Teachers at High Road School Unite Classrooms Through Reading-Centered Book Club

At High Road School of Wright City, Missouri, students are set to return to the school on January 5th. With that return date in mind, a dedicated team of educators is eager to reengage students through a creative and meaningful approach centered on the power of reading.

A Collaborative Reading Book Club

Kristi Hoffman, former SESI company-wide Teacher of the Year and current high school lead teacher of the Spark 0 classroom, is partnering with campus Teacher of the Year 2024–2025 recipient and middle school lead teacher Casey Hutchison, along with veteran assistant teacher Ashley Tiesing of the Spark 3 classroom, to guide their students in a collaborative book club experience.

Strengthening Reading Fluency and Engagement

Since the beginning of the school year, Hutchison, Tiesing, and Hoffman have been committed to strengthening reading fluency, and fostering a genuine love of reading through the elective course of Reading Group. In the Spark 3 classroom, middle school students have already explored a wide range of literature, including Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, and most recently, Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl.

Through both fiction and nonfiction, students across grades 6–8, along with two fifth graders, have engaged with stories of mystery, human resilience, and the complex realities of history on a global scale.

Selecting an Engaging and Relevant Novel

Keeping pace with the ever-evolving attention spans of today’s middle and high school students can be challenging. However, Hoffman rose to the occasion by selecting a powerful and engaging realistic-fiction novel titled Monster, written by Walter Dean Myers. The novel follows Steve Harmon, a high school aged student on trial for felony murder.

Monster is presented in a compelling, unconventional format that is sure to excite students. Hutchison recalled reading the book during his high school years, and both he and Tiesing enthusiastically supported Hoffman’s bold choice.

Weekly Discussions and Creative Learning Activities

The classrooms will meet once-a-week for joint book club discussions, bringing together students of varying ages, background, and life experiences. In addition, Hutchison and Tiesing will continue to support comprehension through targeted activities such as vocabulary work, collaborative discussion questions ranging from comprehension to personal reflection, and creative novel-based projects.

Upon completing the book, the classes plan to come together to watch the film adaptation.

A Strong Start to the New Year

With the exciting collaboration underway, 2026 is already off to a strong start at High Road School of Wright City. And in the world of Walter Dean Myers, himself, “Reading is not optional.”