Local Japanese Teacher Bids Farewell to the Classroom After Four Decades

by Megan Schmid, Staff Writer

Endo Sensei with Megan Schmid and Sadie Schmid, students from her first year and last year of teaching. Photo submitted by Megan Schmid.

Keiko Endo, known to most as Endo Sensei [sensei means teacher in Japanese], began her teaching career 43 years ago in Tokyo, Japan. After moving to the United States, she joined Fox Mill Elementary School in 1997, where she remained until her retirement this past school year.

At Fox Mill, Endo taught in the Japanese Immersion (JI) Program, which serves first- through sixth-graders. In the program, students spend half the day learning math, science, and health in Japanese, and the other half studying social studies, language arts, and reading in English. “The JI program not only teaches the Japanese language, but also Japanese culture—a culture to be proud of,” Sensei explained.

“Endo Sensei wore many hats at Fox Mill,” said Alice Denton, the school’s vice principal. “She went above and beyond her JI teacher role to support students through music. She played piano at every rehearsal and concert, always with a smile that lit up the room. Her artistic touch made each performance truly memorable.”

Her contributions extended well beyond the classroom. “Endo Sensei helped establish the exchange program with Yabe Elementary School in Yokohama, Japan,” said Yoko Linam, Fox Mill’s sixth-grade JI teacher. “She welcomed the first group of Japanese students to Fox Mill, and in 2018, accompanied our sixth-graders on a trip to Japan. She worked tirelessly with the county, parents, and students to make the program a success.”

She also spearheaded Fox Mill’s annual Japanese Children’s Day Matsuri Festival and produced the much-anticipated all-Japanese play “The Wizard of Oz” each year. “For second-graders to memorize all their lines and songs in Japanese after only two years in the program is truly impressive,” Linam said. In her final year, Endo served as a chaperone when JI students were invited to the White House by the Prime Minister of Japan—a remarkable ending to a remarkable career.

A Reston resident for 15 years, Endo now looks forward to hiking the trails, traveling, playing piano, and enjoying time with her granddaughter. “I plan to take better care of my health and be kinder to myself. And I don’t have to rush through lunch anymore!” she said.. After a trip to Japan next month, she hopes to explore opportunities to support single mothers.

Endo nurtured Fox Mill’s Japanese Immersion Program for nearly three decades and inspired generations of students. “I had the honor of being a student in her very first class, and my daughter was in her very last,” one parent shared. “A bittersweet full-circle moment for us all.”

Endo’s advice to new and future teachers is simple: don’t give up. “There will be times you feel discouraged or exhausted, but please don’t surrender. You’re helping to raise the most important beings in this world: children. Society cannot survive without you,” she said.

“Endo Sensei was, and continues to be, someone I look up to as a teacher, a mother, and a friend,” Linam added. “I can always go to her for sound advice and words of wisdom. She’s an amazing team player with a great sense of humor and a true friend to many.”

As a lasting tribute, parents have dedicated a bench in her honor. It will be installed in the outdoor classroom at Fox Mill, a permanent reminder of Endo Sensei’s extraordinary impact.