Courtesy photo Mark Surrell poses for a photo with his wife Samantha and their son, Matthew.

ESCANABA — When Holy Name High School – A Chesterton Academy opens up this fall, welcoming students across the U.P., it will also welcome Mark A. Surrell as its new headmaster.

As headmaster, Surrell will be the new high school’s educational and organizational leader and is responsible for implementing the Chesterton Schools Network’s curriculum, managing the teaching staff and the policies of HNHS. He will be responsible for instructional leadership, along with hiring and supervision of instructional personnel, student life, discipline and all related parent communications. Surrell will also be teaching ninth grade physical science and tenth grade biology at HNHS.

Surrell currently works as assistant headmaster at Sacred Heart Academy in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he splits his time between administration duties and teaching. He has also worked as a research assistant at Hillsdale College and as a communications specialist for the Michigan State Senate. Prior to these positions, he worked as an account executive at Edelman Public Relations. Surrell holds a master’s degree from Hillsdale College and two bachelor’s degrees from Northern Michigan University. In April 2014, he was awarded NMU’s Outstanding Graduating Senior.

As HNHS’s headmaster, he has many goals this upcoming school year, which all center on spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ to students, while emphasizing the classical beauty of the Catholic faith. However, one main goal rises above the others.

“The main goal of any Catholic education is to bring our students closer to God, and ultimately, to heaven,” Surrell said. “My main goal for Holy Name High School is to show that this type of education is actually satisfying, worthwhile, and even fun. There are a lot of misperceptions about Catholic, classical education: that it’s too difficult, that it’s only for the wealthy, and that it’s humorless. We’ll succeed if we show that these aren’t true.”

As assistant to the Headmaster of Sacred Heart Academy, he has experienced how the classical Catholic curriculum has inspired students.

“I have witnessed truly great education at Hillsdale College and Sacred Heart Academy,” said Surrell. “I would say that their success is due to two things: character and community. The faculty and staff are amazing people who are inspiringly dedicated to their vocations. Their model is an education in itself to the students they teach. But they are not alone. The parents, religious leaders, donors and parish community all enable this work of teaching by building a foundation of trust and support.”

Surrell says that he wishes every student realized how important they are, in all that they do–and realize they have a higher purpose.

“I wish every student knew that they are a child of God — that they have dignity and purpose, that life is worth living, and living well. The question becomes, ‘What are the things most worth doing?'”

HNHS is now enrolling students for next fall. Visit www.highschool.holynamecrusaders.com to learn more, or contact Joe Carlson at jcarlson@holynamecrusaders.com to enroll.