Alexandria City Public Schools

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'Turn the Page!' Community Reading Event Kicks off Today

The second annual "Turn the Page!" city-wide reading initiative, sponsored by the Alexandria PTA Council (PTAC) in cooperation with Alexandria City Public Schools and the Alexandria Library, kicks off today. Thanks to a donation from the PTAC, 20 copies of the featured book, "NurtureShock" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, will be in circulation through the Alexandria Library. Card holders can reserve or request holds on copies starting today.

The event's planning committee is working to schedule more than two dozen discussion groups to meet during daytime, evening and weekend hours throughout the city during February. Groups will meet in libraries, schools, coffee shops and other locations, and many will focus on a particular chapter. Attendees will be asked to respond directly to the leaders of the groups they would like to attend. Meeting information will be publicized widely and will be posted at www.acps.k12.va.us/ptac/read . To join or lead a book group, contact Marianne Hetzer at .

The PTAC is grateful for the financial support that has been received so far from the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium, the George Mason Elementary PTA, the Eisenberg family and the Critchfield family. Groups or individuals interested in sponsoring "Turn the Page!" should contact Melynda Wilcox at .

"Turn the Page!" brings community members together to read books related to the future of education and to engage in conversation about this important topic. Nearly 400 people registered for the inaugural endeavor, held during January and February of 2009. Parents, teachers, neighbors and other Alexandria residents read Daniel H. Pink's best-seller "A Whole New Mind" and participated in 30 book discussion groups. The event culminated in a lively lecture by the author, who donated his time as well as several books.

This year's "Turn the Page!" main event will take place Monday, March 8. Additional details will be available soon at www.acps.k12.va.us/ptac/read .

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