Brandon Frye displays a shirt students made to recognize Jon Brown. Behind him are Katie Mattie, Brown, Jamel Franklin and Paul Good.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Each morning for the last three years Ypsilanti High School Principal Jon Brown has left his Shelby Township home to make the hour and a half journey west to Ypsilanti for work.

On some occasions, after particularly late evenings at a district event, the trek came after only four and a half hours of sleep. Despite the strain of the commute, Brown's dedication and love for the students and community kept him coming back since spring 2007.

Brown, a contract employee, was brought to the district by former Superintendent James Hawkins to help turn around a struggling high school.

As part of the district’s sweeping reorganization, all contract employees have been asked to leave their posts over the next two years, and Brown’s tenure came to an end on June 30.

When school begins next fall, long-time counselor Jerry Fouchey is expected to be serving as the interim principal. Justin Moore who was originally hired to replace Brown, recently resigned.

Despite the fact Brown said the three hours daily in the car “was killing me,” he said he'd prefer stay aboard another year to finish implementing the restructuring plan he and the staff had developed.

“I fell in love with the kids here,” Brown said. “They responded well to my type of leadership and discipline and change started to happen … I know what it takes to bring change about. You can't rush change. You have to create the atmosphere and conditions for success, and it can happen.”

Under Brown’s watch, discipline issues have declined while the culture has changed. He said the kids were great when he came here, but needed some direction. With a leadership style widely described as firm but fair, he placed an emphasis on “educating the whole child,” meaning a focus on more than just classroom instruction.

Brown said he wanted to help the students to respect themselves and their school by creating a unique, family-like atmosphere. Such an environment leads to improvements in student achievement, and that’s what was happening at Ypsilanti High School, Brown said.

"Those are the things that turned the school around," he said. "We have changed the face of what Ypsilanti High School was. It’s a place where I think good things can thrive.

“As a leader the biggest challenge is getting kids to change their mindset. In order to improve student achievement, you have to improve how kids see themselves. You have to see every kid as important, and get the kids to see themselves as important.”

Katie Mattie, a 2010 YHS grad, said Brown naturally respects and cares for students, and has developed what she believes is a rare personal connection with them.

Mattie turned to Brown after applying to Notre Dame and not immediately getting accepted.

Upon learning she was placed on a wait list nearly 1,000 students long, and knowing only about 250 of those would be accepted, Mattie said she felt felt dejected. She stopped by Brown’s office and explained the situation.

Brown canceled a meeting he had scheduled, then told a story about how he once had been rejected from a job he badly wanted, but it led to other great opportunities.

The moral of the story was everything happens for a reason. Mattie said the conversation helped her through an anxious moment in her life and shows how much Brown cares for his students.

“He could have just said something nice, then gone to his meeting," she said. "But he would do that for any of his kids, so it made me feel like the whole school is a part of his family.”

On graduation day, before Mattie gave a speech, Brown made the announcement - Mattie was Notre Dame-bound. Not even her parents had known.

“That was incredible,” Mattie said. “It was perfect timing, so that was kind of sweet.”

On June 3, students got a chance to show their support and gratitude toward their outgoing principal.

Seniors Jamel Franklin and Brandon Frye wanted to do something special for Brown. Frye started to create a shirt with Brown's image and after a few tries nailed down a design that included quotes praising Brown from the comments section of an AnnArbor.com article.

Unbeknown to Brown, the two began selling shirts. All proceeds went toward buying him a watch as a gift from the student body, but the truly special moment came at the assembly. Frye and Franklin distracted Brown while hundreds of students packed the gymnasium, filling the bleachers on both side. The majority had on the “Brown T-shirts.”

Franklin and Frye eventually led Brown to the gym. When he walked in, students erupted in cheers and applause. Brown began to cry.

“His face was so in awe,” Frye recalled. He said the assembly put the whole community in a positive light.

"Mr. Brown is always bending over backwards to make sure we have what we need to succeed," Frye added. "He's just that kind of man - a caring and compassionate man who a lot of us should look up to."

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. To reach the news desk, e-mail news@annarbor.com or call 734-623-2530.