The Jesuit Schools Network (JSN) is a North‑American association that serves secondary and pre‑secondary schools operated by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). It functions as the membership organization for these institutions, providing programming, resources, and advocacy to support their educational mission.
Organization and Scope
JSN is affiliated with the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States and participates in the Jesuit Global Network of Schools. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the network serves approximately 55,000 students across about 90 member schools in the United States, Canada, Belize, and the Federated States of Micronesia. The schools it represents follow three primary models of Jesuit education in the region: traditional Jesuit elementary and secondary schools, Nativity schools, and Cristo Rey high schools.
History
The predecessor of JSN was the Jesuit Educational Association (JEA), founded in 1936 to coordinate secondary and post‑secondary Jesuit institutions in the United States. In 1970 the JEA split into two bodies: the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the Jesuit Secondary Education Association (JSEA). In 2015 the JSEA was reorganized under the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States and renamed the Jesuit Schools Network of North America.
Leadership
The network’s executive leadership includes an Executive Director, a role held by William H. Muller, S.J., at the organization’s inception, and currently by Robert E. Reiser, S.J. (since 2021). Historically, the JSEA was led by a series of Jesuit presidents, among them Edwin J. McDermott, S.J., and James A. Stoeger, S.J.
Mission and Activities
JSN’s mission is to “animate the educational ministry of the Society of Jesus in Canada, the United States, Belize, and Micronesia” by strengthening Jesuit pre‑secondary and secondary schools. Its activities include professional development for faculty and staff, curricular resources grounded in Ignatian pedagogy, advocacy on public policy affecting Catholic education, and facilitating collaboration among member schools.
Membership
Member schools range from well‑known institutions such as Boston College High School (Massachusetts), Georgetown Preparatory School (Maryland), and Bellarmine College Preparatory (California) to numerous regional schools throughout the United States, Canada, and the network’s international sites. Membership is open to schools that are owned, operated, or sponsored by the Society of Jesus and that adhere to the network’s educational standards.
References
- “Member Schools,” Jesuit Schools Network, accessed 2022‑06‑19.
- “History,” Jesuit Schools Network, accessed 2022‑06‑19.
The information above is derived from publicly available sources, including the official Jesuit Schools Network website and its Wikipedia entry.