Summary

• Janine's future as Abbott Elementary's principal would complicate her relationships and career ambitions.
• Principal Ava's shaky job security and past actions may lay the groundwork for Janine's promotion.
• Gregory's reaction to Janine potentially becoming principal could impact their romantic relationship dynamic.

While Janine and Gregory seem destined for a more stable future in Abbott Elementary season 3 boasted celebrity cameos in every second episode, with stars like Bradley Cooper and Kevin Hart appearing in the series. As a result, Abbott Elementary’s forthcoming season 4 return is one of 2024’s most exciting network TV comebacks.

Since Abbott Elementary season 3’s ending saw Gregory and Janine get together after three long years of waiting, the show seemed to be setting up a stable fourth season for its heroine. Janine finished her fellowship at the school district by turning down a permanent job offer when she decided that she preferred to work at Abbott. Gregory finally realized that he had feelings for Janine after her lengthy absence, but couldn’t work up the courage to tell her until the end-of-year party. In the season 3 finale’s closing scene, Janine and Gregory finally hooked up.

Abbott Elementary Season 4 Could Make Janine The New Principal

Janine’s School District Fellowship Makes Her Uniquely Qualified

Even though the cautious couple is now in a steady place, Abbott Elementary season 4 could throw their future into disarray. Janine could reasonably become Abbott’s new principal after the events of season 3 since her tenure working in the school district makes her uniquely qualified as an . Not only that, but her classes have also been covered by substitute teachers for a few months, so the school board and district know the place can function without her in an active teaching role. This would make life both easier and more complicated for Abbott Elementary’s heroine in season 4.

As principal, Janine would theoretically have more power to make positive changes to Abbott, and she wouldn’t have to deal with Principal Ava’s mismanagement of funds. However, Janine’s tenure at the school district made it clear that even incremental change is tough to pull off in the underfunded public school system. While Principal Ava might be flagrantly corrupt, it isn’t her low-level antics that hold Abbott back. A combination of insufficient funding and endless bureaucracy made it tough for Janine to get much done in the district, and the same would likely be true if she became principal.

There is no reason that the district or the school board would think Ava was better suited to the role than Janine.

Principal Ava’s Abbott Elementary Job Was Never Secure

Ava Gained Her Abbott Elementary Role Throughout Blackmail

While Principal Ava is Abbott Elementary’s most underrated ing character, there is no denying that her job has never been particularly secure. She gained the role of principal not through professional experience or relevant qualifications, but because she had dirt on the superintendent. Moreover, Ava lost the leverage that gained her the principal job at the end of season 1 when the superintendent left his wife and married his mistress. Although she held on to her job, there is no reason that the district or the school board would think Ava was better suited to the role than Janine.

Janine did earn a complaint from a substitute teacher when she inaccurately accused them of being a fraud.

This means that Janine becoming Abbott’s principal is a distinct possibility, although Janine’s own reservations might make this less likely. When Abbott Elementary’s mockumentary crew followed Janine on her fellowship to the district in season 3, she was surprised to discover that she missed teaching her regular students. This could stop Janine from prioritizing the principal job since it would effectively mean giving up teaching. Furthermore, Janine did earn a complaint from a substitute teacher when she inaccurately accused them of being a fraud. This unfortunate incident may be held against her and could curtail her professional ambitions.

Janine Becoming Abbott’s Principal Would Solve One Season 4 Story

Principal Ava Repeatedly Discouraged Janine & Gregory’s Relationship

Whether out of spite, jealousy, or genuine worry about office romances, Ava has repeatedly tried to stop Janine and Gregory from hooking up. This was most pronounced in the penultimate episode of season 3 when the pair almost kissed during a field trip. Not only did Ava walk in on them, but she also told Mr. Morton to recount the story of his disastrous office romance to discourage the duo. Ava has expressed an attraction to Gregory before, but she also does take some HR matters more seriously than others. As such, she has two reasons to object to the relationship.

Janine becoming Abbott’s principal could be a positive development as it would neutralize Ava’s attempts to break the couple up

However, this wouldn’t be a problem for Janine if she was Ava’s boss and not the other way around. While Melissa’s Abbott Elementary season 3 romance took place mostly off-screen, Janine and Gregory’s slow-burn attraction has been central to the series since as far back as its pilot episode. As such, Abbott Elementary season 4 can’t afford to break up Janine and Gregory yet again. This is one reason that Janine becoming Abbott’s principal could be a positive development as it would neutralize Ava’s attempts to break the couple up. That said, it would cause issues for Ava’s role.

Abbott Elementary Season 4 Making Janine The Principal Would Complicate Things

Ava’s ing Role Is Central To Abbott Elementary’s Appeal

Ava is Abbott Elementary’s funniest ing star, so she would need to maintain some major role in the series if Janine did replace her as the school’s principal. Janine becoming Abbott's principal in season 4 would also complicate her relationship with Barbara Howard, an older teacher she views as a mentor and a mother figure. Janine has historically struggled to stand up to Barbara when her mentor is in the wrong, and this would become a real problem for the show’s heroine if she was Barbara’s boss. However, neither of these issues is as big as Gregory’s reaction to the development.

Gregory has wanted to become a principal since Abbott Elementary began, and said as far back as the pilot episode that he only took a substitute teaching role to eventually become the school’s principal. Although Gregory would likely his love interest’s ambitions, Janine becoming Abbott’s principal would impact her relationship with Gregory. Janine would now be his boss and Gregory would be likely to reconsider his own career path, since his original plan would have become irrelevant. As such, Abbott Elementary season 4 making Janine the eponymous school’s new principal might prove to be a mixed blessing for her.