Friday, December 26, 2008
By FRANKLIN HAYES
Staff Reporter
When Orange Beach Elementary Principal Steve Baker learned he would need chemotherapy, his thoughts soon turned to his students and how they would react to seeing him without hair.
Baker, who was diagnosed with cancer in August, said he has a long-standing tradition of greeting each kindergarten through sixth-grade student as they enter the building every morning. Baker and his staff came up with a solution to pre-empt the inevitable questions from students and turn his sickness into a learning experience.
In early December, Baker, 52, explained his medical situation to the student body at an assembly and raffled off opportunities to shave his head for 25 cents each. One student for each grade level was chosen to give Baker's head a buzz. The teacher whose class had purchased the most chances was also given a turn with the razor.
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