by Dennis Dalman
Students, parents, teachers and guests enjoyed a fun fest at St. Francis Xavier School March 10 at the conclusion of the “One School One Book” program.
The program involves all students in the area’s Catholic elementary schools reading the same book during evenings with their families. The storybook is “A Boy Called Bat” by Elena K. Arnold.
It’s a story of a boy nicknamed “Bat” whose life tends to be full of unexpected surprises, including a little skunk his veterinarian mother brings home one day to be cared for until it can be given to an animal shelter. But “Bat” loves the skunk at first sight and begins to prove to his mother how it would make a perfect and well-loved at-home pet.
The book won praise from critics, one of whom called it a “sweet, thoughtful, powerful story.”
SFX Principal Heidi Schloe explained how the “One School One Book” program worked. During the weeks of the program, parents and other family members could read the book aloud to one another, or they could watch via YouTube a school-staff member reading the book to a family. Each day there would be trivia quizzes based on the book.
One of the characters in the book is a skunk. And that is why so many participants at the March 10 event were sporting outfits predominating in black-and-white.
St. Francis Xavier school teacher Jenna Courrier, St. Cloud, reads a book to her students on “Black and White Day” March 10. They are (left to right) Tristan Albers, 6, of Sauk Rapids; Tommy Martin, 6, of Sartell; Eddie Swanson, 6, of St. Augusta and Mila Kunz, 6, of Sartell.
Students line up in the St. Francis Xavier school cafeteria March 10 and show off their “One School One Book” spirit on Black and White Day. They are (left to right) Max DeVos, Malachi Mack, Zoey Woodruff and Lila Kunz, all 6 and of Sartell. The colors they wear signify a favorite book character, a skunk.
Friends visit and enjoy lunch March 10 during St. Francis Xavier’s “Black and White Day.” They are Paetyn Leite (left) and Hallee Dingmann, both 8 and of Sartell.
