If someone would have stopped Trent Austin in the halls of Brown County High School in the ’90s and asked him if he would be principal one day, his answer would have been, “No way.”

Nearly 30 years after he graduated, Austin sat in that same school on Aug. 5 to hear the school board approve him as the next BCHS principal. He is taking over from Matt Stark, who has been hired as principal of Bloomington North.

Austin had been the associate principal at Brown County Middle School — a job title that didn’t exist until Brown County Junior High School was remade into BCMS over the summer. Before, he was principal at Brown County Intermediate School, which closed at the end of last school year, and then he was moved to the new BCMS to serve alongside Principal Brian Garman.

Austin’s former assistant principal at BCIS, Thor Davis, will now be moving to BCMS as assistant principal. Davis had just started working at Helmsburg Elementary School as a counselor and mentor teacher.

Austin’s first day will be Aug. 9; Stark’s last day was to be Aug. 10.

Stark and Austin shook hands once the vote was taken, making the appointment official as applause filled the room. The two posed for a photo together after the meeting.

“It’s absolutely exciting,” Austin said. He entered BCHS as a freshman in 1989 and graduated in 1993.

He said it also was exciting to have the trust of the school board, new Superintendent Emily Tracy and the community.

The idea of becoming a high school principal was planted in Austin’s mind by former superintendent Laura Hammack. They had had a conversation recently about Austin’s aspirations and future as an administrator.

“She didn’t know Matt was going to leave, but she kind of planted that seed,” Austin said.

Tracy also had come to him and said she wanted to see him in this job, he said.

He credits several mentors over the years for helping him to get to where he is today, overseeing the largest school in the district.

Mike Roane served as principal of then-Brown County Junior High School when Austin was hired as the assistant principal after being a math teacher at the junior high for 10 years.

“He took a chance on me. It was my first administrative job. He kind of recruited me. That was really exciting. He gave me tips, he coached me and kind of brought me along,” Austin said.

“He’s always been there to encourage me. When I became the principal at the intermediate school, he was there.”

After being assistant principal for six years at the junior high, Austin was hired as principal of the new Brown County Intermediate School.

“When I needed him (Roane), he would stop in and see me. He was a huge mentor. I just talked to him last night about, ‘What if, what if I took the (high school principal) position?’ He coached me up,” Austin said.

Austin was principal of the intermediate school for all eight years it was open. It closed at the end of the school year as part cost-cutting strategies due to declining enrollment. It is being remade into the Educational Service Center to house CRC programs and a daycare/preschool program with the goal of being the spot to educate people of all ages.

Austin also considers Stark a mentor. “Just a great friend and has always given me advice,” he said.

And he gave credit to Garman. “I loved working with Brian over the years. He’s been an instrumental part of my development,” Austin said.

“When those kind of people are in your life, they’ve made me better. I’ve had great, great mentors.”

By taking on this role, Austin said he has now expanded his principal experience from kindergarten to 12th grade. He served as principal at Sprunica Elementary School for three months when former principal Abbie Oliver was on leave due to an injury.

But being principal at the high school is his most overwhelming job yet.

“It’s a huge responsibility, massive responsibility, but you know it’s one I don’t take lightly,” he said.

“The high school is the flagship. The high school is always the flagship of the corporation and it’s awesome to know people have trust in me with leading this building. My thinking is I want to do the absolute best job I can do for the students, first and foremost, and then the community and then for the entire school district.”