ASHLAND —
This was no sweetheart deal.
Brad Greene, the principal at Crabbe Elementary, made a deal with students that if they read 5,000 books in a two-week period he would dress up as a Valentine.
“I thought I’d set it high enough,” he said Friday morning.
Not only did the students reach the goal, they surpassed it. The final count was 5,687 books read, according to school librarian Angie Conley.
True to his word, Greene was a walking, talking Valentine as Crabbe students came to school on Friday morning. He wore pink heart sweat pants, his wife’s pink fluffy jacket and a pink Harlem Wizards headband. He also wore a sandwich board sign that the librarian made for him proclaiming how the Crabbe students had read 5,000 books.
Students were giving him strange glances as they walked past and he felt like a bit of a celebrity with all the photographs being taken.
“I can tell you how many people have iPhones (with cameras),” Greene said.
Conley was proud the students reached the goal with room to spare. They had from Feb. 1 to Feb. 14. The students didn’t know until they arrived on Friday morning they had achieved the goal, she said.
“We did the math. If each child read 15 books, on their own or being read to in the class, we could make it,” Conley said. “They were given a reading log, and I have the entire stack of reading logs. I’m thrilled.”
Many other teachers had fun at Greene’s expense. Nancy Hemphill said students should call him “Mr. Pink.” Others made sure they got photographs of him, too.
Not only were students giving him double-takes, but so were parents. One came up and shook his hand and several others had him pose for photographs.
Greene said he wasn’t an avid reader himself, “except for sports stuff,” but did remember when his fifth-grade teacher at Rose Hill, Beth Maynard, read aloud to the class. “Island of the Blue Dolphins” is still his favorite book, he said. “We could listen to her read a book all day long.”
Greene was proud of the Crabbe students and encouraged they reached the lofty goal, even if it came at his expense.
“I really thought I was safe,” he said.
Conley said getting students to read books isn’t easy in today’s tech-savvy world.
“When they come for library class, I encourage them to find something they like to read,” she said. “That’s the key. You can’t just hand them a book and say ‘Read this’ if it’s not something that interests them.”
With the principal providing some extra motivation, though, Conley said the students found a love for books.
“These kids deserve the best,” she said. “Anything we can do to get them to pick up a book, even if it’s something as silly as getting the principal to dress up as a Valentine.”
Greene said he’s learned his lesson on how much Crabbe students can achieve when they put their mind to it. He’s done other stunts, but this one ranks “pretty high” on the list.
Students sneered and giggled as they walked past their principal on the way into the school building. Greene asked several of the girls if they would give him their pink shoes to complete the ensemble. He was planning on wearing the costume all day.
“We appreciate Mr. Greene for being a good sport,” Conley said. “He’d do anything for our kids.”
MARKâMAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Crabbe student Moe Tun isn't quite sure what to make of principal Brad Greene being dressed up as a Valentine. MARK MAYNARD / The Independent
-
Crabbe Elementary Principal Brad Greene told his students he'd dress up like a Valentine if they read 5,000 books. MARK MAYNARD / The Independent
-
Crabbe Elementary Principal Brad Greene got some unusual looks from students arriving to school on Friday morning. MARK MAYNARD / The Independent
-
Crabbe Principal Brad Greene and school librarian Angie Conley were thrilled that students read more than 5,000 books in two weeks. Conley designed the sign for Greene, who promised students he'd dress up as a Valentine if they reached the 5,000 goal. MARK MAYNARD / The Independent
-
Christian Nervilus gets ready to snap a photo of Crabbe Elementary Principal Brad Greene, who told students he'd dress up like a Valentine if they read 5,000 books in two weeks. Christian wasn't the only one taking photos of Greene. MARK MAYNARD / The Independent
Discussion
Crabbe principal dresses as Valentine after students surpass reading goal
- Local News
-
-
Fun with paint after a hard week
After a week of state testing, one local elementary rewarded their fifth graders with a surprise visit from the Pottery Place. Oakview Elementary students were able to design and paint a ceramic tile with the help of instructors.
-
Work on Judd Plaza flagpole base begins
A group of third generation bricklayers is more than willing to give back to the Ashland community this week.
-
Ashland man arrested on heroin charges
An Ashland man was arrested Monday night on charges of trafficking in heroin, according to a release from the Ashland Police Department.
-
Crews dig through night after deadly Okla. twister
Spotlights bore down on massive piles of shredded cinder block, insulation and metal as crews worked through the night lifting bricks and parts of collapsed walls where a monstrous tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs, demolishing an elementary school and reducing homes to piles of splintered wood. At least 51 people were killed, including at least 20 children, and those numbers were expected to climb, officials said Tuesday.
-
Principal's demotion hearing to be public
An appeal hearing for demoted Wurtland Elementary School principal Barbara Cook will be open to the public at Cook’s request.
-
AT&T to hire 140 workers at East Park
For the next few months, AT&T officials have announced they will hire 20 people per month until they have filled 140 customer-service positions at the East Park Call Center in the industrial park between Grayson and Ashland.
-
Boards close to agreement on students
The Greenup and Russell school districts are close to an agreement on families that want to send their children to school out of their own district.
-
Memory Days to start Thursday
Memory Days volunteers invite everyone to “Come to Grayson to remember and be remembered,” during this year’s 43rd annual festival Thursday through Sunday.
-
Man arrested for using forged checks
The following information was taken from Ashland Police Department reports:
-
What's happening: 5/21/13
Cruzin on the Plaza will be Friday through Sunday at Pullman Plaza.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Fun with paint after a hard week
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
OKC Hospital Describes Treating Tornado Wounded
Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
