The buzz in the JFK Elementary School auditorium was real.
“Does anyone know why we are here today?” asked first grade teacher Sara DiDio.
“Yes!” yelled the students.
“We are here to reveal the new book,” said DiDio. “This is so exciting because we are all going to be reading the same book over the next month–the kindergartners, the first graders and the second graders. And your teachers will be doing lots of fun activities in the classroom.”
One School, One book is part of a program in which each student in a school receives a copy of a book to read at home as a family. At school, students celebrate and explore the book with their classmates. The program aims to reinforce reading instruction, increase family involvement, bridge the home-school connection and build a community of readers.
When asked who they would read with at home, the students raised their hands and named all of the people in their lives–parents, grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncles–even pets and stuffed animals.
“Does anyone have any guesses about the book we will be reading?” asked reading specialist Nicole Pean.
“I think it’s going to be ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’” said Owen Borneman.
“I think it’s going to be ‘Unicorns are the Worst,’” said Lacy Rau.
“I think it’s going to be ‘Avatar,’” said Eli Goldfedder.
Out from behind a curtain danced Miss. Paula dressed up as Humphrey the Hamster, from the book series of the same name.
The book selected for the school was revealed: “Adventure According to Humphrey,” by Betty G. Birney.
“I’ve learned a lot from the students in my classroom, such as the vocabulary words ‘treasure,’ ‘nautical’ and ‘squall,’” said Humphrey. “Do you know what these words mean? You will!”
“You are each going to bring home a book,” said first grade teacher Cara Johannessen. “You can read it with someone at home, you can listen to your teachers’ recordings, or you can listen to the Spanish translation, thanks to our fabulous Brewster High School students. And when you come into school, you can chat with the people at your table about the book.”
Each teacher grabbed a bag of books–courtesy of the JFK PTA and the Brewster Education Foundation–as they left the auditorium.
“I’m so excited,” said first grader Leo Larson.
