Irving Primary School may be the home to the Highland Park School District’s youngest learners, in the words of Irving Principal Kelly Freeborn, but the elementary school has been around a very long time. Irving this year is celebrating its 100th birthday, and the Irving School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is working to mark the milestone with a brand new fundraising initiative on March 12, 2016.
From 6 p.m. to 9:30, March 12, at Pino’s, 13 North Fourth Avenue, the PTO is hosting an Irving School Silent Auction, whose proceeds will be used for “learning enrichment initiatives,” such as arts programming with Young Audiences and environmental programming with Clean Communities. The evening will feature music by local rock star Pete Horvath, who graduated from Highland Park High School.
The parent volunteers of the silent auction, including Christina Jelinski, Kate Hoffmann Woodside, Jodi Riccardi, and Christine Hersh, are asking members of the Highland Park community not only to attend the March 12 event and bid, bid, bid on a wide variety of items, but also to help solicit auction items. Right now, they have gathered a wide variety of items from local merchants and restaurants but would appreciate connecting with more vendors and individuals, who could provide lifestyle gift items that would appeal to the residents of Highland Park, such as artwork, theater/concert/movie tickets, or perhaps a weekend use of a Jersey Shore condo. Anyone who is eager to help with the silent auction, please email: Jelinskiwedding@gmail.com
“As a small school system in a very diverse community, the Highland Park School District a broad range of programs and learning opportunities that are enhanced by strong support from families and community members,” said the School Superintendent Dr. Scott Taylor. The Irving PTO attempt to raise money for learning enrichment initiatives is an example of this strong support from families and communities.