Washington School PARP 2026 Kicks Off

Washington Primary School kicked off PARP 2026 initiative with game show trivia. Faculty members curated a fun-filled game show aligned with this year’s Mario Land inspired PARP theme of “Reading: The Ultimate Power Up.”

“This year’s teams are Team Mario, Team Luigi, Team Yoshi, and Team Princess Peach,” Washington Principal Dr. Michelle J. Richards said. “Throughout the month of March, students will Pick A Reading Partner to read with at home. They will log the minutes read and turn in the reading log on Thursdays. At the end of each week, the team with the most minutes read will receive a special Mario Land inspired prize.”

“Learning to read is the single most important activity in a child’s education,” according to the New York State PTA, the official sponsor of PARP statewide. “Studies show that children who read at home are better prepared to succeed in formal education. PARP is a program that asks a partner (parent, grandparent, babysitter, older sibling, cousin, friend, etc.) to read with a child for at least 20 minutes daily.”

PARP, developed in 1978 by NYS Senator James Donovan, is a program that cements the necessary bond between the home and the school to encourage love of reading in our children.  The program was originally named Parents As Reading Partners but was changed in 2015 to support more inclusive language.