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A Great Use for Old Ties

Each year, our students were involved in the collection of nonperishable food items for a local food bank. Prior to the event, I had teachers and members of the school's PTA and School Improvement Council bring in old ties that might be hiding in the backs of their closets. The members of those groups responded by sending in bags of really different ties.

So how did those ties "tie" into our food-bank collection? We used the ties as incentives. On the day of the first food collection (the food collection was a semi-annual event in our school), the custodian and I visited classrooms. The custodian helped to box up the food items as he manned the two-wheeled cart on which the boxes were loaded. He also counted the items contributed by students. That was important, because any student who brought in 10 food items was allowed to cut off a piece of the (recycled) tie I was wearing.

Most of the students cut off small pieces of the ties, which I autographed and dated for them. One brave kindergartner cut off a tie just below the knot!

The tie activity was a sideshow to the real event: most of our food collections resulted in enough food to fill a regular-sized panel truck!

Read more practical tips from George Pawlas…

• Share the Pride: Six "Pride Statements" Get Year Off to a Great Start
• Getting the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Newsletters: An Essential Tool for Every Principal
• Building Positive Relationships With the Media
• The Benefits of Being an MBWA Principal
• More Tips for Great Newsletters
• 50 Million Students Can't Be Wrong: Improving Perceptions of Your School
• Support Personnel Are P.R. People Too
• Create a School Profile Brochure

Meet Dr. George E. Pawlas George E. Pawlas has written the book on PR for school principals -- literally! In The Administrator's Guide to School-Community Relations, Pawlas presents a treasury of practical tips and strategies for principals. The book includes hundreds of principal-tested ideas, illustrations, and templates to help you create successful school newsletters and other communication tools; use the media to your school's advantage; enhance parent and family involvement; work with the community and local businesses; deal with crisis situations; and much more. Pawlas has been an educator for nearly four decades. He has served as an elementary school teacher and principal, a district administrator, and a state education department consultant. Currently he is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Central Florida. In addition, Pawlas has authored dozens of articles and coauthored three editions of a book on educational supervision. He is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences.

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08/07/2006