Pranks a lot!

A few years ago at a school reading night there was some trash talk exchanged between myself and a preschool teacher regarding our side-by-side bulletin boards.  Now this preschool teacher was known for her perfect bulletin boards. Martha Stewart proud boards with all kinds of trim and artifacts. They were also always up well in advance of the season or event.  If I am being honest here, she did make me up my bulletin board game for several years.  Sounds silly but it was game on between we two very competitive women. 

It was March 31^st and I already had put up a lovely spring board while my rival’s board was still sporting toothbrushes and hearts. (For those not in the know – February is National Dental Health month and well, I assume you figured the heart part out on your own.) You can see she how far she was uncharacteristically behind – Martha would have been so disappointed.  I however saw an opening for some good old fashioned “nanny, nanny, boo-boo” trash talk.  All of it ended when the program began.  Or at least I thought.

After the program ended I went to my classroom to gather my things before heading home.  And where my once close-to-perfectly decorated spring board graced the hallway was a board filled not just with Christmas decorations but Christmas decorations that looked like they had survived not only the open classroom chaos of the 70’s but also the Dick, Jane and Spot years. What the heck?!?! Chuckles were already being heard from some of my primary grade colleagues when I calmed down and casually leaned against the door frame of the Better Halls & Playgrounds Bulletin Board culprit.  “If my bulletin board isn’t restored exactly the way you found it by the time I get to school tomorrow, it’s war.”  Her response, “Bring it on.”  And I did…

Upon my 5:30 a.m. arrival at school I was greeted now not only by the antiquated Christmas bulletin board characters from the night before but they were now festooned with shabby green and red tree trim.  I tracked down a custodian who refused to unlock her classroom for me.  How could he tell there was trouble afoot?  His keys became a prisoner of war when he casually left them unattended while he refilled his coffee cup. 

It’s amazing how much one can accomplish in a short period of time when one is motivated.  Here’s the abbreviated run down of it all:  rugs flipped over, classroom furniture turned around backwards, posters hung upside down, phones, scissors, staplers, all other desk materials wrapped in aluminum foil. The computer, the teacher desk and chair completely encased in plastic wrap.  It was such a fine piece of work you could later hear the shouts of appreciation from the revamped classroom throughout the wing. 

Oh what a day it continued to be:

• Christmas carols sung to my class by four year olds.
• Dead flowers delivered in a vase.
• Christmas carols sung by fourth graders.
• Eighteen, four year olds coats turned inside out before recess.
• Voice mail filled with Christmas carols.
• Plastic rat on desk.
• Plastic rat returned with chocolate chips trailing behind it on the desk.
• Referrals and a visit to the assistant principal for both of us.  The pranking day ended.

Least you read this and think there was  growing animosity associated with this day of pranking – there was not.  At the insistence of the assistant principal, the preschool teacher and I made a pranking truce; from that day forward all our pranks were saved for others (this part of the truce did not make the asst. principal happy).  However, I still occasionally find one of those nasty Christmas decorations when I am looking through my bulletin board materials.  My pranking partner is no longer with us so that day is one that I will always treasure.

What prompted this trip down Prank Memorial Lane?  My husband sent me the following video and it took me back to that April Fools Day. 

http://www.wimp.com/disappearingprank/

Moral of the Story: The thing about a good prank, a really good prank – it has a way of multiplying itself.