Atlanta — When David White, 58, retired from Burgess-Peterson Academy in September 2025, he expected life to be “blissful and easy and joyful.” After 33 years in education — the last 15 as principal — and a stint as Atlanta Public Schools’ Principal of the Year, he stepped away hoping to leave the daily pressures behind.
Instead, retirement felt quieter than he’d imagined. “I was just hanging out with the cat, and it was a little lonely,” White told CBS News. He missed the students, staff and everyday bustle of school life.
Knowing the principal’s job was filled, White didn’t expect to return in an administrative role. But when a site manager position opened at his old school, he applied right away. Holly Brookins, the new principal at Burgess-Peterson, said she encouraged him to try: “I said, ‘Absolutely, apply,'” she told CBS News.
Now White’s official title is site manager, but his work is essentially the school’s handyman. He power-washes bathrooms, inspects fire extinguishers, clears gutters and takes care of the small, practical tasks that keep a building running safely.
He doesn’t mind the change in rank. “Yeah, I’m one of the bottom rungs, if you look at it 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.” His willingness to take on hands-on work underscores a belief many managers claim but few demonstrate: every job matters.
White’s return is a reminder that retirement isn’t always an ending. For him, stepping back into the school community — even in a different role — brought the purpose and connection he missed. He may no longer be principal, but he’s once again part of the daily life of the school he served for decades.
By Steve Hartman, Correspondent — May 15, 2026 / CBS News