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BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
NORWOOD, NEW JERSEY —— An assembly focused on choosing kindness and promoting tolerance at Norwood Public School on Feb. 13 kicked off the school’s first-ever “One School, One Book” community reading initiative for students and parents.
The “One School, One Book” program provides similar books to children in grades K-2 and in grades 3-8 and asks that all students read with their parents every night for 15 minutes.
The book selected for grades 3-8 was “Wonder,” by R.J. Palacio, a book about the difficulties faced by Auggie Pullman, a 10-year-old boy born with facial deformities. A picture-book version, “We’re All Wonders,” was be distributed to K-2 classes. Last year the book was made into a popular movie starring Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts and Jason Tremblay.
Approximately 650 students in Norwood Public School will participate. Donations from the local parent teacher organization and school board made the book distribution possible, said Michelle Rienas, school media specialist who helped organize the event.
Rienas, along with Patricia Kim, guidance counselor, the administration, staff, parent teacher organization and school board assisted in undertaking the literacy initiative, said Principal Vito DeLaura, Jr.
“This is a unique opportunity to come together over a great book,” said Rienas.
In addition, seventh grade English teacher Tricia McGee has begun a complementary effort to teach tolerance “and build empathy and acceptance for our community and especially schools.”
During the assembly, the choir featured soloists during “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, a video of students from every grade talking about kindness, a “kindness skit” with Superintendent Lisa Gross and Principal DeLaura on how to treat strangers at lunchtime, and an original song about kindness by guitarist Seho Lee and singer Sachi Ikuma, both seventh graders. Suwan Lim co-wrote the song.
“When the whole school reads together, there is an awful lot to talk about,” said Rienas.
“Kindness is so important,” said Gross, observing students talk about being nice to strangers. “Kindness creates an environment where we’re all there for each other.”
Students expressed numerous ways in a brief video shown to “choose kindness,” including “accepting others for their differences” and “treating them the way you want to be treated.” Later this year, the PTO plans to hold a movie night to show “Wonder.”