Brian Allen named principal of Heide Trask High School

ROCKY POINT, NC (WWAY) — Pender County Schools has named Brian Allen as the next principal of Heide Trask High School.

Allen has held the position of principal at Burgaw Middle School since June 2023. He will take over Tony Hudson’s role as Hudson transitions to serving as principal at Wilmington’s Hoggard High School.

Allen began his career in Pender County Schools as a third-grade teacher at Cape Fear Elementary School, where he also taught fourth grade and then moved on to serving as assistant principal at Topsail Annandale Elementary School. Before leading Burgaw Middle School, he served as the founding principal of Surf City Elementary School, where he helped open the school for the 2018-2019 school year and worked to establish its educational identity.

He is a Wilmington native and earned both his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from UNC-Wilmington. His education did not stop there as he currently is pursuing his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from UNCW and plans to complete the program in May 2027.

Allen has built his leadership approach around high expectations, relationship-building and a commitment to student success. In his message to Burgaw Middle School families, Allen emphasized the importance of families and schools working together to create a pathway for student achievement.

“Pender County Schools has been my professional home, and I am excited for the opportunity to join the Heide Trask High School community,” Allen said. “I look forward to building relationships with students, staff, families and the Titan community as we work together to support student success.”