Jason Eason is the new principal at Elmore County High School but he is no stranger to Eclectic or the halls of the school.
“I went to school there,” Eason said. “I graduated from there. My parents Jeef and Jane Eason graduated from there. I just had a daughter graduate from there. I have a son that will be a junior there this school year.”
For the last two years Eason was an assistant principal at Wetumpka Middle School and was an assistant principal at Stanhope Elmore High School for four years prior. He interviewed for the position once held by Wes Rogers. Eason has high expectations for getting students to succeed.
“I told the panel (last week) it is not a job for me, it is a passion for me,” Eason said. “I feel like I’m prepared. I feel like there are a lot of things we need to accomplish. It is a great community.”
Eason said most of the pieces for ECHS students and staff are already in place.
“Everything is there already,” Eason said. “I just want to turn it up a notch and make it better than it already is for everybody involved.”
Eason said through his family and living in Eclectic he already knows many of the students and faculty.
Eason took to social media Thursday after the Elmore County Board of Education’s vote saying he was very excited about the opportunity to serve as principal at his alma mater.
“ECHS is a great place surrounded by a supportive community and to be able to lead the school that has given so much to me over the years is something I do not take lightly,” Eason wrote. “I look forward to working with an awesome faculty and staff, great students and a community that is second to none.”
Eason said it is hard to describe the feeling of returning to a school that he has so many personal connections with.
“Being there walking those halls when I was in high school was special,” Eason said. “We had amazing administrators like Mr. McGhee and Coach Brown. Those are huge shoes to fill.”
Rogers taught and coached Eason in baseball his senior year at ECHS. The team went to the state semifinals, and Eason eventually ended up at Central Alabama Community College the next year to win a state championship and complete his associates degree. An injury stopped his baseball career at Auburn Montgomery and he transferred to Troy Montgomery to complete his bachelor's degree. Later Eason completed his masters degree at AUM.
Eason taught in Tallassee and at ECHS before stepping into administration.
Eason said he is looking forward to being a larger part of the community through academics, art and sports — especially Friday nights in the fall.
“There is nothing like the lights of Friday night,” Eason said. “I can’t wait to get back to that. There is nothing like high school football with a packed stadium with students, band going crazy under the lights. It gives me chills going back to that environment.”
