The Board of Trustees of Hilton Head Preparatory School announces the extension of current Headmaster Jon Hopman's contract for an additional three years. As has been evident every day, Jon's leadership over these past three years has impacted life at Prep for everyone involved. His continued commitment to providing world-class academics while recognizing Prep's solid academic foundation will help Prep continue to provide the best education in the area. Jon's diverse professional background has enabled Prep to seize opportunities that the current times present even as others struggle to merely keep up. Prep's Board could not be more pleased with the job that Jon has been doing and with his ideas for the future. Board Chairman, Eric Wojcikiewicz says, "The entire Hopman family – Jon, wife, Mindy, and children Hunter, and Haylee – have been a tremendous addition to the Prep family. We look forward to having the Hopman family as part of the Prep family through the 2020-2021 school year and for many years to come."
In his first three years at Hilton Head Prep, Jon has worked hard to improve all aspects of the Prep experience. He has made numerous improvements to the curriculum through new vertical alignment, he has expanded electives in all divisions, led the school to achieve the Advanced Placement Capstone designation (the only school in the area to receive that designation), added the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) program in the lower school and improved communication across all constituencies through the addition of the Schoology program. During his tenure, the faculty demographic has improved from approximately 50% of faculty with advanced degrees to 78%, with the largest number of PhD's on staff in the school's history. Already well known for its strong college counseling program and college placement experience, Jon has led the department to strengthen the program to begin in the eighth grade, added college seminars in all upper school grades, and added SAT and ACT review classes as part of the school day curriculum. He has also expanded the boarding program, made numerous capital improvements including renovations to the dining hall, the library, the athletic fields and several classroom buildings and raised the school's AP and SAT scores.