Meet Conal Tanner, Glendale Prep’s New Assistant Headmaster

Glendale Prep welcomes Conal Tanner as its new Assistant Headmaster, a role he steps into with a wealth of teaching experience, a clear passion for classical education, and an impressive career that spans three countries.

Tanner was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, and homeschooled until the age of 16, until he enrolled at a Pennsylvania boarding school rooted in the classical tradition. “I went to schools that were like Great Hearts back when there were only a few of them in the country,” he recalled.

After high school, Tanner went on to Thomas Aquinas College, graduating in 2007. Even then, he was already aware of Great Hearts. “I kept hearing that recent graduates were getting jobs at this new place called Great Hearts in Arizona. That put the idea in my head, oh, one day I can go work for Great Hearts, even though I’d never been to Arizona.

After serving three years in the Canadian Army and earning an education degree, Tanner began teaching abroad. In 2014, he moved to Colombia to teach at private schools, universities, and eventually the British Council. “I wanted an adventure, and I wanted to get away from the cold. For a while, Colombia had this motto, ‘The only danger is you won’t want to leave.’ And I did get pulled into the lifestyle down there.”

Three days after arriving, he met Pilar, who would later become his wife. “Sixteen months later we were married. Together, they now have three children, two of whom are students at Archway Glendale, and are getting ready to celebrate their 10^th anniversary.

Tanner’s idea of career Great Hearts became a reality when he began teaching fifth grade at Archway Veritas. Two years later he moved to Chandler Prep to teach Lit Comp and Humane Letters. Although he was a trained primary teacher, Tanner found his calling in the upper school.

“I was helping people find a path to true happiness in life by doing this, and that Truth, Goodness, and Beauty are common goods. Common goods are things like looking at a beautiful painting. When you have somebody to chat with about the painting, the beauty of it is magnified,” he shared. “So, I just found working at Chandler Prep so incredibly rewarding.”

Though he later took a teaching position back in Canada, Tanner said being away deepened his love for Great Hearts. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder. That’s why I came back. I started to miss Great Hearts more and more. That’s why I’m happy to hang my hat here for many years to come.”

Having taught in multiple countries and several schools, Tanner says Great Hearts stands apart. “Great Hearts has got its act together more than pretty much everywhere else, hands down. The professional development, the culture, the alignment—it’s outstanding.”

He had also heard of Glendale Prep’s reputation long before joining. “I’d heard that Glendale Prep was the gold standard. The quality of the senior thesis’ were next level, very deep, very penetrating. And even though I didn’t know the full history, I knew they had been so successful that a lot of leadership had come out of here.”

Now that he’s part of the community, his first impression has only confirmed what he heard. “It’s probably one of the best-run schools I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It’s incredibly well organized. There’s just tireless goodwill, and you can see it in how joyful the students look in the hallway. The students seem so incredibly happy, and everybody just wants to help other people do well.”

As Assistant Headmaster, Tanner’s focus is to cultivate both excellence and joy. “I’m working closely with all the high school courses and the coaching team to make sure there’s the proper balance of order and joy. Order is a precondition for learning… and by joy, I mean a deep, abiding sense of pleasure that comes from the transcendentals: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.”

His long-term goal is to ensure Glendale Prep continues to grow in that direction. “I’d like, as my mark for this year, to say that there are concrete steps taken to increase the deep, meaningful joy that should be present in a classical secondary institution. And that there’s a clear plan for long-term success and growth in that area.”

At the same time, Tanner is eager to continue to develop as a leader. “I want to grow personally and professionally, because when I push myself into more challenging situations, I grow more. It’s not always pleasant. It’s a painful experience, but that’s what I’m looking for myself, so I can help people more.”

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