Jason Graham, who has spent the last four years as an assistant principal at Troup High School, was named the principal at Hollis Hand Elementary School on Thursday night.

Graham’s new role became official after a vote by the Troup County Board of Education. He served 10 years as a social studies and math teacher at Long Cane Middle School before taking his role at Troup High.

“I could not be more honored and excited about the opportunity to serve at Hollis Hand,” Graham said.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity, ready to get the school year started and I just want to say ‘thank you.’”

Graham is a product of Troup County Schools. His family moved to the area when he was in first grade and he went through the Troup County School System until graduating from Troup High School.

“My goal from day one when I started in 2005 was to make a difference and make an impact on kids,” Graham said. “Every day I look for an opportunity to do something positive to help kids and to help the teachers around me.”

Graham was named Troup County’s middle school teacher of the year in 2013.

He said at that point he started to pursue a leadership role and had the opportunity to move to Troup High.

Now, he gets a new challenge — elementary school kids.

“There will be an adjustment. There are unique dynamics at every level. I was at the middle school level for 10 years and then moving to the high school, the dynamics are definitely different, but here’s what I found out on day one — kids are kids,” Graham said. “

Even though I have not taught in an elementary setting, for almost 20 years I have been working with kids, whether it’s on the ball field, at the recreation department coaching 4 and 5-year-old t-ball, 6 and 7-year-old softball, volunteering at church and keeping the nursery.”

Graham’s wife, Tiffany, is currently a teacher at Long Cane Middle School.

He also has several family members who are teachers in the school system.

Tiffany and Graham have three children who are also a part of the school system.