After three decades in education, including 13 years as the leader of the Habersham County School System, Superintendent Matthew Cooper’s retirement will mark the end of an era.
On Thursday, March 13, for the first time in 137 years, Cooper retired as the longest-serving superintendent in the history of Habersham schools, surpassing James J. Kimsey – who held the office from 1876-1888.
The runners-up, tied for third (all of whom served 11 years), are C.W. Grant (1900-1911), Nell Hallford (1957-1968), and Lonnie Burns (1982-1993).
Now in his 13th year as Habersham’s superintendent, Cooper’s impact on the school system will likely be felt for generations.
The beginning
Cooper’s story begins over 300 miles away in southern Ohio, nestled on the Kentucky-West Virginia border in Appalachia. Raised on a 20-acre farm in a remote valley, Cooper grew up with his four younger siblings and mother while his father worked as a federal prison officer.
In his youth, Cooper lived alongside neighbors with outhouses and no running water. Winter nights would often find the family trekking to a nearby creek with buckets to retrieve water when the well froze.
Cooper’s father, a lifelong hero to him, played a key role in his decision to pursue a career in education.
“My father used to tell me – when I was growing up – that if he could’ve made decisions over, he would’ve become a teacher,” Cooper said. “He always admired the teachers he had, and he always thought it was meaningful work.”
Heading South
Cooper had always been intrigued by the South, and South he would go.
He moved to Augusta in the 1990s and enrolled at Augusta State University, staying with a family friend who owned a farm, where he worked the land in exchange for room and board.
A passionate history enthusiast, Cooper pursued a degree in history with a minor in education. His choice of history was influenced by his family’s connection to World War II. Both of his grandfathers served during the war—his paternal grandfather in the Battle of the Bulge against Nazi Germany and his maternal grandfather in Africa and Italy.
“It’s still fascinating to me – how the United States literally saved the world, and my two grandfathers were part of that,” Cooper said. “Having real-life history in our family, I believe, helped spark that interest.”
After graduating in 1995, Cooper embarked on his career in education.
And down the road, in Habersham, Cooper would go on to make history in multiple ways himself.
Career in education begins
Cooper’s first teaching position took him to Fitzgerald, Georgia, where he taught history and coached multiple sports, including basketball, football and soccer.
Standing 6’5”, and as a former basketball player in high school himself, Cooper had dreams of becoming the head coach for the basketball team. But with that title already occupied by someone long-entrenched in the position, he shifted gears toward administration.
In 2002, after earning his master’s degree in leadership from Albany State University, Cooper applied for an assistant principal position at Banks County Middle School.
Technology was still in its infancy at the time. Cooper recalled accessing the only computer in the school, wading through the unbearably slow dial-up process before scanning a website called Teach Georgia.
That’s where he spotted the Banks County position. He applied and then received a call that same day.
He interviewed with the principal over the phone and was offered the job.
Just three years later, he was promoted to principal of Banks County Middle School.
In 2012, Cooper saw an opening for the superintendent position in Habersham County. Initially unsure of his qualifications and youth, he hesitated to apply. But when the position reopened, he felt it could be meant to happen.
“I thought, ‘OK, this is a sign. I’m going to apply this time,” Cooper said.
He was in his early 40s at the time. And the rest is history.
Transforming Habersham schools
As superintendent, Cooper introduced a new mission: “Success for All Students” upon his arrival.
When he began in 2012, the system served around 6,450 students and had a graduation rate of 68%. Today, the district serves nearly 7,200 students, and Habersham Central boasts a graduation rate of 98%, the highest in the region.
Cooper’s leadership also helped elevate academic success, including the district’s top SAT scores and highest student attendance rates in the area. Under his guidance, school safety was significantly improved, with the number of resource officers growing from just two to 14, and new security measures, such as cameras and secure visitor protocols, implemented across schools.
Perhaps one of Cooper’s proudest accomplishments is the creation of the Habersham Success Academy, designed to help at-risk students. The academy started as a vision during Cooper’s tenure as principal at Banks County, where he recognized that traditional schooling didn’t work for every student. In what started as just one classroom and 20 students in the first cohort, the Success Academy now serves over 100 students a year, many of whom would have otherwise dropped out.
“I noticed that traditional school was not working for some students,” Cooper said. “Those students usually have poor attendance, sometimes behavior issues, and sometimes they’re not doing well academically … I thought: ‘What if we had an alternative school that was not punitive? That it was not for students who were necessarily getting in trouble – but (students) who were struggling because regular school isn’t working for them? What if we could give them a different model?’”
“I’m very proud of it,” Cooper added. “It has to be in the top two or three things I’m most proud of as superintendent. It’s also helped improve our system’s graduation rate. It’s a reason of how we got to 98%.”
Looking ahead
Cooper, now married with three adult children—all graduates of Habersham Central—plans to take a year off in retirement to focus on his passions: fishing and trips to Montana.
As for the future of Habersham schools, Cooper has named assistant superintendent Patrick Franklin as his successor. Franklin’s first day was Thursday, March 13.
On Tuesday, March 11, when asked about his advice to Franklin, the longtime superintendent offered these words:
“Mr. Franklin needs to trust his judgment, trust his discernment and trust his instincts,” Cooper said. “Mr. Franklin has a servant’s heart. I would say to Mr. Franklin, ‘Don’t change’ – be who you have been as an assistant superintendent…he needs to continue to show wisdom like he has, continue serving others and continue listening to his heart.”
And as a school system with more than 900 employees, Cooper emphasized the importance of collective decision-making as one body.
“Don’t make decisions on your own,” Cooper said as advice to Franklin. “Make decisions as a team. Make sure to seek advice from those around you. It’s not good to make decisions alone.”
After delivering his final report, waves of applause erupted from a room full of people before Cooper was again praised for his legacy.
“You are indeed the example of how to live the American dream,” Habersham County Board of Education Chairman Russ Nelson said. “I’ve seen it, and I see you’re at the top of the mountain. You are the example. It can be done.”
In January, following Cooper’s announcement to retire, Doug Westmoreland, a board of education member, noted the institution of the Success Academy – which he described as an educational foundation for all students and their success over the years.
“You and I, together, campaigned that Success Academy, and I look over the years (since) that has been implement and I look at how many students we’ve saved with a diploma that would not have graduated,” Westmoreland said.
For Cooper, the most memorable moments throughout his career involve the students, namely the ones he’s had the opportunity to help throughout his career. Even as the longest-serving superintendent in Habersham’s history, Cooper said “the best job I’ve ever had” was being a principal – for its closer, more direct connection to students.
“I’ve devoted my entire life to students,” Cooper said. “I’ve fought for the underdog during that time. I’ve always fought for the underdog. I’ve been a champion of public education. I’ve been fortunate enough to do a lot of good work. It’s been meaningful work. Now I’m ready to take a little break, and we’ll see what the future holds after that.”
