They are no doubt feeling a bit blue this morning at Penn Wood High School.
The man credited with a dramatic turnaround at the school is leaving.
Principal Dr. D. Brandon Cooley was a very popular figure on the school's campus.
A few months back, we profiled Cooley and his work at the school in a front-page story I labeled "Cooley High," a takeoff on the popular movie.
Cooley was back on the front page this morning, with a new headline, "Cooley Bye."
Just as I did with that first page, I hope no one takes offense. We're not taking a shot at either Dr. Cooley or Penn Wood.
We're one of his biggest fans.
The kids at Penn Wood, and the William Penn School District in general, have the odds stacked against them for a lot of reasons. That's one of the reasons the district is at the center of a lawsuit against the state claiming the method of funding education in this state is beyond faulty. It places kids at a disadvantage for no other reason than their zip code, creating an unfair playing field compared with more well-off districts just a few miles away.
Cooley was a big part of battling that tide and turning his high school around.
He will be a great addition at his new post in the Ridley School District, but he will be direly missed at Penn Wood.
All the best, Dr. Cooley.
Comments