Dear Parents,

One of the coolest things about the Gnomes team is that ALL of your children's teachers really enjoy reading and talking about books with our students.  That's one of the reasons that we rotate silent reading days on our team instead of leaving it to one teacher in one subject. 

That's also the reason that we've decided to try something new this year.  We're going to start a shared reading group called Gnomes Read. 

The plan is to encourage as many students and parents on our team to read the same book at the same time.  We'll read one chapter of the book each week until we're finished and have weekly conversations -- on Fridays at lunch time -- about what we've read. 

Parents who can make it are encouraged to come in and have lunch with us and join our conversations if they want -- and if they can't, they're encouraged to join us for an evening event that we'll hold when we've finished the entire book. 

The purpose is simple:  Let's read and talk about a shared book together.

Sounds fun, doesn't it?

So here's the book that we've chosen to read: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

It's the story of a middle school boy who wants to be ordinary in every way.  His only real desire is to fit in with his friends.  The hitch: He's got a facial deformity that makes him stand out in every way -- and that hurts. 

Here's a video trailer introducing the book:

The themes are perfect for middle schoolers.  More importantly, they're perfect for the Gnomes -- a group of kids that we want to be leaders in every way here at Salem.  Our hope is that by tackling Wonder together, we'll have the chance to talk about the steps that we can take as a group to make our school a more accepting place for kids who are different. 

Have we hooked you yet?  If so, here's what to do next:

1.  Fill out this information form no later than February 24 so that we have a sense of how many parents and students are planning on reading with us. 
2. Buy a copy of Wonder (or sign one out of a library) and then read the first chapter -- which is available on the Amazon website -- by Friday, March 2. 
3. Be ready to join our first lunch discussion -- which will take place in Mr. Hutchinson's room on Friday, March 2. 
4. SWEAR that you won't read ahead!  We don't want anyone inadvertantly spoiling the story for the rest of us!

Really excited to see what this becomes -- and hope that you'll be a part of making it remarkable.

Regards,  

The Gnomes Teachers