Miss you Steve,
Great teacher & friend, exceptional coach and old WWE buddy. Impacted so many students & athletes at both WHS & NDP.
With respect always.
Ron Gadus 

I was sad to hear the news that Mr. Porianda had passed recently.  I attended Independence High School from 1982-1984 where he taught physical education and coached wrestling.   He was an incredibly dedicated and caring person for those of us lucky enough to have known him.   My fondest memory was playing badminton during PE.  He loved to play doubles and was fiercely competitive.  He held his students to a higher standard and would call us out on low grades and praise us for high marks as well.  

Rest in Peace Mr. Porianda!  You will be missed...

Mr.  Porianda was my anatomy teacher at NDP. He was hands down my favorite teacher I had and was always finding humorous ways to encourage students. He made the class so much fun that I went from a student who dreaded science, to one who’s favorite class was anatomy. I am so grateful I was able to have him as a teacher and will never forget the level the care he gave all of his students. 

Coach Porianda was my wrestling coach back in 2005 and he helped me change from a soft chubby kid to a lean mean wrestling machine.  He taught me a lot about discipline and mental toughness, and that brain beats brawn every day of the week.  He was passionate and saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself.  I recently took up jiu jitsu and have been using a lot of the wrestling that he taught me and it’s brought back many fond memories of late nights and early mornings traveling for matches.  Wrestling for him was the first time I really felt part of a team and a brotherhood.  I’ll miss him dearly.

I first met Coach Po when he was my coach for JV football at NDP. He was always fun to be around. What separated him from other coaches I've had was his ability to challenge his players. He challenged me to be tougher than I ever thought I was, lessons I still use today in college football. He knew how to put a smile on a player's face when they needed it, but he never sugar coated the truth. I went on to have the pleasure of having Coach Po in my group for a Kairos retreat, where I learned of the immense love he had for his friends and family. Coach Po knew how to mold boys and girls into men and women, and those who had him as a teacher, coach, or friend are better for it. 

Steve and I shared many opportunities both personally & professionally over the years. He was an amazing motivational coach & teacher at WHS & NDP.   
The "snake" , a wrestling insider nickname, was special to him , and led our friendship to even attend a crazy WWE Event in Phoenix with his brother ,Pete.
  Upon retirement & a move to NDP as AD , I recommended Steve as a coach & exceptional science educator which he accepted & he enjoyed the transition. It was a treat visiting with him in the classroom & especially seeing his impact on the young coaching staff where he displayed his inspirational work with athletes. We laughed about his 1st wrestling room with mirrors on the walls ( dance classroom in gym )  and he  never voiced a complaint.
   I'll miss you dear friend! Thanks for all you've given to so many athletes, parents ,students & colleagues during your exceptional career!

I will always cherish the memories of eating lunch in Steve's room 'Poriandaland' st WHS. Tom Polliard and I had  many memorable conversations with Steve. Every year when we came back from Winter break he would tell us about climbing up Camelback on New Year's day with his brother. We both could tell how close the brothers were. Steve was always smiling when he talked about him. We talked about our children and I was privileged to hear how his sons, daughter and wife were were doing. It was easy to tell how much he enjoyed his family life.
His professional life was sterling. He shaped so many young lives coaching and teaching. To all of Steve's family, my deep condolences. Steve made a difference and will be remembered with admiration and respect.



Steve and I taught for many years at Notre Dame Prep. It was always a pleasure to get together with Steve to  discuss school and world issues.  He was  considerate and thoughtful in all that he did.  Never a harsh word-- he  showed kindness to everyone.  His presence made  Notre Dame Prep a better place.  

The Lord has welcomed a great addition to heaven.

Mr Porianda was one of my favorite teachers even though I was not in his class.  He was always roaming the halls of Independence and was sure to make you smile with something he would say.  He made a lasting impression on all of us in our early years.  Our school was a family and we lost one of our favorite brothers. Rip 

I can still see Mr. Porianda sitting on his desk flipping or tapping his pencil with that big grin or smile on his face. He made my biology class fun at Washington High back in 1975. He had nick names for kids and he called me O'DO because of my maiden name O'Donnell. He was a young teacher that was determined to help kids learn and be the best they could be. My heart goes out to his family & friends.  God bless you and may you smile when you think of all the wonderful memories Steve left you with. Thank you Mr. Porianda for making a difference in so many peoples lives. With Love, Patty 

“Steve was one of the best teachers at Washington High School ‘ - I heard this from his many students. After getting to know Steve as one of the administrators at Washington , I could see why. He made his classes interesting and always treated his students with dignity and respect. He was a joy to observe teach and coach. His impact on students’ lives will be forever be cherished. My condolences to his family. 

Mr. Porianda was by far one of my favorite teachers at NDP. He came to work every day with humor and sass. As someone who has always hated science, he made the subject not only enjoyable, but easy to learn. 

