A longtime Atlanta principal retired, then returned to his school as a handyman

Atlanta — Going into retirement, 58-year-old David White of Atlanta, Georgia, had some preconceived notions.

“I thought it would be blissful and easy and joyful,” White told CBS News. “… It wasn’t quite.” 

In September 2025, White retired after 33 years in education, the last 15 spent as principal at the Burgess-Peterson Academy, an elementary school. It was a career so illustrious that White was once awarded Principal of the Year for the entire Atlanta Public Schools district.

He said he left mostly to be free of the daily demands. But having so much free time got old.

“I was just hanging out with the cat, and it was a little lonely,” White said.

White said he really started missing his school community. He knew he couldn’t be principal again since they had already hired a new one. But when a different position opened up, he fired off his resume immediately.

“I said, ‘Hmm, OK, that’s interesting.’ I said, ‘Absolutely, apply,'” Holly Brookins, the new principal at Burgess-Peterson, told CBS News about when White notified her of his plans to apply for the position.

His job title is site manager, but he is basically the handyman. He does everything from power washing bathrooms and inspecting fire extinguishers to cleaning gutters.

A lot of managers like to say every job is important. But how many truly believe it and truly show it? Not many, and not like this. And although he’s no longer climbing the ladder, metaphorically, he doesn’t seem to mind in the least.

“Yeah, I’m one of the bottom rungs, if you look at in a hierarchical way,” White said. “… It doesn’t bother me at all… I still feel like I’m contributing meaningfully to a place I really care about.”