Naperville students tape principal to wall to raise PTA funds

May Watts Elementary School Principal Mike Raczak was in a sticky situation.

As part of a PTA fundraising incentive at the Naperville school, more than 50 students recently used about eight rolls of duct tape to stick Raczak to a gym wall following the school's end-of-year Citizenship Celebration.

“Of my many ventures, this one wasn't so bad,” Raczak said. “Much better than a pie to the face.”

As part of a PTA fundraising effort in conjunction with Great American Opportunities, students sold more than $10,000 worth of candles, wrapping paper, magazine subscriptions and a bevy of other catalog items.

While the May Watts PTA doesn't typically hold a spring fundraiser, students at the Naperville school helped raise more than $5,000 for educational programs as well as classroom activities.

“We don't usually do something like this,” said Karen Altekruse, a member of the May Watts PTA and an organizer of the event. “But the kids loved it.”

For every three items a student sold, he or she received a plastic duck key chain, Altekruse said. Disguised as Superman or dressed as a cheerleader, the trinkets gave students incentives to sell more items.

“I honestly think it was the ducks,” said Altekruse of the program's popularity.

In his four-year tenure at May Watts, Raczak has participated in a goodly amount of similar shenanigans to encourage students in countless ventures.

He's taken pies to the face. He's skateboarded and hula danced. He's even dressed up like a pirate to sing a solo with the school chorus.

Raczak says the silliness is all in a day's work.

“Once in a while it's good to do a crazy thing just to build the school community and the school climate,” he said.

The taping process goes like this:

The 50 students who sold the most stuff in the recent fundraiser are invited to sit on the gym floor in a room filled with excited voices and nervous giggles.

Starting with the kindergartner Steve Wise, the representative from Great American Opportunities who worked with the May Watts PTA to plan the fundraiser, helps students use the duct tape to secure Raczak's arms to the wall.

From the sidelines members of the PTA chat nervously about whether the eight rolls being used to tether Raczak might hurt him. But after a few moments all worries are thrust aside with a simple mantra: “Steve's done this a million times. I'm sure it's fine.”

And he has.

Wise has been duct-taping school administrators to the walls for 12 years, a process he says is only occasionally successful.

“It's about the event,” Wise says.

Shouts of “Mr. Raczak!” echo throughout the stuffy room while Raczak jokes and high fives passing students with his barely mobile hands.

After 35 minutes of taping, it is finally the moment of truth.

Will he stick?

As the small plastic stool is removed from under Raczak's feet, it is clear the answer is no. At least not entirely. The intricately woven wads of tape slowly peel from the wall as Raczak returns to the ground.

No one seems to mind.

For many of those involved, the fact that he fails to remain stuck is ultimately unimportant. Students and teachers alike simply had a ball watching.

“As long as it's not once a week,” says Raczak. “I can act the fool once or twice a year so the kids can get a smile out of it.”