Staff Spotlight: New Beginnings

Last school year started off a little different. We didn’t have a principal and no one knew what or who to expect. Then Mrs. Brandi Johnson showed up and she was definitely not what we were expecting. Right away, students were able to see that she was going to bring change to the school.

Every morning, she greeted us with a big smile, and it was clear that she cared. From the start, we could tell she wasn’t just going to sit back, she was here to make things better.

And she did. Suddenly, students could wear pajamas to school on spirit days, clubs got more support, and we even began to have pep rallies. The school started to feel fun.
But there’s more to her than we initially thought. Outside of school, her life revolves around her 7-year-old son, who she adores. She also loves music, reading, movies, exercising, and crafting. On top of all that, she’s a book editor in her spare time.

For Mrs. Johnson, reading is her escape, she says books become movies in her mind.
She also has big plans for our school. Mrs. Johnson is determined to help our academic scores grow, not just on EOCs, which saw improvement last year thanks to her leadership and our hardworking teachers, but also on TSI and AP exams. She’s passionate about seeing the school evolve academically and is dedicated to making it happen.

With so much dedication, you might think education was always her goal, but that’s not the case. Initially, she wanted to become a lawyer. Her degree is in Political Science with a minor in English. It wasn’t until a friend offered her an AVID tutor job that she fell in love with working with kids. After that first year, she knew education was where she belonged.

Mrs. Johnson works tirelessly to ensure that this school year is a success and is already planning for next year to run even more smoothly. One of her primary goals for next year is to introduce more initiatives focused on college readiness. She explains, “our kids miss the opportunity to get a higher education” because it’s sometimes misunderstood that “getting an entry-level position within our CTE programs” is acceptable. However, she clarifies that these programs are meant to be a “resource to help pay for college and get a decent job while you’re in college so that you can hold your own while you pursue a higher education. I think that’s the idea that we miss though, a lot of our kids feel that they can just stop.”

Some changes for next year include a later start time of 8:45 a.m. and a no-phone policy during school hours. She assures students that there will still be commuting opportunities, but only in the mornings and afternoons, not throughout the day. It’s going to be more “strategic” next year. Mrs. Johnson acknowledges that these changes might not be popular but explains that they’re part of a district-wide initiative. She emphasizes that these policies will be enforced with love and kindness, saying, “change is scary. I don’t know anyone who has endured change and didn’t have some type of fear. But if we lived our lives in fear, then we wouldn’t be living life.”

Mrs. Johnson genuinely cares about us, which is why she refers to us as her “babies.” She wants all of us to succeed, and her piece of advice to students is to “keep the main thing the main thing. Try not to be distracted. Figure out your plan and your goal, and keep your main focus.”

She also wants students to know that she enjoys her days here and is 1000% approachable. “I’d love to get to know each and every 1,700 one of y’all, even when I’m fussing, I try to be personable.” She would love to hear from the students, as long as it’s respectful. She says, “I already graduated high school. This is y’all’s high school experience. I’m just trying to create a culture where you guys enjoy school.”

With Mrs. Johnson’s leadership, it’s clear that our school is not just growing academically but becoming a place where students feel supported, inspired, and excited about their future.