My brothers were both coached on the football team by Mr. Porianda and they both loved him. My parents were always avid football fans and he was one of their all time favorite teachers/ coaches at NDP. 

To the Porianda family- Mr. Porianda was a truly great man and the entire LeVally family will miss him. Our prayers are with you all. 

Mr. Porianda was one of the teachers that stood out! I was a TA for him! He was a great mentor. I saw him several years back and we caught up for a bit! He was a great teacher and an even better person! Rest In Peace! You will be missed!

Wow. Reading through some of these is so sweet. So many people loved him. And so much overlap! His love for CCR, his ability to keep our pride in check, his kindness, his consistency, all of that is noted by so many people. One thing I read that is so true— he would stand outside the door at Notre Dame and watch as people transitioned classes. He watched a lot, and seemed one of those people who’s quicker to listen than speak. 

In high school I was very insecure, and many of us were. I have a twin sister and she (in my mind) was the smarter one. Mr. Porianda put me in a group of four kids in Biology called The Powerhouse. We were all smart and very quiet. I don’t know how they felt, but it made me feel so special and validated. I felt smart in his class. And seen. Mr. Porianda’s kindness was quiet, consistent, and fatherly. I really appreciated him. 

I work now in a science field as a behavior analyst at a school for students with autism. I have been doing this for 10 years— since high school. My job takes confidence. I attribute a piece of this to him very clearly believing in my abilities in science and as a person. It almost sounds too perfect, that a teacher can actually inspire students to be good for the world.  But he succeeded, and with a large amount of humility each day. 

I  am really going to  miss him in the world. I hope his family feels loved by all of these memories. 

I had the pleasure of taking my first Anatomy and Physiology class with Mr. Porianda at NDP. He was a gifted teacher who used humor, encouragement, and his impressive knowledge of the subject to guide his students to success. I entered college well-prepared thanks to his hard work and dedication. I think of the lessons he taught us often, and know that he has had a tremendous impact on my life. My condolences to the Porianda family.

Mr. Porianda was my anatomy teacher Sophomore year.  Not only was he one of the kindest, funniest teachers that I had ever met, but he sparked my interest in science, which ultimately sparked my interest in a healthcare profession and going into the PA field.  I will never forget his stories and the crazy things that he ate- telling us that eating bugs was one of his favorites.  Rest in peace, Mr. Porianda.  You've impacted so many people in the most positive way and we will never forget you.  Prayers for your family and for all those who loved you.

I only had the privilege of working with him for a short time, but that was more than enough for him to always have my respect. He was always there with a kind smile and willing to take the time to notice everyone else going around their day. Not that that made him soft -- you knew he would challenge his students and players to be the best versions of themselves!

You were the best teacher to our son Christopher Caldwell. You made him enjoy summer school  thank you for making the biology class fun.you are going to be missed. My dad passed away from the same cancer and was a  doctor. He loved to teach like you did . My god grace you and bless you and your loved ones.  So sorry to hear of your passing. 

The Landsborough Family 

Even though I only got to work with Mr. Porianda for two years, I learned quickly that his love, or should I say obsession, of CCR was evident. He had posters, pictures, and old tickets posted in his classroom. He was an asset to the NDP community and will be greatly missed!! May he Rest In Peace.

Working with Steve was a pleasure.  I loved the way he stood outside his room before every class and greeted his students with a smile and made everyone feel welcome.  There are few teachers who are passionate not only about their subject matter but also their students success.  Steve was one of the great ones!! A life well lived!  I hope to meet you in that happy classroom in the sky!!

I had Mr. Porianda for Biology Sophomore year. Walking into PORIANDA LAND was the highlight of the day. He found a way of engaging us while still being a strict yet fair teacher. My friend, one of his students from a different hour, was going through some stuff and left school. Mr. P always asked about him and genuinely cared. My love of classic rock and oldies is partially due to him. He was a great man and will definitely be missed by many including me. 

Biology was never a subject I was super interested in but he made it so much fun! I loved his Porianda-Land stories and trying to guess songs to get soda for the class. He was a fantastic educator who touched countless lives. He will be truly missed, may he Rest In Peace .My condolences to his family during this time.

Mr. P. Was the best teacher and coach I have ever had. He truly cared for all of our success. I have 2 great memories. 1. Freshman football was over he walked up to me amd said i was joinging the wrestling team. I did not want to but ended up being a great 4 years. 
2. I still use it today.
 His 5 P's for success.
Prior
Planning
Prevents
Poor
Performance.
He also gave me my nick name. Which after 4 years of HS no one knew my first name students and staff used the name he gave me.
I will never forget you Coach P.
Bloodie

He was my freshman football coach, and sparked my interest in biology. He was a great teacher and will be truly missed.  RIP. 

I had Mr. Porianda for WHS Biology.  I loved his class and his teaching.  May he rest in peace. 

