Dear Students and Parents,
Greetings from the English Department at Sturgis! We are once again following a community-based summer reading approach for the 2023-2024 academic year. Books are proposed by our faculty and staff across a spectrum of interests ranging from fiction to science.
Our primary goals are for students to enjoy reading and to begin the school year with a common discussion experience. To reach these goals, students will choose a book of their own interest from the list of choices proposed by Sturgis faculty and staff. Therefore, it is important that students in grades 9-11 select one book from the list provided. Students entering grade 12 do not have a summer reading requirement due to the expectation that they will be working on Extended Essays and CAS requirements over the summer.
During the opening days of school during our 2023-2024 academic year, students will be divided into small discussion groups according to the text they have chosen. Sturgis faculty and staff members will help facilitate a discussion in each group. There is no assessment connected to each discussion, although English teachers may assess students on their summer reading choice through a discussion, an in-class written response, or an oral presentation in their own classes.
In the spirit of intellectual and academic pursuit, it is expected that students will not use reading aids such as Spark Notes or merely watch any possible film versions of a text. It is also expected that students will not select a book which they have previously read and or studied.
You will find the list of books and a Google Form to indicate your choice on the Sturgis West website link Incoming Students: https://www.sturgischarterschool.com/west-incoming-student/
If you have questions regarding summer reading, please contact Abby Rhoads (arhoads@sturgischarterschool.org).
Enjoy the summer and enjoy your reading!
Here are the book descriptions.