John H. Erkman

Dr Erkman wasn´t the first principal I had and he wasn´t the last, but he was the one who left the biggest impact. Montclaire didn´t seem the same after he had left. My best friend at the time and I used to joke that he didn´t put us in the same class on purpose because he knew how good a friends we were. You will be missed good sir.

What a huge loss to the field of education. John inspired me as an educator. I took a graduate class last spring from John at NDNU. I will always remember his wonderful, open, and "real" style of teaching. He made learning fun and always challenged one to think out of the box. I remember thinking how much I would love to work with a person of his character. John reminded us that good leaders make tough decisions. I just received the letter that we wrote to ourselves last spring. He promised...

The "Big Guy" has left a huge hole in the Priory family. He is missed terribly.

John H. Erkman was a giant of a man who made a whopping impact. What a character! I knew him as a "Newbie Fellow Teacher" eons ago, actually I began teaching with John at RO Hardin School in Hollister in 1972. He was so alive and inquizative and saw the world through unique lenses. Oh yes, and so young under 30 with long flowing brown hair that sometimes the staff over 30 thought was a bit too long!

John pushed me to think and feel more deeply and also to have fun and view life with...

John was our daughter's Principal at Nimitz and a dear friend to our family. When he moved on to the Cupertino district office, our daughter wrote him a note, saying he had 'been like a father' to her. He was very touched.

I remember John always crouching down to talk to the kids on their level, playing with them on the play ground--trying to jump rope using an 8 year-old's jump rope, treating all the kids and their parents with warmth and caring.

One year his staff dressed...

John cared deeply about students, not just their academic potential but their character as well. He provided tremendous support for our son even after he left the Priory. His dedication to students and families will be greatly missed.

John was my son's principal at Montclaire School in Los Altos. Even though we only had John his last year at Montclaire, he made an invaluable impression on my son. So much that he wrote about John as his most memorable first day of school as an assignment for 7th grade English class.
The Erkman family is in our prayers,

Dianna Walton and Family

Dear John,
Your life gives us a lot of special memories. We could still see you at the Nimitz office bending down on your knee trying to make two confused 8 year olds feel at home in a strange country. We also remember your special visits in the classroom with our birthdays, your silly outfits with Halloween, your laughter and the visits at our home in Glenbrook. You once wrote: "To my special friends, I'm so proud of you." Now we would like to say: we are proud of you and of everything...