Riley Avenue Elementary School Hosts 'Parents As Reading Partners'

RIVERHEAD, NY - Riley Avenue Elementary School recently got parents and kids engaged in the art of reading together.

The school hosted a two-week "Parents as Reading Partners" week from March 7 to 18; this year's theme was "Reading Lights the Way to Learning."

Fun included a night of robotics, a science fair, an night with Long Island authors, bridge building, and a "mad" scientist.

Parents who participated in the program were asked to read with their child for at least 15 minutes each evening and to fill out a "light bulb" worksheet. On each light bulb, the students wrote the title of the book and the main idea of the book they had chosen to read. The light bulbs were posted in the hallway to "light the way to learning".

During the first evening event, the Riverhead Robotics Club, along with high school technology teacher and Robotics Club advisor Luke Ferland visited Riley Avenue and introduced kids to their custom-made robot, showing the students how the mechanical, electrical, and computer components work together.

With a focus on hands-on learning, Riley students were able to change computer coding, which programmed the robot to launch a ball into one of three hula-hoops at varying distances.

The second week included an author and illustrator family reading night. One of the authors, Rose Nigro, donated autographed copies of her book, "A Duck's Tail", to each of the classroom libraries; the book tells the story of The Big Duck.

The week concluded with School Spirit Day and a "Mad Scientist" assembly; the mad scientist engaged students in experiments and shared information about solids and gases, part of the elementary science curriculum.

Patch photos courtesy of the Riverhead Central School District.