THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 16, 1994 TAG: 9411150142
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 203 lines
THE WATER WAS CHILLY, the wind was picking up and Chuck Grindle was trying to stay dry on a brisk October afternoon.
But the little girl who twice missed the lever with errant softballs would not leave her place in line at the dunking booth outside Red Mill Elementary. It was the school's annual carnival, and her principal would be going into that 6-foot tank of water if she had to run up and push the lever herself.
Which is exactly what she did.
Slam! Whoosh! Grindle didn't stand a chance. And that was the sixth time someone had dunked him illegally.
``Hey, no fair!'' yelled Grindle with mock sternness, emerging from the tank with water dripping from his sweatsuit and baseball cap. ``This is getting out of hand! Where's the crowd control? Give me a break - it's getting cold out here.''
One of the adults in the jubilant crowd spoke amidst the laughter.
``Hey, just remember, you volunteered for this,'' the man said.
Grindle hoisted himself onto the bench and smiled grimly as he waited for the next child to try.
``I know, I know,'' he conceded. ``It sounded like a good idea two months ago.''
In what appears to be a ``Can You Top This'' competition, elementary school principals in Virginia Beach (and a few middle school ones) have been doing wild and wacky things over the past two years to help their Parent-Teacher Associations achieve 100 percent membership. That happens when one adult parent for each school child joins the PTA.
These events may appear overly theatrical or even embarrassing, but they work. Dianne Florence, head of the Virginia Beach Council of PTAs, said their district just received an award for the largest increase in membership for any council in the state. Three thousand new members joined the 74 PTAs in the city last year, increasing the total to 42,732.
``Kids love crazy things, and we can get the parents out for them, too,'' she said. ``All the research has proven that parental involvement in the schools help children succeed.''
The dunking booth was pretty tame compared to what other principals have done or will do for 100 percent membership:
Glenwood's Alexander Saulsberry and his three assistant principals recently spent a chilly night on the school's roof.
Perry Williams of Woodstock kissed a pig two years ago, milked a cow last year (his assistant principal Geoffrey Timlin dressed as a cow) and rode a horse this year.
John Mirra of Windsor Oaks kissed a goat last year and will don a wet suit and flippers this year to serve the children goldfish crackers in the cafeteria.
Green Run Elementary's Sharon Beard will kiss a frog this year.
Gene Gregory took 27 pies in the face at Kempsville Meadows. But he cheated and wore Halloween masks for the first 26 throws.
Tallwood Elementary's Ralph Mizelle will dress up in a tutu and allow the PTA president to shave his head.
Have they no shame? What won't these almost-masochistic educators do for their students?
``For 100 percent membership, I'll do just about anything,'' said Grindle after his dunking stint. ``It's that important to get parents involved.''
He grinned slyly.
``This sure beats kissing a pig.''
LAST YEAR, IT SEEMED, every principal was playing it safe and sticking to the familiar animal themes, said Jane Brooks, membership chairwoman for the Virginia Beach Council of PTAs. Although Brooks can't (or won't) take responsibility for the zany new events cropping up in the elementary schools, she did admit to urging principals to be a tad more original with the membership drives this year.
``All I do at our workshops is try to get them to come up with creative ideas,'' said Brooks. ``Everyone's getting involved with a real sense of humor. I think it's terrific.''
No one can say that Alexander Saulsberry lacks creativity OR a sense of humor. The Glenwood Elementary principal wanted to really stand out this year and do something no one else had done. The PTA at this school of 1,907 (the largest in the state) has always been strong, with more than 1,300 members, but Saulsberry wanted even more parents to join.
During a meeting last summer, the thought of sleeping on the roof all night popped into his head. He tossed out the idea to his three assistant principals, Amy Ratliff, Stephen Marvaso and Lloyd Williams. They loved it. So did the PTA, that created a ``Gator City'' on the roof, complete with a male and female tent, cots, sleeping bags, food and beverages. If they had to use the bathroom, the principals could climb down through the maintenance office and use the school's.
When the appointed night arrived in October, the four sweatsuit-clad administrators ran out of the school building Rocky-style to the cheers and claps of hundreds of students and parents. ``Principals! Principals!'' the crowd chanted like a mantra. The educators climbed up a narrow fire truck ladder - on hand for the occasion - to the flat roof to the strains of ``Up On the Roof'' blaring from a loudspeaker.
It was cold and the wind was the kind that whipped right through the bones, but an exhilarated Saulsberry told the crowd he would sleep like a baby.
