River View’s One School, One Book program encourages family reading

WARSAW – River View Local Schools will start the school year off on the right foot with their One School, One Book program at the elementary level. All PK – sixth grade families in the district will receive a copy of “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” with a reading schedule. Families read a chapter a night for the first two

weeks of school and that is followed up with whole school events.

The goal is to have families engage in a whole family activity revolving around reading the book. The classes also participate in activities including trivia games, class projects, and readers’ theaters all based on the book. This program has been going on for quite a while at some elementaries but is new to others in the district. River View is hoping that, by doing the same book in all four elementary schools, they can create a unique learning environment where students are able to

share their love of reading with each other across all 376 square miles of the district.

The elementaries invite families to participate with their children by reading every night and attending a One School, One Book event at the conclusion of the reading schedule. Each of these breakfasts will include light refreshments and an activity that engages the parents and students in reading activities or reviewing student work based on the book.

The schools each have their own events to close the program. The schedule is as follows: Conesville – Sept. 1, 8 to 9 a.m.; Keene – Sept. 1, 8:10 to 8:50 a.m.; Union – Aug. 31, 8 to 9 a.m.; Warsaw – Sept. 1, 8 to 9 a.m.

River View elementary principals were asked to provide a quote that sums up the importance of the One School, One Book Program:

Tracey Herron, former curriculum coordinator and current principal at Warsaw

Elementary, said of the program, “Warsaw Elementary is very excited about this opportunity that is happening district-wide. It gives us all an opportunity to begin and share our love for reading together. Not only can we have rich discussions at our own school, but we can talk to our elementary friends throughout the district about this great book we are reading. Our teachers were also able to collaborate with other teachers in buildings about the activities that would be happening throughout the next few weeks.”

Jarred Renner, principal at Union Elementary, thinks it is important to get the students and families in a routine of reading from the start of the year forward, “It is great to see families setting the routine of coming home from school, having some family time, and reading a good book. We want students to develop a love for reading by putting them in their parents’ laps or on the couch together as a family. Great readers are made over time, not in one night, and a love for reading is

developed by making reading something that is enjoyable and valued by the parents and students alike.”

Beth Hamersley, principal at Keene Elementary, reiterated the importance of reading as a family and the impact that has on children, “Reading together as a family will promote a lifelong love of reading which is one of the most valuable gifts we can give our children.”

Joel Moore, principal at Conesville Elementary, likes that the program gets them started toward their school’s goals for the year, “For our school, we hope that the One School, One Book program provides the opportunity to bring families together to create an appreciation of reading. It reinforces our school mission of helping our students build vocabulary and language so that they can achieve well in school and in the community.”

Category: Education