Edin and staff reflect on his career and retirement from KCBY-TV on Vimeo.
Nikki Dabney
Staff Writer
Coppell is known for its superior education system and the leaders who define the district and guide it into excellence. However, not many of the schools can say they have a servant for a leader.
Coppell Middle School West Principal Vernon Edin has served his school, faculty and students for 27 years. He will retire at the end of this school year.
Edin was the principal of the first Coppell Middle School before it split into West and East in 1992 and Coppell High School moved to its current location from the building that is now CMSW. Therefore, Edin is the first and only principal CMSW has ever had.
“It will be very hard to fill Mr. Edin’s shoes because his spirit is so strong, his heart is so big and his passion is so great,” CMSW English teacher Carson Thompson said. “He has printed himself on this school in such an indelible way that people will always think of West and Vern Edin synonymously, and it will be very hard for someone to inherent that and to surpass that.”
In 1996, the Texas Education Agency chose CMSW as one of only 43 middle schools in Texas to be named a Mentor School, and Edin was named a Mentor Principal.
“To me, mentoring means helping others,” Edin said. “I believe in putting others first and serving them and finding out what is best for them, even if that means sometimes putting myself on the backburner. I’ve tried to provide the most supportive environment for our staff and kids and I think we have.”
To Edin, being principal of CMSW is more than a job. He is not a distant leader who simply delegates tasks. From greeting students in the morning and sending them off at the end of the day, Edin takes an active role in his school. He even makes a point to visit fifth grade students from the elementary schools that feed into CMSW to begin to form personal relationships before they even step onto campus.
“I had the pleasure of being one of [Edin’s] assistant principals for six years,” Coppell ISD assistant superintendent Brad Hunt said. “Everything good I learned about being a principal I learned from Mr. Edin. He always put the needs of the students first and foremost in every decision he made. He was always the first person at the school and the last one to leave.”
Edin has created a culture at CMSW for every student to be involved. He believes it is their school and promotes that idea by encouraging kids to be in all kinds of activities. Not only does he want kids involved in sports and athletics, but supports organizations like the science club and history club so that every student has a place they belong.
“Mr. Edin was always there for me and kind of showed me right from wrong,” said former CMSW student Jeff Ridley, who entered sixth grade in 1999. “He was able to support me in a big way so I could achieve big.”
As a Mentor Principal and leader, Edin leads by example. He has high expectations for his staff because he has higher expectations for himself. His positive attitude and strong work ethic transcend the campus and define who he is.
“He works hard so he makes me want to work hard and give my all and give my best,” CMSW science teacher Cathy Douglas said. “Gandhi once said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world,’ and Mr. Edin lives that every day. It’s infectious; it makes all of us want to work and be the change we want to see.”
Edin can be assured that he has left his legacy at CMSW. He has ingrained his philosophies and passion into the faculty, and they will carry out his mission no matter who the new leader is.
“Mr. Edin has really shown me and reminded me about why we’re here,” Thompson said. “One of the things that he always comes back to is doing what is best for kids. His love for what he does spills over into what I do and makes me a better teacher.”
Edin has been a part of CISD for nearly half his life and has witnessed and been a part of many changes. The most noticeable change has been the size of the city and school district. CISD started at about 2,000 kids and now it is about to hit 11,000. Also, the diversity of CISD has increased rapidly. Many students have come from around the country and even around the globe. While many things have changed over the years, Edin has been a part of many cherished traditions for the last 30 years.
“As I’ve gone through this year and started thinking about if this is going to be the last year and if it is this would be the last pep rally or the last time I do some type of program or ceremony, so every one of those are going to be real special,” Edin said.
Although Edin is retiring, it doesn’t mean he won’t be doing anything anymore. He will still be an active part of the community and education system in Coppell.
“I’m in great health right now and my wife and I love to travel, this will give us the opportunity to do so,” Edin said. “I’d also like to continue working with kids and with teachers in some fashion, maybe new, first-year teachers. I’ll just be doing things at a little different pace. It’ll be a new phase in my life. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
The new leadership at CMSW will certainly have big shoes to fill. It will be a difficult transition, but the students and faculty are sure to welcome and support their new leader like Edin has taught them to do. Nevertheless, he will be greatly missed, but forever remembered.
“What I’m going to miss most about Mr. Edin is his presence here at school because he is everywhere,” Thompson said. “I will miss his spirit, and his passion, and his love for this school and the kids and staff here. He is West.”
The following photos of Vern Edin were submitted by Coppell Middle School West.
