The Recorder on August 15, 2024
BY TAMMY MINNIGH • STAFF WRITER
Tim Johnson started his first day as leader for Highland Elementary School on Monday. (Recorder photo by Tammy Minnigh)
MONTEREY — Last week, the Highland County School Board hired Timothy Johnson as the new administrator for Highland Elementary School.
The Recorder sat down with him Monday, his first day in the office.
Johnson retired from Pendleton County High School in West Virginia at the end of the last school year but found he couldn’t stay home.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be doing this again,” Johnson said.
But that sentiment didn’t last. “I was retired for 31 days.”
Johnson taught middle and high school physical education and health for 11 years. He also served as assistant principal at Pendleton for three years and principal for two years. Prior to his teaching career, he worked in health care.
“I don’t like doing nothing,” Johnson said.
Even in his short retirement, he wasn’t “doing nothing.” Johnson is also pastor of Wayside Church in Cave, just over the border in West Virginia, where he ministers to around 70 congregants each week. “It’s time-consuming but it’s working with people, and that’s what I love doing,” he said. “I’m a very people-oriented person.”
Before becoming pastor, Johnson was a youth pastor for a long time, and he thinks that helps him guide children. Johnson and his wife, Lori, have four children and seven grandchildren. His youngest daughter, Seneca, just graduated from high school last year.
Johnson described his style of leadership as building relationships and trust through interaction and communication.
“I don’t spend a lot of time in my office,” he said. “I like going through the halls and visiting with teachers and the classrooms.”
He plans to get to know all the staff and students so they know they can come to him with anything, rather than just being sent to his office for a problem.
“I want to walk into a classroom and wave at them and they wave back,” he explained. “That is my ultimate goal — to develop a relationship and trust with the kids.”
Johnson likes to joke and tease, but he says students learn when he is serious.
With only a few weeks before school starts, Johnson will be working fast to learn the systems at staff at HES.
“I think what we need to do first is build relationships between teachers and administration,” Johnson said. “I want a lot of input from teachers.”
He will also work to learn the new literacy program the school will implement this year.
“I need to take a look at test scores,” Johnson said, and evaluate any other needs the students may have.
Johnson is already making plans to attend the Highland County Fair and get to know people.
“It’s going to take a while to get into the community,” he acknowledged. “I’m open to suggestions.”
He may take a page from his West Virginia playbook and hold conferences with a free meal for families. “You feed them, they will come,” he said.
Right from the start, he plans to be accessible to students and families. “I think it’s extremely important that you’re outside when the kids come in,” he said, noting he still needs the grand tour to learn where the buses drop off students so he can be there to greet them in the mornings.
“I met the buses every day,” Johnson said of his time as principal in Pendleton. “I was greeting every child as they came in.”
He hopes it won’t take long to develop relationships at Highland.
“I’m here for my staff and my kids,” Johnson said. “They know they can come and talk to me and my door is always open.”