PRINCIPAL SPENDS DAY ON THE ROOF

Some people will do anything on a dare. Early Wednesday morning, Trinity Lutheran School principal William Unzicker gamely ascended a ladder while his student body watched and sang a special chorus of "Up on the Rooftop." Unzicker was fulfilling a promise he made to students last month to spend a day on the school's roof if they reached a schoolwide fund-raising goal. "This was their reward for their fund raiser," Unzicker said prior to going on the roof. "They exceeded their goal considerably, so I have to go up there."Students sold $16,000 worth of wrapping paper and other Christmas-related products for the Parent Teacher League's annual fund raiser. Their share of the proceeds was $8,000, about $1,000 more than their goal.

PTL member Nancy LeGrand, who headed the fund-raising effort, said the money will be used to make purchases for the building and classrooms. "They did a really great job this year," she said. "It will go for school and teachers' supplies, uniforms and anything that the school needs."Unzicker was well prepared for his eight-hour day on the roof. He made two preparatory trips up the ladder to take up lawn chairs and a duffle bag stocked with paperwork and a baseball cap. On his third trip he carried food and a cellular telephone "in case anybody needs to find me."A fourth trip was necessary to grab a forgotten thermos of coffee."I took some paperwork, and I have a book if it's that kind of day," Unzicker said. "I don't really expect to do much of anything."Students laughed and reminded Unzicker to keep warm as they returned to their classrooms. Many students said their principal was "pretty cool" to fulfill his promise to them. "He's always been kind of a funny, easy-going guy, so it doesn't really surprise me that he's going to do it," said Megan Kistner, 13. Other students admitted to doubting Unzicker. "I didn't think he'd really do it," said Tyler Blackwell, 14. "I think it's good if he actually stays up there all day."Laci Poole, 13, said the thought of her principal on the roof was embarrassing. However, "He's got guts," she said.

Poole was especially worried about what passers-by would have to say about it."You can't drive by schools and see principals camped out on top of the roof," she said. "People are going to wonder what we do over here all day."Kistner said she welcomed the stares, because it brought recognition to her school's accomplishment. "It makes us feel really good that we could work together and make this much money," she said.