Beloved North Preston school custodian retiring after 44 years

After 44 years of shaping young minds, Ernest Simmonds will enjoy a well-earned retirement.  

For more than four decades the custodian and bus driver has been a mentor to hundreds of children at Nelson Whynder Elementary School in North Preston, N.S.

He officially retires on Oct. 31.

A special celebration was held for Simmonds Tuesday at the school. Dozens of friends and family came to the send-off to share memories and celebrate his remarkable career.

"There's so much that Ernest has done for this school, you guys, behind the scene that many of you probably would never know," one of his relatives told the crowd.

In an interview, Simmonds said the best part of his job was instilling valuable lessons in students.

"It was how I treated them. I got through to them, a lot of them became lawyers, and a couple of doctors, and RCMP officers, counsellors," he said.

"I always used to tell the students there's nothing in the world that that you can't do. And they would say to me, 'Why didn't you do it?' I'd say because I didn't have the opportunity that you have."

Mahalia Smith is a former student at Nelson Whynder. 

"He always made sure that we stayed out of trouble so if I ever did anything wrong he would always go to my mom and say, 'Mahalia's not doing the right thing,'" Smith recalled.

"He's always going to have a special place in my heart. He was a very good man. He's a very good community leader and we all look up to him because he shows us so much care and so much love and compassion."

Frances Waterman-O'Connell was principal there for five years until 2017. 

When she first became a teacher at the school in 2002, Simmonds took her and the other new teachers on a tour of his community.

"He introduced us to community members over that first couple of months. He also invited us to see other places that the students attended like church, the rec centre."

When asked why he did this, Simmonds said he thinks it's important for teachers to get to see what the community is like and where the kids are coming from.

"It was a good experience for them and I really feel that those kinds of things are needed when you come into a unique community like North Preston."

Waterman-O'Connell also spoke of the mutual love and respect between Simmonds and the students.

"He cares for the students, the students would call him, 'Uncle Ernest,' so when I had my own children, the two of them began calling him Uncle Ernest, as well," she said.

A generous soul

Simmonds is also known for his generosity.

In 2013, he shelled out $464 of his own money to buy pink T-shirts for all 94 students and support staff to wear for anti-bullying day.

"That in itself speaks volumes," said another former student Archy Beals. "Not only was he a custodian, I think he was one of the best educators at that school."

His kindness extends beyond the school walls.

Without seeking any recognition, Simmonds, who also runs a successful cleaning services business, sometimes fills the oil tanks of families in need in his home community of North Preston and plows people's driveways without taking a dime.

Outside of work, Simmonds plays conga drums in St. Thomas Baptist Church's six-piece band and sings in the men's brotherhood choir. He was also a long-time volunteer firefighter and is the former chairman of the North Preston Ratepayers Association.

Simmonds has four adult children, 23 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.