Written by Matt Davidson

As Dr. Tim Hoeksema retires from an extraordinary career in June, it is my privilege to introduce the Timothy community to our next K-8 principal — Justin Horne. Justin is currently the principal at Monroe Elementary School in Hinsdale (D181), both a Blue Ribbon and Green Ribbon school. We were incredibly impressed with a very strong pool of candidates, and yet the search committee and the school board were both unanimous in hiring Justin. He is an educational leader and influencer, he has a throwback work ethic, he loves kids, and he loves Jesus. He double-majored in elementary education and psychology while at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and then received his Master’s of Education in Administration at Loyola University. He also holds the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification–the highest certification a teacher can hold. Justin is married to Becky, and they have two children–Catherine (7 years old) and Nathaniel (11 years old). (See attached photo.) Justin will begin working at Timothy this summer, and you will have plenty of opportunities to get to know him. Read more here

Timothy middle school science teacher, Heather Hopek, served on the search committee and had this to say: “His experience, vision and ‘sense of adventure’ in trying new ideas would give an opportunity for the faculty and students to really feel folded into the greater Timothy community in a meaningful way.”  Lynn Van Stee, Director of MTSS, was also on the search committee and shared these thoughts: “I was most encouraged by his ideas and hard work toward building community and supporting teachers.  He gave a lot of evidence of being a strong communicator, competent educator, and a collaborative leader.“

Timothy Christian has only had six K-8 principals since the elementary school building was dedicated here in Elmhurst in 1972, and we have only had twenty-two principalships leading our elementary children since our school first opened its doors in 1911. (Some were K-6, some were 7/8, and some were K-8.) Justin is following a long line of champions. Those who served before him have kept the main thing the main thing. Now God has called upon Justin Horne to serve…to “take the baton”…and to continue the race set before us in the mission of Timothy Christian Schools.