Principal - Bonnie Johnston
I grew up in south Asheville and graduated from TC Roberson High School in 1978. Earning my bachelors' degree in mathematics education from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1982, I began my teaching career in Glen Burnie, Maryland. I loved the Baltimore area but missed the mountains and my family, so I returned to WNC in 1985. While working for the Asheville City School system, I earned my masters' degree in school administration in 1992. Since then, I have worked for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as a mathematics consultant and for Buncombe County schools as a math teacher. Although it was a difficult decision to leave the classroom five years ago, it was a great pleasure for me to begin working at TC Roberson as an assistant principal.
My five years at TC Roberson have been immensely rewarding, both personally and professionally. The faculty and staff have an unparalleled commitment to students and have been a genuine joy to work with. I have been fortunate to have had two excellent mentors in Rob Weinkle and Gayland Welborn, so I feel confident as I step into a principalship.
It is exciting to begin a new phase of my educational career as the principal of Buncombe County Early College and Middle College. I am particularly energized by the opportunity to become a part of BCEC, a school that is part of the North Carolina New Schools Project. With a framework that holds the expectation that "every student reads, writes, thinks and talks in every classroom every day," it is no surprise that the students at Buncombe County Early College consistently perform at the top of rankings in both Buncombe County and in the state. The excellent reputation of Buncombe County Early College has come from the hard work and dedication of Meg Turner, the faculty and students, and I intend to support them in maintaining their high standards.
Principal Johnston and her husband.
Having worked at the largest high school in Buncombe County, I have also been impressed with the incredible work done by Cindy Little and the teachers of Middle College. I appreciate the fact that the Buncombe County Board of Education has recognized the need for more than one model of high school, as many students from the larger high schools in the county do not thrive in a large learning environment and find success when they are given the opportunity to attend this unique school. As Ms. Little and I have worked together over the years, I have seen firsthand the commitment of the Middle College faculty to working with students individually to help them succeed. I look forward to becoming an integral part of both of these close-knit communities.
My husband Eric and I have two boys, Hagen and Harrison. Hagen attends Anderson University in South Carolina and plays for the men's soccer team while earning his degree in secondary education. Harrison is a rising senior at TC Roberson and plays soccer as well. As rewarding as my educational career is, my family is my greatest joy!
