For  three decades, David Forney has been a steady force at the heart of Cotter Schools.

As coach, counselor, and principal, his quiet compassion and unwavering support have shaped generations. Now, he steps into retirement, leaving behind a profound legacy built empathy and a deep belief in every student.

Along with Fr. Paul Nelson, principal from 1965-1976, and Sandi Blank, principal from 2000-2013, Mr. Forney, principal from 2014-2025, is one of the three longest serving principals in Cotter’s history.

“Mr. Forney’s had an incredibly positive impact on the culture of Cotter schools and the daily experience of junior high and high school student for years,” Ms. Fitch, President of Cotter Schools, said. “Student and staff alike feel seen, heard, loved and respected by Mr. Forney. His consistent ability to see the best in others has fostered a uniquely supportive atmosphere. Day in and day out, Mr. Forney is a light for all of us.”

Ms. Fitch emphasized the lasting influence of his counseling background. “His training as a counselor has been invaluable,” she noted, highlighting his daily provision of “counsel, support, and discretion.” Beyond his training, his inherent character shone through. “His compassionate nature, his ability to remain calm, his value of recognizing the dignity of each person, and his desire to be Christ-like to others” define his leadership.

For Ms. Fitch, his legacy is one of consistent “servant leadership,” a quality she hopes his successor will embrace. “I will deeply miss his unwavering support and calm demeanor,” Fitch said.

Mr. Forney also served as a coach at Cotter for many years, coaching basketball, football, track and cross country. Between Cotter and his previous stops Mr. Forney coached nearly 60 seasons of high school sports.

Mr. Costello, English teacher and cross country and basketball coach, witnessed the dedication early on. “I coached cross country with Mr. Forney for a number of years. He was great at recruiting kids and had a lot of success developing runners. His coaching philosophy mirrored his leadership style. His philosophy was to accept everyone where they were at and try to challenge them to improve,” Mr. Costello said. “The runners knew he cared about them first as people. Mr. Forney gave the same attention to beginning runners and those with special needs as he gave to the strongest runners.”

“Any student who has been at Cotter since he was principal would have a story of how he reached out to them. He has helped a lot of students through family crises and other tough events in their lives,” Costello said.

The values Mr. Forney instilled in students in athletics – “teamwork, dedication, following Christ’s example of being a servant” – reflect his broader impact. While acknowledging the coming change, Mr. Costello is optimistic about the transition. “Cotter has a strong infrastructure and an experienced faculty and I think that will help in the transition to a new leader.”

For the newly named Cotter Junior High Principal Mr. Howard, Mr. Forney was a key mentor. “Mr. Forney has been a great mentor to me, providing me with advice while also allowing me to take leadership,” Mr. Howard said.

He valued Mr. Forney’s trust in his staff’s expertise. “Mr. Forney’s long tenure in various roles gave him unique insight. He has a deep understanding of the challenges students face at any age,” Mr. Howard noted. “The same core values exist in both the junior high and high school, not in a small part due to Mr. Forney’s influence.”

Cotter junior Cooper Johnson echoed his sentiment. “It’s sad he’s leaving, he has helped me and many other people through a lot of stuff. He’s always checking up on you.” Sharing a personal experience, Cooper recounted, “He has never been mad at me or anything. He is always gentle, and he has never raised his voice at me. Then he tells me how he knows I can do better and that he trusts me to do so. He is always pushing me to go higher and higher and better and better. I will always remember the kindness and patience he has had with me,” Johnson said.

Mr. Forney’s decision to retire came after careful consideration. Mr. Forney was hired as a counselor in 1996 and his family moved from Worthington, MN.  Mary Forney taught art at Cotter for 25 years, retiring last year.

His favorite part of the job is “Connecting with the kids, the students are awesome,” he said. The hardest part of leaving? “I will miss the kids. I really enjoy the connections with my coworkers, the community is really big to me.”  Mr. Forney always kept a focus on Christ, and the Cotter family, and he loved working with students and families, where he built many friendships with staff and community members.  Mr. Forney’s plans for the future include morning workouts, travel with his wife, Mary, exploring Minnesota in September, October, and May and spending time with their grandchildren, and, perhaps, a couple of warm months in the winter somewhere. It’s a good guess you will still find him at some Cotter events, too.

Mr. David Forney’s retirement marks the end of an era at Cotter Schools. His legacy, however, will endure in the countless lives he has touched with his quiet strength, unwavering support, and deep compassion. He leaves behind a school community forever grateful for his dedicated service.