Mr. Holland Gets a School Haircut

It's not every day you get to take the scissors to the principal’s head.

But for nine third and fourth-grade students at Westview Elementary School in Avon Lake, studying hard for the state Ohio Achievement Assessment tests paid off when they were picked to give the school’s principal, Paul Holland, a haircut.

As a reward for the students’ hard work and to provide an incentive, Holland, promised the students could cut his hair if they studied hard.

On May 3, Holland kept that promise and handed over first scissors, then clippers to the students who required less than half an hour to complete a commendable hack job on the principal’s longish hair after chanting, “Mohawk! Mohawk!”

Standing by was phys ed teacher David Dick, who first put a motorcycle helmet on Holland’s head before donning it himself.

Holland issued some sound advice and a stern warning before the cutting commenced.

“I am ok with this,” he said. “I do not want you going home and giving your dad a haircut and never asking him.”

And then nine students, Chad Hargro, Joshua Cox-Hayes, Logan Allemeier, Conner Simons, Drew Fournier, Kelly Hershey, Carly Heritage, Chloe Lagor and  Ella Venneri took turns shearing their principal.

By the time dismissal rolled around, Holland was sporting a patchy hairstyle that would most likely get him suspended from most private schools.

“It will get cleaned up by Monday,” he said.