One School, One Read Brings Community Together

By Larissa Lytwyn

In our ever more hectic society, each member of a typical family tends to have multiple obligations after school, after work, and on weekends.

Three-page letters of salutation have been replaced with emailed greetings of three-sentences; television, video games, and the Internet threaten to undermine quality face-to-face communication between parents and their children.

Thus, for the past two years, Sandy Hook Elementary School has promoted its “One School, One Read” program, in which every student in grades 1 through 4, as well as their families and the schools’ faculty and staff members, come together to read the same book over the same six-week period.

“It’s a wonderful way to bring families together in our Sandy Hook School community,” said Principal Donna Pagé.

The weeks leading up to the unveiling of the “One School, One Read” book are always awash in mystery. Last year, students detected clues about the book’s identity through graphic images of swans posted on the bulletin boards and along hallways. Students also could guess through learning vocabulary words particular to the book, such as “trumpet.”

Last year’s book was E.B. White’s The Trumpet of the Swan.

This year, the pictures of crickets and cats that were taped along the corridors lent intrigue to inquiring student minds. Students also learned a variety of music-related words, including bass, aria, tenor, and opera.

At the unveiling assembly, third graders in Connie Sullivan’s class acted out skits using the new vocabulary words.

Young pianist Lindsay Fuori performed a rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and Ryanne Duffy and Anna Northrop performed a duet of “Frere Jacques” to illustrate the meaning of “folk song.”

Then, the long-awaited moment arrived.

Rushing up to the easel set up in front of the room, Ms Pagé pulled off the easel’s protective cloth to reveal an artistic rendition of the cover of A Cricket In Times Square, by George Selden.

Many of the students said they had already guessed the title through the clues.

“I entered the words ‘cricket’ and ‘New York’ into Yahoo search and found the title that way,” said Lindsay.

The classic children’s novel tells the story of Chester, a cricket, who arrives in early 20th Century Manhattan from his native Connecticut via a picnic basket.

The tiny insect considers himself blessed when he quickly makes three good friends: a little boy named Mario, whose parents run the unsuccessful newsstand; a fast-talking Broadway mouse called Tucker; and Tucker’s pal, Harry Cat.

Between escapades all over New York City, the four somehow manage to bring success to the almost bankrupt newsstand.

“Each year, we try to find a book that appeals to all ages and can be integrated into various areas of the curriculum,” said Ms Pagé.

The book is selected through a One School, One Read Committee comprised primarily of faculty members.

“It’s always an interesting challenge to find a book that is appropriate,” Ms Pagé noted. “The book has to be adequate in length, and it has to appeal to both boys and girls across grade levels.”

A Cricket in Times Square, she continued, was a “strong choice” because its interesting mix of characters explores important themes of unity and friendship.

In addition, she said, students and their families can feel an intimacy with the book’s tri-state setting.

“Students can learn even more about the area through studying the history and the sights of New York through their geography lessons,” said Ms Pagé.

The “One School, One Read” program will conclude with a special family night in which parents can engage in classroom discussions of the book with their children’s teachers.

Last year’s event drew a majority of the school’s population. Teachers deemed the turnout a big reason behind the event’s success.

“Hopefully, this year, we’ll have an equally successful event,” said Ms Pagé.