Callaghan Elementary third-grade students, from left, Alyssa Walker, Carson Pritt and Christian O’Conner, pose with their teacher, Elisabeth Thompson, as part of the school’s “One Book, One School, One Community” reading initiative. (AHPS Photo)

Callaghan Elementary Builds Community through Reading   Low Moor, VA (Nov. 19, 2026) - A good book has a way of bringing people together, and Callaghan Elementary School is doing just that, one chapter at a time. The school has launched its “One Book, One School, One Community” initiative, bringing students, teachers and families together around a shared reading experience. The goal is to strengthen reading skills, improve student focus and build stronger connections between home and school. The initiative comes as Alleghany Highlands Public Schools celebrates encouraging gains in reading achievement. The Virginia Department of Education recently recognized AHPS as one of three school divisions in Virginia to achieve a five-percentage-point increase in reading pass rates on the spring 2026 Standards of Learning assessments. Callaghan Elementary and Sharon Elementary also received national recognition from The 74 Million, a nonprofit education news organization. Both schools were named among the nation's high-performing schools for third-grade reading through the organization's Bright Spots program, which highlights schools with strong reading achievement. At Callaghan Elementary, the “One Book, One School, One Community” program is another way to build on that progress and encourage a love of reading that extends beyond the classroom. Inspired by Read to Them, a Richmond-based organization that encourages schools to build community through reading, the initiative centers on Beverly Cleary's classic children's book, The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Students in all grade levels are taking part in the month-long program. Second- and third-grade students received their own copies of the book through the First Book program, while teachers in kindergarten and first grade, as well as fourth and fifth grades, are reading the story aloud with their classes. For Elisabeth Thompson, a Callaghan Elementary teacher with 25 years of classroom experience, the program is about much more than enjoying a good story. It is about giving students the reading skills they will use throughout their education. “Reading is really the foundation that all education is built on,” Thompson said. “If students don't get those foundational skills here, they're going to struggle. Every test, reading, math, science and social studies, is a reading test.” Thompson said reading full-length books also gives students a chance to practice something that can be challenging in today's fast-paced digital world: staying focused on one topic for an extended period. “Between television, video games, TikTok and 30-second sound bites, attention spans have really decreased,” she said. “When you are trying to teach a concept, it is extremely difficult to do that in 30-second sound bites. Reading helps students sustain attention on one topic for longer periods.” The program also puts an emphasis on bringing parents into the learning process. School staff want families to feel comfortable supporting reading at home and understand how important their involvement is to student success. The month-long reading initiative will wrap up with a Family Reading Night on Nov. 12. Students and their families will have an opportunity to celebrate the book through creative projects and hands-on activities. Fifth-grade students in Jaclyn Bray’s class have created chapter summaries and visual storyboards that will be displayed at hallway stations. Families can visit the displays to follow the storyline and see how students have brought different parts of the book to life. The evening will also feature activities connecting the story to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Families will work together to design and test ramps capable of supporting specific weights, inspired by scenes in the book. Another activity will challenge students and parents to build and navigate obstacle-course mazes, encouraging teamwork, creativity and problem-solving. Callaghan staff hope the evening will be about more than reading. It is an opportunity for families to spend time together, take part in their children's learning and enjoy being part of the school community. Thompson said parents often want to help their children succeed but may not always know the best ways to support what is being taught in today's classrooms. “We believe very strongly here that if families do not support the kids' education, we're only really meeting half the battle,” she said. “Most parents want to help; it’s just a matter of knowing how to help. We want to do everything we can from within our walls to make them feel like an active part of our school community.” Callaghan Elementary Principal Lisa Hansford said the program is a great way to bring students, teachers, and families together while making reading a priority. “We want our students to enjoy reading and understand how important it is to their future. When families get involved and support what their children are learning at school, it makes a big difference. This program gives us a chance to bring everyone together and share in the excitement of reading,” Hansford said.

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