On Tuesday afternoon, Hamilton County Schools (HCS) Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson announced his resignation in a letter addressed to the “Hamilton County Board of Education, Staff and Community.”
He didn’t give a reason in the letter for leaving the district or say what he would be doing next, but explained that “as a lifelong learner, I understand that transitions or seasons of change are necessary to continue cultivating your gifts to better serve others, and, after much prayer and reflection, I have determined that now is the appropriate season to pass the leadership torch as the superintendent of HCS. This is not a decision made lightly, but it is the right decision to allow the next leader to build on the work and take this great district to the next level.”
Dr. Johnson was selected as superintendent in 2017, through a 5-4 vote from the Hamilton County Board of Education.
His last day will be Aug. 17.
Dr. Johnson’s resignation comes a year after the school board renewed his contract. The new 4-year contract went into effect last July. The starting salary was set at $240,000 a year, with raises based on student performance.
According to his contract, if the school board accepts Dr. Johnson’s resignation, neither side will have to pay a penalty.
During his tenure, Dr. Johnson gained attention at the state and national level, most recently being named 2020 and 2021 Superintendent of the Year by the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents.
And earlier this month, Hamilton County Schools won two national Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards and a Golden Achievement Award from the National School Public Relations Association.
The district launched several initiatives under Dr. Johnson’s leadership. One of the most notable is the action plan called “Future Ready 2023,” which sets students up to succeed after graduation. The program was so successful in the first year that it was awarded the Urban League of Chattanooga’s Community Impact Award.
“My prayer is that you’ve seen my heart and passion for children as your Superintendent of Schools and that we will take all we’ve learned to continue to keep the focus on ALL children thriving and experiencing a future without limits,” Dr. Johnson concluded in his resignation letter.
A native of Nashville, Dr. Johnson attended Austin Peay State University where he majored in business administration and played football. He holds a master’s in teaching from Belmont University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Trevecca Nazarene.