PTA New Jersey Congress of Parents & Teachers (18535 Jefferson Pta)

Playgrounds are a vital part of childhood. Playgrounds help children develop physical strength, coordination and balance. They provide opportunities for utilizing social skills, imagination and creativity, as well as critical thinking and problem solving as children assess risks and tackle new challenges. Children develop confidence and a sense of self as they master new skills and make new friends.

School districts rely on PTA's to raise funds for playgrounds. Unfortunately, playgrounds are expensive and budget cuts have left many districts, including ours, with little to no funds to support these type of projects. 

Last year, the Jefferson PTA set aside $10,000 to seed a Playground Fund.  A Playground Committee- comprised of families with children at both Marshall and Jefferson- has been created and is already hard at work developing a fundraising campaign that will kick off in January of 2015. Our long-term goal is to raise $90,000 (for a total of $100,000) by the spring of 2016, and to have the new structure installed and ready for the 2016-2017 school year. If, by the spring of 2015, there is sufficient funding, we will consider plans to construct the playground in two phases, with one section installed in the summer of 2015 and the second section installed in the summer of 2016.

This is an ambitious project, but we are confident that our extended community will recognize the important role playgrounds play in the development of elementary school aged children, and that our families will embrace this challenge as we strive to create an outdoor space that thousands of MJ students will enjoy for years to come.