Dean ‘hangs’ with students to promote books

LAKE VILLA – A lot of students would probably relish the chance to duct-tape their dean to a wall.

While the chance to do this lives only in the imagination for most, students at Palombi Middle School in Lake Villa made it a reality on Oct. 21 during their lunch hour. Dan McCuistion, dean of students – known to many as Mr. Mac – was duct-taped to the wall by students as a reward for exceeding the school’s book fair challenge; students surpassed the fundraising goal of $3,000 by purchasing $4,150 worth of books.

McCuistion said the school runs a book fair every year and that sales in recent years have been average.

“They have been good, but they haven’t been great,” McCuistion said. “We wanted to know, ‘What can we do to increase book sales?’”

Holly Lukasik, library media specialist, said Palombi’s Parent-Teacher Organization came up with “Mac Attack!,” an event wherein students would duct-tape McCuistion to the wall as a reward if they exceeded fundraising goals.

“The kids really responded,” she said, adding that about 160 of the school’s 800-student population purchased books during the book fair challenge.

McCuistion said he was interested in the idea after being approached by the PTO.

“I thought it would be kind of fun,” he said. “I was interested if it would really work.”

For parents on the PTO, imagining what might make buying books extra fun for their children led them to the idea.

“We were looking for incentives to get the kids to buy more books,” said Greta Berna, member of the PTO and mother of Palombi seventh-grade student David Berna. “The enthusiasm from when the kids learned they could duct-tape Mr. Mac was incredible.”

Lukasik said the library was able to use the profit from the Scholastic book fair to purchase 250 books for the library.

For each book purchased, a student received a 3-foot piece of duct tape, which was used during their lunch period to help affix McCuistion to the wall.

Sarah Heck, 12, said she bought three books as she checked in to receive her three pieces of tape. Heck said it was a funny to see a line of students preparing to duct-tape their dean to the wall.

“We believe our book fair sales doubled due to this incentive,” said Lorie Calta, PTO member and mother of eighth-grader Jordan Calta and seventh-grader Katie Calta. “[McCuistion] is the disciplinarian, so [they’ll do] anything they can to get back at him.”

She said holding the event during lunch also allowed the entire student body to be involved, rather than just those who purchased books.

"Even if they weren't able to take part, they can see it," she said.
McCuistion said he enjoyed the chance to provide students with laughs rather than discipline for a change.

“[The students] all seemed pretty excited and I got a lot of laughs,” McCuistion said.

Principal Mary Pat Jordan said McCuistion was a good sport.

“The kids love him,” Jordan said. “The more they can see us as real people, not just the people enforcing the rules – that’s a good thing. I want the kids to know we care about them, that every person [here] wants to see them be successful.”

Becky Saul, field representative for Scholastic Book Fairs, said it can be a challenge to get children reading. Thinking out of the box is a good way to put books in the hands of young readers, she said.

“This school is a testimony to how this kind of idea can inspire fun and reading,” Saul said.