Lexington, Ky. – Beginning this month every middle school in the Fayette County Public Schools system will read the same novel as part of a new literacy effort called “One School, One Book.” The program selects a work that emphasizes belonging, community and safety, then distributes it to every student, teacher, bus driver and janitor in each building.
Book reveal at Crawford Middle School
Crawford Middle School kicked off the initiative with a week‑long series of clues that hinted at the book’s setting – references to New York City, a mountain and a pen‑pal theme. On Friday, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and First Lady Britainy Beshear attended the assembly where the title was announced: Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani.
Goals tied to broader literacy
Sara Green, a civics teacher at Crawford Middle School Leadership Academy, explained that the effort goes beyond reading comprehension. “The goal of the program is first, for our kids to get engaged with literacy, to get them excited about literacy,” Green said. She added that the district also hopes to strengthen civic literacy and financial literacy, skills she calls “very important to us.”
Green emphasized the theme of belonging, noting that when students feel they belong at school they are more likely to succeed. “We are very big on a sense of belonging here at Crawford Middle School Leadership Academy, because when you come to school you should feel like you belong,” she said. The shared reading experience is intended to give every person in the building a common topic for conversation, fostering connections across age, background and role.
Inclusive discussion and support
Educators say the program’s inclusive distribution – giving the book to staff as well as students – is intentional. “It’s important that students see that other people who may not look like them, or may not be from the same area as them, can see that we have shared experiences,” Green explained. She added that middle‑school students especially benefit from seeing common ground with adults in their school community.
For students who struggle with reading, Crawford’s daily leadership class will provide built‑in support. “The first step in getting students engaged is to have them interested,” Green said. “If they’re interested in the book, then they’re going to want to absorb it. Also, if other kids and teachers are talking about it, then they’re going to want to be part of the conversation.”
Each morning, students begin the day with a leadership class that includes discussion of the book and identification of any additional help needed. The district hopes the sustained conversation will deepen comprehension and encourage students to apply the novel’s themes to real‑world situations.
Community response
Parents and community members have expressed optimism about the initiative’s potential to strengthen ties between families and schools. By focusing on universal themes of belonging and safety, the program aligns with the district’s broader mission to create an environment where every child feels valued and supported.
“When you come to school you should feel like you belong,” Green reiterated, underscoring the belief that a shared literary experience can reinforce that sentiment across the entire school community.
Fayette County Public Schools plans to evaluate the program’s impact on student engagement and literacy outcomes, with the possibility of expanding the model to other grade levels in future years.
Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.
