UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
TIES Sparks Love for Reading with "One School, One Book" Initiative

A new 4-week initiative called One School, One Book at Thousand Islands Elementary School (TIES) has brought families, staff, and the community together by encouraging the joy of shared reading.

Principal Tracy Wagner was inspired to launch the program at TIES after seeing how successful it was in reigniting a passion for reading in students during her time as a principal in British Columbia.

The school selected the book The World According to Humphrey' by Betty G. Birney - a heartwarming tale of a hamster navigating school life, friendships, and challenges - to captivate the imaginations of students from Kindergarten to Grade 6. Every family received a copy of the book through the UCDSB's Parent's Reaching Out (PRO) Grant.

"The goal is to involve families in reading time with their children and unite the entire school in exploring one story," said Wagner. "The kids are loving it. If you give a child a book about an animal, it really draws them in. We've also introduced weekly trivia with prizes, and it's been amazing to hear how engaged families are."

"Students have told me things like, My mom wouldn't put the book down,' or My grandma read to us last night.' That's the magic of this initiative," added Wagner.

TIES has also incorporated social media into its efforts. Staff members, including Educational Assistants, Administrators, and even School Superintendent Marsha McNair, have taken turns reading chapters aloud in video posts shared on the school's Facebook page.

"We know families are busy, so we wanted to offer a way for them to connect with the story even when life gets hectic," Wagner explained. "The views on our videos have even gone beyond the number of families in our school. It's exciting to think about how the love of reading is spreading."

Grade 6 student Corbin Ralph said he's done more reading during this initiative than ever before.

"We didn't really read together as a family because we didn't find a book that we all like," Ralph said. "I'm enjoying it. My family sits down every night to read."

Grade 2/3 teacher Kristin Hambleton highlighted how the program encourages family time, fosters togetherness, reduces screen use, and brings everyone together to enjoy a book.

"When we handed out the envelopes with their books, they were so excited to just be able take it home. I see the motivation and I see it not just with my kids, I notice it in the hallways as well," Hambleton said. "It's something new, we haven't done this before and I'm just so thankful that we could bring the entire school community together."

Wagner said she's received glowing feedback from TIES families who have appreciated the sense of connection it creates.

"It's a great way to break down barriers between parents, schools, and learning," Wagner said. "We're building a culture of community beyond the school walls, and it's been wonderful to see parents, staff, and students come together through this shared experience."

One School, One Book began on January 13 and runs to February 7, and discussions have already started about the possibility of continuing the program into the spring with another book in the series, Friendship According to Humphrey. Staff are also planning a special school-wide activity day when the initiative wraps up.

"I hope that it sparks a little bit of interest from other people and maybe other schools will start a similar program," Wagner said.