We hope all of our familes have a wonderful summer full of joy and laughter!
To make your planning easier for 2025-2026, we will gather resources here in one central place this summer. Please see below for information on our required summer reading, supply lists, and other relevant details. The page will be updated throughout the summer with new information.
Summer Playdates
- Wednesday, July 2nd at 6:30 PM – Cardinal Forest Park, Springfield (hosted by the Lummers)
- Tuesday, July 22nd at 6:00 PM – South Run Rec Center, Springfield (hosted by the Smolinskys)
- Sunday, July 27th at 11:00 AM – Fairlington Community Center, Arlington (hosted by the Hallorans)
- Sunday, August 17th at 10:30 AM – Location TBD, Fairfax (hosted by the Hewsons)
Required Summer Reading
At Gesher, we believe that reading is not just a skill—it’s a gateway to learning. That’s why all students entering 1st grade and up must participate in summer reading each year.
Summer reading helps our students build their reading habits. When children continue reading during the summer, they retain more of what they’ve learned during the school year and return to the classroom ready to learn. Further, reading regularly builds intellectual stamina, expands vocabulary, and fosters curiosity.
Here are some important notes:
- For students entering 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, we encourage you to read to and with your children.
- Listening to the books as an audiobook is perfectly fine. However, we ask that each child own a physical copy of the book and bring it to school on the first day.
- Some grades list more than what is required. Please note that:
- In Elementary school, your child is expected to choose one book from the list to read.
- In Middle School, your child is expected to choose two books or read both books listed.
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
Amelia Bedelia by Paggy Parish
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Magic Treehouse: Dinos After Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lai (fiction)
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day (non-fiction)
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (fiction)
A Dog In the Cave by Kay Frydenborg (non-fiction)
The Length of String by Elissa Brent Weissman (fiction)
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (fiction)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (fiction)
Radium Girls Young Readers Edition by Kate Moore (non-fiction)
Supply Lists
Every grade has its own supply list requirements. To see what your student will need on the first day of school next year, see their grade level linked below.
Gan Katan
Gan
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Middle School