The whole school community (families and staff of OMS) will begin reading Wishtree on October 15. Thanks to the generous support of the OMS PTA, a hardcover copy of the book was purchased for each family and sent home today with the youngest child in the family. Enclosed within the book is a packet that includes the reading schedule and letters explaining how the program will work and how to send in photos of your children with their favorite tree. The official start day for reading the book will be October 15, but if you are excited to start, of course you may begin this weekend. Please try not to read beyond the pages designated for Week 1. We plan to discuss and celebrate this book at OMS over the next four weeks.

Mrs. Brown, the LMC Director, introduced students to the One Book One School program at an all-school assembly at the end of the day on Friday. Here is a copy of the presentation: Wishtree Slideshow

If you would like more information about the One Book One School program, please visit the LMC website: http://olivemarystittlmc.weebly.com/ On the One Book One School tab, you will find links to discussion questions, the reading schedule and more. OMS staff members and other district employees and administrators, as well as community members such as the mayor of Arlington Heights, have recorded their voices reading each chapter of Wishtree. So, if you find that you don’t have time to read some of the chapters as a family, please help your child visit the LMC website in order to listen to the chapters being read aloud. If you have any additional questions about the program, please contact Mrs. Brown at nabrown@sd25.org.

Here is a statement by Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian of Illinois about the importance of family reading time: “Time spent reading together is one of the most valuable gifts a family can share because early reading sets young people on the path to lifelong learning.”