How about a magazine subscription? You can order online and Clinton will receive a percentage of your purchase, so you’ll be giving two gifts at once.

You can do it through Reader’s Digest Magazine Fundraising.

Thanks, as always, for supporting Clinton School! And Happy Holidays from the Clinton PTA.

For the last several years, Clinton School has been the fortunate recipient of Artist-in-Residence Grants from the NJ Council on the Arts. Our 4th grade students have been the lucky beneficiaries of these programs and in the recent past they’ve created beautiful murals with a professional muralist, constructed 3-D ceramic art with a professional artist, and last year, learned and performed dances from around the world with a team of top-notch professional dancers.

The Clinton PTA partnered with Principal O’Neill and applied, and received, another arts grant for this school year (its focus is jazz music) and had even started interviewing artists when we received bad news from the Council.

Gov.-elect Christie has asked Gov. Corzine to freeze payment of all 2010 NJ State Council on the Arts grants until at least January 19 (nearly 14 million dollars worth). This grave crisis is affecting every arts organization and arts program in NJ that receives state funding and it’s also affecting Clinton School since we cannot move forward with our residency until the freeze is lifted. The Council is hoping that the freeze is quick and temporary and that residencies can resume in March but the future of our grant is uncertain, to say the least. Additionally, it takes several months to put the grant into action and complete the program, so there is no guarantee that we will have it at all for this school year.

It is important to let our legislators know how this freeze is affecting our children’s educational experience. Please make your voice heard. Visit www.artpridenj.com and click the Action Alert button to find out who to write to and what methods of delivery are available.

We’ve worked hard year after year to get these grants and implement them into our students’ daily lives. As a PTA we’ve matched the NJ Council on the Arts funds in order to make these programs available. Arts education is incredibly beneficial to our school community. Please make your voice heard as we are in danger of losing this wonderful program.

–Cecelia Cancellaro

If you’d like to read more about the freeze here are some links:

Starving N.J. arts: A sad consequence of our budget crisis

Fate of New Jersey Arts Groups Uncertain as State Freezes $10 Million in Funding PND

STATE FUNDING FREEZE COULD MEAN TROUBLE FOR THE ARTS on NBC40

Each year the PTA provides a gift of homemade holiday cookies for the teachers and staff as a way to say thank you for all they do for our kids.

Whether you can bake a few dozen cookies or help package and distribute them, it’s a great way to lend your support.

Cookies can be dropped off BY 8:30 AM on Monday, December 21st, in the cafeteria. The cookie elves will then package and distribute them from 8:30 until approximately 10:30 am.

Please see flyer for information on how to volunteer.

Forms will be going home today via your child’s backpack. Registration closes this Friday, so please don’t put it off. Thank you to all the directors who have volunteered to work with our children for the next 3 months. We can’t wait to get started!

Thanks to the support of Clinton parents, teachers, and staff, the Clinton PTA Executive Board is delighted to announce that we’ve reached our membership goal for this school year. We are now 226 members strong!

It is the commitment, involvement, and constant collaboration of the various segments of our school community that makes Clinton such a special place. Our PTA does an amazing job of enriching the school experience for Clinton students. Whether through big initiatives (playground and climbing wall purchases, complete auditorium renovation), or the funding of an amazing array of cultural arts assemblies throughout the year, or the many events and programs the PTA sponsors, we have proven our ability to work together on behalf of Clinton School in positive, productive, and extremely creative ways.

If you’d like to read more about PTA initiatives, or join the PTA, if you haven’t already, visit the PTA page.

Thanks for your support and Happy Holidays!

The Clinton PTA Executive Board

Short-sleeved Clinton T-shirts are $12

Clinton Car Magnets are $5

Clinton School Rainbow Poster $7

Clinton School Cookbook “The Melting Pot” – $10

Just send the info below with your check made payable to the “Clinton PTA,” and we will send the items home with your child (in a sealed envelope so they can’t see what’s inside).

Name: ______________________________________________

Child’s Name and Teacher: _____________________________

Phone Number _________________________

Email _________________________________

Circle One

T-Shirt Small Medium Large ($12)

Magnet ($5)

Rainbow Poster ($7)

Cookbook ($10)

Happy Holidays from the Clinton PTA!