Reading as 'One' in District 13

“One” might be the loneliest number, as the song goes, but this year it’s the most important number in District 13 schools.

Teachers in every grade and at every school in the district have read Kathryn Otoshi’s book “One” to their students, then discussed the importance of the book, which has an anti-bullying message. Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Robb-Fund provided each teacher with a copy of the book when the school year began.

This year’s theme in the Valley Stream elementary school district is “Dignity for all.” Robb-Fund said the message she wants to convey is that every person matters, and no one should feel like they don’t belong.

The book is about a color named Blue, who is very quiet. Blue is picked on by Red, but the other colors do nothing to stop it until a new color and shape, One, comes along. One tells Red to stop being such a bully. Robb-Fund said that the book illustrates how it takes just one person to stand up to bully.

Teachers have created many different lessons and activities using the book. In Gail Shaw’s kindergarten class at Willow Road School, she read “One” several times to the children and discussed its meaning. She noted that one day a child in her class was being mean, and another kid stood up and said, “Don’t be like Red.” Shaw said she was pleased how that kid not only understood the meaning of the book, but wasn’t afraid to act.

“This is one of the best books I ever read to my class,” Shaw said. “It’s about feelings and, to a certain extent, about bullying.”

Third-grade teacher Susan Quartuccio had her class do a study of character traits. Students each wrote a paragraph about how they could be more like One, then shared their ideas with classmates. Many children said they wanted to be thoughtful, respectful and brave.

“I think that it helped to building community,” she said of the classroom discussions. “We focus a lot on building a safe environment and being respectful to one another.”