Stewart Manor School celebrated Pick a Reading Partner throughout March with a series of activities designed to promote a love of reading and strengthen the connection between home and school.
PARP, a New York State initiative, encourages reading as a shared family experience while helping students improve comprehension skills.
The program opened with a Brain Show assembly hosted by the PTA, where students competed in a game show-style event covering a range of academic subjects. Families also participated in a virtual pizza-making event with Interim Principal Robert Cavaliere and Assistant Principal Pamela Boyd, joining over Zoom to learn how to prepare pizzas at home.
The school’s literacy focus continued March 17 with a Mystery Reader event featuring district and school leaders, including Superintendent of Schools Marlon Small, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Administration Dr. Johane Ligondé, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Pamela Stamidis and Board President Tiffany Capers. Additional readers included Sewanhaka Central High School District Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Richard Faccio and Sewanhaka High School Assistant Principal Dr. Marc Isseks, highlighting collaboration across the district.
On March 26, buddy classes participated in peer read-aloud activities, with students and staff dressing as their favorite book characters.
PARP concluded March 27-28 with a book fair, where students had the opportunity to explore and purchase new books to take home.
