As you know the Clinton PTA 8th Annual Tricky Tray/Auction is fast approaching (Saturday, February 12th, at St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood from 6 to 10:30 pm).

We already have 265 reservations! If you plan on coming, please reserve in advance so we can be sure we have enough seats, and enough wine and beer. Remember, this is an adults only event and only CASH and CHECKS are accepted that night. Contact Karen Betheil here about reservations.

You can find the reservation form here

SOME IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT THE EVENING:

* ONLY CASH AND CHECKS ARE ACCEPTED

* WE PROVIDE BEER, WINE, SODA, DESSERT, NAPKINS, AND CUPS

* YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR OWN FOOD, PAPER GOODS, UTENSILS, ETC.

* WE SET UP AND BREAK DOWN THE EVENT ON OUR OWN SO WHEN YOU LEAVE THAT NIGHT PLEASE CLEAR YOUR TABLE OF ANYTHING YOU’VE BROUGHT WITH YOU. WE WILL HAVE BIG TRASH BAGS FOR YOU TO USE. YOUR HELP WITH CLEAN-UP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

* THERE ARE SEVERAL KINDS OF RAFFLES, AUCTIONS. PLEASE READ EMAIL SENT LAST WEEK FOR INSTRUCTIONS

We have truly awesome prizes this year. Please check out our LIVE AUCTION prizes in advance since some require you to check your calendar. You can view our LIVE AUCTION PRIZES here:

Below are a few more of our silent auction categories. Below you can preview our Clinton School Prizes (always extremely popular) our Electronics Prizes, and our Getaways. More categories will be posted in the coming days.

SILENT AUCTION

Clinton school prizes

CL1 Lunch and a Movie with Principal Patty O’Neill and Assistant
Principal Ann Bodnar for your child and two friends. Contact Ms.
O’Neill or Ms. Bodnar to arrange a mutually agreeable date and to select a movie. Value: Priceless

CL2 Principal for a Day with Principal Patty O’Neill. Guided by Super
Principal Patty O’Neill, one lucky student will handle many principal responsibilities, including morning announcements, checking in on classrooms, and various tasks involving a walkie-talkie! Contact Ms. O’Neill to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL3 Pizza Lunch at Clinton School with Art Teacher Christine Tischio and Music Teacher Rebecca Jacobsen for your child and three friends.
Contact Ms. Tischio or Ms. Jacobsen to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL4 Silly Hat/Ice Cream Party at Clinton School with Second Grade
Teachers Joanna Leach and Paula Ortiz for your child and four friends from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Leach or Ms. Ortiz to
set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL5 Five 45-Minute Swimming Lessons for a Child (4 years and older)
with 5th Grade Teacher and Swimming Instructor Extraordinaire Debra Ceccacci. Lessons will be in a small group and will take place during the summer in an outdoor pool. Contact Ms. Ceccacci to arrange a mutually agreeable date. Value: $120

CL6 One 90-Minute Tutoring Session with 5th Grade Teacher Debra
Ceccacci to take place at Clinton School on a weekday after school. Contact Ms. Ceccacci to arrange a mutually agreeable date. Value:
Priceless

CL7 Lunch at Clinton School with the Teachers of 4F², Yolande Fleming and Joseph Ferriero, for your child and one friend. Contact Ms.
Fleming or Mr. Ferriero to arrange a mutually agreeable date. Value:
Priceless

CL8 One 3-Hour Teen Drama Class. Teen Drama, founded by Clinton teacher Joseph Ferriero and Michele Sarnoski, runs classes throughout
the school year and summer throughout the state of New Jersey. The program develops students’ theatrical skills and artistic abilities
while promoting awareness of theatre and performing arts in the community. If winner uses prize during one of Teen Drama’s camps, child will have a walk-on role in camp musical production! Click here to see the offerings at . Contact Mr. Ferriero to
schedule. Value: Priceless

CL9 One-Hour Birthday Party at Your Home (or a space you’ve rented)
with Physical Education Teachers Jordyn Freede and Jeff Lehman. Clinton’s wildly popular phys ed teachers will provide a one-hour birthday party at your house (or a space you’ve rented), with awesome games and activities. Contact Mr. Lehman or Ms. Freede to set up a
mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL10 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teacher Lara Moskowitz for your child and one friend from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Moskowitz to set up a mutually agreeable date.
Value: Priceless

