Dear Catena Families,
Books connect us! We are excited to announce that Joseph J. Catena School is about to take part in another special, community-wide, shared reading event. The FTS elementary schools and ECLC are participating in the One District One Book program created by Read to Them, an organization whose mission is: (We) use the power of reading aloud together to build connections across families, schools, and communities to cultivate students’ learning and success. Every Catena family and staff member will receive a copy of the same book, Flora and Ulysses by one of our favorite authors, Kate DiCamillo. Everyone is encouraged to read it together at home.
Reading aloud at home is valuable as it helps prepare children to be effective readers, and it is also a fun, worthwhile, family activity. Families who participate in this special activity will certainly create special memories and stay connected! With this program, we aim to build a community of readers once again at JJCS. Everyone – students, parents, teachers, administrative staff, bus drivers, board of education members, school resource officers, and even town council members – will all be reading along together! Over the last two years our Catena Colts, and our friends across town, had great fun getting to know the main characters of The Wild Robot and The World According to Humphrey. We’re excited for this year’s reading adventure!
Over the last week we’ve left some clues around the building to foster excitement and get kids talkings about this year’s book. Students have found tiny stuffed squirrels, pictures & comic strips, and there’s now a retro diner in our lobby! Our Colts have many predictions as to why there are squirrels finding their way to Burlington Road. (Hint: As we know, Super Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.) Today, we had a schoolwide kickoff assembly! Students and staff learned that our main character Flora is an avid reader of comic books and holy bagumba, her favorite comic will prove helpful to her and her new sidekick, Ulysses, on the adventures to come!
Books were distributed today and we have also included a bookmark with a reading schedule so that families can keep up at home. Generally, you will be asked to read for about 15 minutes each reading night. Over the next couple of months we will be facilitating activities around the book including trivia contents, vocabulary challenges, and a community scavenger hunt (get out and find Ulysses at various places in Freehold). Students may even win the chance to bring our new little superhero home for a visit. Ulysses will certainly have many incredible adventures with our Catena Colts and families this winter.
Here are some highlights & important dates to remember:
Each family will receive a copy of Flora & Ulysses & special bookmark (Jan. 27th)
All students will read Flora & Ulysses along with their families:
A schedule of 15 days of reading will guide Catena Colts (Jan. 29th-Mar 5th)
Schoolwide Kickoff Assembly: January 27th
Trivia, vocabulary, & comprehension challenges will take place in school;
Special guest readers will be posted on our Catena website;
Catena Family Literacy Night: March 6th
Scavenger Hunt around town (details to follow); Be sure to follow along on Instagram @illuminatedadventuresofulysses, check clues on our Catena website or on X @catenacolts
This is a novel program in which families with children in PK-5 will be reading the same book. Reading professionals recommend reading material out loud that is beyond a child’s individual reading level. We also believe that you can and should continue reading chapter books with your older children, even when they are able to read by themselves. The district selected Flora and Ulysses because it can be followed, understood, and enjoyed by younger students, and older children will also connect with the characters. Many underlying themes will provide families with opportunities to talk with their children about friendship, acceptance, and teamwork.
We hope students and families love going on this adventure together with Flora and Ulysses! This special event can help our school community stay connected and have some fun. Follow us and your child(ren)’s teachers on social media and visit our Catena website for details, announcements, and activities to support reading at home.
With your help, together we can continue to build a community of readers at Catena!