Larry Penny oversaw move to Burlington Township Middle School at Springside
Few school principals can say they had the experience Larry Penny did in 2007.
Penny oversaw the move from the Thomas O. Hopkins Middle School to the newly constructed Burlington Township Middle School at Springside.
Now, after 18 years in the Burlington Township School District, Penny is set to retire Aug. 31. He cites the transition from old school to the current facility as his biggest accomplishment.
“It was one of the toughest things that I had to do as an administrator but the most rewarding,” Penny said.
Penny, who became the middle school’s principal in 2004, and his staff had to pick the carpet, the ceiling tiles, the types of fabrics used for the furniture and other details for the new building.
It was a daunting task, but the reward was greater, he said.
“It was nice because one of the biggest things that it did for my staff was to give them more space,” Penny said. “They had the technology that they needed.”
Penny is the most senior of the district’s four principals, according to Ann Marie Britt, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She started her administrative career as one of his vice principals at the Hopkins school.
“I believe there is no greater testament to Mr. Penny’s legacy as a school administrator than to know how many professionals attained their own administrative success in Burlington Township School District under Mr. Penny’s leadership,” Britt said during the May 23 Board of Education meeting.
In total, Penny has worked in education for 38 years. After graduating from Villanova University, he taught social studies for five years in the Philadelphia area before moving on to various administrative positions in the Garden State.
“My mom and dad raised seven of us,” Penny said. “We all went to school, and all of us graduated from high school and college and had professional careers. Mom and dad stressed education as a key to success and being able to do good things in life.”
He spent 12 years as a vice principal in Egg Harbor Township before taking the job in Burlington Township, mainly so he could be closer to home to watch his son’s basketball games.
Penny began as a vice principal in 2000 before being promoted to middle school principal a few years before the big move.
He said he believes it is the right time for him to retire, but he’s not going to be idle.
“I just feel like it’s time to go enjoy life and travel with my wife and family,” said Penny, who lives in Mt. Laurel.
“I will still probably do something down the road in education, whether it be to mentor other teachers who want to become administrators or just find a job in education that is not going to consume me every day,” he added.
The district is in the process of finding a new middle school principal, Penny said. He said he decided to stay on until the end of August so that the transition will be smooth for his replacement next school year.
Penny said he is confident Burlington Township Middle School’s future will be bright after he steps down.
“I believe this building — and I’ve said this to many people — I think I have the best middle school here in the district,” he said. “I’m not worried one bit.”
“I hope that I’ve done a great job as an administrator in helping to educate students over the years,” Penny added.
