Elmira High School Career and Technical Education teacher David Johnson has plans to retire at the end of the school year to finish off his nine years of teaching.
“For me, I find it very hard to retire,” he told Falcon News. “I established relationships with my students.”
Johnson has worked for the Fern Ridge School District for 17 years, first as a handyman, then as a high school teacher for welding, carpentry and automotive. He transitioned into teaching after finally convincing the superintendent at the time to reopen the programs that he now teaches.
Before starting his career in the district, Johnson served in the Navy.
“I was a hull maintenance technician doing things like welding, plumbing, fire fighting [and] carpentry,” he said.
At Elmira High School, Johnson has focused on not just teaching his courses, but also providing life lessons for his students.
“It is not just teaching students,” Johnson said. “I was teaching the students about smoking five minutes before you came in, hoping they would not, using myself as an example.
“It is more about affecting them in their daily life than about the trade of welding, automotive or carpentry — giving them good mental tools for life.”
Johnson will miss his students the most when he moves on from EHS.
“These are my kids, grandkids. I have several of them that call me grandpa.”
Falcon News spoke with fellow EHS teachers about their feelings towards Johnson’s retirement.
Friend of Johnson and CTE coordinator Jon Guldager explains how it will be hard to replace someone as important as him.
“It’s sad. I’m happy for him, but for our students it is sad,” Guldager explained. “You don’t find one person that can do what he can do, with all that he does. His expertise and knowledge you don’t find very often.”
Art teacher Tom Edmundson is happy for Johnson, but explains that he will be greatly missed.
“I’m sad for the school and the community because he has been such a strong figure here,” Edmundson said, “but it’s nice to see a teacher have such strong aspirations.”
Falcon News interviewed some students of Johnson about his retirement.
Junior Cailey Eden said she was saddened to hear the news.
“I wish he was retiring with my senior class,” Eden said. “I’m gonna miss him as a teacher.”
Junior Liam Macklin said he appreciated Johnson’s support of students.
“It sucks to see him retire,” Macklin said. “He was such a good teacher and helped so many kids with their future in the trades and anything like that.”
Senior Riley Weston is disappointed that other students won’t be able to have Johnson as a teacher.
“Most of the kids here won’t get taught by him, so they won’t know what they are missing out on,” Weston said.
Johnson leaves behind over 15 years of work in the district and many fond memories with staff and students.
Guldager reminisced about Johnson’s sleeping tendencies as one of his favorite memories about the teacher.
“During a staff meeting when he falls asleep in the back,” Guldager described. “Doesn’t pertain to him, but he just nods off. Arms crossed, hat down. You can picture it.”
Eden shared a fun memory she had with Johnson.
“My favorite memory was last summer,” she described. “He gave us root beer floats, and me and him went out to his 1970s Ford F250.
“He was trying to sell it to my boyfriend, but it didn’t work because there was water in the cylinders. I had to say no, but I really liked it,” Eden said.
There is no doubt that Johnson will be missed, not only as a teacher, but as a colleague, role model and friend to many.
