Principal for a Day

Today Frank was principal for a day at his school. He arrived at his office early to pick up his badge, whistle, and walkie-talkie and then started his morning by greeting kids and parents as they arrived at school.

Mrs. Andrich has an extensive hat collection and every morning she is out by the parking lot, with a big smile and a funny hat. Frank had his choice of wearing one of hers or taking his own. He chose one of his own: a jesters hat that Grandma and Grandpa brought him from Italy. It’s a great hat.




After morning greetings, Frank and Mrs. Andrich visited different classrooms and Frank was introduced as principal. The older kids were asking him to 1) make Wednesdays “free” ice cream days, and 2) get rid of the uniform policy. He was quick to say no to both so the teachers all thought he’d make a pretty good principal.




He led the pledge of allegiance in the courtyard, and the pledge to the cross. Wednesdays are chapel days and each week Mrs. Andrich picks different class to sit with, and Frank went with her.

Next up was lunch, and Frank sent his secretary, Miss Sharon, out to pick up lunch for him, from Taco Bell. He got a little frustrated at the end of lunchtime recess because the kids weren’t listening to him when he told them to put the balls away, but Mrs. Andrich assured him that they didn’t listen to her either, so not to get upset about it.

After lunch, it was time for a fire drill. Mrs. Andrich helped him set the alarm, which is a pretty complicated process. Frank then helped to check bathrooms to make sure no kids were in there and missing the alarm (although it would not be possible for ANYONE to miss the sound of this alarm going off, it is one of the most unpleasant and loud noises I’ve ever heard). He and Mrs. Andrich continued on checking to make sure classroom doors with securely closed and then checked to make sure all teachers and classes were in attendance out on the field.

At the end of the drill, he asked all of the teachers to come forward. He gave a report on the success of the drill (meaning he listened while Mrs. Andrich gave a report on the success of the drill), and then told each of the teachers he was giving them a raise, and one-by-one thanked them and handed them a $100,000 Grand candy bar. The teachers got a big kick out of it and Frank was a popular kid.

As he headed back to his office he found Mr. Miguel, the school caretaker, and gave him a raise; the school and church secretaries and gave them a raise; the preschool director and pastors, and gave them a raise too.

Then it was off to the parking lot for afternoon duty. As the cars were leaving the parking lot, almost all of them stopped so the kids could “introduce” their parents to Principal Buchman. Eighth graders to kindergarteners made fuss over him, and all in a good way.

The best part: my little first-grader’s self-esteem skyrocketed that day. Which is worth it’s weight in gold to his mom.

PS. My friend Chris told me a story this afternoon. It seems her daughter, one of Frank’s best friends, came home and said Frank was different today. My first thought was that she would say he was bratty, or mean, or stuck-up, or something else that would take the wind out of my sails or rain on my parade of happy-parenting-moments. I should’ve known better with Chris, she would never tell me something that would do that.

Anyway, Chris went on to ask her how Frank was different. She hesitated a little bit, and then said, “He was . . . sexy.” WHAT??? Chris and I would both pay anything to be able to crawl into her daughter’s head and find out what she thinks “sexy” is! It was a hoot, and the perfect story to finish out a perfect day.