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the tinley junction | February 16, 2017 | 11
D146 kicks off reading challenge for students
F. Amanda Tugade, Editor
Central Middle School
students walked into their library
Feb. 3 and were greeted
by a couple unexpected
guests. Two large swans –
who sat, squawked and occasionally
roamed comfortably
around a cage – were
placed in the middle of the
room.
Media Center Director
Mary Crowley stood close to
the cage, welcomed the boys
and girls and directed them
to their seats. As the students
began to take their place,
they shouted a couple questions
at Crowley to get her
attention: “Can we pet the
swans?” and “Can they fly?”
And that’s when Crowley
knew her tactic was working.
“My goal was to be as inventive,
as exciting and as
attention-getting as possible,
so that everybody would be
talking about it,” Crowley
said. “I didn’t want this to be
something just pushed out
of reading class. I wanted to
make it over-the-top crazy. I
wanted them to know we’re
doing this, and it’s going to
be awesome and to get their
attention.”
All throughout February,
District 146 is hosting One
District, One Book in an effort
to promote reading for
its students, staff and families.
Aside from Central,
District 146 includes Fulton
School, Memorial School,
Fierke Education Center
and Kruse Education Center.
This month’s selection is
“The Trumpet of the Swan,”
a children’s novel by E.B.
White. “The Trumpet of the
Swan” centers on a swan,
who’s born without a voice
and learns how to play a
trumpet.
“The last time that I read
this book was 37 years ago
when I was like maybe 10,”
said Karen Marcotte, eighth
Eighth grade teacher Karen Marcotte slips into her “swan
costume” in support of One District, One Book.
Central Middle School students take a closer look at the
swans, which were brought to their school for One District,
One Book.
grade teacher. “I mean it’s a
good book. It’s about including
everybody – diversity is
OK – acceptance. It covers
so many different aspects of
life that they’re facing right
now.
“It’s a good book, and so
many of them said, ‘Oh, I
remember reading that in
fourth grade.’ And here as an
eighth grader, you’re going
to read it and look at it with
different eyes, mature eyes.”
To show her enthusiasm
for the month-long project,
Marcotte attended the
brief gathering with an inflatable
swan floatie. The
floatie – which typically sits
as a temporary fixture in her
classroom – acts a reminder
to stay excited and to stay
open to new ideas for a fresh
outlook.
Thinking outside of the
box is what drives Crowley.
She said the idea of bringing
swans to the school came
about during a brainstorming
Central sixth grade teacher Melanie Mattocks hands out copies of “The Trumpet of the
Swan” to her students Feb. 3. Photos by F. Amanda Tugade/22nd Century Media
Students gather around the swans to learn more of their visit.
session with other teachers.
After a quick Google search,
they found Randy and Lori
Groen in Cedar Lake, Indiana.
The couple own Randori
Acres, a family farm that has
swans and farms. A fun fact
about the swans brought to
Central that Friday is that they
have been featured in Hallmark
movies, Crowley said.
Crowley and Marcotte
said the purpose of One
District, One Book is to encourage
togetherness and
highlight the importance of
learning. Each week, the students
are to tackle a couple
chapters and complete a few
challenges along the way.
Crowley promises prizes
and a class party to entice
the pre-teens.
“Clearly, I brought
swans,” Crowley said. “Do
you think it’s going to be a
boring party?”