Dear ENSATS Caretakers,

Summer is almost here and summer reading is the expectation for all Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School students, including incoming freshmen. This year, all students are required to read at least two books.

• BOOK #1: The first book is an open-choice book and can be fiction or nonfiction, but must be written for young adults or adults.
• BOOK #2: Entering grade 9, 10, and 11 students will read Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe The World, by Admiral William H. McRaven. There is an online version of Make Your Bed as well as a hardcover version and both are about the same price. The senior class will read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

When students return to school, each English teacher will assign a Summer Reading Project for BOTH books. Past assignments have included book talks, Goodreads book reviews, and creative projects based on the books such as movie trailers, children’s book adaptations, sculptures, music playlists, and more. As we did last year, we are hoping to have a featured speaker talk to us, either in person or remotely, and share thoughts with students and staff about one of the books.
Please note that students next year taking either A.P. English Language and Composition in grade 11 or A.P. English Literature and Composition in grade 12, you have a separate summer reading assignment, but all students, including those in these A.P. classes, will be expected to read their class read (juniors – Make Your Bed and seniors – Tuesdays with Morrie). Students who are enrolled in these courses will be given the additional A.P. summer reading assignment before the end of the school year by their respective teacher.

For all students with Google school logins and passwords (this excludes incoming freshmen), please consider choosing an online book from the SORA collection and/or EBSCO eBooks collection both located on our library website library.essextech.net. Here you can download a “great read” to any device. For students with access to Learning Ally, you can download audio books. Seniors with a Learning Ally account can also access Tuesdays with Morrie. Our goal for summer reading is to keep students reading throughout the summer and to unite the school through a book about qualities or strengths that inspire us and that we think are important to talk about when students return in August.

If you have any questions about summer reading, please contact Mrs. Garron, our school Media Specialist, at tgarron@essextech.net, or Dr. O’Toole, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, at totoole@essextech.net.