Every year, CPCSC elementary students spend a week anticipating their school’s big announcement. It’s not a famous visitor or a prize. It’s a book. Specifically, it’s the same book for every student, teacher, and staff member in their building. Everyone, from the littlest kindergartener to the oldest fifth-grader, reads together. This is the essence of the “One School, One Book” program.

The idea is straightforward: a single book is chosen for the entire school, and every student, teacher, and staff member gets a copy. Teachers incorporate the book into their lessons, parents are encouraged to read at home with their children, and the school hosts activities centered around the novel. This unified reading experience engages students in new ways while also boosting their literacy skills.

To help involve and excite students as the big reveal approaches, schools host launch parties/assemblies with games and activities that preview the themes of the novel. At Winfield Elementary’s assembly, staff members all wore bright red glasses to mimic the main character in their novel Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Teachers competed against each other in a scavenger hunt, and students cheered for their grade level teams. The book features characters who must solve puzzles in a scavenger hunt in order to escape from their local library. Before leaving the assembly, each student received their copy of the book. Guest readers had already recorded themselves reading chapters of the book for students to listen to at home each night - especially helpful for younger or reluctant readers.

One benefit of “One School, One Book” is building a community of readers through a shared experience that extends beyond the classroom and into the hallways, cafeterias, playgrounds, and even into students’ homes. Schools organize book-themed events such as dress-up days, art contests, and daily morning trivia where students can showcase their work and discuss the book. These activities not only make reading more fun but also deepen students’ understanding of the book’s themes and messages.

A visit to Lake Street Elementary highlighted the variety of activities and skills students worked on while reading their book, A Boy Called Bat. The protagonist, whose nickname is Bat, is a young man with autism. Students explored the challenges he faces and immersed themselves in his world to learn vocabulary, create art, write letters, and more. Mrs. Barno’s 4th grade class created marketing campaigns for Bat’s mother’s new business. Students designed posters and digital advertisements while using details from the text, all of which connected to Social Studies standards they were learning. Down the hall, Mrs. Damjanovic’s class was practicing the correct format for writing letters as students composed notes to the characters. And in the library, furniture was moved aside to teach students a very important, decades-old skill: how to play 4-square, a game in the book.

“I am grateful for the wonderful experience we had with One School, One Book in my classroom. It was truly a joy to see the enthusiasm and engagement it brought to my students,” said Mrs. Barno. “The shared reading experience allowed students to connect with their peers across different classrooms and grade levels, sparking meaningful discussions and interactions.” When it comes to choosing a book, staff work together to select a novel that appeals to a wide range of interests and reading levels so every student feels included. It’s important that themes connect to students’ lives, and that they can see themselves or others reflected in the characters.

At Taft and Colonel Wheeler Middle Schools, one book is chosen for all 6-8th grade students. Col. Wheeler ELA teacher Amy Mehrle says their team makes sure themes relate to the Bulldog Blueprint, a framework for citizenship and responsibility used by both middle schools. Last year, students read Posted by John David Anderson. In the novel, phones are taken from students so they begin passing notes on Post-Its instead. The characters quickly learn that it isn’t the device that matters, it’s what they say and share that counts - and sometimes results in consequences. “Understanding the power of words, that words matter, is really important with middle schoolers,” Mehrle said. “We talked a lot about being intentional with your words through open-ended discussions in our advisory classes.” Local businesses like McDonalds supported student engagement by providing gift cards for middle school students who won weekly trivia questions.

Join the Excitement

For the 2024-2025 school year, all elementary schools will read the same book as a district-wide K-5 initiative. Be sure to follow the district’s social media for more information as the big book reveal approaches. CPCSC middle schools have already announced their one book for 2024-2025! Students in grades 6-8 will read We Dream of Space, a Newbery Award winning novel about three teens who are anxiously awaiting the launch of the 1986 Challenger. The book explores themes of family dynamics, resiliency, dreams/aspirations, and the impact of tragedy. The selection provides a backdrop for interdisciplinary lessons rich in history, STEM, and social topics.

Community members will be invited to read along with all of our schools and join opportunities for engagement. If you are a local business owner interested in supporting literacy efforts of this program, email Amy Mehrle (middle school) at amehrle@cps.k12.in.us or Janna Carney (elementary) at jcarney@cps.k12.in.us.