This Triangle leader was named the National High School Principal of the Year
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- Jason Johnson was named the 2026 National High School Principal of the Year.
- Johnson is principal of Orange High School and the North Carolina Principal of the Year.
- State Superintendent Mo Green said the award gives Johnson a voice in national policy.
North Carolina is now home to the nation’s top high school principal.
Jason Johnson was named the 2026 National High School Principal of the Year on Friday by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Johnson is the principal of Orange High School and the reigning North Carolina Principal of the Year.
“Representing North Carolina’s public schools on a national stage is an honor, and wouldn’t be possible without the students, staff and community that I work alongside every day,” Johnson said in a news release. “This award validates the work we are doing across the state of North Carolina, and it affirms the direction set by the North Carolina State Board of Education and Superintendent Mo Green.”
The Orange County school trumpeted the award when it was announced Friday night.
“Congratulations Mr. Johnson and the Orange High School Panther Family!” the Orange County school system said in a Facebook post Friday. “You know he loves you, and he wants you to have… A GREAT PANTHER DAY.”
Praised as a caring and supportive leader
Johnson has been an educator for 28 years. He’s also worked at the state Department of Public Instruction and in Chatham and Guilford counties.
It’s his second stint leading Orange High after having also been principal of Gravelly Hill Middle School. He was praised for his efforts at supporting students.
“When I was in his middle school, he would write handwritten notes on every student’s report card,” Kaylyn Combs wrote in a Facebook comment. “So encouraging and thoughtful.”
State Superintendent Mo Green said the new award will give Johnson a chance to influence national policy. Johnson already has a role in state policy serving as an advisor to the State Board of Education.
“Jason Johnson is a transformational and collaborative leader, and the impact of his educational leadership is felt across the state of North Carolina, not only as a principal, but also in the classroom, district office and even at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction,” Green said in a news release. “This honor is well-deserved, and it is only fitting that the entire nation has the opportunity to benefit from his wise leadership as well.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 12:28 PM.
