A life that touched many

The death of M-W teacher and coach Jim Taravella is felt throughout the community, By Gerard Mundy Central Valley - Although he never even sat in Jim Taravella’s classroom, Monroe-Woodbury Middle School eighth grader Kevin Clay felt the same emotion that many in the community are feeling after the veteran teacher’s passing. “It’s very upsetting, everybody is just so sad,” said Clay, 13. “It’s like even people like me who never knew him were crying,” Taravella, the high school varsity basketball coach as well as an English teacher in the district for 34 years, died last Wednesday. He was 57. “Jim was a remarkable teacher, superior coach and mentor,” said Monroe-Woodbury Superintendent of Schools Joseph DiLorenzo. “It’s a loss on so many levels.” In 2005, Coach Taravella led the Crusaders to the Section 9 Class AA title; and in 2002 as well as this year, the team went to a title game. Recognizing his accomplishments, the region’s newspaper, the Times-Herald Record, named Taravella its the 2005 Coach of the Year. But many of his students, as DiLorenzo remarked, knew him as “Father English.” “When I heard the news on Thursday morning, I just started crying,” said 12 year-old Karen Flannery. “I don’t know how I could see him one day and then he’s just gone.” Taravella’s exact cause of death is unknown; he was admitted to the hospital on Monday after a lingering sinus problem. Since his death, students many who never even crossed paths with the teacher and coach put posters and wrote letters outside his former classroom in the Blue House wing of the Middle School. “Everybody is writing something, the teachers and the kids. I went to go look at it and it’s just so sad,” said Michael Pascarelli, 16, a high school student and former student of Taravella. DiLorenzo said that he learned of the death last Wednesday night and held a meeting with teachers to “debrief” them on the situation. The district also immediately put in place counseling for students. “School guidance counselors were on hand as well as counselors from the Orange County Crisis Center. We care about the emotional condition of our students,” the superintendent said. Knowing that many students are still feeling the loss more than a week after the death, DiLorenzo said that students can leave class and speak with a guidance counselor if they feel the need. Clay noted the general sadness among students. “Everybody just needs some time. If everybody is feeling so sad kids who didn’t even know him can’t imagine what his students and the kids he coached are feeling,” he said. Many students said that teachers were seen crying in school when they found out about the news and many teachers were out of school Monday for the funeral for the teacher and coach. Students, friends, and colleagues have been streaming into the Middle School area of “The Wall,” which the area with the letters and posters is being called. “The Wall” is filled with memories of Taravella and hundreds more have taken to the Internet to share the memories of the late teacher. On The Photo News Web site, www.thephoto-news.com, one student wrote: “It’s such a shame.” Another reflected: “Best teacher I ever had.” The Record’s Web site also had many messages, some of which could bring a tear to the eye. Dan Torzilli represents what many of his colleagues and friends have said about the teacher and friend. “Many, many, years of countless special memories from our Boys Of Summer’ Yankee road trips to the endless practical jokes you played on me... Will keep you in my heart forever. Rest in peace my dear friend, I will never forget you,” he said. One of Taravella’s former athletes and the 2005 basketball team Player of the Year - said that Taravella was much more than just a coach. “Mr. Taravella was the best coach I ever had, he wasn’t just a wonderful coach, but like a father figure to me,” said Tony Surin, 19. “This is so hard. I have been blessed to meet a wonderful person like him, and share honors with him.” DiLorenzo first met Taravella 26 years ago, when the two had jobs as assistant park rangers. “He contributed on so many levels his contributions in the classroom, on the court and on the field were tremendous.”