Retired Atlanta Principal Returns to School as Handyman, Finds New Purpose
David White, a former principal of Burgess-Peterson Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, retired in September 2025 after a 33-year career in education. Despite his initial expectations of a blissful retirement, White found himself missing the school community and the sense of purpose his work provided. When a position opened up at his former school, he applied and was hired as a site manager, a role that involves various handyman tasks such as power washing bathrooms and inspecting fire extinguishers. White, who was once awarded Principal of the Year for the Atlanta Public Schools district, expressed that he feels fulfilled contributing to the school in this new capacity, despite the hierarchical shift. 
