One Book, One School At Fifth Avenue

NORTHPORT NY - From Northport-Northport East School District: Fifth Avenue Elementary School in the Northport-East Northport School District recently kicked off their annual Parents as Reading Partners (PARP) program with a schoolwide celebration. This year the school is focusing on the theme “One Book, One School” for the first time. For two weeks, all staff, students and families are reading the same book. Students have the opportunity to participate in trivia contests and have in-class discussions to encourage consistent reading.

The book, Fenway and Hattie by Victoria E. Coe, is told from a dog’s point of view and helps children learn to see things from one another's perspectives — and to always show kindness.

Students have enjoyed reading the novel as a school and have even began incorporating some of the book’s phrases into their everyday conversation, calling themselves “short humans” just as Fenway, the dog, refers to children in the book.

Part of the mission of PARP is to open up communication between students and their parents, as well as their teachers.

“My mom and I have been reading it every night” said Sienna, a fifth-grader at Fifth Avenue, “and I really like it. I think we’re going to start reading more books out loud together.”

To connect with the book and bring community involvement a step further, the Student Council will conduct a fundraiser for a local animal shelter to show kindness to animals in need.