Dublin Jerome High School opens fall 2026 defending three OHSAA Division I state championships, and the Celtics have a new principal walking the hallways when they do.

Dr. Bryan Arnold, a Dublin Scioto High School graduate who has spent his entire K-12 career in Dublin City Schools, officially takes over as Jerome's principal when the school year begins Aug. 20. He replaces Mike Aurin, who held the role since 2019.

Arnold is no stranger to the building. He served four years as Jerome's assistant principal after teaching social studies at both Dublin Coffman and Jerome. He graduated from Scioto in 2002.

"I always joke that I've been at all three high schools," Arnold said in a district profile. "I understand what Dublin is like. They are all unique, but they are all great places to be."

He briefly left the district to pursue a Ph.D., intending to become a college professor, but returned after realizing how much he missed working with high school students.

What Arnold brings

Arnold told the district his top priority is ensuring students graduate prepared for life after high school, with an emphasis on problem-solving over rote memorization. He framed it through his old classroom lens: "I always used to say when I was a history teacher that I'm not going to make kids remember dates because they can go Google it."

His favorite Jerome tradition? The annual clap-in on the first day of school, when staff line the hallways to welcome students. "The students always feel embarrassed, but I think it's just a great way to make them feel welcomed," he said.

What's next

Fall sports practices began Aug. 1. Jerome football opens its home schedule Aug. 21 against Westerville South with a 7 p.m. kickoff, one day after the first day of school. Arnold will be there, greeting roughly 2,075 students in a building that reached capacity even after a 60,000-square-foot addition opened in 2023.

As we reported Aug. 3, Arnold is one of five new principals Dublin City Schools installed ahead of the school year.