Our school wants to try a new March reading month program. We want to make it a huge deal with a reading contest, a family party, decorating the hallways...etc. I would love to hear some ideas for this.

The principal, the librarian and I are going to get together in the next week or so and set a schoolwide reading goal. If the kids meet it, there will be a special assembly...the principal and I will read them a book...from the roof.

Our school always makes a big deal out of our PARP program (parents as reading partners). It usually runs in March, but not necessarily. The chairpeople are both teachers. They come up with a theme and then write a skit that kicks off the month. It is held during the day as an assembly. Last year was "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"....About 10 or so teachers pretended to be potential contestants. Our stage manager (A very theatrical teacher) interviewed each of them and asked them what they would do with the money if they won. They were all very funny. One was Encyclopedia Brown. One was was a Big Mama Lou from Kalamazoo (who likes to wear blue...). Another was a wanna-be country signing star. When asked what he would do with the money he belted out "If I Had A Million Dollars" (by the Barenaked Ladies). The kids had been learning the song in music class that week and all joined in!! It was really great. That play ended with the principal getting called up as a contestant. The Superintendant of Schools played Regis. The principal got to the 2nd to last question and time was up. Then the stage manager said to the audience that the show didn't have enough $$ to pay her if she won. The kids had to read $5000 in book bucks to make that goal. They had a month to do it. Every Friday there was a little skit on the announcements about how close they were. Every book buck was for 15 minutes of reading at home. The wrap up show was an Ask The Audience question. And, of course, READING was the final answer. I hope this post doesn't completely bore you. I just really thought this program was exceptional and maybe it will spark some ideas for someone else!!

last year we had "reading under the stars" night and the principal, assistant principal, random sports figure, several parents, etc read their favourite books to the kids. This was a night activity and we had the usual bake sale with it (and probably a raffle). This was a huge crowd drawer. Lots of fun.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by juliedio:
Our school always makes a big deal out of our PARP program (parents as reading partners). It usually runs in March, but not necessarily. The chairpeople are both teachers. They come up with a theme and then write a skit that kicks off the month. It is held during the day as an assembly. Last year was "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"....About 10 or so teachers pretended to be potential contestants. Our stage manager (A very theatrical teacher) interviewed each of them and asked them what they would do with the money if they won. They were all very funny. One was Encyclopedia Brown. One was was a Big Mama Lou from Kalamazoo (who likes to wear blue...). Another was a wanna-be country signing star. When asked what he would do with the money he belted out "If I Had A Million Dollars" (by the Barenaked Ladies). The kids had been learning the song in music class that week and all joined in!! It was really great. That play ended with the principal getting called up as a contestant. The Superintendant of Schools played Regis. The principal got to the 2nd to last question and time was up. Then the stage manager said to the audience that the show didn't have enough $$ to pay her if she won. The kids had to read $5000 in book bucks to make that goal. They had a month to do it. Every Friday there was a little skit on the announcements about how close they were. Every book buck was for 15 minutes of reading at home. The wrap up show was an Ask The Audience question. And, of course, READING was the final answer. I hope this post doesn't completely bore you. I just really thought this program was exceptional and maybe it will spark some ideas for someone else!!<hr></blockquote>

Would really like some info on the PARP program from juliedio, old pro. thanks.