As John Passarini, the nationally recognized adapted physical education teacher, retires from the Wayland school system next month, he leaves behind - but will never forget, he says - scores of special needs students and their families as well as admiring colleagues.

Konowski, who has physical challenges, has been working with Passarini for the past eight years, starting with Children's Way and on to Happy Hollow.

"John just has a way of making everything seem possible," says Konowski's mother Joan. "When the kids are with him, they forget their challenges. In regular academic classes, they may have to put in more effort, but John doesn't judge them in any way. He accepts them as they are and, even though they don't realize it, he tailors the fun things he does with them to fit their particular situation."

Leslie Corner, whose two children, Andrew, 13, and Zoe, 11, have been in the Wayland school system since they were toddlers, says that Passarini's teaching "comes from the heart, as does everything else he does. He has taught Wayland's children as if they were his own. And he has gone beyond the kids themselves to touch the parents and siblings as well."

Corner went on to praise Passarini for teaching everything from basic skills "like how to throw a ball or ride a bicycle" to games that require social interaction and problem solving "to help special needs students fit in with their peers using complicated social interaction techniques."

For John Love, whose daughter Tina, now in twelfth grade, has Down's syndrome, "Outside of family members, John has been the most consistent presence in Tina's life. And he changed the world in which she lives. By helping to establish the Best Buddies program, which sets up friendships between mainstream students and their special needs peers, as well as the Pegasus enrichment program, he has created opportunities for people like Tina to interact with their non-disabled peers, which is something our society generally doesn't do a very good job of."

Chris Lynch, whose late daughter Katie was both a student of and inspiration to Passarini, says that "'Coach Pass' has been devoting the same amount of energy and enthusiasm, both of which are virtually endless, to his work and his students ever since we've known him. In trying to help Katie, the two of them would conspire to come up with great things. They somehow contrived to develop exercises that would allow her to increase her range of motion and her ability to function.

"And once, when the Fleet Center was doing a event where kids would shoot hoops for charity, John saw to it that a little hoop was set up on the floor so Katie could participate too. She won a Good Sport Award for that and got on the front page of the Boston Globe."

But it wasn't just the physical education component that impressed him, Lynch said.

"When they weren't communicating physically, John and Katie would spend hours on the phone. And, while he did this for her, he had the same relationship with a lot of other kids and families, and that makes him a very special person."

Sue Abrams, principal of Loker elementary school, echoed Lynch's statements, "He's not just a teacher for these children. He develops a very strong relationship and he keeps up with them even when they're no longer in Wayland. It's a relationship that transcends the schools and is very, very close and very, very tight. As a result, he has a tremendous feeling of ownership of the kids and of their progress."

Her colleague Brad Crozier, principal at Happy Hollow elementary school, says he finds that Passarini's love for kids "is evident in how he teaches. He does outstanding work, and he makes all the kids feel appreciated."

Finally, Wayland School Superintendent Dr. Gary Burton praises Passarini for his passion and dedication.

"John brings a unique level of enthusiasm to his work, which becomes apparent to anyone who has watched him with children. Equally important, he has chosen to work with a group of students who are often the most challenging and who are sometimes forgotten or neglected. He has taught us that these children can be taught and can enjoy a school experience in ways we might not have thought possible. He has taught us to expect more of them.

"At the same time, he has stolen the hearts of everyone here. He is universally liked; he goes out of his way to brighten things up for all of us. Most importantly, he has caused us never to see these children in the same light again."