By Brenna R. Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MADEIRA - To hear his students tell it, Roger Slagle was more like one of the kids. To hear their parents tell it, he was the best thing that happened to Sellman Middle School.

Slagle, principal at the school for the last three years, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack while playing flag football with his church team. He was 34.

"The kids loved their principal," said parent Kris Brock. "How many kids can say that?"

As the flag in front of the school flew at half staff Sunday, parents and students gathered on the front steps to remember the principal. A group of seventh-grade girls brought balloons, flowers and signed a large poster that read, "We loved you (and we still do)."

Because Slagle had worked at all three Madeira schools - the primary, middle and junior/senior high - during his 11 years with the district, most students knew him.

"We had a lot of respect for him," said Desiree Paolo, 12. "Because he had respect for us," added Katie Swink, 12.

Slagle entertained the students with tales of walking uphill both ways to school barefoot. He often joked that he lived in a cardboard box. During Christmas, he dressed up like the Grinch.

"He's the one that made you want to come to school," said sixth-grader Allison Jones, 11.

Tonight at 7, parents and staff can meet with counselors at the junior/senior high school auditorium to learn how to talk to their children about the death.

A funeral will be held at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fort Mitchell Baptist Church. Visitation will start at 12:30 p.m. and continue until the service.

Donations can be made to the Roger Slagle Children's Educational Fund at any Fifth Third Bank branch.

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E-mail bkelly@enquirer.com