PARP is a NYS PTA 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.

This year, the Birch Lane PTA Pick a Reading Partner program theme is ‘Spread Reading Love with Acts of Kindness”.  To gear up for the program, on Friday, January 21 students in all grades at Birch Lane will participate in a virtual assembly featuring Jared Campbell.

The program officially begins on Monday, January 24 and runs through Friday, February 11.  The committee has created a variety of resources and has planned some special challenges for each week.  At the end of the program all students will receive a book along with some additional items. 

Week 1 – Families are asked to visit the Bar Harbor library and check out a book.  If your child doesn’t have a library card yet, this is a perfect opportunity to sign up for one.  When you’re at the library visit the librarian in the children’s room and scan the QR code that we have left with the librarian to log your visit to the library.  Your child will receive a special sticker from the librarian for their visit.

Week 2 – Children are asked to write a card or letter with a message of kindness to someone special.  Please take your child to the Bar Harbor Post Office (in the South Gate Shopping center) and go to the window to give the card or letter to the postal worker.  They, too, will have a QR code for you to scan to log your visit to the post office. Your child will receive a different sticker (that they may choose to place on the card/letter they are mailing) from the post office.  You must go to the window for these items.

Week 3 – We ask that you visit the Bar Harbor library again to return the book you took out in week 1 and to select a new book.  Again, please visit the librarian in the children’s room and scan the QR code that we have left with the librarian to log your visit to the library.  Your child will receive a different sticker from the librarian for this visit.

All of the resources for this year’s program can be accessed here: