At the Mettawee Community School (MCS), a mission statement claiming to be a community of readers is much more than a slogan. As pointed out by MCS Math & Literary Interventionist Kimberly Donaldson at the school’s annual year-end Books and Beyond Celebration, there are pages and pages of evidence of the students' commitment to reading.

“Here at Mettawee we don’t just read because we ‘have to’ or we’re looking for an answer to a multiple choice question,” said Donaldson. “There is a pleasure in reading that cries out with multiple signs signaling that this is a place where we all read books.”

The school’s well lighted, high ceiling library is just off the front lobby inside the entrance. The librarian, Amanda Bickford, holds regular class reads with a knack for adding sound effects for her attentive audience. Literacy Interventionist Phoebe McChesney fills her doorway and hallways with lists of titles of stories read by her groups of readers. After recess teachers encourage students to cool down with an all-class read aloud, a tactic often employed at monthly All-School Meetings. 

At its core, Mettawee’s commitment to the written word, is exemplified by Books and Beyond, a program that dates back before the origin of the school some 27 years ago. This project was created by Claire Reczek, who retired in 2010, but tellingly returns each year for the annual celebration. 

Books and Beyond starts when students from kindergarten through sixth grade set an annual goal to read a specific number of books at their first parent-student conference at the beginning of the school year. As weeks and months pass, students keep a log to monitor their own performance. 

During National Reading Month every March students and staff set aside one day for an All-School Read of a designated book, as well as time for personal reading. This year’s special day featured a reading of A Year of Kites: Traditions Around the World, by Monisha Baja, which celebrates the diversity of children around the globe. That session in the spring also serves as a reminder for the kids to keep reading to reach their annual goal. 

The grand finale this year took place on June 10th, with the Books and Beyond Ceremony. It included ribbons and public congratulations and lots of pride. Mettawee was able to announce, for example, the achievement of raising $275 to “Send a Girl to School,” the designated amount needed for this task by Heifer International, a global non-profit organization. Students donated spare change that was collected and counted in recent months by first grade students who used this assignment to sharpen their math skills. 

At the ceremony each class also announced a favorite book selected after a discussion and vote by the students (see full list below). And as a parting gift, for participating in the program, every student received a book of their choice (hand-selected from the school’s book fair) to take home at the end of the day.

And to put exclamation on the festivities, the Mettawee fifth and sixth grade chorus closed the program with a moving rendition of “We are the World!” The performance created an opportunity to point out the benefits of creating a community of readers. 

There’s a choice we’re making. 

We’re saving our own lives.

It’s true, we’ll make a better day, just you and me.

List of Mettawee Class Book Awards

Kindergarten: The Electric Slide and Kai, Kelly J. Baptist and Darnell Johnson

First Grade: The Elephant & the Piggy series, Mo Willems

Second Grade: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling

Third Grade: Elvis and Romeo, Eric Soman & Jacky Davis

Fourth Grade: Refugee, Alan Gratz and Impossible Creatures, Katherine Rundell and Ashley Mackenzie

Fifth Grade: Ice Dogs, Terry Lynn Johnson

Sixth Grade: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan

(Photo above: Mettawee teacher Ross Harmon stands with his second grade class as they receive ribbons and a new book for their participation in the school’s Books and Beyond Program.)

Mettawee students donated spare change to raise $275 to “Send a Girl to School” in a global program run by Heifer International, a non-profit organization.

The Mettawee fifth and sixth grade chorus closed the Books and Beyond Celebration with a moving rendition of “We are the World!”