Charlie Ferris’ Last Day at Pinewood…

Well, the last day of school has come and gone (again) and summer is now upon us. This year was bitter sweet as we wished many well who were retiring this year from Pinewood Elementary School. I arrived that day with the goal of documenting the last day of one teacher in particular, Charlie Ferris.  Charlie’s teaching career spanned 36 years, 24 of which were teaching kindergarten at Pinewood. It would be easy to underestimate Charlie with his calm demeanor, but as the saying goes: “still waters run deep”.  And it is a good thing given how many of us have gone to that well over these many years.

My daughters, Jaz and Ember were lucky to have him for their transition into “school”. What we loved about Charlie was his determined effort to keep kindergarten full of fun and playtime; to allow the kids imaginations to blossom free of the constraints of our own limitations. The kids in his class learned about the world around them by being out in it. His gentle combination of love and firmness gave both my daughters a strong foundation and a love for learning.

The book Charlie chose for his final “storytime hoorah” was The Giving Tree. This story “follows a friendship between a growing boy and a tree. The story begins as the tree is full grown and healthy and the boy is very young. The tree provides the child with shade, apples and a branch to hang a swing on. As the boy gets older he asks more of the tree and is never turned down. Eventually the boy, who has now become a man, cuts the tree down in order to make a boat, to which the tree does not protest. Many years later, the man returns old and withered to the tree, which has nothing left but a stump. The man requests that he be allowed to sit and rest on the stump while he waits for his death.The tree once again, happily gives him what is requested.” From Charlie’s perspective it is a story of “long term friendship, of unconditional love, through thick and thin. It is how I feel about my kindergartners, and I always hope they will remember it”. With his family, friends and students gathered around him, he read the final words of the story: “The End”.  As those words reverberated through the room, there was a collective moment of realization that we all shared – both joyous and sad – that this wonderful era had come to an end…there was not a dry eye in the room.

Like the tree in the story, Charlie has given so much of himself over the years, and still provides the strength to help root our community.  Like the boy in the story, our children have grown up around him, using the strength, wisdom and friendship that Charlie so willingly and unconditionally shares. Now Charlie would never see it that way – he credits the kids for bringing him new perspectives each and every day.  Any wisdom gained he credits to the children’s unspoiled, unlimited imagination.

We look forward to many more shared adventures as Charlie enters this new phase of his life. No doubt, this community will all continue to be graced by Charlie’s friendship and wisdom.

(blog post written by Lisa Richmond and Jeff Leddy, story synopsis borrowed from Mahalo.com)

Classic morning Charlie…going over the calendar, the new missing teeth and the weather…

A gift from his final kindergarten class

Charlie is touched by a gift from parents and friends ( I was so moved that I stopped taking photos and took in the moment- this is the only one I have)

The whole class took the roll call to the office, “go together, stay together, come back together”

the class giving Jen the roll

Ember telling Charlie about the weather outside

Charlie and Ember report the weather to the class along with the standard assorted tales of “polar bears and penguins on the playground”

After lunch, the final storytime……

Charlie’s whole family joined him…this is one of Charlie’s daughters, Lena joining the the final storytime

Charlie Ferris in his chair

The goodbyes start

and continue

and continue

The final “goodbye” tradition at Pinewood

pretty much sums up Ember and kindergarten

Jaz and her fabulous teacher, Sandi Nakabayashi

Charlie’s son Nathan, taking off with my camera!

bye.

Charlie’s family

We’ll all miss you!

from Charlie, “I got a fresh perspective on how the universe works, every day, for 24 years. I will miss it terribly, but it is time for me to go. It has been a long journey. “