One School, One Book Culminates in Family Literacy Night

An adorable, furry hamster named Humphrey has drawn Windermere Boulevard Elementary School together around the love of reading. The live hamster made special appearances at the building throughout March and April to help promote a family literacy initiative called One School, One Book. 

In early March, the morning announcements hinted that something very special would occur on Thursday, March 6. Each day a clue was revealed and students tried to guess what the big surprise might be. On the day of the big reveal, they learned that they would be participating in the One School, One Book program where the entire school would read the same book together. 

The book selected for this program was “Winter According to Humphrey” by Betty G. Birney. In this book, a lovable furry hamster is a classroom pet who loves to hear about all the different ways his friends in Room 26 celebrate and make costumes and learn songs for the Winter Wonderland pageant. But the holidays don’t go as planned.

The One School, One book program helps promote a family literacy model. During the school day, it offered a fun way for all students in the building to have the shared experience of reading the same book. Each child received a copy of the book, so they were able to take it home to read it with their family. 

Students and their families read several chapters each week during March and the project culminated with a Family Literacy Night in early April. To keep the momentum going at home, project packets were sent home so families could complete the activities together. 

The principals built in ways to keep the excitement growing each week. Appearances from Humphrey the hamster and fun rewards for students offered incentives to complete their reading and project packets. The building created a video series of guest readers who each read a book chapter. At home, students and families could watch the videos or read along with the guest readers. 

At the Family Literacy Night culmination event, families received a passport to visit various areas of the building. In the gym was an obstacle course. Outside the library was a photo booth where kids could get their photo taken in front of Humphrey’s cage. Guided drawing sessions in the library with the art teacher had kids going step-by-step to draw the main character of the book. There were read alouds in three classrooms and refreshments in the cafeteria.