Second ‘Big Read’ meeting planned for March 1

Fayetteville-Manlius High School’s 2021-22 community “Big Read” is underway, and a second meeting is coming up for individuals to discuss the selected book, “Permission to Feel” by Marc Brackett, Ph.D., founder and director of the Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence

A kickoff event was held Jan. 25, and this second meeting will be held 6:30-8 p.m. March 1 in person at F-M High School as well as virtually. The meeting will include small discussion groups, and the focus will be on chapters 1-8.

There’s no requirement to have attended the kickoff event in order to participate and join in the conversation, but participants are asked to RSVP, which will help organizers plan the event and make room assignments for the small group discussions 

The Big Read website includes a resources page where organizers have posted a podcast interview with Brene Brown and Marc Brackett about his work. Organizers also plan to post the responses generated during the kickoff event’s first breakout session. More resources are available at marcbrackett.com.

The Big Read originated from when several years ago high school staff members began coming together as F-M Zen, a group focused on supporting the overall well-being of students as students deal with increased anxiety and stress in their daily lives. 

F-M Zen members read Brackett’s book in summer 2020, and some district faculty also participated in an in-service opportunity offered by Yale University based on the book.