PTA President's letter:

Education researchers often write about the importance of business and community support and involvement in public schools. And it’s true. When schools and the community work together the results can be wonderful, even magical, as our Read-a-thon kick off has shown.

The PTA thanks all of the individuals, businesses, and organizations who donated their time or money to our Read-a-thon. First, our biggest thanks go to First Books, a national non-profit based in Washington, DC, which donated nearly $20,000 worth of books to our students. The books we received from them, especially Sabuda and Reinhart’s Castle: Knights and Days, were stupendous. Second, we’d like to offer a huge thanks to local resident, Seth Boyden parent, and Broadway actor, John Dossett. Dressed in knight’s clothes and renamed Sir Reads-A-Lot, John visited every class-room (along with our very own “King Quiles”) to announce the beginning of the Read-a-thon. Third, we’d like to thank Marc Aronson, a local resident and children's author and historian who has volunteered to come in and make history come alive for our children. And finally, we would like to thank our local businesses—Maplewood Stationers and the Village Ice Cream Parlor who donated gift certificates for our Read-a-thon raffles.

Giving this year has not just been directed to our Read-a-thon. We are also receiving the help and support of the community in many other areas. The Garden State Arts Foundation has funded the fourth-grade dance residency with Lydia Johnson Dance. Captain Planet Foundation has donated $1,000 to-wards the purchase of a resource box for outdoor education. The Rotary Club has provided dictionaries to our third graders and to third graders across the district. SOMEF’s Achieve Tutors have donated their time to our struggling students. Numerous local businesses have given gift certificates and goods that will help us raise money for our school library through our upcoming auction.

It really does take a village to raise our children and we are grateful to all those who care enough about them to help us with our endeavor.

All the best,
Kim Sukel
973.275.0269
sukel3@verizon.net

November 2007