Wrestled for The Snake at WHS from 86-90.  Treated us like men. Awesome coach, great teacher, solid mentor. My favorite quote from home that I still use today “trying doesn’t get it done, doing does.” 

Had Mr. Porianda freshman biology, WHS, 1973 / 74. I wasn't glad about the class at first but Mr. P made it really interesting! Quickly became one of my favorite classes ! Very cool teacher! RIP Mr. Porianda and condolences to your family.

Mr. Porianda was the best teacher I've ever had! He always made jokes about the class average being below 50, which most of the time was true. He really cared about all of his students and believed in each and every one of us. I work with high school students now and always think about the way he taught all of us. He will be missed!

I had Mr. Porianda as a teacher at NDP high school. By far one of the best teaches I’ve ever had at any grade level. Loved his job and his students and wanted the best for all of them. 

I met Stephen and his family thru my first husband who had attended Independence HS and had his as a teacher and wrestling coach. He was a very nice man and loved by many. It has been a few years since I have seen the Porianda family but wanted to offer my condolences and prayers May the God of all comfort and tender mercy give you peace during this most difficult time.  Donna, Stephen, Rachel Rodgers

Mr Porianda was a wonderful biology teacher and treated me and all of his students with such respect. One of my memories I share about him was watching his shrimp he kept in a fish tank. I joked that watching them was better than watching one of his wrestling matches.   Rest In Peace. 

My greatest memory of Mr. Porianda was his love for music in the classroom ... I want to say every time I hear American Pie by Don McLean It reminds me of him. He and I argued about the song; I told him how bad it was, but by the end of the year, I couldn’t stop sining the song. Mr Porianda, You will truly be missed!

I was lucky enough to play for coach Po for two years at Notre Dame. Best memory would have to be the look he gave me when we were on the bus ride to Cactus Shadows and I forgot my helmet. Took 10 minutes to turn the bus around about a week for coach to talk to me.  Po dedicated his life to challenging young people to become stronger, more accountable men and women. And his mark on this world will not fade for quite some time. 

I remember in class he always played oldies music and would give a coke to whoever knew the group that was singing the song. I won a coke once, I only knew the group because my dad listened to oldies music too. I loved biology, he was such a great teacher. May his family be comforted during this time of sorrow.

Mr. Porianda was and still my favorite biology teacher. He had a compassion for teaching and you could tell by the way he taught and addressed his students. I will always remember his love for Credence Clearwater Revival and how much he hated his class being interrupted (Lol). Rest easy 🙏🏻

Coach Porianda was my softball coach in 94 and 95.  The first time he had ever coached girls.  I was very interesting for him attempting to adjust to having to coach a bunch of girls and dealing with all of our drama etc.  He was a great and knowledgeable coach. He will be missed.  RIP Coach. 

I had Mr. Porianda for biology in 2001 at Washington High School. He was such a great teacher.  I will never forget he always called everyone by their last name and hated eating meat off the bone! Lol such a legacy. I'm sure he will be missed by many!! Rest in Peace Mr. P!!

I had the honor of playing football under coach Porianda back in 1995 and had him as a biology teacher in 96 at Washington high. If you had him as a coach or teacher, you couldn't forget him.  Mr. P had an infectious desire to help others learn and made my biology experience better for it . He ALWAYS expected your best and didn't expect anything less ...and for that I thank you.. Thank you Mr. P for your guidance ,coaching, wisdom and leadership ...
  #RIPporiandaLand

Mr. Porianda was and still is my favorite high school teacher. I was lucky to have him for both Biology and Honors Anatomy & Physiology classes. His lasting impression that I’ll always keep is how he referred to his students as Mister and Miss (insert last name), telling us that he wanted to address us in a respectful,  manner in which we would reciprocate. On my very last day of class I’ll always remember he called me by my first name, which struck me as so odd but also made me realize that no longer being his student, it was as if he was referring to me as an adult. He was a beloved teacher and will always be remembered. 

Over the course of 20 years Steve was my coaching mentor and friend at Washington HS and NDP. We had rooms next door to each other at both schools. 

Going to his classroom to chat before the sun was up (he is the only teacher to ever out work me) was the highlight of my day. His wisdom will live on in me and so many others left behind here in the world. The world is a lessor place today without you Steve.

Steve Porianda will be remembered forever by the lives he daily touched.  Students, athletes, fellow coaches, and colleagues will remember him forever.  I am so very blessed to have him as a mentor when I first started coaching and even more blessed to share the field with him.  I love him with all of my heart, saddened by his passing, but his spirit will always reign in my heart.

A memory with coach Porianda that I will never forget is our playoff trip to Payson.  

All my love!  David

OBITUARY

Stephen Charles Porianda

June 25, 1951 – January 10, 2019

West Resthaven Funeral Home

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