CL11 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teacher Robin Ross for your child and one friend from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Ross to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL12 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teachers Cris Swan and Arlene Aguirre for your child and one friend from 2:35 to
3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Swan to set up a mutually agreeable
date. Value: Priceless

CL13 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teacher Kathy Shelffo for your child and one friend from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Swan to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value:
Priceless

CL14 Pizza Lunch at Clinton School with 4th Grade Teacher Susan Froelich for your child and two friends. Contact Ms. Froelich to set
up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL15 After School Fiesta, including snacks, prizes, and games, with Clinton Spanish Teachers Senora Zobeida Perez and Senora Alison Bekedahl Gallart for your child and five friends on a weekday afternoon (2:35 until 3:30). Contact Senora Perez to set up a mutually
agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL16 Bagel and Muffin Breakfast at Clinton School with Enrichment Teacher Denise King for your child and a friend on a Friday morning at 7:30 pm. Contact Ms. King to set up a mutually agreeable date.
Value: Priceless

CL17 After School Party at Clinton School with 5th Grade Teacher
Nicole Toto for your child and two friends. Party will include snacks, prizes, and games and will take place on a weekday from 2:35 to 3:05 pm. Please contact Ms. Toto to set up a mutually agreeable date.
Value: Priceless

CL18 One-Hour Story Time with Ms. Jennifer Latimer of the Clinton School Library. Story Time can take place at a party or small gathering. Please contact Ms. Latimer to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL19 Newly Designed Clinton School Long-Sleeved T-Shirt (Youth Size Medium) signed by Clinton faculty and staff. Value: Priceless

CL20 Wonderland Tea Party at Clinton School with Third Grade Teachers Stefanie Izzolino and Natasha Pomares for your child and three friends
from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Izzolino or Ms. Pomares to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

Electronics

E1 Memorex Compact Progressive Scan DVD Player. Value: $40

E2 Epson WorkForce 520 Wireless All-In-One Printer, Copier, Scanner,
Fax. Donated by the Gomberg family. Value: $130

E3 Flip Video – UltraHD Camcorder, Flip battery pack, and Lowepro Flip
case. Donated by the Clinton PTA Executive Board. Value: $175

E4 RCA Portable (7”) Widescreen Digital TV. Donated by the Clarke,
Hargrove, Haynie, Lunde, Ricci, and Williams Families. Value: $70

E5 Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Speck Kindle cover, and eBook
Lite.
Donated by Clinton teachers and staff. Value: $170

Getaways

G1 One Night Weekend Stay and Breakfast for Two at the Princeton
Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Princeton, New Jersey and breakfast for two the following morning in the Homestate Café.
Value: $300

G2 A Time for Two Evening at the Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook, New York.
Includes overnight accommodations for two guests on a Friday or Saturday night, plus breakfast for two in the Atrium Restaurant, and a Rowenta First Class steam compact travel iron. Value: $325

G3 Two Round Trip Tickets to Perch Home’s Guided Shopping Expedition to Renninger’s Antique Flea Market in Amish Country on Friday, April 29th. Winner will receive round trip transportation for two on a luxury bus, breakfast, snacks, and champagne as well as personal shopping assistance from Perch Home’s Michele Bessey (who was recently featured in O Magazine). Bus departs early in the morning and arrives back to Maplewood that evening. Value: $190

We’ll see you on Saturday night!!!

Our much beloved Storytelling Night is right around the corner. Click here for more information.

TRICKY TRAY AND AUCTION

As you know the Clinton PTA 8th Annual Tricky Tray and Auction will be held on Saturday evening, February 12th at the hall in St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood. Please mark you calendar and save the date. You won’t want to miss this incredibly fun event.

WE NEED PRIZES
Last year we raised $21,000 at our Tricky Tray/Auction and this year, of course, we want to do even better! That means we need lots and lots of fabulous prizes.

MONETARY DONATIONS
If you don’t have a prize/service to donate, perhaps you would be willing to make a monetary donation? We are accepting cash donations that will be used to purchase great prizes so if you would like to contribute cash, you can send a check made payable to the Clinton PTA in an envelope marked “Tricky Tray Prizes.” The money will be used toward the purchase of top-end prizes.

BUY A PRIZE TO DONATE WITH OTHER FAMILIES You can also get a few families together and purchase a prize to donate collectively. If you’d like to do this, your names will be acknowledged in the program. If you’re interested, let us know and we can make suggestions for desirable prizes based on our past experience.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYER?
Also, remember to inquire whether your employer will donate a prize.
We have an official letter we can send you for this purpose and all donations are tax deductible.