``I know you're all going to be thinking about us tonight,'' he said and everyone shouted ``No!'' ``I hope your dreams are nice!''
The next morning the principals emerged from their tents looking like leftovers from a frat party. The men sported grizzled stubs and bleary eyes but their cheerful dispositions remained intact. Empty soda cans, a pizza box, half-eaten crackers and cookies sat on the circular table next to the tents.
``We had people driving up all night, honking and yelling,'' said Saulsberry. ``We didn't get to sleep until 2:30. But this gave us a chance to talk shop. This is our first year of being together.''
The principals waved to each school bus as it rolled in, smiles still etched on their tired faces. One of the teachers asked if there were any morning announcements.
``Yes - we are sleepy!'' said Saulsberry, laughing. ``I want to thank all the children for getting their parents out to join the PTA.''
Glenwood's membership increased to 1,552 because of that slumber party, and Saulsberry acknowledged the principals' contribution with a prediction for the next year.
``I would never do it again but I did it last night,'' he said. ``We can't top this - this won't happen again.''
SO WHAT WON'T A PRINCIPAL DO for 100 percent membership? Gene Gregory of Kempsville Meadows, the one who took 27 pies in the face, said he would not bungee jump but would kiss a pig or other farm animals. John Mirra of Windsor Oaks refused to mud wrestle a baby pig. One principal said, off the record, he would not run naked around the building.
But Woodstock's Williams is game for just about anything. He's the one who kissed a baby pig and milked a cow.
``I will do anything within reason,'' he said. ``I would eat chocolate-covered worms. I grew up poor - I'm used to eating anything we could catch!''
All kidding aside, Williams said that membership drives are necessary for a school's success.
``It's important to get the parents into the schools,'' he said. ``These really work.''
According to Florence, 14 elementary schools and one middle school achieved 100 percent membership last year thanks to these zany membership drives. Numbers for this year won't be in until after Dec. 1. She said that as students age the PTA membership drops.
``On the high school level we don't have many fund-raisers because we're competing with so many other clubs,'' she said. ``It's tough to get 100 percent at a high school, although Cox High School received an award for the largest increase of members last year - they had 987.''
But what happens if a parent won't join the PTA, after all this hype and fanfare? Will their child be ostracized by the other students or punished by the teacher?
Absolutely not, said Florence, a former teacher.
``It's never appropriate to single out a child whose parents have not joined,'' she said. ``I have not heard of any such behavior in any school in the Beach.''
The PTA is, first and foremost, she added, a volunteer agency and the largest child advocacy group in the world, with 6 million members. The organization, which was founded in 1897, is an ``enhancement'' to the schools. Dues range from $2.50 to $5 a year per member to buy educational programs to bring into the schools and for teacher appreciation week. The PTA is trying to shed its image as an organization that only holds cookie or bake sales, she added.
``We're doing a lot of work now of promoting legislation,'' said Florence. ``It's all about `what's in the best interest of the child.' ''
And the membership drives?
``The principals are showing support for our organization and they understand how important a PTA is,'' she said. ``I think it's wonderful - we really appreciate it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photos by MORT FRYMAN
On the Cover
Glenwood Elementary Principal Alex Saulsberry greets students from
the roof, where he camped overnight with a few members fo his staff,
including Assistant Principal Amy Ratcliff, left, after they lost a
PTA challenge.
Glenwood elementary teacher Paul Spilko serves breakfast to, left to
right, assistant principals Amy Ratcliff, Steve Marvaso, Lloyd
Williams and Alex Saulsberry after they had camped overnight on the
roof.
Photos by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Principal Chuck Grindle emerges from the dunking tank after a
student had pushed the lever illegally. ``Give me a break - it's
getting cold out here,'' he shouted.
At Red Mill Elementary, Heather Pimental, 7, takes her turn at
throwing a softball at the lever to dunk her principal, Chuck
Grindle.
Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Assistant Principal Steve Marvaso climbs to the roof of Glenwood
Elementary for the sleepover. The morning after, Assistant Principal
Amy Ratliff, below, gathers her belongings after spending the night
in a tent. Their discomfort paid off. The PTA gained more than 200
new members.
TOPS IN MEMBERSHIP
Here are the 15 city schools that achieved 100 percent PTA
membership last year:
Alanton, Bayside, Creeds, Dey, Fairfield, Kingston, Princess
Anne, Providence, Red Mill, Rosemont Forest, Salem, Thoroughgood,
Trantwood and Woodstock elementaries and Kemps Landing Middle
School.
by CNB