The loud cheer that rose through the end-of-school assembly for retiring teacher Lenny Ross summed up how highly regarded he is by everyone at Strawberry Vale Elementary.
“It was a tremendous tribute from the kids and from the parent group,” said Ross, who has called it a career after 28 years — all of them at Strawberry Vale in Saanich. “Because I’ve been here so long, I’ve got that really special thing for teachers when my former students are now parents and I’ve been teaching their children.
“That gives you a really close connection with the families and the community.”
One of those family connections includes April Simons, who had Ross as a teacher in the early 1990s, and her son, Connor, who was in Ross’s class for Grade 4 last year.
“He was a great teacher,” Simons said. “He always did a lot of really great interactive things.”
Her son is also a fan, and learned a lot with Ross as his teacher, Simons said.
Strawberry Vale principal Cindy Sanderson said Ross will be missed at the school.
“Mr. Ross is a loved teacher by all kids, “ she said. “He takes them outside so much, connects them to the real world.”
The 62-year-old father of one and grandfather of two was involved in fine arts, school musicals and technology instruction over the years, but environmental education became his focus. That included working on environmental-education programs for the Greater Victoria school district and advocating for them at the provincial level, Ross said.
His provincial efforts came in reaction to what was seen as a lack of environmental education in B.C.’s “new curriculum.”
“We ended up presenting a petition at the legislature,” Ross said.
There was plenty of media coverage and the government responded, naming Ross and others to a committee to address the concerns.
“That’s a big highlight of the career to be able to have that kind of impact,” he said.
Sanderson credited Ross with being a key to the “nature-based” focus that has developed at the school.
“He’s been a staunch environmentalist right from the very beginning, really believes that children need to be outside.”
Ross said his students clearly enjoyed the time they spend beyond the walls of the school.
“When kids are talking about their memories, it’s always field trips, field trips, outdoors.”
His field trips took the students all over the region, including to Goldstream, Island View Beach, Swan Lake, Elk and Beaver lakes — and there were forays to the school grounds themselves to study features such as the nature pathway and pond Ross worked hard to establish.
A plaque dedicated to Ross was placed at the pathway, which connects a number of natural areas, to mark his retirement.
Ross said one of his goals was to help students build an “environmental vocabulary.”
“The research shows your average kid can rattle off 100 brand names pretty easily, but they can’t name three plants in the backyard.”
His students’ efforts have been felt beyond the school with projects such as raising salmon for release in the Colquitz watershed. The students also worked to create a park on a small piece of Saanich municipal land a few blocks from the school, which one student dubbed Strawberry Knoll Park.
“We went to council and made presentations to have the land turned into a park,” said Ross.
He said he was happy he could do all of his teaching at one school. “I do feel it’s been a very lucky career and it’s been blessed.”
