Holmes County resident Anthony Cooley is PAEC’s April Employee of the Month. As project manager and Florida Diagnostic Learning Resource System technology specialist, his major responsibility is to provide assistance and support in the appropriate use of a variety of technologies for students, teachers, professional staff, and parents in nine PAEC districts. In addition, he promotes local awareness, identification, acquisition, and effective integration of assistive and adaptive technologies, including FCAT accommodations. He is constantly exploring ways to implement technology in the classroom so all special needs children get the opportunity for an optimum education.

In short, he is the go-to guy for any and all technology problems the special areas team faces. His fellow workers report that he even responds to frantic phone calls when he is miles away, sitting in a meeting in Orlando without computer access. He is able to talk the caller through to a solution. They further say that he insists that there are no stupid questions and he listens patiently and respectfully to each concern before giving a clear, straightforward explanation with a smile or a laugh and a joke.

Cooley serves as Region I representative to the Florida Association for Staff Development Board and has presented technology sessions at both state and national conferences.

Before coming to PAEC nine years ago, Cooley had spent ten years as a teacher/technology coordinator at Bonifay Elementary. He earned a B.S. degree in elementary education and a master’s in educational leadership from the University of West Florida. He and his wife Rachel live in Bonifay where she teachers 3rd grade. They have three sons who love sports, church activities, and video games.