7 weeks = 1 million pages and 1 dress

7 weeks! I couldn’t believe it. What had taken 7 months, took only 7 weeks. I was going to have to humiliate myself and pay up again.

The phenomenal amount of reading done by the Irving students that spring continues to amaze. After spring break, the results started pouring into the reading committee. Totals were accelerating in every class, but one. It became obvious that the student effort, and perhaps some creative accounting by the reading committee, was going to put me up to paying off another 1 million page challenge.Hopefully, the kids were encouraged by their own success in reaching the first goal and putting me on the roof. The only thing to do was let the whole school watch me get “spiked”.

Still, there was that one class which simply wasn’t reaching their goal. Rick B.’s 6^th grade class was not pulling their share of the load. He decided they needed a more personal challenge. Sometime during the year he told them he would wear a dress to school if they reached their goal. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough motivation. I decided to step in.

Terry T. had taught at Irving a number of years in the Behavior Disorders program. He had a high school certificate and wanted to teach 6^th grade, but our numbers were small that year. I only had enough students for the two 6^th grade teachers. With the upcoming opening of the new junior high building next fall, all 6^th grade teachers would be transferred to Bloomington Junior High. Terry T. elected to transfer to an opening at Sheridan Elementary for that one year. That was the year of the reading challenge.

I called my fellow principal, Don, and proposed a plan. Even though it was May, I would tell Rick. B. that a student needed to transfer to his room. This was highly unusual so I knew the story had to be compelling. We agreed on a story of a sad situation requiring a new setting for the student. We enlisted Terry’s support as the "student's"classroom teacher, because I knew Rick B. would check out the “sad story”.

Terry did a masterful job of spinning the tale. He convinced Rick B. that a transfer was the best way for this girl to be successful. Rick B. has a big heart and reluctantly agreed to welcome the student to his room.

The day of the transfer, Rick B. prepared his class to welcome a new girl. He had a desk prepared and walked to the door to greet her. However, the student I “officially” transferred wasn’t a 6^th grader and she wasn’t from Sheridan. She was the top reader from Mary D.’s 2^nd grade class (remember she was the chair of the Irving reading committee?). 

I escorted her to Rick B’s room, carrying a huge stack a books she had read. I kept her behind me until we got to the door. As Rick B. came to the door to greet her, I stepped aside and introduced her. He looked a little shocked as I explained all of the books she had read were also being transferred to his room total. I said that made his room total exceed the goal and he would have to pay off. His response was an open mouth with his finger curved inside. He knew had been “hooked”.

On the final full day of school we had big assembly, and Rick B. arrived fully decked out in a dress, wig, and high heels.He is seen below with Joan B., Learning Center teacher.