by Cris Italia
PARP is a four-week program that encourages children to read at home for 15 minutes each day with a parent or reading partner. Each year School 8 picks a theme to encourage students and get them motivated to read.
"This is the second year we are using a theme," Schoen said. Last year, when School 8 participated in "Read Across America," Schoen first decided that getting into costume would add an extra kick. "I dressed patriotically, draped in red, white, and blue," he said.
This year Schoen and members of the PARP Committee put their heads together and came up with the theme, "X-Tra X-Tra, Read All About It: School 8 Reads Around Town." Students will immerse themselves in the history and current news events of Oceanside. Students will also have the opportunity to put together a newspaper, with the help of the Herald.
What better way to kick off this year's theme, Schoen thought, than to distribute the Herald throughout the school, which he did while disguising himself as a paperboy and riding a tricycle. "It helps sometimes just to let your hair down around kids and show them another side," Schoen said. "It definitely helps motivate and gain interest." With that said, Schoen took to the halls of School 8, surrounding himself with students and delivering newspapers to each classroom.
While Schoen struggled to pedal his way from one end of the school to the other, students followed, chanting "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" Schoen doesn't mind dressing up if it encourages students to participate. "It's good for kids to see me like this, and it promotes school-wide spirit," the principal said.
Children who participate will receive a token gift for each week they read. Class participation will be posted on a chart in the cafeteria on Wednesdays. Students can then look to see how their class is progressing as they "Read Around Town." At the end of the four weeks the class with the greatest participation in each grade will receive a grand prize.
"It's fun for kids because they are competing with each other and reading at the same time," Schoen said of PARP month. "Every class on each grade level participates and embraces this."
Parent involvement plays a big role not only in reading with their children, but helping organize activities for the whole month. "We are responsible for putting the principal up to this," joked Ellen Caprino, a member of the PARP committee. "This program runs nationwide and it focuses on literacy, and we look for ways to make this fun."
With the theme set, the program was slated to begin on March 3.
