Reading matters and One Book One School at New Searles Elementary School is a very good thing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During our remote learning time, it was quite challenging to find ways to incorporate school-wide literacy activities. As a literacy team, we looked to connect with students and families in a way that was simple, friendly, and easy for parents to implement. Our team decided that we would hold a One Book One School book read on Thursday evenings for our school community, and that was how our One Book One School was launched.

One Book One School was widely successful. Many families zoomed in via video teleconferencing to hear a teacher or an administrator read a children’s book, often with not just students but also parents, siblings, and even cousins joined weekly to relax and listen.

We even had special guest appearances from Dr. McKinney, Superintendent of Schools, and Marcia Bagley, Director of Special Education.

“For a brief moment each week, it felt like our school community was connected during this time of separation.”

Upon return to in-class learning, the literacy team decided to continue with One Book One School as an ongoing literacy activity. Building on the school’s commitment to social emotional learning, teachers selected books that incorporated the four pillars of Choose Love: compassion-in-action, gratitude, courage, and forgiveness.

Choose Love is a character, social emotional development program that the Nashua School District has adopted to help promote good character in students.

To begin the new school year, New Searles teachers introduced each month a story that touches on one or more of these four pillars. Each classroom teacher reads the story to their class and then does a quick activity such as writing or drawing a picture.

One perfect example of one of the books teaching compassion and gratitude is Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.

One of the classroom teachers selected a follow up writing activity where the students wrote about how they would “fill someone’s bucket.”

One Book One School did not stop there! To involve further students in literacy, the literacy team and Charles Vorias, school counselor, now combines the school’s peer mentoring program with One Book One School.

New Searles Elementary Grade 5 student peer mentors visit classes to read the selected book of the month or work on literacy and comprehension skills.

This has worked so well. Teachers have asked mentors to visit weekly to read stories to the students. Students have made significant progress in their own reading and fluency skills and all mentors have expressed feelings of pride for being part of this important partnership.

“I love the feeling of helping, especially younger kids,” said one Grade 5 peer mentor.

We love our school community and are proud to share another important program that is having such a positive impact on our students.

Helayne Talbott is principal New Searles Elementary School. She may be contacted at Talbotth@nashua.edu.

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