Kids at Linderman Elementary in Polson were able to stick it to principal Kristin Wilson last Friday. Or, rather, stick her to it in a duct-tape attendance challenge.

The innovative incentive offered each student, grades 3-5, one foot of duct tape for each month they attended school 90 percent of the time. It began in September and wrapped up when the semester ended in January. By then, students had accrued anywhere from one foot to five feet of the sticky stuff.

During last Friday’s Character Strong Assembly, 565 students received their allotment of tape, and headed for the flattened bleachers, where Wilson stood on small stool.

The goal was to tape her so firmly to the wall that when the stool was removed, she’d stick. The only rule, she said, was “no skin.”

“I had a little bit on my hands because I didn't have gloves on or anything but I was able to move my fingers and twiddle my toes,” she said.

It worked. When the stool was removed, she dangled against the bleachers for about 10 minutes while the students cheered their accomplishment. A trio of staff members  – “bodyguards” Camas McClure, Ian Donovan and Adam Burke – stood nearby to prevent her from falling on her face if the duct tape failed.

However, as advertised, the tough tape held until the end of the assembly, when Wilson, like the Incredible Hulk (and with help from the bodyguards) muscled herself off the bleachers and on to the gym floor, where she was swarmed by students.

Encouraging students to show up every day is crucial, the principal says. “You can only teach kids when they’re here.”

She notes that students with chronic absenteeism are the main target for attendance incentives, since if kids are in the classroom less than 90% of the time “we know they’re missing out on learning.”

“Attendance falls far lower than that for some of our students,” she adds.

Linderman also offers monthly incentives, where students with 90% or higher attendance get to participate in an all-school recess with snacks supplied by Valley Banks. In addition, classrooms with the best attendance for the month receive a prize or treat from the principal.

Wilson acknowledges that kids can’t always control their attendance or arrival time. “We’re just continually encouraging kids to do the hard thing … when you wake up tired, go for it. Just try and get through that and get yourself to school.”

She also points out that these lessons are relevant to other life skills. “It helps in developing their skills of doing hard things and preparing them for school, but also for a lifetime of reporting to maybe a job or meetings or obligations that start at a certain time and last throughout a long period of time,” she said. “So just developing their skills, to be good citizens and humans.”

Teachers are already plotting another attendance incentive for spring semester. Meanwhile, Wilson is still relishing last week’s sticky ending.

“I didn't know if I would stick, and when I did, I was like, yeah! And all the kids were like, yeah! They were standing up, cheering, yelling,” she says. “It was a good moment.

    Linderman students prepare to tape their principal to the bleachers with allotments of duct tape awarded for good attendance. (Courtesy photo)
  

    She sticks! Linderman principal is adhered to the bleachers by copious quantities of duct tape at the conclusion of an assembly last week. (Courtesy photo)