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Jason Johnson, the principal of Orange High School, is the 2025 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year. He is known and regarded for leading with love.
Johnson first served as principal of the high school from 2012-16, before returning in 2021.
When Johnson was asked what he was most excited about as he returned to being a principal at Orange High, he said in The News of Orange County, “Being around the students again. Students give you that energy.”
When he was asked what would be different the second time around, he said: “I’m much more vulnerable. I’m much more willing to ask for help. I’m much more willing to say, ‘I don’t know.’”
He left the students, educators, and school that he loves to serve as director of secondary education in the district’s central office. He spent those five years “coaching and providing leadership to principals across the district,” according to a press release from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
But Johnson’s wife said his job as principal is the one he has loved most.
Johnson attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), where he earned his undergraduate degree before he went to UNC-Greensboro for his master’s in school administration and specialist degree in educational administration.
In 2019, Johnson received the Dr. Sam Houston Jr. Leadership Award upon graduating from the Aspiring Superintendent Program of the NC School Superintendents’ Association and NC Alliance for School Leadership Development. That award is given annually to select leaders for “commitment to continuous improvement, high standards of ethical conduct, strategic planning, improving student performance, and meeting the needs of the 21st century workforce.”
“Jason Johnson is a visionary leader who understands the complexities involved in overall school improvement,” said Orange County Schools Superintendent Dr. Danielle Jones. “His ability to motivate teachers and engage students is unmatched. He instills a sense of community within his school, promoting a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement.”
Johnson’s leadership philosophy can be seen in the intentional practices and initiatives he has helped build, says the DPI press release. He led the Panthers of Orange High to exceed growth in 2023-24 and improve a letter grade while increasing overall proficiency across all racial groups.
Together with his administration, Johnson aligned and revamped essential instructional strategies to ensure all students master learning objectives. Fostering student voice, says the press release, students are asked to complete a survey to reflect on their year and share strengths and areas for growth in the coming school year.
“It is evident that Jason is dedicated to developing teacher leaders and fostering student success regardless of their postgraduate pursuits,” said State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green.
“Working with students, teachers and families is at the heart of who I am as an educational leader,” Johnson shared in his application. “My experiences at central office and the other jobs that I had over the years helped me realize my passion for building leadership capacity in others. … My heart and soul is building teacher leaders and a collaborative culture at my school.”
Beckie Spears, the 2024 North Carolina Principal of the Year, has said to Johnson:
“We are so grateful because you have said that your goal as a leader is to bring people together. You lead this school with a great big heart that’s as big as your vision for children and for their future. You have created a sense of unity and collaboration and belonging that you don’t find everywhere. And we know that it is your belief in your students, teachers, families, and your community that helps them show up every day, that helps them excel and keep pushing when things get hard.”
— Beckie Spears, the 2024 NC Principal of the Year
“Your unwavering dedication to people, and to the belief that — together — people who are supported, who are loved, who are nurtured can do amazing things represents the best of what a local public school can offer our community,” said Spears.
Johnson ends every day and every school announcement with “Panther Family — faculty, students, and staff — I love each and every one of you. I hope you have a great Panther day!”
You can read more about Johnson, and the other regional principals of the year, here.
