Head of School

James Hickey, Ph.D.

James Hickey, Ph.D. has been a teacher for more than thirty years with experience working in Catholic, independent boarding, and public secondary schools. The tenth Head of Austin Prep, Dr. Hickey came to Austin Prep in July 2013 after serving as the Dean of Academic Affairs at The Pennington School in Pennington, New Jersey.

An educator who has held several senior leadership roles in secondary schools, Dr. Hickey has been a leader in educational change for most of his professional career. In 2009, Dr. Hickey was named the New Jersey Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) for his work in transforming one of the largest public high schools in the nation. He was recognized for his work by the United States Secretary of Education and the New Jersey Commissioner of Education.

Since arriving at Austin Prep, Dr. Hickey successfully brought to completion two strategic plans and is currently leading the School through its third five-year strategic plan. Under his leadership, Austin Prep has experienced capacity enrollment, an increase in the number of teaching faculty, and innovation in academic offerings and student experiences outside the classroom.  During his tenure, Austin Prep has invested more than $25 million in facility modernization and upgrades.

In 2024, he and his wife, Cindy, were affiliated to the Order of St. Augustine, the highest honor the Order can bestow, for their work in advancing the Augustinian way of life and their leadership in Augustinian education.  A Knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Dr. Hickey was recognized by the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) in 2025 for outstanding achievement in support of Catholic education. He has presented numerous times at conferences for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) to share insights about leadership and governance with educators and trustees. Active with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges - Commission on Independent Schools (NEASC-CIS), Dr. Hickey has led Commission Visiting Committees to support member schools in their accreditation process.

Jim and Cindy have four children – Madeline ’22, Ryan ’23, Jared ’24, who are in college, and Charlie ’27, a current Austin Prep student.  Reagan, a Labrador Retriever and Special Assistant to the Head of School, enjoys spending time with students and welcoming guests to Austin Prep.