Elementary schools in the Middle Country Central School District have been busy celebrating Pick A Reading Partner (PARP) week to get their young learners excited about literature. For example, at Stagecoach Elementary School, students participated in PARP week with a fairy tale theme, “Once Upon a PARP”. To kick off the week, students engaged in various events and activities such as fairy tale trivia, free book giveaways, drop everything and read time, ballroom gym, and mystery guest readers.
At North Coleman Road Elementary School, students celebrated PARP week with a theme of “Invasion for the Out of This World”, where Rachel Ndembera, Coordinator of Science and Research K-12, visited the students as a guest reader. Ms. Ndembera shared two amazing stories celebrating women who made outstanding contributions to our nation’s space program. At North Coleman Road, students created North Coleman Road aliens during their art classes.
Learning to read is arguably the most important skill in a child’s education. PARP week is a great opportunity for students to ask an older sibling, parent, grandparent, or friend, to become a reading partner and read with them for at least 20 minutes. PARP was first introduced in 1978 by New York State Senator James Donovan in hopes of strengthening the collaboration between home and school to encourage students’ love of reading.