Not Quite the Same as King for a Day, But Close

The results are in and a pair of fourth-graders at J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School have concluded being principal is definitely cooler than they thought.

"I thought she just walked around all day," said Emily Gaffney, one of two fourth-graders who won a lottery to be principal for the day. "But she does a lot more. It was pretty awesome."

Emily and Blaise Driscoll got to find out just where their principal Karen Joy Schultz goes all day when she whisks by them in the hallway or on the playground. 

"We went to meet the superintendent and have lunch," Blaise said. "Then we went to get hot chocolate at Saxbys and pretend it was coffee. We got gift cards for the winners of a poetry contest at the school. But we also helped prepare a bunch of first-aid kits."

The children learned it's not all fun and games to be in charge of an elementary school. They both wore a walkie-talkie on their belts to communicate with staff and they both helped lead a tier I lockdown drill for the entire school.

"We wanted to make sure they and the other children knew the importance of the drill," Schultz said from behind her desks as her trainees worked at another desk in her office with first-grader Dylan Cronin, who was singled out for a very thoughtful poem he wrote.

The Principal-for-a-Day lottery was also the culmination of a very successful year of PTA fundraising, Schultz said. Along with a parent social, an ice-cream social and other events, parents raised enough money to buy three iPad carts with 30 iPads each and nine smart boards, one for every classroom.

"It will allow us to have classes in which every child can have an iPad in their hand to do activities and assignments," Schultz said.

With all of their newfound responsibilities, Blaise and Emily resisted the urge to make sweeping decrees, such as giving themselves the day off or their classmates a day off from homework.

The end of the day was marked with a school-wide announcement on the public address system.

"All library books are now due back," Emily said in her best principal voice.

"All safeties are excused from posts today because of the threat of severe thunderstorms," Blaise followed.

"Good job!" Schultz exclaimed after the announcement was done.

The end of another successful day at Tatem School.