Matt Russell, the Principal of Allen High School, has announced his upcoming retirement following a remarkable 29-year career in education, with 28 of those years dedicated to Allen ISD. Mr. Russell will continue to serve as principal throughout the end of this school year.
Russell is currently in his fifth year as the principal of Allen High School after taking the helm in 2020. Before his tenure at Allen High School, he was the principal at Ford Middle School. He also held various positions within Allen High School, including associate principal for administrative services, house principal, inclusion specialist, vocational adjustment coordinator, and resource math and content mastery teacher.
"It has been an incredible honor to serve as the principal of Allen High School and to be a part of the Allen ISD family for nearly three decades," Russell said. "I'm immensely proud of what we've accomplished together and the culture of excellence we've maintained and enhanced over the years."
Throughout his career, Russell has been known for his dedication to building a strong campus culture and preparing students for life after graduation. Under Russell’s leadership, Allen High School had 43 students named National Merit Semifinalists, a new campus record. In the Fall of 2021, Russell and his team developed “Eagle Give Day,” which is a day of community service that takes place on campus before the Thanksgiving Break. Thousands of students take part in dozens of service projects, such as making meals for the homeless or holiday cards for nursing homes.
"Seeing our students embrace the opportunity to make a real difference in our community through Eagle Give Day has been incredibly rewarding," Russell reflected. "It exemplifies the spirit of service and community engagement that we've strived to instill in our students."
Superintendent Robin Bullock praised Russell's contributions: "Matt Russell's impact on Allen ISD has been profound. His leadership over the years has been instrumental in maintaining our high standards and fostering an environment where students and staff alike can thrive. His retirement marks the end of an era here in Allen ISD! I can only imagine the countless students, staff, and parents who will reach out to wish Matt a fond farewell before he officially steps down next summer.”
As the district prepares for this transition, Allen ISD has announced that a statewide search for Russell's successor will begin soon, with the goal of ensuring a smooth handover of leadership leading into the 2025-2026 school year.
Please join us in congratulating Matt Russell on a wonderful 29 years in education!