(Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)
FORT ATKINSON — On Friday, Feb. 6, Max Jonas walked the halls of St. Joseph School in Fort Atkinson, gussied up in a dress shirt, tie, and sport coat, like any school principal would — checking in on all the classrooms, greeting students and staff, and also helping out in gym class.
As he stepped inside the second grade classroom, his presence was met with exclamations of “Max!” by the students before being greeted with a group hug.
Shirt and tie notwithstanding, he’s still one of them. You see young Max, or “Mr. Jonas” as he was known on this day, is a second grader who was “Principal for the Day.”
Chosen from dozens
Jonas, son of Robert and Jennifer Jonas, had his name chosen out of about 50 entries as part of the school’s Gifts of the Heart Gala dinner and fundraiser.
One of the prizes at stake was a chance to be principal for the day at the school. The prize was open to students, parents, parishioners, or community members.
Jonas’ name was picked a week before his big day and he and full-time principal Kari Homb immediately went to work planning the day.
“I thought it was going to be fun,” he said.
The first order of business: longer gym class and recess.
“Those are two of my most favorite things to do, so I decided ‘hmm, maybe I should have them longer,’” said Jonas.
Busy schedule
Jonas’ day as principal had a busy schedule including: reading the morning announcements, helping out as a lunch server, and assisting with a presentation to his class as an eighth grader brought in her hedgehog to tie in with the class reading Hedgehog Bakes a Cake.
Jonas also arranged for the teachers and staff to have a pizza at lunch, as he was encouraged to “keep them happy.”
In addition to the warm greetings from his own classmates, Jonas was on the receiving end of high fives and “hellos” from students in other grades as he walked the halls of his school.
Jonas did not neglect his duties as a second grader while he was principal, however. He still had to take his spelling test at the end of the day, having studied very hard for it the night before.
“Max is a really great student, he’s a wonderful, wonderful second grader, and this is kind of a reward for him,” said Homb. “It’s good all the way around.”