Retiring principal was ‘always there for the kids’
Ed Colona has retired after serving for 35 years in the field of education. He was an early staff member of the Burlington County Special Services School District, going to work there just after its founding in 1972.
For the last decade, Colona served as principal of the district high school’s main campus in Westampton.
The years, he said, flew by — but not so fast that he couldn’t make an indelible, positive impression on students, staff and administrators like BCSSSD superintendent Dr. Donald Lucas.
“You don’t replace someone like Ed, you retire his number. What he did will be much a part of the tradition of the school district for years to come,” Lucas said.
The Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association named him administrator of the year in May.
Prior to being principal at the high school, Colona was the director of vocational programs and a high school science and math teacher at the district since 1974, the same year he achieved his teaching degree.
Today, the public school district enrolls over 1,000 students with special needs, multiple disabilities and autism.
Students attend the district between the ages of 3 and 21.
About 200 students are enrolled at Colona’s Westampton campus high school.
Colona, a resident of Burlington, was inspired to go into the field of special education after volunteering in special education classes that his younger brother was enrolled in. “I was impressed with what the teachers were doing with special needs students and decided that it was the career for me,” he said.
Colona, 60, attended Glassboro State College, which is now Rowan University, for his undergraduate degree and received his masters from Trenton State College, now known as The College of New Jersey.
“I’ve enjoyed working at the school and making a difference in kids’ lives,” he said. Through his work at the special services school, Colona helped create vocational programs for students that provided them with opportunities to learn and find entry-level jobs after graduation. Through these programs, the school began to offer job coaches to the students in addition to structured learning environments tailored to students’ individual educational needs and goals.
“We really saw that some of the students were not going to go on to college or other further education, so we wanted to emphasize vocational training programs to create opportunities for students to train and be supported academically,” he said.
The school offers vocational courses to students, such as graphic arts, auto detailing, office skills, maintenance, horticulture, landscaping, food service and daycare in addition to traditional coursework.
Colona is a member and past president of the Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association and a member of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.
His advice for educators is to keep in communication with district and local school administrators and teachers, have respect for all staff members and always keep students in the forefront of the school’s plans.
“We need to always be there for the kids,” he said.
In his retirement, Colona plans to relax and continue officiating high school and collegiate track meetings.
“Thirty-five years have gone by like a blink of an eye. Retirement is bittersweet. I am looking forward to it, but at the same time, I will greatly miss the staff and the kids,” he said.
Superintendent Lucas worked with Colona for eight years. He called the former principal a main component of the high school, and said he succeeded in creating an inspiring educational atmosphere that was meaningful to students.
“He created a high school program that met the needs of the students and respected their placement and difficulties, but still kept a very traditional and rich high school program that students really enjoyed,” Lucas said.
For the last decade, Colona served as principal of the district high school’s main campus in Westampton.
The years, he said, flew by — but not so fast that he couldn’t make an indelible, positive impression on students, staff and administrators like BCSSSD superintendent Dr. Donald Lucas.
“You don’t replace someone like Ed, you retire his number. What he did will be much a part of the tradition of the school district for years to come,” Lucas said.
The Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association named him administrator of the year in May.
Prior to being principal at the high school, Colona was the director of vocational programs and a high school science and math teacher at the district since 1974, the same year he achieved his teaching degree.
Today, the public school district enrolls over 1,000 students with special needs, multiple disabilities and autism.
Students attend the district between the ages of 3 and 21.
About 200 students are enrolled at Colona’s Westampton campus high school.
Colona, a resident of Burlington, was inspired to go into the field of special education after volunteering in special education classes that his younger brother was enrolled in. “I was impressed with what the teachers were doing with special needs students and decided that it was the career for me,” he said.
Colona, 60, attended Glassboro State College, which is now Rowan University, for his undergraduate degree and received his masters from Trenton State College, now known as The College of New Jersey.
“I’ve enjoyed working at the school and making a difference in kids’ lives,” he said. Through his work at the special services school, Colona helped create vocational programs for students that provided them with opportunities to learn and find entry-level jobs after graduation. Through these programs, the school began to offer job coaches to the students in addition to structured learning environments tailored to students’ individual educational needs and goals.
“We really saw that some of the students were not going to go on to college or other further education, so we wanted to emphasize vocational training programs to create opportunities for students to train and be supported academically,” he said.
The school offers vocational courses to students, such as graphic arts, auto detailing, office skills, maintenance, horticulture, landscaping, food service and daycare in addition to traditional coursework.
Colona is a member and past president of the Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association and a member of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.
His advice for educators is to keep in communication with district and local school administrators and teachers, have respect for all staff members and always keep students in the forefront of the school’s plans.
“We need to always be there for the kids,” he said.
In his retirement, Colona plans to relax and continue officiating high school and collegiate track meetings.
“Thirty-five years have gone by like a blink of an eye. Retirement is bittersweet. I am looking forward to it, but at the same time, I will greatly miss the staff and the kids,” he said.
Superintendent Lucas worked with Colona for eight years. He called the former principal a main component of the high school, and said he succeeded in creating an inspiring educational atmosphere that was meaningful to students.
“He created a high school program that met the needs of the students and respected their placement and difficulties, but still kept a very traditional and rich high school program that students really enjoyed,” Lucas said.
