Gotham had Batman. Metropolis had Superman. The Tabernacle School District? It has the Tabernacle Township PTA.
The comparison, though dramatic, is appropriate as the PTA acts as an often silent and overlooked partner in supporting the district’s schools.
“The work that we do or programs we provide can go under the radar, and that’s fine. Our focus is to support our teachers and students,” PTA president Jennifer Quartarone said.
Just days off one of its biggest events of the year, Tabernacle Community Night, the association continues to plan fundraisers for the rest of the school year. The community night event grew in size compared to recent years.
“The last few years we had removed the craft selling element of the night, and that is something I wanted to bring back because I felt it was something we needed,” Quartarone said.
The evening started with a spaghetti dinner then offered a variety of activities for both children and parents, including a dance party, book fair, cake walk and even an appearance from Santa Claus. Any event the PTA holds can count on heavy support from the district’s teachers and administrators.
“We have an amazing relationship with our teachers, our principals and our superintendent,” Quartarone said. “They support our functions 150 percent. Many of our teachers are active community members, so they are happy to be involved. I can go to any one of our teachers or our principals and know we’ll have their support.”
Teacher involvement in the PTA’s next event will require more than just a time commitment. It will also require the ability to ball.
“We’re excited to bring in the show basketball team, the Harlem Wizards, later this year. The Wizards will be playing a team made up of teachers from throughout the Seneca sending district, which should be a lot of fun,” Quartarone said.
The Harlem Wizards are a professional entertainment basketball team similar to the Harlem Globetrotters in that they bring a combination of basketball skill and fun for the audience.
“I’ve gone to see the Wizards three times and they really put on a great show,” Quartarone said. “It’s very interactive. They pull kids down on the court; they randomly pick people to get involved. The kids get into it.”
The fundraising events allow the PTA to support several initiatives for students in both Olson Middle School and Tabernacle Elementary School.
“We’re able to have authors visit the schools and do readings. We purchased new curtains for the stages in both auditoriums. The carnival we throw at the end of year for TES are all possible because of the events’ sponsor,” Quartarone said.
In addition to support from the district’s employees, Quartarone said the PTA can always count on Tabernacle as a community to support its schools.
“Tabernacle is amazing as a community in how supportive they are and how proud
they are of the education their kids receive,” Quartarone said.
The Harlem Wizards event will take place at Seneca High School on Jan. 13. Advance tickets for students and children ages 4 and up are $10 and $12 for adults. For more information contact Quartarone at (609) 388–4166 or mrsJQ5@gmail.com.
