As a person who feels blessed to live in a community as diversified as ours, the creation of a multi-disciplinary, year long slate of arts programming is a wonderful opportunity, an enormous challenge and like everything else that occurs within the walls of our schools, an enormous responsibility to our community and our children. The goal of the programming is to further enrich our children’s educational experience by exposing them to a variety of art forms that are reflective of our community’s many different cultures, but at the same time is able to galvanize our children around ideas and themes that highlight our need to connect with each other, creating a “South Mountain Culture” that we can all be proud to embrace.

Art, of course, is subjective and not everyone will be equally moved by the experiences that we provide. Some of us and/or our children might not like something at all, or might even be offended by something that is said. But this is part of the beauty of the arts. They invite us to think and discuss how we feel- and as a working parent – I am thankful for anything that provides me with an opportunity to talk with my kids about how they feel and what they think about the things they see and hear.

I am grateful to the parents and teachers who have sent ideas along. Please continue to share with me anything that you hear about that you think would be of interest to our kids.

Finally, as all of you who have ever been solicited by a dance troupe, theatre company, museum, etc known, art is not free. It relies on patronage by those who believe in its value as a rewarding part of human growth. Your financial support of the PTA has a direct impact on our ability to bring these programs to our kids. We would have no Cultural Arts programs without your help and therefore, know, that each time our auditorium is filled with enthusiastic applause, our kids are ultimately applauding you and your belief in the value of the arts as education and the celebration of the cultural stew that makes South Orange/Maplewood such a remarkable place to live.

If you can volunteer, please fill out our online form. Thanks!

Russell Kaplan
Cultural Arts Liaison
russell.rfk@verizon.net