SeDoMoCha Elementary families will ‘just keep reading’ together with One Book, One School

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Again in 2017 SeDoMoCha Elementary School families will have the opportunity to read together as part of shared reading experience through the seventh annual One Book, One School program. For about a month through the second week of February students and family members will read and discuss the junior novelization of the animated film “Finding Dory” and then be able to attend an ending celebration on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 9.
Families were introduced to this year’s One Book, One School selection at a program kickoff on Jan. 12. Those who will be reading the book together joined administrators and staff in the multipurpose room to pick up their copies of the novel to keep. The shared reading experience is intended to increase literacy awareness within the community and to get families reading together more at home, while creating fun and memorable connections to the school community.
“We are really, really excited to be doing ‘Finding Dory’ for One Book, One School this year,” grade 3 teacher Jessica Dunton, who is leading the 2017 edition of One Book, One School, said at the start of the program. “The reason we are doing this is for our kids.”
Dunton said those passing through the lobby would have noticed the various ocean-themed pieces of art, and pointed out how “Finding Dory” carries over into other aspects of the curriculum. She said since the school year began art teacher Martha Ladd has had her students create sea artwork and soon the pupils began to ask questions about the topic — not knowing what the 2017 One Book, One School selection was until the start of the new year.
“So people are really getting excited about it,” Dunton said. She said that Katie Gregory of the SeDoMoCha food service used her own art talents to create some poster boards of the book’s characters, including some with holes for a photo booth.
Students will be receiving several gifts for One Book, One School, including a “Finding Dory” bookmark created with the school’s 3-D printer. “Every child is going to be receiving a pet goldfish, feel free to get creative with it,” as the aquatic life replicas can be decorated and shared over the coming weeks. Dunton said various One Book, One School happenings will be posted at www.facebook.com/sedomocha.
Dunton said there will be prizes donated from the community at the program finale. “There are some other things that may be unfolding and we will keep you up on that,” she said, saying the SeDoMoCha School Organization will be presenting a free screening of “Finding Dory” for school families on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Center Theatre.
“I think the ability of all of us to share the book and have conversations about the same text is amazing,” RSU 68 Superintendent Stacy Shorey said before she read the start of “Finding Dory” aloud.
The first SeDoMoCha One Book, One School took place in 2011 as students and families read “A Castle in the Attic” by Elizabeth Winthrop and then enjoyed a medieval feast after they finished the novel. A year later “The Indian in the Cupboard” by Lynne Reid Banks was the program selection and the ending evening event featured a Western motif and activities. In 2013 One Book, One School featured E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” and this novel led up to a night at the fair. In the ensuing year the selection was “The Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum, with a trip to Emerald City concluding the program. In 2015 families all had a golden ticket with Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. A year ago the book choice was “The World According to Humphrey” by Betty G. Birney with the ending evening featuring activities based on the book’s classroom hamster protagonist.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
SCHOOL OF FISH — The SeDoMoCha School lobby is decorated for this year’s One Book, One School selection, the junior novelization of “Finding Dory.” Over the next month students and their families will read the chapters together at home, with an ending celebration of the seventh annual program scheduled for Feb. 9.