Diligent Readers Send Principal on Balloon Ride

The principal said she would be swept off her feet if her students met their reading goals, and on Wednesday, she was.

Park Oaks Elementary School Principal Leean Nemeroff, wearing a rainbow wig that sparkled in the sun, rose 100 feet in the air in the basket of a hot air balloon as the school’s 550 students cheered on the lawn below.

A boombox, playing the theme from “Rocky,” added to the atmosphere of triumph.

At the beginning of the school year, Nemeroff challenged her students to collectively read a million minutes worth of literature outside of school before the end of the year.

“You set a high goal, you work very hard and then you celebrate!” Nemeroff told the crowd when the balloon touched down.

Then she sent the students off for a day of special activities to celebrate their literary victory.

“I want you all to have a wonderful day,” she told them.

Nemeroff almost had to scrap the hot air balloon late Tuesday when a heavy rain pelted the area. But by Wednesday morning, the rain had cleared and the sun broke through the billowy clouds.

“I told you we would have a rainbow day when you read a million minutes,” Nemeroff told the students.

The balloon was donated by Erik Dickensen of Hot Air Balloon Adventures.

Clearly, the balloon did its job of impressing the students with its bright color and size.

“It was really exciting because the principal was in there,” said 10-year-old Kara Keeler.

Conejo Unified School District Supt. Jerry C. Gross said he was impressed as well.

“I was getting tears in my eyes thinking about the efforts these people go through to help kids want to read,” Gross said, surveying the students.

Richard F. Newman, chairman of the district board of trustees, also lent his support.

“I just hope they do something different next year,” he joked before joining Nemeroff for the 10-minute balloon ride, which usually costs $600 an hour.

Students met their reading goal last week, by reading to themselves or siblings, or by being read to. And they were proud of it.

“I know how to read,” boasted kindergarten student Georgina Smith, 6. “My favorite book was ‘He Bear, She Bear.’ ”

Nine-year-old Nick Reister said he liked “The War in Korea.”

“I liked it because it had a lot of true stories about the Army,” he said.

Parents had been at the school since 5 a.m. to decorate it inside and out with banners and balloons and to prepare for the day’s activities.

The day finished with each student receiving a refrigerator magnet imprinted with “Million Minute Reader.”

“This way, they will look at it and remember the steps to success,” Nemeroff said.