Sandy Hook School Kicks Off 'One School, One Read'

By Eliza Hallabeck

During a morning event at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Tuesday, April 21, students waited in the school's cafeteria to learn the name of the book the entire school will be reading over the next couple of weeks.

To kick-off the event, Sandy Hook School Principal Donna Pagé introduced the skit to be performed by Carole MacInnes's second grade class.

"Today is a fun day," said Ms Pagé, adding that for kindergarten students at the school, this was going to be their first One School One Read program, sponsored by the PTA. Sandy Hook School has also set up events and programs around the book.

The skit was meant to give students in the audience clues to use in guessing what the One School One Read book will be this year. The skit, performed in two parts, was written by Ms MacInnes. The first part centered around a narrator, Ashley Russo, who introduced turtles who the students would meet in the book.

Bryan Ingwersen lead the second part of the skit by playing the role of the television host for a

Turtle Talk show. In the game show three contestants, also played by students in Ms MacInnes's class, had to guess what they believed a Turtle Talk word meant. Turtle talk words are words used frequently by turtles in the upcoming book.

"Soon you will feel you are right here in Turtle Pond with us," Ashley told the audience.

When Brian began the talk show he said it was "the best show at Sandy Hook School."

One by one the contestants tried to guess what they believed Turtle words meant. The word "slider" refers to a type of turtle, the word "rumbler" refers to heavy trucks or earth moving equipment, and the phrase "rumbler run" refers to a highway, the students learned.

"I'm going to ask you if you have any guesses about the book," said Ms Pagé after the skit concluded. Students in the audience responded with guesses, but no one could name the book chosen for this year's One School One Read program.

So Ms Pagé revealed the book,

Red Slider by Blair Hickson Riley, by showing a large image of the cover on a stand. The book follows a young turtle named Benjamin and his friends while they look for a new home after discovering their home, Turtle Pond, will be taken over by trucks and heavy equipment.

"One of the reasons we choose this book," said Ms Pagé, "was in honor of the turtle that was donated to Sandy Hook School."

Recently a turtle named Shelly has taken home at the school.

One of the highlights of the One School One Read program will be a visit from the author when students are closer to finishing the book.