- Prairieview Elementary
- Homepage
U-46 School Communities Share Stories, Time Together, During Read Across America
March 1, 2019
Reading takes us all on adventures, and the entire Sycamore Trails community is currently on a multi-part voyage with a china rabbit doll. The elementary school in Bartlett last week distributed a copy of “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” to all families, one of the most recent U-46 schools to participate in a version of the One School, One Book program.
School District U-46 schools are celebrating Read Across America Day, March 2, through a variety of programs this month. The love for reading is not limited to one day or week, but nurtured throughout the year. The District has participated in the Read for the Record campaign in recent years, and many schools start the year reading the same book.
“We’re excited to see so many of our schools discuss a good book together,” said School District U-46 CEO Tony Sanders. ”A story’s message and the literacy lessons become so much more powerful and memorable when we share them with friends.”
Sycamore Trails Principal Lisa Cardenas said the staff launched the reading initiative in honor of the late Barbara Weiss, a special education cross-categorical resource teacher at Sycamore Trails and U-46 educator for more than 15 years. Ms. Weiss passed away in January 2018.
The school starts each day with a trivia question about the book by Kate DiCamillo such as “What did Edward Tulane have in the pocket of each pair of his pants?” or “Who throws Edward overboard?” We won’t share the answers here, but you can bet the children of Sycamore Trails know them. The school community will celebrate the end of their journey with Edward the week of March 18 with a classroom door decorating project and an all-school assembly.
Laurel Hill Elementary in Hanover Park celebrated Read Across America Day Thursday with parents, Hanover Park Police and other community and District leaders reading to students throughout the day. Students also decorated their classroom doors based on a book that they read as a class.
Neighboring Parkwood Elementary students started the year with “A Perfectly Messed up Story,” by Patrick McDonnell and then created quilts that still hang in each classroom. The quilts reflect the Hanover Park school’s focus on building a strong student growth mindset.
Students at Hawk Hollow Elementary in Bartlett will enjoy a literary version of March Madness and vote on their favorite book each week during the month of March. A large bracket even hangs outside of the school’s library so students see how their favorite books are faring and which might make it to the winners’ circle. The winning book will be announced at month’s end.
Last December, 4th through 6th graders at Ronald D. O’Neal Elementary read “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” by Chris Grabenstein, and in January students at the Elgin school talked with the author via Skype. Meanwhile, students at Washington Elementary in Elgin started the year with “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate.
At Willard Elementary in South Elgin this year every student read “The Best Part of Me,” by Wendy Ewald. Each student then took a black and white picture of what they considered their “best part” and wrote about it. The school hosted a February event in the gymnasium called the "Gallery of Greatness" and showcased the photos and essays of every Willard student. About 250 families attended the event.
“Having 316 pieces of student work all displayed at the same time was truly amazing,” said Willard Principal Dustin Covarrubias. “Getting students excited about reading and writing is exactly what this whole project accomplished.”