by Kristina Gabalski
Munn School Psychologist Eric Ockrin reads to families during community reading night March 15 at Munn School. Photo by Kristina Gablaski.The month of March has been a special one at Munn Elementary School in Spencerport.
A family/school literacy project kicked off March 2 and continues through the end of the month.
As part of the One School One Book Program, everyone at Munn and their families are reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – one of the books in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis.
Reading Specialist Judy Pray says she became aware of the program through a teacher at a different district.
“She shared the website and I began checking them out. I gathered information and thought it would be a great way to promote reading beyond some of the other things we do such as “Book It,” where students do the reading and homework requirements,” Pray says. “Ultimately, we all know about the benefits of reading to our children, but I think many of us have lost this because of being overly committed. I shared the idea with teacher leaders at our building level and they gave an enthusiastic response. A group of interested staff members met and we began the planning.”
Pray explains that the One School One Book program has a variety of titles from which to choose. “We were looking for a title that would align with our Rachel’s Challenge and in many ways this book will do that. The main themes are about good and evil, loyalty and friendship. Many of the planning team have read this book and seen the movie, The Chronicles of Narnia. We thought it would be a great book to begin with and we want to continue every year,” she says. “I think promoting family time along with reading is the way to begin to make a change. Maybe if more parents found the time and enjoyment that reading can bring, perhaps our students will become more lifelong readers.”
Each family received a free book and reading calendar as part of the program, Pray says. Daily trivia questions have been a part of the program and a winner gets to take Aslan home to read with. Students take a photo of their family with Aslan and the photo is then displayed on a bulletin board at school.
Pray says art teacher Deb Ingerick created a free-standing wardrobe that students, staff and families are able to walk through.
It’s cocoa and cookies time during community reading night March 15 at Munn School in Spencerport. Photo by Kristina Gabalski.On March 15, a community readers night was held at Munn. Families came and enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies while community members read chapter eight of the book: “What Happened After Dinner.”
Spencerport Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Ty Zinkiewich, Munn School psychologist Eric Ockrin and YNN reporter/anchor Cristina Domingues served as readers.
Munn Principal Michael Canny told participants at the opening of the evening that the program has “been a great medium for dialogue and conversation.”
He said students are “thrilled and excited about the experience.”
Andrea Gionta says her children, Emma, a second grader, and John and Anthony, both third graders, love the program. “We read a chapter each night, Monday through Friday,” she says.
Tamara Marchincin’s son, Jason, is a second grader at Munn. She says her family has found the program “very interesting. It’s very nice to sit down (as a family) and read a book. The kids are very excited about it. It’s a very neat thing.”
Marchincin says the school has also set up a blog where students can discuss and comment on the book. She notes that even neighbors are talking together about the experience and that her family will likely read other titles in the Narnia series.
A second community readers night is set for March 29.
The month-long program includes a t-shirt design contest and Judy Pray adds that the school hopes to have the Rochester Children’s Theatre come and do a presentation as a culminating event.
