The late Terry Shay, center, poses for a photograph on Traer’s high school gym stage on March 10 of this year while surrounded by past and present students following the 2023 Swing Show. Mr. Shay, who retired from teaching vocal music at North Tama at the end of the 2022-23 school year, passed away unexpectedly last Thursday. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

WATERLOO – Less than two weeks after celebrating the 15th anniversary of International Dot Day – a day dedicated to nurturing creativity and bravery via Peter H. Reynolds’ book “The Dot” – the day’s founder, retired North Tama vocal music teacher Terry Shay passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 28 at the age of 59.

Shay, a native of Oelwein who lived in Waterloo with his wife Ellen, dedicated 37 years of his life to public education including 33 years at North Tama where he taught and inspired hundreds of students aged kindergarten through high school.

Mr. Shay – as his students knew him – retired this past June from teaching, but appeared to stay just as busy as ever with not only International Dot Day but also as the author behind the Celebri-Dots blog (http://www.celebridots.com), and the owner of School Visit Dot Connector which works to connect authors and illustrators with schools for visits – a feat Shay himself accomplished six different times while at North Tama including a visit by Peter H. Reynolds in 2016.

International Dot Day is celebrated annually worldwide on or about Sept. 15 in recognition of the fact Reynolds’ book was first published on Sept. 15, 2003.

This year on Saturday, Sept. 16, the day was officially celebrated in Waterloo as part of the Waterloo Urban Farmers Market’s second annual Dot Day at the Market.

A screen grab from a video posted to the City of Waterloo's Facebook page on Sept. 14 of Mayor Quentin Hart, center, reading from a proclamation declaring Sept. 16 Dot Day in the city for the second year running. International Dot Day founder and Waterloo resident, the late Terry Shay, right, is also pictured.

In the lead-up to the special event, Shay was interviewed by the City of Waterloo’s Director of Strategic Communications, Tara Thomas.

“I was a teacher for 37 years – just retired – and I became friends with Peter Reynolds in 2006. I was very moved by his book “The Dot,” and in 2009, I suggested to Peter that we have a day where kids get to be creative,” Shay told Thomas during the interview which was filmed and uploaded to the city’s Facebook page. “The United States was very much into a testing frenzy at that point … even just for a day let them have fun and have a good time making dots.”

While Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart could be observed coloring away on his own dot in the background of the interview, Shay went on to describe how he first brought Dot Day to fruition with one of his fourth-grade music classes, as well as his junior high and high school choruses.

“And it traveled around the world,” Shay further explained. “It’s going on 29 million people have celebrated in 200 countries and territories.”

Thomas then asked Shay how it felt to be the creator of such a special day – a day now beloved by countless people, particularly educators.

While students perform during the 2023 Swing Show held this past March, Mr. Shay accompanies on the piano. Mr. Shay hardly ever took the spotlight from his vocal music students. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“It’s just a great feeling,” Shay responded. “I don’t feel like I deserve a lot of credit because teachers took the idea and ran with it – and librarians and booksellers and daycares. It really has been a community effort.”

While wrapping up the interview a few minutes later, Thomas told Shay, “How cool a local guy has impacted millions across the world.”

Remembering Mr. Shay

On the FableVision Learning website – a resource hub for teachers operated by “The Dot” author Peter Reynolds alongside his twin brother and fellow author Paul Reynolds – Shay, who was an ambassador for the FableVision program, was quoted extensively back in 2016 regarding his experiences as an educator.

“The highlight of each year is watching kids shine in our Swing Show,” Shay said. “Kids get to sing, dance, perform in skits, and almost every year I am blown away by a soloist who starts out meek and mild and then steps on the stage and becomes a star.”

Many of those students – former and current – expressed dismay and grief last week Thursday when news began to spread throughout the greater Traer community that their beloved Mr. Shay had passed away.

One such former student is Telegraph columnist Sean Dengler, a farmer and writer/comedian who graduated from North Tama in 2010.

“I never realized how many people he impacted. There were certainly others who were closer with him, but his impact on me was giving me the space to perform on Swing Show,” Dengler told the Telegraph on Monday.

“I was able to perform skits all four years of high school, and host [Swing Show] for two years. This gave me the confidence to know I can entertain, make people laugh, and impact other people in a positive way through my stand-up comedy, improv, and writing.”

“Also,” Dengler – ever the comedian – added, “he hated the song Kokomo.”

In the wake of Shay’s retirement in May, the North Tama school district attempted to hire a new K-12 vocal music instructor but was unable to find a suitable candidate for the position.

While much could be written about the difficulty in hiring these days across fields and industries – including public education – replacing Mr. Shay was certain to be a challenge no matter the outcome.

Retired North Tama kindergarten teacher and piano instructor Sharon Owens was ultimately tapped for the position as a long-term substitute.

Last Friday Mrs. Owens worked with her classes to remember their former teacher – to grieve as best they could.

“Elementary music students were invited to share memories of Mr. Shay,” Mrs. Owens explained to the Telegraph.

While many students commented on his funny jokes and great piano playing, Mrs. Owens said they also told her he was “the best music teacher ever” – one who was “kind” and “really nice.”

Her young students further commented on his “Lucky Charms and flashlight crocs, funny laugh, 30-second dance parties, playing instruments, doing pranks, best shoes, fun activities, giving lots of hugs, playing games, watching movies on the red carpet, and his favorite blue and white checkered shirt.”

Shay’s passing deeply affected not just his former students but also his former colleagues including one in particular, North Tama band instructor Channing Halstead.

“Mr. Shay was a colleague of mine – right next door for the first 12 years of my teaching career. He helped shape me into the educator I am today,” Halstead told the Telegraph.

“He taught me to always be confident in what I’m doing as a teacher and person, because as long as I was confident in myself then everything would fall into place. He was one of my biggest supporters.”

“The kids were always special to him,” Halstead continued, “and one of his favorite things was making them laugh. Whether it was with his ‘Lucky Charms’ crocs, or reading them funny books. He always kept in touch and cared for all his students past and present.”

“I was fortunate enough to celebrate many of his ‘lasts’ with him. Giving him his gifts at his last Swing Show was one of my favorites – especially because he asked me never to do that again! That night was special, and the kids put a lot of effort into making him a very special and thoughtful gift.”

Shay’s compassion and generous heart were also mentioned countless times by people – those who knew him personally and those who only knew him through his Dot Day work – in comments left on various social media posts in the days following the news he had passed away, news which many first learned through a Facebook post made by the North Tama School District.

“It’s with a heavy heart that we share this news with the North Tama community. Longtime North Tama vocal music teacher, Terry Shay, died earlier today,” the district wrote in part last Thursday. “We are profoundly saddened by Mr. Shay’s death. Counselors, teachers and other support personnel will be available to students as needed. Please reach out to us if you would like someone to talk to your son or daughter. A scholarship fund will be established in Mr. Shay’s memory.”

On Sept. 16, Mr. Shay was invited to read “The Dot” at the Waterloo Urban Farmers Market as part of Dot Day at the Market celebrations.

“Just make a mark and see where it takes you,” Shay read from the book as dozens of children alongside their families and caregivers listened attentively while spread out around him in Waterloo’s Expo Plaza.

May we all strive to make a mark as hopeful and lovely as the one left on this earth by Mr. Shay.

Graveside services were held for Terry Shay on Tuesday, October 3 at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery. The North Tama school district released early that morning at 11 a.m. in order to allow staff and students time to attend the funeral.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for the establishment of a scholarship.