But this week, the 61-year-old Kavanagh College principal is celebrating his survival and the fact he has just bagged one of the most prestigious awards in Catholic education.
Mr Ferris was surprised last week when he was awarded the Catholic Education Office Laureate Award at the CEO Convention in Wellington for his contribution to Catholic education in Dunedin.
Only 10 of the awards have been given out since they were established in 1998, and Mr Ferris is the first South Islander in Catholic education to receive one.
"I didn't expect to be above ground today, let alone win a prestigious award like this. I feel very humbled. I don't think you do things for recognition - you do things because they need to be done."
Mr Ferris has been a principal for 34 years, 18 of them at Kavanagh College, and has taken on national leadership roles for a range of organisations, including the New Zealand Qualifications Authority Reference Group, the New Zealand Catholic Secondary Principals Executive and the International Reading Association.
He was also president of the Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand (SPANZ), and was awarded a SPANZ Leadership in Education Award in 2006.
A citation read at the CEO prizegiving ceremony said: "Paul is an outstanding leader whose extraordinary enthusiasm, humour and commitment add to his reputation as a visionary educator".
Mr Ferris said the award proved his philosophy that "every day above ground is definitely a bonus".
