The Unofficial Mayor of Pennridge

For 32 years, Nick Schoonover has been an important part of the Pennridge staff. Starting in 1990, Schoonover began as an intern guidance counselor for South Middle School. Shortly after, he got a job as one of the guidance counselors at the high school. In 1998, Schoonover became a house principal. He retired on February 4, during his 24th year.

Schoonover always has a smile on his face and is there for his students. “I always felt like he made time for me if I needed something and was a great boss,” said his secretary, Christine Wampole. As the news spread around the school, a face of sadness came across students at Pennridge. Over the years, students have given their class principal the nickname “Schoonie”. He was able to connect with students on a personal level by talking about shared interests. What they do in their free time and anything to do with the outdoors were always popular topics. “I will miss Schoonie so much, I love going to his office and talking with him,” said Becca Holzerman, a senior at Pennridge High School.

When Schoonover was asked what pushed him to leave, he said, “I was worried about leaving but I feel okay with it now, I have planned for this and made sure everything is in place.” Our school is full of support and will be able to assist the Class of 2022 with anything they need. The sense of community is one of Schoonover’s favorite parts of Pennridge. The staff at Pennridge is flexible and is available to help when needed. Aside from the community built at Pennridge, Schoonover will miss working and supporting students on a daily basis. Getting “called to the principal’s office” didn’t always mean you were bound to get yelled at and leave with detention, but more so have a conversation about what happened and figure out how to fix it. Along with that, he will also miss making high school the best it can be for his students.

Just because he is retiring doesn’t mean he will never come back. Schoonover not only has plans to come back for graduation but also the art show, senior awards, and the class trip to Washington D.C. He will also be around the community at various events. We will miss Schoonover as our principal and he will always be part of the Pennridge community.