This morning, September 28, Mr. McCool’s beloved dog, Portia, passed away. Over the weekend, Portia contracted Pyometra, a uterus infection in dogs. After emergency surgery on Sunday night, Portia seemed to be responding to treatment. Unfortunately, Portia contracted pneumonia and was not strong enough to battle such a serious infection. Portia was 13 years old.

Portia was a keystone of Mr. McCool’s classes and a favorite among students. The student body rallied to support their teacher in such a difficult time and worked to create a banner for him (see below).

Students shared their thoughts: 

“I will never forget all of Portia’s visits to class. She was so spirited and full of love. She will forever remain in the hearts of students here at AWS.” – Elle Hansen, Class of ’17

“You (Portia) were so cute and such a sweet companion to Mr. McCool. We all love you and we will always miss the memory of you smiling in the hallway!” – Poplar Yang, Class of ’18

“We loved Portia and are glad you shared her with us.” – Courtney Cureton, Class of ’17

“Portia was a very loved dog in our community. We all mourn with you. She always brightened my day when I saw her. She will always have a place in my heart.” – Sasha Chang, Class of ’18