West Islip Parents Transform School Into Coast-To-Coast Reading Adventure For PARP Program

WEST ISLIP, NY — Bayview Elementary School students in West Islip stepped into an a cross-country journey through America for the schools PARP program in April.

From a towering New York City skyline and a replica Brooklyn Bridge to Hollywood-inspired displays, Coney Island attractions and tropical ocean scenes, the transformation was part of Bayview Elementary’s annual Pick A Reading Partner program, better known as PARP, which this year adopted a “Stars, Stripes, and Stories” theme in celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.

For two weeks, students traveled through hallways representing landmarks, cities and regions across the country while logging nightly reading minutes, participating in themed activities and engaging with classmates, teachers and family reading partners.

“This builds their excitement, but it also encourages their curiosity,” teacher Taylor Gonzalez said to Patch during a walkthrough of the transformed school. “They walk in here and it’s right away with the questions. We think Pick A Reading Partner is just, ‘Let’s get them to read more,’ but the fact that they put in so much creativity and time into creating this school building the way it looks creates a lot of engagement for them.”

One cafeteria wall featured a handmade New York City skyline alongside FDNY and NYPD tributes and a “We Will Never Forget” message.

Nearby displays recreated landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the Golden Gate Bridge. Another area transformed the school into a version of Coney Island complete with a Wonder Wheel and roller coaster, while a separate hallway recreated Hollywood with oversized marquee-style decorations and movie-themed displays.

More than 40 volunteers — including parents, fathers and teachers — spent months planning and building the displays.

“The PTA came in all weekend for almost 12 hours,” Amanda Manfredo said.

Chrissy Woodland, chair of the PARP elementary school program said the production was organized through smaller leadership groups, with volunteers assigned to different hallways and featured locations throughout the school.

The PTA itself has grown into one of the district’s largest parent organizations, with organizers estimating membership at well over 300 parents and family members. This year’s patriotic concept came from Woodland’s son, Sal Christiano, a West Islip high school sophomore.

“We are very fortunate in West Islip,” Woodland said. “We have a great set of parents and grandparents. It’s really amazing who comes out to help.”

Students logged nightly reading sessions with reading partners and submitted signed reading logs every morning.

“Every night the kids have their reading partners sign a log, and it has to be at least minimum 20 minutes,” Woodland said. “Then the next morning I go in and I check literally 400 logs for two weeks straight.”

The school also incorporated daily themed activities, reading challenges and classroom tie-ins throughout the event. Students participated in dress-up days, crossword puzzles, map activities, bookmarks, music performances and literacy games, while classroom lessons connected directly to the patriotic theme.

“There’s a calendar prepared for them, and each day is something different,” Gonzalez said. “There’s parcels the PTA hands out every morning, and in the parcel is a different activity for the kids to do each day.”

Teachers said the visual environment helped reinforce lessons already taking place in classrooms.

“We’re currently reading the preamble and the introduction of the Declaration of Independence,” Gonzalez said. “It all comes together for them learning about the 250th anniversary.”

Students could use physical books, digital books or even reading sessions with parents or siblings to count toward their totals.

The school’s PARP Night event also drew record participation this year. Students rotated through themed stations throughout the building featuring reading activities, music, dance, games and American-themed literacy challenges.

“In the end we had 328 students,” Woodland said. “It’s our biggest one yet. I’ve been doing this for 12 years now, and this has been the biggest one.”

Woodland said the most meaningful moments came from students who unexpectedly connected with reading through the experience.

“There’s some kids out there that are really struggling,” Woodland said. “I’ve gotten phone calls from moms saying their child refused to read but came home and was so excited about the program. It melts my heart.”

She said students even left handwritten notes thanking her for helping create the displays.
“I had little notes written to me by some kids and left in their folders telling me to have a great day and that they were proud of me that I decorated all this,” Woodland said. “So it really is very rewarding.”