West Elementary School

Parents As Reading Partners- PARP

PARP Information

PARP is a statewide program designed to encourage children to read at home with their parent or other adult family member for 15 minutes each day.  Learning to read is the single most important activity in a child’s education.  Thus, this program is an excellent way you to help your child develop their reading skills and increase their interest in reading.

The theme for PARP this year is DIVE INTO READING!  Studies show that children who read at home are better to succeed in formal education.  PARP asks parents/guardians to encourage their children to read, impressing upon them that reading can be fun as well as informative.  Reading to children further helps to supplement the excellent reading programs currently used at West School.  So come on, open the door to your child’s future successes- READ TOGETHER!!!

PARP Contract

Our PARP program is a four- week event beginning October 22 and ending November 16.  A PARP contract is enclosed with this packet.  The contract indicates you and your child’s willingness to participate in this program. Your child’s reading partner can be a parent, guardian, grandparent, sibling, relative, neighbor, babysitter or a friend.  This Contract should be signed and kept at home to remind you of your commitment to read at least five out of seven nights.

PARP Time Sheets

Beginning October 22nd, we are requesting your child and their reading partner read for at least 15 minutes a night for at least five out of seven days in a week.  On the weekly time sheet, your child and their reading partner should enter the total number of minutes read for that evening.  Then, both should sign in the appropriate places to show that the reading was accomplished.  On Monday of each week, return your signed time sheet and we will issue a new one to your child that day.  Parent volunteers will record and keep track of the total number of minutes each child reads with an adult partner. 

An incentive to keep the students interested in reading is offered by Six Flags Amusement Parks.  Any student that reads for 600 minutes or more over the four -week period will receive a free admission to Great Adventure. Six Flags will not send us these passes until late in the spring, but your child can expect to receive one if their contracts total 600 or more minutes of reading time during PARP.

Other School Events

We will be launching this year’s program with a wonderful program called Reading Rampage. We will be scheduling parents and other community personnel to be Visiting Readers during this four –week period.  Please be sure to return your request form if you are able to join us as a Visiting Reader at West School.