Garden City Public Schools

Garden City High School librarian Ms. Margaux Calemmo recently co-authored her second book, “The Whole-School Community Read: A Comprehensive Guidebook,” with retired Garden City social studies coordinator Ms. Jeannette Balantic. As whole-school community reads gain momentum on a global level, the book provides practical tips, tools and strategies to unite communities through reading, offering clear guidance for educators and administrators looking to implement this reading initiative but unsure where to begin.

The inspiration for the book came from the success of Garden City High School’s whole-school community read program, which began nearly 10 years ago and has grown into a cornerstone of the school community. Over the years, the initiative has evolved to include students leading peers in discussions, building stronger connections across the student body.

“My goal was to take the lessons I have learned on this journey and package them into a practical guidebook that other educators, librarians and community leaders can use to implement this special type of programming in their schools and communities," said Ms. Calemmo. “It is my hope that patrons within our local community, and beyond, will access this book to plan and coordinate with school districts to establish community reads inside and outside of the school setting. The goal is to unite students, educators and community members through shared themes found within the pages of a book.”

“Margaux has been a driving force in shaping our high school, and her insights are invaluable,” said Dr. Kusum Sinha, Superintendent of Schools. “The ‘One School, One Book’ program is a wonderful way to bring our students and staff together by building connections, conversations and a shared love of reading.”

For more information about the book, please visit the Bloomsbury website .