Overlook Elementary Celebrates “Read Across America”
with Community Leaders Reading to Classes
Overlook Elementary School’s fourth annual One School, One Book was held this week as part of the school’s Read Across America event on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Monday, March 2. Local community reader-leaders helped celebrate the importance of reading and literacy to Abington School District! This annual celebration commemorates reading, learning, and community. The special guests introduced this year’s award-winning book, The One and Only Ivan, by Kate DiCamillo, about an easygoing gorilla living at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, and read aloud the first chapter to generate excitement.
As part of Overlook’s One School, One Book program, a single “chapter book” is chosen and every family at Overlook receives a copy to read at home over the course of the month. The program is designed to create a shared reading experience within the school community, part of the initiative to encourage families to read together at home. Throughout the month, there are daily trivia questions, a website where students can listen to their favorite teachers read aloud from the book, and a shared class writing journal.
In recognition of the book and program, the Overlook PTO has made possible that the school has adopted a Western Lowland Gorilla at the Philadelphia Zoo!
Celebrity leader readers included:
- Tracy Panella, Abington School Board Director and parent
- William Kelly, Abington Chief of Police
- Josh Shapiro, Chair, Montgomery County Commissioners
- Mike Jones, Abington Fire Chief
- Leigh Altadonna, former Abington School District Assistant Superintendent
- Kelly Doyle, Abington School District Supervisor of Communication Arts
- Richard Jones, Abington Assistant Fire Chief
- Patricia Botero, Overlook PTO President
- James Melchor, Abington School District Assistant Director of Curriculum
- Elise Melchor, Overlook teacher
- Joseph Hoeffel, former Congressman
- Thomas Hecker, Abington Commissioner
- Pastor Matthew D. George
- Denise Mendez, Abington School District Coordinator of Mathematics