Pick A Reading Partner (PARP) recently kicked off at Saltzman East Memorial Elementary School with the passing of the Olympic torch. Principal Patricia O’Regan accompanied student representatives from each class through the hallways, as they passed a torch to one another.
Meanwhile, down the road at Woodward Parkway Elementary School, it was the closing ceremony for their PARP program; the highly anticipated Principals’ Pie-in-the-Face. Two lucky students—picked via lottery from children with the most tweets of themselves reading—got to smash a whipped cream pie into principal Patrick Klocek’s and assistant principal, Jennifer DeHayes’ laughing faces. Before the smash, Klocek assured with a chuckle that the girls “would still graduate,” despite the fact that they were about to cream their principals. A video was posted later in the afternoon so the entire school could watch the hilarity.
PARP is a statewide literacy initiative in which students read with their family members for at least 15 minutes per day. The purpose is to encourage a love of reading and strengthen communication skills. The Farmingdale School District participates in PARP as part of its mission to build childhood literacy and help students develop a love of reading. The program can vary in length—from two weeks to six or more—and the time frame is decided by each individual school. PARP was originally developed in 1978 by New York Senator James Donovan and is currently administered by the NYS PTA. Originally named Parents As Reading Partners, it was changed to Pick A Reading Partner in 2015 to be more inclusive of all caregivers.
—Submitted by the
Farmingdale School District
