After an unexpected retirement from Allen High School’s principal, Steve Payne, in October 2015, the position has been filled. Dr. Jason Johnston, current principal of North Forney High School, was named the new Allen High School principal at the school board meeting on Jan. 18.

“I am excited to be here,” Johnston said. “Every experience that I have had in Allen so far, whether it was just driving around the community or going to one of the local stores, or talking to any of the staff or meeting any of the students has been an outstanding experience.”

Johnston, a Texas native, attended Tyler Junior College, the University of North Texas and Texas A&M University-Commerce.

“I wanted to be a teacher and a coach but I was a marketing major,” Johnston said. “And I got an internship that just kind of took off for me. I was being real successful but I just felt called to come back into teaching and coaching when I got married and had my first child. I love education, love being a principal, love working with kids.”

Johnston’s recent accolades include completion of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education Principal Leadership Program in 2013 and the H-E-B Excellence in Education Secondary Principal of the Year title in 2014

“I was nominated by my district for that award,” Johnston said. “I went through a pretty rigorous application and interview process. It was a great honor for me [and] a really cool experience. It’s also great for my campus. I was able to do a lot of things with the money we won for the campus that I was currently in.”

North Forney High School’s current enrollment sits at 1,376 students, a big difference from Allen’s current 4,763 students. Johnston’s experience ranges from small schools, his own high school graduating class having only 26 students, to larger schools, and he said he doesn’t think it will be too big a transition.

“There’s just going to be more people to meet- more students to meet,” Johnston said. “ I think that life’s not real complicated. It’s about doing the simple things and doing them well and doing them consistently.”

Johnston’s first day at Allen High School is set to be Feb. 29.

“[I want] to really express my excitement and my gratitude,” Johnston said. “I am just humbled to have the opportunity to be at Allen High School and to be the principal of the campus.”