Education was the furthest thing from Isaiah Johnson’s mind when he started classes at Pacific Lutheran University in the fall of 1990. He meant to go into business like everybody else, make a mountain of money, live the good life.

But the dean of students at PLU saw that the young Oak Harbor native possessed a gift that had nothing to do with the stockpiling of wealth: a ready facility with kids and a passion for working with them.

Why not give education a go, the dean asked?

Johnson gave it a go – and loved it.

“When I took that first education class, I actually said ‘This is who I am, this is me,’ “ Johnson recalled with a smile. “I loved teaching. It was a great experience to me to know I’m giving back to the younger kids and being an example.”

Today Johnson, 36, who served from 2004 to 2008 as assistant vice principal at Mt. Baker Middle School, is the new principal at Cascade Middle School. That makes him the first and only African-American principal in the Auburn School District.

“Somebody has to lay the groundwork, someone has to start the foundation,” Johnson said. “I have been a pioneer pretty much my whole life.”

Johnson began his teaching career at Kent Junior High in 1996 and in 2001 earned his certificate in administration from the University of Washington. From 2001 to 2004, he was the assistant principal at Denny Middle School in the Seattle School District.

Johnson is a past member of the Auburn School District’s ad-hoc committee that reviewed the roles of the community in schools. He also has been a member of the district’ Student Learning Plan Advisory Committee. In 2006, the Association of Washington Middle Level Principals named him South King County Regional Assistant Principal of the year for 2006 2007.

Johnson’s goal for Cascade, he said, is to create a positive school climate for his staff, to support them in every way possible, to create an atmosphere of academic excellence.

“My vision is a middle school of excellence based on three things: academic excellence; professional excellence and organizational excellence,” Johnson said. “The academic speaks for itself. Professional means that as teachers, our professional development is centered on our instruction, on our growth as teachers. Organizational excellence is having the systems and structures in place where kids feel safe, the rules and the expectations are clearly stated, and we make sure there’s some structure.”

Outside of school, Johnson and wife, Leta, are the proud parents of three children: Elijah 10; Azaria 6; and Neviah 2. They live on Lea Hill. An avid basketball player – “I can’t play as much as I would like because my back kills me the next day” – he has taken up bowling.

“I am also picking up golf. I’m horrible at it, but I really love playing it. My wife and I bought golf clubs and are going to take lessons together as husband and wife. I am really excited about that. She’s got a better swing than I have,” Johnson laughed.