Instilling a sense of pride is something Jonathan Strout hangs his hat on
After 19 years in education Jonathan Strout enters year 20 with a new title: principal of Washington Township High School.
Despite being a part of the education community for two decades, being a teacher, administrator or counselor wasn’t Strout’s original plan. As a freshman at Muhlenberg College, he was enrolled in the pre-med program.
“I wanted to be an orthodontist,” Strout said. “I realized pretty quickly I wasn’t cut out for that, the rigor of a pre-med program.”
Strout noted his great experience with his orthodontist made him want to follow in the orthodontic footsteps.
His love for the game of basketball became the driving force to switch gears toward education.
“At the time, I was playing college basketball and I knew I wanted to stay connected to the game,” he said. “That’s where I changed my thinking, that being a teacher and a coach would be my calling. Sophomore year of college, I shifted and that’s where I finished.”
The character trait that Strout resonates is his work ethic. Work ethic and pride, both taught by his mom.
“I was raised by a single mom, I had a stepfather who was amazing to me,” he said. “But I was raised by a single mom who put on a hard hat at times when she was at work and she really taught me what it meant to work hard and to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and decide if you made a difference. She really instilled in me a pride in my work ethic.”
As a constant reminder to stay true to himself and his roots, Strout keeps his mom’s hard hat in his office.
One of Strout’s goals as Washington Township High School’s principal is to better the culture at the school. A step was taken toward this on the first day of school when all of the staff wore matching red shirts with big white “#TWPPRIDE” on the front. One of the byproducts of having this sense of pride is the effect it has on the students. Being proud correlates with confidence.
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself, whatever your comfort level, whatever you’re passionate about, don’t be afraid to be yourself,” he said. “If you’re struggling, ask for help. Some of the most intelligent people are the ones who know what questions to ask and the most efficient way to get those questions answered. Be yourself, be proud of your uniqueness and ask for help if and when you need it.”
Strout believes in talking the talk and walking the walk. He can talk a big game about instilling a sense of pride and an incredible culture, but it starts at the top. He’s leading by example, and one of the most important things is being visible to students. If he’s at events, he is showing what WTHS is all about.
“I’m looking forward to being very visible,” Strout said. “Being at sporting events, extracurricular activities and celebrating the individual and collective accomplishments of our students.”
“Sometimes the simplest things make a difference. Each morning I give birthday shout-outs to students. It’s a small way to remind kids they matter, little things like that can go a long way,” he added.
“Being visible gives you a better chance of getting to know your students and gives you a far greater chance of helping them either directly or indirectly by getting them to talk to someone who can help based on their needs.”
Aside from his wife Talia, 8-year-old daughter Eliana and twin 5-year-olds Vivienne and Pierson, being the principal of WTHS is everything to Strout. He acknowledges this job is “monstrous,” but it’s one he’s proud of.
“I go back to what I said about work ethic,” he said. “I have a ton of support around me from staff, clerical staff, secretarial staff, other administrators, other teachers, it takes a village to raise children. It’s everything I’m about — besides being a family man, it’s everything to me.”
