s Prep!
We take learning seriously at Saint John’s Prep. Our outstanding faculty and staff challenge our students to reach beyond the familiar to try something new, to create, imagine or invent. We engage our students not only as they are but in relation to all that they can become.
Saint John’s Prep offers athletic, co-curricular and arts programs that are committed to a quality experience, highlighted by hard work, pride, and teamwork. We encourage students to try new things and challenge themselves to learn and grow outside of the classroom.
Every student takes part in our Fine Arts Program at Saint John’s Prep. Our well-rounded curriculum supports the development of appreciation and passion for fine arts that will last a lifetime.
Saint John’s Prep offers a spirited array of varsity and intramural sports. Our programs are inclusive with a strong emphasis on teamwork. Our sports teams give Prep students the opportunity to grow interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
Head of School 320-363-3316 jmcgee@sjprep.net
Jon McGee serves Saint John’s Prep as Head of School. Mr. McGee previously served as the vice president for planning and strategy at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB/SJU).
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. Jon has written many essays and blogs for higher education professional organizations and consultant groups. He’s often enlisted to speak to parents, higher education administrators, faculty and trustees about economic and development trends in education for both schools and families.
He is the first lay leader of the school following 29 monastic members of Saint John’s Abbey who have successively led the school since its founding in 1857.
“Jon comes to Saint John’s Prep with an extensive knowledge and understanding of the school’s rich history and strong Catholic Benedictine philosophy,” said Abbot John Klassen, OSB, and a member of the class of 1967 and chancellor of Saint John’s Prep. “As Prep enters its third year of a three-year strategic plan, Jon 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, a native of Mankato, Minn., holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Saint John’s University graduating egregia cum laude in 1984. He earned an M.A. in public affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs in 1988. He joined the administration of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in 1999 as the director of institutional planning and research after leadership positions at the Minnesota Private College Council and the Minnesota Department of Finance. His portfolio of work over the past 16 years for CSB/SJU, in addition to planning and strategy, also includes enrollment, communications and public affairs.
“The Catholic Benedictine values that guide and energize daily life at Saint John’s Prep and the greater Saint John’s community have become an important part of my own and my family’s life,” he said. “It is an extraordinary privilege to be a part of this community and contribute to its enduring values.”
McGee and his wife, Ann, live in Cold Spring, Minn., and have four children; three who have graduated from Prep and one who is currently attending the school. “Our children have received an extraordinary educational experience at Saint John’s Prep and I look forward to ensuring that those advantages remain for students for generations to come,” McGee said.
