After 14 years at the helm, Jan Breen has announced she is retiring in June from her position as president of the all-girls St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge.
“After more than five decades in Catholic education, I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life’s journey,” Breen said in her announcement, which was released Thursday morning.
Stacia Andricain will remain as principal of the prominent Baton Rouge private high school, a position she’s held since 2017; she’s been on the faculty since 1996.
Andricain described that Breen has been a visionary leader with deep commitment to the school’s mission and promised the school would continue her legacy.
“Her mentorship over the 14 years has guided my own leadership experience, and under her guidance, we have seen remarkable growth in enrollment, giving and scholarship opportunities,” Andricain said. “Under Jan’s leadership, we have also seen significant improvements to school facilities and campus safety.”
After she retires, Breen become president emeritus and will assist whoever is selected as her successor as well continue to work on certain school initiatives.
The school has hired a search firm, Partners in Mission, which has an extensive background with Catholic schools. John D’Angelo, a former chair of the St. Joseph board, is serving as chair of the presidential search committee.
“(Breen’s) impact on our students, faculty and alumnae community has been profound, and she leaves an extraordinary legacy of academic excellence, Catholic identity and a vibrant school culture,” D’Angelo said.
Breen is a 1969 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy — back then she was known as Jan Rhorer — an education she said was “instrumental in my formation as a woman and in my commitment to the ministry of Catholic education.”
After graduating, she went on to have a 53-year career in Catholic education,
She worked for 38 years at the all-boys Catholic High School, located a couple of blocks away, where she served as an English teacher and as director of public relations. In 2011, she returned to her alma mater to become the first lay president of St. Joseph’s Academy, a school under the direction of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Founded in 1868, St. Joseph’s Academy is located at 3015 Broussard Street. It is home to more than 1,100 students in grades nine to 12.
Breen described the school as “the hallmark of excellence in Catholic education for young women in faith development, academic excellence and personal growth.
“We are a school of opportunities, a school where women find their voice and become self-confident and empowered individuals,” Breens aid. “The forward-thinking, talented and dedicated administrators, faculty and staff demonstrate an unwavering commitment to excellence. We continue to be leaders in technology and to expand our campus to provide a curriculum for the future for our students.”
During her tenure, Breen oversaw upgrades to the campus, including a new student activity center, a student commons area, a quad, a terrace, a plaza, and a walking track. The school added new programs in STEM, eSports, broadcast journalism and entrepreneurship as well as oversaw the creation of an athletic hall of fame.
She also said that total assets of the school’s private foundation increased substantially and 53 new endowed scholarships were created, providing need-based tuition assistance to families.
Breen said she also worked to limit tuition increases while still providing competitive salaries and benefits for school staff
During her tenure, the academy was twice named a National Blue Ribbon School, the nation’s high school honor — it was recently discontinued by the U.S. Department of Education.
