Meneley students dunk principal as reading reward

On Friday, Principal Blaine Spires, who climbed into the dunk tank on Friday, white shirt, black pants, tie and all.

Any hope the more scholarly students wouldn’t be able to hit the actuator lever was forlorn as students in all the grades succeeded in dropping Spires into the drink.

Fourth-graders gathered around chanting “dunk him,” on Friday afternoon after organizers dropped a half bag of ice into the water.

Students took turns tossing the bags at the tank and a handful succeeded in thoroughly dousing Spires through the afternoon.

The Meneley Reading Incentive Program was coordinated by Literacy Specialist Noelle Meniucci, who said there were many options for participating students.

Those included playing dodgeball with Vice Principal Cade Baligad, taking on School Resource Officer Deputy Brent Koontz, a water gun fight with Melissa Willis, pizza for lunch with Sheila Craig or Christen Vice and ice cream sundaes with Megan Gray.

“Each child that read for three weeks was also able to choose from a plethora of books and bookmarks,” Meniucci said. “The students were so excited with the selection of books.”

Meniucci thanked Tom Zogorski and the Tahoe-Douglas Elk's Club and Meneley’s Parent Teacher Organization for donating funds to purchase the books. The book fair was held March 24.

“It was wonderful to see so many of our families at the outdoor book fair and also to see the projects come in that families had worked on together,” she said.

Photo Gallery

Dunk the Principal

On April 23, Meneley Principal Blaine Spires was dunked by students who participated in the school's literacy program.