Cold Campout on Roof for NJ Principal

[Brutuskend]

Cold Campout on Roof for NJ Principal
By Associated Press
Sat Dec 9, 9:11 AM

NEW YORK - The next time Scott Davies makes a motivational deal with his pupils, he might want to do it in springtime.

The principal spent a frigid night on the roof of Harrington Park School in Harrington Park, N.J., after students met his challenge to read 10,000 books months before he expected them to. The school has about 700 pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Davies had agreed to let them choose their reward, and they decided to shave the school's "HP" logo in his hair and send him on a rooftop camping excursion.

Davies, 40, headed up after school ended Thursday with a tent and a sleeping bag.

"I knew it would be cold. But I didn't know it would be that cold," he said.

Temperatures plunged into the 20s Thursday night and Friday morning, but Davies _ somewhat steeled by several years of living in Montana _ said he managed to get a few hours of sleep.

Pupils and their families bestowed him with hot chocolate and other goodies, stopping by into the night and early morning.

"I felt so bad. I was out there this morning with, like, tons of jackets on, and he was up there with a tent," said Mary Wyley, a sixth grader.

As he thawed out, Davies said the chill was worth it.

"If it encourages them to read, then I would do it all again," he said. "Just not tonight."

 

[Juno]

:Q

 

[CrackRabbit]

:thumbsup:

 

[ForumMaster]

:shocked: that's one dedicated principal! :thumbsup:

 

[Bootprint]

Almost sounds like the principal should've read a couple of books on winter camping and got his hands on a good sleeping bag.

 

[SVT Cobra]

I thought this was having to do with the whole pension problem in NJ now.

But, very cool principal!

 

[episodic]

I kind of look at this from a different angle. Children should be motivated to read by their parents and for the sake of knowledge. The problem with stunts like this is that it will be like fear factor - every year the principals would have to do something just that much more outrageous.

Principals should be respected professional, not someone offering to do tricks for performance.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: episodic
I kind of look at this from a different angle. Children should be motivated to read by their parents and for the sake of knowledge. The problem with stunts like this is that it will be like fear factor - every year the principals would have to do something just that much more outrageous.

Principals should be respected professional, not someone offering to do tricks for performance.

:roll:

You mean between the ages of 5-13 (or even 16-17) you were motivated to learn everything? Some kids need encouragement, and as a mentor the principal offered them some motivation.

What kid doesn't wanna see their principal do something silly?

You're an unrealistic idiot.

 

[mwtgg]

When I was in grade school, my principal did silly things too. Like go on the roof and get in a dunk tank, it's fun to see and she enjoyed it. Get over yourself, episodic.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: Bootprint
Almost sounds like the principal should've read a couple of books on winter camping and got his hands on a good sleeping bag.

He's from Montana. He probably had a cold weather sleeping bag, which he didn't bring because he didn't realize how cold it would be.

 

[Atheus]

Good on him. Most teachers are only interested in fulfilling their legal requirements and going home as soon as possible in my experience. It's great to see some of them are actually interested in _teaching_ something - I wish they had been when I was at school.

How can the students prove they read 10000 books though? They might have got them out of the library and let them sit on the floor for a week just so the principal has to sleep on the roof...

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: episodic
I kind of look at this from a different angle. Children should be motivated to read by their parents and for the sake of knowledge. The problem with stunts like this is that it will be like fear factor - every year the principals would have to do something just that much more outrageous.

Principals should be respected professional, not someone offering to do tricks for performance.

???

When I was a Junior in HS our Head Master said that if everyone in our AP bio class got a 5 he would shave off his beard (which he'd had for over 20 years) out of 41 students taking the exam, 41 got 5's, and he shaved his beard in front of the entire school. I got 8 college credits for getting a 5 and I learned an enormous amount of information. So please explain to me again how the snowball effect pertains to this discussion?