By Don Rush

In the early 1960s the Drifters sang about a place that was “peaceful as can be.” Up On The Roof can be Leonard Elementary Principal Paul McDevitt’s unofficial theme song. He spent the night on top of the school’s roof on Oct. 24 because he lost a bet with the school’s student population. The bet was if they could raise over $13,000 for their annual Fund Run he would camp on the school’s roof. Not only did students make their goal, they exceeded it and raised $14,007.

“The weather this year was beautiful,” McDevitt said. “It was a little cloudy and breezy, but for the middle of October it was a great night. I tried to watch the meteor shower, but the clouds were a little too thick.”

McDevitt live-streamed to the Leonard PTO Facebook page to share his experience with students and to tell them good night. He had a makeshift desk set up and his laptop powered up to finish his homework.

“I do different things while I’m up on the roof,” he said. “I do the livestream for about 30 minutes with the students and their families as they are getting ready for bed. I bring things to read, my computer and of course my phone. I do some work, do some reading, check out the scenery and eventually fall asleep. It is peaceful. It’s pretty quiet in Leonard at night, there are a few rooftop heating/cooling units that kick on throughout the night that make some startling noises though.”

This was McDevitt’s second year of sleeping on the roof with a tent, gymnastics mats from the gym sleeping bag. “Both years I’ve done it, we have had really nice weather. Last year was a warm clear night with a full moon. This year it was warm, but it was too cloudy to see the stars,” he said. “From time to time folks visit me. I’ve even had some kids bring me some hot cocoa at night. I have a little crate on a rope that I pull things up and down from the roof.”

Students at Leonard had their fund run on Sept. 22, with about two weeks before and a week after where students raise money. The Leonard Elementary PTO uses the fund run as its main fundraiser. Funds assist teachers and the school with supplies, field trips and celebrations

“The kids love it. For about two or three weeks during the fundraising, students walk by telling me I’m going to have to sleep on the roof.,” he said. “If the school reaches the goal then I pick a night to do it. I pitch my tent and sit on the roof as the kids are dismissed at the end of the day waving goodbye to all the students. Then I spend the night in my tent and remain on the roof, greeting the students as they arrive in the morning.”