ALBANY, GA – Johnathan Johnson will start the 2024-2025 school year as the principal at Martin Luther King Jr., Elementary School following action from the Dougherty County Board of Education Monday.
The board voted unanimously to accept Superintendent Kenneth Dyer’s recommendation to promote Johnson to principal of MLK to fill the void being left by Eddie Johnson (no relation) who is retiring at the end of the school year.
Johnson, who is currently serving as the assistant principal at Live Oak Elementary School, has also served as an assistant principal at Lake Park Elementary where he has overseen testing and the schools’ Response to Intervention program. Prior to that role, he served as social studies department chair and an AP US History, World History and Geography teacher at Monroe Comprehensive High School.
“Mr. Johnson has proven himself to be a capable leader, and I’m confident that he’ll bring his exceptional talents and attributes with him to Martin Luther King, Jr., Elementary School as the servant leader of that school community ,” Dyer said.
Johnson holds a Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a minor in Community and Economic Development and a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Albany State University. Additionally, he has earned his Master’s Degree in Theology from the Fuller Theological Seminary.
“I am deeply honored to have been appointed as a principal. This role is a professional milestone and a profound responsibility, knowing I can impact the lives of many children in Albany. One of my favorite quotes is by Frederick Douglass, who emphasized, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men," Johnson said. “ I have worked diligently over the last 20 years to build strong children. I plan on continuing to do so in my new role as principal.”
Johnson is a graduate of the district’s Aspiring Principals Academy, which aims to equip and empower high-potential educational leaders with the tools necessary to be effective and successful at the next level.