PARP At TJL

By Alison DeMaria

Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School students in the Harborfields Central School District took part in the Parents as Reading Partners’ Ride the Reading Wave celebration, which kicked off with an interactive assembly.

Students made a pledge to read with parents at home every day. They were encouraged to choose the reading level they wished to aspire to: mini wave reader (20 minutes daily), maverick wave reader (30 minutes daily) or monster wave reader (40 minutes daily).

They also participated in fun in-school activities, such as Guest Reader Day, during which guests visited the classrooms and read; Wear Red Day to honor reading every day; and Drop Everything and Read Day. During DEAR Day, students carried a book with them all day and stopped to read when they were signaled at an undisclosed time.

The schoolwide goal is to read more than 100,000 minutes collectively. If this goal is met, principal Florence Tuzzi will surprise students by participating in one of their principal’s challenge suggestions. To celebrate the students’ success last year, Ms. Tuzzi dressed as Lady Gaga for a day.

PARP is a program that asks parents to read with their children for at least 15 minutes daily, stressing the fact that reading can be fun as well as informative.