web1_Lee-Eckert1.jpg

H.S. baseball: Perseverance pays off for Dallas’ Eckert, Coughlin’s Nowak

Former employee sues MotorWorld Auto Group for alleged racial discrimination

<p>KINGSTON &#8212; Jim Ferris, former principal of Wyoming Valley West High School who died Tuesday, is being described as &#8220;honorable,&#8221; &#8220;inspirational&#8221; and &#8220;fair&#8221; by those who knew him.</p><p>Mary Poremba, of Plymouth, taught English at the high school from 1988 through 2009.</p><p>She remembers returning to the classroom in 1988 after a 20-year hiatus and being impressed with Ferris&#8217; great respect for women in the classroom.</p><p>&#8220;Previous to that time, a woman&#8217;s place was thought to be in the home,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But Mr. Ferris was very respectful to women, to everyone.&#8221;</p><p>Poremba said Ferris had mastered the art of cultivating good relationships with students while retaining their respect.</p><p>She said both of her sons attended the high school while Ferris was principal and liked him very much.</p><p>&#8220;He had a great relationship with one of my sons who was president of student council,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He felt free to go and talk to him if he needed support or encouragement.&#8221;</p><p>Just last year, Poremba was present when Ferris was named Educator of the Year by Wilkes University, the college from which he graduated in 1956.</p><p>&#8220;He couldn&#8217;t believe so many people would come out to see him get the award,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But he was much loved by those from both Wyoming Valley West and Wilkes University.&#8221;</p><p>Irvin DeRemer, Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s director of elementary education, said he had been a student at the high school during the time Ferris was vice-principal and later served as vice-principal when Ferris was principal.</p><p>DeRemer described Ferris as an &#8220;outstanding, dynamic teacher and administrator, a pillar.&#8221;</p><p>Both DeRemer and Poremba said the time Ferris spent in the classroom as a math teacher further qualified him to be an excellent administrator.</p><p>&#8220;He was very good with first-year teachers,&#8221; DeRemer said. &#8220;He served as a role model and inspiration for them.&#8221;</p><p>Poremba said teachers at the school were required to be observed by the principal once a year. Ferris, she said, went above and beyond.</p><p>&#8220;He didn&#8217;t simply sit in the back of the classroom,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He would participate with the students. And he had a great sense of humor.&#8221;</p><p>DeRemer said his most vivid memory of Ferris was his first day as an assistant principal.</p><p>&#8220;He said, &#8216;There is only one way that we do things around here&#8217;,&#8221; DeRemer said. &#8220;&#8216;The right way.&#8217;&#8221;</p><p>DeRemer said Ferris&#8217; commitment to excellence was centered around his concern for students.</p><p>&#8220;He wanted to make sure that every student had a chance for real success,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He also wanted to make sure that each teacher was provided the tools to do his or her best.&#8221;</p><p>DeRemer emphasized that, in addition to academics, Ferris supported students in a multitude of endeavors whether that was music or drama or sports.</p><p>Ferris also coached soccer, basketball and baseball during his tenure at Wyoming Valley West.</p><p>He was described as being a person of exceptional warmth and personality.</p><p>&#8220;He was easy to be around,&#8221; said Deremer. &#8220;The student body, teachers and other administrators admired him.&#8221;</p><p>Even after his retirement in 1993, Ferris&#8217; love for education continued, as he served as a student teacher observer at Wilkes.</p><p>Poremba said Ferris was a family man with three children, a son and two daughters. His wife passed away several years ago.</p><p>&#8220;They were very dedicated to each other,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Perhaps what Poremba appreciated most about her mentor was his continued respect.</p><p>&#8220;We would see him out for dinner and he would call me &#8216;Mrs. Poremba&#8217;,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He showed respect to everyone he knew. It was an honor to have known him.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_ferris.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ferris </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_ferris.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ferris </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

With death of Jim Ferris, area has lost a skilled educator