Arlington Traditional School Builds Readers

Every summer, ATS students gear up for one of their most beloved traditions—the ATS Summer Reading Challenge! In June, the school reveals a brand‑new theme, and the reading adventure officially begins. ATS Stars aim high: every student reads 50 books! (Picture book = 1 book; every 25 pages of a chapter book = 1 book.)

Each week, the community comes together for two Read Alouds—one in person at a local library and one live on TEAMS! Teachers, administrators, students, and parents volunteer their voices, and over the years they’ve even welcomed Dr. Duran, APS Superintendent, as well as several published authors. This past summer, ATS celebrated their incredible diversity by reading books in multiple languages—French, Chinese, Mongolian, Arabic, Spanish, and more!

So, when it became clear that school would be closed the last week of January, ATS didn’t miss a beat. They spread the word in their community: Join us every night for an ATS Snow Days Read Aloud! Night after night, they had a record‑breaking average of 150 students logging on to listen to two picture books read by their classmates—and then the much‑loved book Ben Yokoyama and The Cookie of Doom. Students were so captivated that Ms. Schoenbrun, the Assistant Principal, reached out to the book’s creators—author Matthew Swanson and illustrator Robbie Behr—and guess what… THEY JOINED IN LIVE!

It was magical. They answered students’ questions, shared behind‑the‑scenes insights, and Ms. Behr even led participants in a drawing lesson! Their generosity made the experience unforgettable.

These Read Alouds aren’t just events—they’re the heart of the ATS community. Students discover a love of reading, practice reading with expression, gain confidence speaking to an audience, and open doors to new ideas and cultures.

“At ATS, we don’t just read books—we build readers. And we do it together.”