Bishop Noll Blasts Off for Summer with "One School, One Book

    The inaugural book selection is “The Martian: Classroom Edition” by Andy Weir. This novel follows the story of Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars after a mission mishap. With limited supplies and communication, Mark must rely on his ingenuity and resourcefulness to survive the harsh Martian environment. His journey, filled with challenges, highlights the power of human resilience, science and teamwork. Mark's sense of humor and determination inspire all who follow his story, making it a compelling read for Noll's STREAM-based community (STREAM stands for Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Math).
   As outlined in the BNI student handbook, summer reading is an essential part of keeping students’ academic engines running. By tackling “The Martian” before the school year starts, students will develop the ability to read and understand complex texts independently. This sets them up for success in all their subjects, not just English.

    “We realize summer break is a time for relaxation, but we encourage families and students that keeping minds active can provide a big boost when school starts again,” Renwald said. “Encourage your child to dive into The Martian, explore other genres, and approach their summer reading with curiosity and enthusiasm. A successful summer reading adventure will make for a smooth transition into the 2024-2025 school year.”

    Every teacher of every class will incorporate some element of the book into a project at the beginning of the year.

    “This is a BNI-community-wide mission now,” Renwald said. “We encourage ALL parents and stakeholders to read along with our students and staff in the building. Each year, the themes of whatever book we choose will be discussed and incorporated in some way throughout the entire year.”

Engineering students will work to 3-D print payloads to fit onto solid-fuel rockets. Summer school students have gotten a jump start, drawing pictures of the equipment that would be used on Mars and creating music playlists based on a character in the story or part of the plot. Other plans include a school-wide watch party of the movie based on the book and a Mars themed spirit week.

    “The Martian” was chosen because it fits so perfectly into every curriculum BNI offers, including theology.

Freshman theology teacher Jeff Smolinski said he will incorporate the book by having students reflect on the role of faith in navigating life's challenges.

    "We will view our freshman year as a new chapter, similar to Mark’s journey, and discuss how to prepare spiritually and academically for the year ahead,” he said.

Bishop Noll staff was lucky to find a book that was the perfect fit, Renwald said. “That's the cool thing about this program: we encourage people (including stakeholders) to recommend books for an upcoming year. We'll vet them and see if they work for all students, staff, and community members at BNI.”