Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School 1st grader "Principal for a Day"

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It isn't every day that 7-year-old Rocco DeFranco begins his day with a ride to Freel Perk for a cup of hot chocolate with Principal Joe Dameral before heading to Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School (LTESM) to begin his day.

And that was just the beginning of a day that wasn't a normal one for the first grader.

During the school's recent Spring Fling Pasta Dinner fundraiser, Rocco bid on an interesting silent auction item to be Principal for a Day. He spent his savings of $180 on that special day and Rocco was able to collect his prize on May 3.

Once he arrived on campus Rocco took a box of chocolates and a cup of coffee to the school's secretary Ms. Monique, knowing who keeps the school running. "Thank you for your service," Rocco told Ms. Monique.

The rest of the day was spent with normal principal duties:

- Greet the students arriving at school with a 'high five"
- Hold a meeting with Mike Anderson of Lake Valley Fire to go over plans for an upcoming Fire Safety Day at the school
- Meet with students "having a problem"
- Conduct morning announcements on the overhead speaker
- Walk around the classrooms and check on the students and teachers
- Give out autographs to the line of students waiting
- Have a special lunch of chicken nuggets provided by the Getaway Cafe, then do lunch duty and walk around the cafeteria
- Walk the campus to make sure all is safe for the students
- Photo opp with local safety officials

One of Rocco's last duties of the day was calling his other brother Brody into the Principal's Office.

"I need to have a discussion with him," said the very adult-like Rocco of his fifth-grade brother. "It will be suspension or detention, I'm not sure."

Mr. Dameral said Rocco was keeping him on his toes during the inaugural Principal for a Day.

"He is my bodyguard for the day," added Rocco said of Mr. Dameral.

The 7-year-old's favorite parts of the day were the high-fives and giving autographs. He said he'd like to be a principal when he grows up and maybe move into his dad's shoes (dad Jeff is the Superintendent/President of Lake Tahoe Community College).