hen Bill Cooper walked into the classroom on his first day of teaching, he was greeted by the faces of 38 rural elementary students. Excited and a little apprehensive, little did this 21-year-old novice teacher suspect that education would be his life for the next 35 years. Recently, after 13 years of service, Cooper announced his retirement as Superintendent of School District 5.
"There were a lot of factors that went into my decision" for retirement, said Cooper. "A whole generation has gone through the school district in the last 13 years. Seeing them about to graduate made me start thinking that maybe it's time for me to start graduating on to other things as well."
As superintendent, Cooper's job encompasses oversight of the five elementary schools of Kalispell, in addition to Linderman, KJHS and FHS. It is from an orderly office, located at the top of a long flight of stairs on the third floor of the county library, that Cooper conducts the administrative duties for his 4,947-student district.
"My job is to bring teachers, parents and the community together to make decisions that are in the best interest of the students of Kalispell," said Cooper.
Although educational administration has been a large part of his career, Cooper didn't go into teaching with the goal of being superintendent.
"I had no idea education would be such a big part of my life," said Cooper. "After I taught for a year, the school district gave me a leave of absence and I spent the next three years in the military. I was in leadership roles in officer candidate school and that's when I really began thinking about it seriously."
After many years of teaching and serving as principal, Cooper took his first job as superintendent in 1975 in. Opportunity presented itself in 1984 when Cooper was offered the position of superintendent in Kalispell, and since then, he has established a reputation for accessibility in School District 5.
"I first met him at a meeting for the school administrators," said Hedges principal Gayle Vidal. "He said, 'I want you to tell me three reasons why School District 5 has the superb reputation it does.' He never asked us what was wrong, he asked us what was right - and that's how I met Bill Cooper."
One of the characteristics teachers and administrators admire most about Cooper is his attempt to maintain direct contact with the students of Kalispell.
Often seen chatting with junior high students during lunch or taking notes in the back of a calculus class, Cooper "has been very busy throughout all of the buildings and has really made an attempt to know all the staff and students the best he can," said FHS principal Cathy McDevitt.
"I appreciate his attendance and involvement in extracurricular activities throughout the whole district," added math teacher Janet Kuchenbrod. His visitation of our classrooms "really makes me feel that he is aware of what's going on."
Even Cooper himself agrees that the most rewarding aspect of his profession is simply "walking through the hallways of the schools and being recognized by the students."
While the profession may be rewarding in the present, Cooper cites the importance of thinking of the future when making decisions.
"I believe the biggest challenge is to continue to have teachers, administrators, parents and the community look forward to the needs of the future, while at the same time learning from the past," he said. "In every job in administration, my goal is to open up the decision making process to teachers and community, and particularly to encourage parental involvement. We've set up parent advisories in all of the schools so we can ask for parent input before we make decisions and have established a district advisory to meet once a month and discuss the issues."
While balancing the interests of all individuals involved in education, Cooper maintains the philosophy that all decisions should be made with the benefit of students in mind, saying that "decisions need to be made as close to the classroom as possible."
"He has never sacrificed the quality of services that our students need," said McDevitt. "It takes an extremely careful person to do that."
"(Cooper) has always encouraged teachers to grow professionally by attending professional conferences and in other ways," added math teacher Fred Longhart. "He has been very supportive of the teachers, and because of this our status nationwide as a math department is very respected."
Said Vidal:
"He didn't build the car but he oiled the engine. He moved us slowly and steered us down the right road. And he did it by listening to everyone."
rofessionally, Cooper has been admired for his contribution to the school district, yet perhaps it's his personality that has earned him the most respect from his co-workers.
"Personally, I have the utmost respect and admiration for him," said McDevitt. "He has been the one person who has inspired me the most to lead in the way I try to lead."
"He's encouraged leadership and doing the right thing instead of doing things 'right,'" agreed Vidal. "(Cooper) models what he believes, and as a result we all do a better job."
"Over the years I've tried to emulate people that I respect - both in educational positions and other leadership positions as well," said Cooper. "I read a lot about people who have been strong leaders, so it's a collage of many individuals" who have been inspirational.
"I get a lot of spiritual strength through my wife. We're a really close family. She's the real teacher in the family."
For the man who has had a hand in teaching so many, the job of superintendent has been a learning experience for Cooper as well.
"(This job) has taught me humility," said Cooper. "And that the strength of an organization doesn't come from one person, it comes from many. Most of the time, there's more than one answer and no one person has the answer."
lthough retirement may leave more time for some of Cooper's favorite pastimes such as tennis or biking, he does intend to continue working. Cooper is not sure what employment he will seek, but hopes that "the things that I've learned in the last 35 years are transferable to something else."
The Board of Trustees has started advertising nationwide for the position and hopes to have the candidate named by March. While 1997 will bring a new superintendent to the schools of Kalispell, Cooper and his service to the school district will be remembered.
"Cooper taught us to lead with confidence, pride and respect," said Vidal. "And when he leaves we'll still have that. We'll still be functioning effectively as a system because the learning we've done under his leadership is cemented in us."
To the educational community he has led for the last 13 years, Cooper extends his thanks:
"Thank you for the support. Thank you for your involvement. Thank you for your expertise and your caring."
But according to those who have worked with him over the course of his career, it is Cooper who should be given gratitude.
"Although I'll personally miss the best professional partner I've ever had," said McDevitt, "I'm happy for his opportunity to challenge himself in other ways."
Said Vidal:
"He'll always have a home here."