New President For Mater Dei Prep In Middletown

Mater Dei Prep in Middletown has a new president.

James Hauenstein has been named as inaugural president of Mater Dei Prep, according to an announcement from the school’s Board of Trustees.

The school will re-open Wednesday as a private, Catholic college preparatory school.

“We were looking for a person who would embody three unique elements of Mater Dei Prep in one person; a rigorous academician to oversee our uniquely flexible college preparatory curriculum, the skilled, hands-on administrator to support our individualized approach to students, and a nurturing mentor for our vibrant, Catholic community,’’ Randy MacDonald, chair of the board said in a prepared statement. “Mr. Hauenstein’s extensive experience as a seasoned and professional educator for the last 33 years was an ideal match for those criteria. We are delighted that Mr. Hauenstein will be providing that leadership for Mater Dei Prep.”

In a prepared statement, Hauenstein said he was looking forward to seeing the students accomplish great things:

“I am very excited for this opportunity which will allow me to return to the foundation of my educational philosophy of being student-centered. Just as importantly, I believe we can expand a collegiate culture to help students achieve their post-secondary aspirations. I plan to utilize my strengths and passion as an educator to support every student at Mater Dei Prep.”

Hauenstein has been an assistant superintendent in the Toms River Regional School District for the last four years. In that position, he supervised three high schools and three intermediate schools, a news release said.

Before that, he worked as principal of Toms River High School North for seven years.

He is a 1982 graduate of the Lynch School of Education at Boston College with a BA in elementary/special education. He holds a Master’s Degree from Georgian Court University in Supervision, Curriculum and Administration and is a certified School Administrator, Principal and Supervisor of Instruction.

One of his former co-workers, William Cardone, the principal of St. James Elementary School in Red Bank and a retired assistant superintendent of schools in Toms River, said he has known Hauenstein for 25 years.

“I have watched him grow and develop from a master teacher into a very effective school administrator,’’ Cardone said in a prepared statement. “Being either an administrator or principal are very demanding and challenging positions and Jim excelled at both. Jim is a man of character who has a tireless work ethic, is attentive to detail and is altruistic in his desire to help students and staff succeed.”

The Diocese of Trenton had planned to close Mater Dei because of a $1 million operating deficit, but supporters and alumni scrambled to raise more than $1.5 million and launched a reorganization plan.

Earlier this year, Bishop David M. O’Connell approved that plan, which called for Mater Dei to re-open as a nonprofit organization, with an independent Board of Trustees acting “as fiscal and operational stewards over the school.” The school will operate independent of St. Mary’s Parish, but it will still receive ecclesiastical guidance from the Trenton Diocese.

Mater Dei had some 340 students enrolled in the school in the 2014-15 school year, but officials expect more students to be registered by September.

In the news release about Hauenstein’s appointment, MacDonald also thanked the school’s presidential search committee for their work:

• Margaret Boland, Assistant Superintendent at the Department of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Trenton
• Timothy Briles, Assistant Dean, School of Education at Georgian Court University
• Brother Frank Byrnes, President of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft section of Middletown

Photo: Patch file photo