Whitnel Elementary

The Board of Education convened on Feb. 12, during which Superintendent Dr. Donald Phipps officially announced the appointment of Dr. Ryan Cooper as the incoming Student Support Services Director, effective Mar. 1, 2024. Cooper, a proven education leader with a 15-year educational career, has collaborated closely with various student support staff.  

Dr. Cooper emphasized the significance of the symbiotic relationship between individual schools and Student Support Services. 

Dr. Cooper emphasized the significance of the symbiotic relationship between individual schools and Student Support Services. “I understand the importance of the reciprocal relationship between individual schools and Student Support Services, and I have a deep appreciation for the role each stakeholder plays in helping schools and, ultimately, the district to ensure the best interest of our students,” he said.

Dr. Cooper has served in both administrative and classroom roles since 2007. His diverse background includes positions as a teacher, North Carolina Principal Fellow, assistant principal, and most recently, as principal at Dudley Shoals Elementary from 2019 to 2022, followed by his tenure as principal at William Lenoir Middle until the present.

The transition comes as Robert Semple, Executive Student Support Services Director, retires on Mar. 1, 2024, after an impressive 32 years of dedicated service. Dr. Cooper will officially assume his administrative responsibilities at the Education Center on Mar. 1. During the remainder of the academic school year, David Colwell, former Caldwell County Schools principal, will serve as interim principal at William Lenoir Middle School.

Dr. Cooper earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Middle School Education from North Carolina State University in 2007. He continued his academic pursuits, obtaining a Master of Educational Administration from Western Carolina University in 2016, where he also completed a Doctor of Educational Leadership degree in 2023.