VCMS Principal "Slimed" After Reading Challenge

Just before noon on Tuesday, a delivery man rang the security bell at Vernon Center Middle School.

He had an arrangement for Principal Beth Katz, courtesy of the PTO. It was not the only group that wanted to give her a nice send-off as her days at the school wound down.

Yes, deep down inside the school complex, in a secret location, reading consultant Maureen Kearney and language arts paraprofessional Stephanie Possum were putting the finishing touches on a green, gooey concoction like a couple of mad scientists. The recipe, leaked to the media shortly before the ceremony, included oatmeal, green Jell-O, cooking oil (low-fat, considering the school has adopted a healthy menu), applesauce, baby shampoo (which makes for easier cleaning) and corn starch. 

It was earmarked for Katz, who was about the be "slimed," courtesy of the students.

Seven weeks ago Kearney issued the VCMS springtime reading challenge - 200,000 pages for grades 6 through 8 by the end of the school year. The students read 236,000 pages. That meant Katz lost the friendly challenge and was to have the green stuff poured all over her by those who read the most pages.

And it just happened to be field day, a nice excuse for the entire school to gather outside to witness the carnage.

At about 11:45, Kearney and Possum wheeled several bowls of slime into place near a single chair in the middle of the lower VCMS athletic complex. Katz appeared about 20 minutes later, dressed in workout pants, a T-shirt and a hard hat.

A hard hat?

"My retirement dinner is tonight, so I can't go there with green hair,'' Katz quipped.

So Katz was placed in the lone chair and those who were to carry out the deed gathered around her, like in a scene from, "The Green Mile.''

One bowl led to another and before long, Katz was covered in green goo and the students were cheering loudly. A request to not get her in the face was somehow lost in the mayhem. Katz started laughing, stood up and began looking for someone to hug.

Everyone ran.

Katz waved as the applause continued while she left the field, looking for a hose. It would not be the only ceremony marking her retirement, but it was certainly the one with a storybook ending.