Hartley begins second term as superintendent
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
On the eve of joining the Bradford County School Board as its newest member, Julie Johnson said she was
both nervous and excited.
Since June when she found out her candidacy was unopposed, time seems to have sped up.
“I went today and got my badge. So, I said, ‘Well, I guess that’s pretty official.’ But I’m very excited, very ready to get started,” she said.”
Johnson grew up in Union County, the daughter of Henry and Jana Redding. She graduated from high school there, knowing since the ninth grade her career would be in education. After high school, she met and married her husband, Cody, son of Jeff and Carrie Johnson. They settled here in Bradford County where Cody grew up after marrying in 2012. Today they have two boys, a one-year-old and a nine-year-old who is attending school in Bradford County.
Johnson taught in Lake Butler for six years before making her move to teaching for Florida Virtual School in 2016. FLVS is older than you might think, having started in 1997. But when she joined, the elementary program was still very new, and her experience contributed to building the program.
“Whenever I made the move to Florida Virtual School, it was really just to grow as a teacher and grow in the world of education. Even pre-COVID, doing home school and doing school online is such a big thing. That’s where education is going. So much of what we do now is on the computer with artificial intelligence and things like that. So, I really wanted to grow as an educator and learn new things and help students all over the state of Florida, because the students that I’m working with are all the way from the Panhandle down to Miami.”
She teaches a class of fifth-graders math, science, social studies and language arts.
Over the years, she’s added two master’s degrees to her degrees in elementary education, one in reading and literacy and the other in educational leadership.
“Since I was in ninth grade, I declared my major for my AA, and started working on it, so that that’s really always been my focus. I don’t think I’ve ever had any vision of doing anything outside of education,” Johnson said.
For her, taking the oath of office to become a school board member is not just a natural next step but the fulfillment of a dream.
“My background in education is definitely the reason why I’ve always wanted to do this, but this has been kind of a dream of mine forever,” she said.
Doing it required overcoming some discomfort.
“I don’t think I ever thought I really would have the actual nerve to go out in public and put myself out there like that,” she said. “I’m not a big risk taker, and I’m not one to be in the spotlight, so it was definitely out of my comfort zone. But I’m so glad that I did, because I’m hoping with this position, I can continue with what’s happening in Bradford County and help to make a difference for the kids in this county, because that’s really what matters.”
While some family and friends, knowing she is naturally shy and risk averse, may have been surprised by her decision, their support made all the difference.
“I don’t think I would have had the courage to do it without them, for sure. Cody is so supportive,” she said of her husband, who, working for fire rescue, is also active in the community. His support and encouragement are constant, she said.
“My family support, especially Cody, my parents, Cody’s parents, everyone in our family is just absolutely amazing.”
There was another person whose support meant so much to Johnson, and that is the school board member she is replacing, Cheryl Canova.
“She is such an inspiration to me,” she said, mentioning the close bond between Canova and the Johnson family, which has in turn influenced her. She has worked with Canova, getting involved with Communities for Schools by mentoring a highschooler in the Take Stock in Children Program. “She is such an incredible person inside and out.”
Johnson said she has big shoes to fill but wants to continue Canova’s legacy of service in education, encouraging students to stay in school and take their opportunities seriously in Bradford’s schools and beyond.
Johnson was sworn into her new position Tuesday by Judge Tatum Davis alongside returning School Board Member Candace Osteen and Superintendent Will Hartley.