SPECIAL TALENTS/SKILLS
And if you have a special talent or skill, that can be made into a great prize too. Perhaps you’re an accomplished tennis player, and are willing to offer a one-hour private lesson. If you can bake, a decorated birthday cake would be a fabulous prize.

REGIFTING
Lastly, THERE’S NO SHAME IN REGIFTING! Did your child receive two of the same Wii games for his birthday? Perhaps you’ll receive some holiday presents you don’t want/need?
Instead of letting them collect dust, donate them to the Tricky Tray.

Please take a few moments to think about prizes you might be able to donate. THIS IS OUR BIGGEST FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR and we need your help.

We also need more volunteers to help us solicit prizes from local businesses and help with the overall planning and running of this big event. Please consider volunteering. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Cecelia here

For all the information, click here.

1. GENERAL PTA MEETING
Don’t Miss Our General PTA Meeting
Thursday, November 18th at 7:15pm in the Clinton School Cafeteria (enter through parking lot doors)

Our guest speaker will be Diane Thomson of Creative Organizing LLC and the topic is “Organizational Skills for Parents of Elementary School Age Children”

Babysitting will be provided for children 4 years of age or older.

2. WINTER CRAFT FAIR
Don’t miss our Winter Craft Fair (flyers went home in backpacks this week for this December 4th event) Also, we need some recycled materials to use at this great annual event. We are collecting the following items to re-use for some of our craft projects:

Bottle caps (metal, from root beer bottles, beer bottles, etc.) Plastic bottles with interesting bottoms (to use as a fabric stamp) Unused holiday or everyday cards (the kind you get in the mail or as a gift but you might never use) Spare game pieces, dice, etc (this will be used for a mosaic project)

If you have any of these items please send them in to school with your child in a bag/container marked “Craft Fair”

3. DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE CLINTON PTA’S OTHER MOTHERS PROGRAM

Please consider donating your gently used children’s clothes to the Clinton School account at Other Mothers Consignment Shop. This account allows us to assist families in need in our school community.

Here’s how it works:

We have been working with Other Mothers (a consignment store in South
Orange) to maintain an ongoing account that can be used by members of the Clinton School community who are in need of clothing and other necessary items for their families. This account is especially helpful to ensure that families have appropriate winter gear but it also allows us to assist families in need on an ongoing basis. We have provided close to $1200 in gift certificates to families in the past two years.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ACCOUNT TO HELP OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CLINTON COMMUNITY, please bring your gently used, quality children’s clothing (sizes preemie through child’s 16), maternity clothes, baby items, and baby furniture, into Other Mothers (Monday-Saturday, 10am-3pm) and they will put your percentage of the total resale value into a store credit account for Clinton. This account will then be used by members of our school community who are in need.

Please note that you should check their website
for specific details about their trade-in hours and what they will and will not accept.

Other Mothers is located at 461 Irvington Avenue in South Orange. They are open Mon.-Sat. from 10 to 7:00 pm. Their phone number is 973-762-4343. Trade-in hours are Monday- Saturday from 10am-3pm. Other Mothers only takes items that are clean and in good condition.

4. PARENTING CENTER HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE

Every year The Parenting Center collects toys to distribute to children in need throughout our school district. Toys can be dropped off in the front hallway of Clinton School. Click here to see the flyer with more details:

The flyer is here.

This year’s Winter Craft Fair is on Saturday, December 4th from 11am – 2pm.

The Winter Craft Fair at Clinton School is a unique event where families come and make crafts that they can give as presents OR keep for themselves! It takes a wonderful group of volunteers to make this event as special as it is.

There are different levels of help we need for the fair. If you’d like to be part of the committee that brainstorms the crafts and then gets the materials ready for the day of the craft fair, we’d love to have you! This level of help just takes 2 fun meetings, one where we brainstorm and one where we prep craft supplies and then hopefully, you’ll also be able to come to the Winter Craft Fair on December 4th!

If you’d just like to help on the day of the craft fair we need you, too! You can help for a one hour shift, or you can help for 3 hours.

Contact Leah Gomberg here if you’re interested.

This is a wonderful event and the crafts that are produced are truly one of a kind AND impressive.

As always, thank you for your support of Clinton PTA!