Jim Simmington, Beloved Wissahickon School Teacher, Dies At 44

AMBLER, PA — A beloved Wissahickon School District teacher has died after a long and brave fight against cancer.

Jim Simmington, a sixth grade teacher at Wissahickon Middle School, was 44. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

"Jim touched many students’ lives in countless positive ways, in and out of the classroom, and was a colleague and a friend who will truly be missed," the Wissahickon School District Alumni noted in a social media post on Wednesday.

In addition to his teaching duties, Simmington was also a successful coach, founding the Wissahickon Middle School lacrosse program and developing a number of talented athletes who went on to become stars at the high school level and beyond.

A resident of Malvern, Simmington attended Conestoga High School and eventually West Chester University, where he played lacrosse.

The district and students have been rallying around Simmington for months, showing their support through bracelet and t-shirt sales and fundraisers for cancer research.

Wissahickon is letting out middle school and high school students early on Friday, Dec. 6 so that they may attend Simmington's memorial service. The middle school will dismiss at 10:45 a.m., and the high school will dismiss at 11 a.m. Elementary school students will have regular dismissal times.

Simmington's memorial service will include a visitation from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church, located on 400 Lancaster Avenue in Malvern. The service will commence at noon. A reception will take place at Community Life Center following the service.

His family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to For Pete's Sake, a charity that provides vacations for cancer victims and their families working through tragedy.

Springton Lake Middle School, in the Rose Tree Media School District, where Simmington's wife teaches 6th grade math, has launched a fundraiser of their own. They're calling for donations of "movie passes, books, puzzles and board games" for the family as the holiday season approaches. Donations can be dropped off through Dec. 11 at 853 N. Providence Road in Media.