Leader of the Pack: Principal Robin Johnson

Robin Johnson hard at work. Photo by Dani Steele. Copyright Red Cloud Indian School.

  
 Leader of the Pack: Principal Robin Johnson

By Jennifer Brave Heart '14

As the new year started, new rules were put into place and changes were made to our school. While Jim Mattern was preparing to lead Red Cloud to new heights, he suddenly left the school due to unforeseen circumstances. Robin Johnson, our former dean of students, had to take over the role as principal. Last week, Robin took the time out of her busy schedule to let me interview her.

When you came to Red Cloud did you ever see yourself being the principal?  

“When I came to Red Cloud, nine years ago, the thought had not come into my mind, at that time, to be a principal. I was a young mother and had recently moved to western Nebraska, where I knew no one. I was still getting my 'feet wet' with meeting new people and adapting to the Red Cloud community and culture. It was actually past administrators at RC that put the thought into my head to begin an administration degree. From then on, I began studying to become a secondary administrator.”    

How do you feel about taking on the new role as the principal of Red Cloud High School?

“Taking on the new role as RCHS principal is exciting and challenging! I definitely would not have been able to do it without the guidance of God and the support of the staff, students, and parents.”  

What are some of the duties that you face as a principal opposed to being the dean of students?

“As the dean, my responsibilities were dedicated to mostly student day-to-day issues. As the principal, my duties have switched to more staff responsibilities, the school budget, working with other administrators on campus and also continuing to work with the students to provide a safe and successful school environment.”

Are there new or different pressures of being principal? If so, how do you deal with them?

"There are new and different pressures of being a principal and as my roles and responsibilities have changed, I am constantly learning and adapting to my new expectations. However, I thank God everyday for the opportunity to work with such an amazing staff and student body.”