English department’s Cooleys spouses, now coworkers
Michele Cooley (left) and Chad Cooley (right) on the first day of school.
September 1, 2022
Schedule confusion at the beginning of school is typical, but the English pod is particularly tricky this year. Anyone walking into the pod is now faced with two classrooms marked with the same name, as Homewood High School newest English teacher Chad Cooley will be teaching adjacent to his wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooley met while working at Hoover High School, where they both taught AP English Language and AP English Literature. The Cooleys taught together for six years before Michelle Cooley made the transition to Homewood.
“There was some hesitation, but [Homewood] is home,” Mrs. Cooley, the HHS alumna, said.
Mr. Cooley continued teaching at Hoover High School for 11 years. He was the English department chair and valued his experience with Hoover City Schools. “Moving to Homewood was the hardest decision of my life,” Mr. Cooley said.
Ultimately, it was time for a change. This was not a completely new experience for him though, as he is already familiar with many of his coworkers and the families of some students.
Teaching together was not a difficult transition for the two. Even prior to Mr.Cooley’s move to Homewood, work was always a popular topic of conversation between the two. Their children have grown up in Homewood City Schools, which made the transition easier.
“All [Mrs. Cooley] does is talk about work,” Mr. Cooley said.
They both feel connected to their jobs and have bonded over their careers for years. The teachers often bounce ideas off of each other and discuss the best ways to improve how certain things are taught.
When they aren’t spending their time together chatting about new books they’ve read or what material they are teaching, Mr. and Mrs. Cooley are probably at an LSU game or trying out a new restaurant. The Cooleys will continue to bond over their love of teaching and Homewood for years to come.
