'Read This!' The Slimy Principals Said

Photos by Brian Mather

Regular Digital Notebook readers will remember this image from a June 28, 2012 post. In it, Principal Calista Boyer, then principal at Edgewood Elementary, is made into an ice cream sundae by her students after they met her challenge to read 5,000 books by the end of the year. Being slimed would be child's play, literally, for a woman this committed.

Blogger's Note: Recently a flyer went home with students from Lincoln and Rupert elementary schools. It said this:

In honor of Families and Reading Month, the principals are having a friendly reading competition between Lincoln Elementary School and Rupert Elementary School.

The Challenge -- Which school can read the most pages AT HOME from April 1,  to April 30?

The Reward -- The school that reads the most pages will get to “Slime” their principal! 

All students that turn in a calendar will receive a prize!

Here’s how it works -- Complete the monthly reading log. Turn it in by the end of the day Friday, May 2. We will total the number of pages read, and see which school wins!

Now, having read this flyer, I am intrigued.

I don't know about you, but knowing both of these principals as long as I have, this strikes me as a challenge not to be ignored.

As some readers may recall, Calista Boyer was the principal at Edgewood Elementary School until it was closed as part of the elementary school re-organization. But she didn't miss a beat and moved right over to Lincoln (my neighborhood school).

While at Edgewood, Mrs. Boyer kissed a pig, let her students put cream pies in her face, and let them turn her into an ice cream sundae, all in the cause of inspiring them to read.

Teachers Terry Shank and Max Donnelly took their lumps
along with Rupert Principal Matt Moyer, right.

So normally, my money would be on her. 

But Matt Moyer is no slouch in the crazy stunt department. 

Now occupying the building Boyer once led, while the original Rupert is being gutted and renovated, Moyer has also allowed his students to throw a pie in both his face, and the faces of most of his staff.

He has also challenged his students to raise money for Pottstown's Relay for Life by pledging to have his closely-cropped hair styled into a purple Mohawk.

Mr. Moyer in younger days?

In other words, I'm not sure where to put my money. 

I'll root for Lincoln, because its my home school and taught my son well and because I think Mrs. Boyer is definitely up for the challenge and will not shy away from inspiring her students. 

(Also, I know it will rub Mr. Moyer the wrong way that I picked a favorite and it wasn't him, and that will push him even harder!)

But I know better than to underestimate Mr. Moyer. 

Pies, purple Mohawks, the guy is up for anything when it comes to his students.

In fact, the only think I can say for sure, is that a whole lot of books are going to be read in Pottstown this month.