Saturday, May 21, 2016
NORTH LIMA
A 40-book challenge turned into a midnight slumber on the roof for South Range Middle School Principal Dan Szolek on Friday night.
To encourage fifth-grade students to read, Szolek offered to play the part of a crazy character in a book they read for class.
In the book “Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind” by Judy Finchler and Kevin O’Malley, Miss Malarkey performs crazy feats, such as dyeing her hair and sleeping on the school roof to encourage her students to read.
Szolek said all it took was for Kim Vivacqua, fifth-grade language arts teacher, to ask him to motivate the students, and he was sold.
Students had to first reach the goal of completing 1,500 books for him to dye his hair purple – and he did.
Then students saw their hard work pay off. After reading more than 3,000 books, Szolek spent the night on the roof.
Equipped with his tent, a cot, unicorn slippers and his daughter’s purple stuffed animal, Szolek said he was ready to fulfill his end of the deal.
“I will gladly do it because it gets kids interested in reading,” he said. “It’s all worth it if they’re reading.”
In addition to getting to see their principal spend the night on their school, they celebrated from 7 to 10:30 p.m. during a lock-in – an idea originating from an economics class.
Teacher Marni Toot said she left the project idea up to students, the only stipulation was they had to raise money to give back.
Fifth-grader Maria Primavera made the decision to charge a few dollars at the door for participation in the lock-in to donate to Akron Children’s Hospital.
Students danced, sang and played four-square in anticipation of waiting to see their principal settle in for a night on the roof.
Szolek said he was going to stick it out on the roof – despite the prediction of rain – out of respect for his students because they stuck it out in reading more than 3,000 books.
Vivacqua said she couldn’t be more grateful for the parents, the principal, teachers and students for making the unconventional event possible.