PARP 2021
PARP is a celebration of reading
Elementary students at Katonah-Lewisboro experience five seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter and PARP! The March celebration of reading is typically tucked in-between the last snowstorm and the first warm days on the playground, and PARP 2021 was right on schedule.
It’s a time of unexpected fun—your third-grade teacher might come to school dressed as Miss Viola Swamp, from “Miss Nelson is Missing,” … you might wear your pajamas to school and read with a flashlight … or your parent might zoom in to be the mystery reader for your class!
Flashlight Reading at KES
Mrs. Garofolo's All-Remote Class Reading at Home
reading together is PARP's special sauce
“Students love the opportunity to be expressive with Pajama Day, Crazy Hat Day and Dress Up Like Your Favorite Character Day. They love to see what their teachers wear, too,” said Nick Grasso, library media specialist at Meadow Pond Elementary.
Entwined with all the fun, the emphasis is on reading with someone daily--whether snuggled close to a pet or sibling at home; on the phone with a friend or grandparent, or listening to a read-aloud in school.
“The most important part of PARP is reading together,” affirms Mr. Grasso.
Reading is an adventure
Students are inspired as readers, writers and thinkers through the new people, places and perspectives they meet in books. Each of our school’s PARP themes reflect this aspect of discovery: Increase Miller Elementary - Reading Takes You Places, Meadow Pond Elementary - Reading Is Your Ticket to Anywhere and Katonah Elementary - Book Your Next Adventure.
“As we're living in a time of social distancing and restricted travel, real-life adventures are hard to come by,” said Jeanne Hand, library media specialist at Katonah Elementary. “The books included in our Tournament of Books are meant to take our students on the amazing, fantastical adventures only books can provide.”
Student Ambassadors Read to Younger Classes at MPES
Doreen Cronin Visits IMES
Authors take students into the creative process
“Having authors visit has been incredibly exciting,” said Juli Hoffman, librarian at Increase Miller Elementary. “In preparation for each visit, we shared many new books and short stories so that students would be familiar with the author's work and ready to ask questions.”
Visits with older grades included Gordon Korman, author of “Jackpot" at IMES; Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived series, at KES; and Janet Tashjian and her son, Jake, who illustrates her novels including “My Life as a Book" at MPES. Younger students at MPES met Susan Edwards Richmond, author of “Bird Count,” and those at IMES met Doreen Cronin, author of “Click Clack Moo.”
Librarians Say it Best
As Mrs. Hoffman puts it, "PARP is a time in which we focus on our love of really great books and sharing those books with the special people in our lives."
"We've read books which are fun and engaging, feature diverse characters, authors and illustrators, and are a mix of old and new," adds Mrs. Hand.
Mr. Grasso finishes their thoughts: "Our hope is that the excitement created from our month-long celebration carries over for the rest of the school year and into the summer months!”
