The Craig School

 PACs Membership Letter (52 kB)

The Parents' Association of The Craig School, commonly referred to as "PACS", is a volunteer organization made up of parents who want to support the Craig mission by becoming actively involved in the Craig community.  PACS is run by its Executive Committee, which works closely with the school's administration to target ways that parents can become active participants in Craig life.

It goes without saying that an engaged and active parent body, contributing its time and ideas, is a strong asset to an independent school.  For parents, however, the most important reason to become involved is your children - to contribute in ways that will enrich their school life during their years at Craig.

We urge all of our parents to become members of PACS and participate in its many activities listed below.

PACS Sponsored Events

Holiday Events

• Annual Holiday Fruit Sale  PACS encourages businesses and individuals to purchase from a selection of holiday fruit and flowers for friends and employees. The proceeds directly benefit the school.
• PACS Charity Event - The Giving Tree  This event is organized before the winter holidays to collect holiday gifts from the families, faculty, administration and board of The Craig School for the children of The Wanaque Rehabilitation Center.
• Annual Holiday Fund  PACS organizes the Holiday Fund for The Craig School faculty and staff on behalf of our parents, as a means of expressing our deep appreciation for their dedication to our children throughout the year.

Other Fundraisers

• Throughout the school year, PACS provides a number of opportunities for parents to benefit Craig financially, including through online shopping sites and search engines such as iGive and iSearch, and through Boxtops for Education.. 

Craig Gear

• "Be True to Your School!"  Craig Gear clothing, accessories and supplies offer students, parents and faculty the opportunity to show their school spirit! 

Teacher Appreciation

• Each spring, PACS honors The Craig School faculty and staff  with a luncheon and other festivities, as a way of thanking them for their efforts all year long on behalf of the children.

PACS Speaker Series

• In addition to its regular meetings during the school year, PACS schedules guest speakers to make presentations on topics of special interest to Craig parents.

PACS Supported Events

Annual Chili Throwdown

Each October, Craig School families gather to enjoy an afternoon of food, "catching up" and coversation.  PACS lends its financial and member support to this fun filled event.

Annual Spring Auction

The  Spring Auction is Craig's largest fundraising event, and PACS assists the Development Department by recruiting its members to join the Auction Committee.  Additionally, PACS, through its communications, provides the parent community information and updates as the Auction Committee prepares for this spectacular event.

PACS Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering for PACS is a great way to meet and get to know other Craig parents, and to become a more integral part of the Craig community.  If you can fill any of the open positions below, or would like to know other ways you can help out, please contact:

PACS Volunteer Coordinator - Kathy Rodriguez 

                                            This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or

                                            (973) 379-6964

PACS Parent - Karen Kelly

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                                            (973) 601-1959

Chairs, Co-Chairs and Members are needed for the following committees:

Auction - 50/50 Raffle:  Be a part of the Auction Team and work with the Auction Liaison and the Development Office to plan and implement a successful 50/50 Raffle for Craig's Annual Spring Auction.  The 2011 50/50 Raffle SOLD OUT prior to auction night and generated a $10,000 pot, split between the winners and The Craig School!  Skills desired:  creativity, organization and record keeping (possessing any ONE of these skills makes you a good candidate!).   Timing:  begins in January, but the busiest time is April.

Auction - Live and Silent Auctions:  Work with the Auction Liaison and the Development Office to cultivate a successful auction.  Join the team to solicit, track, collect, package and display both live and silent items.  Encourage participation from other Craig families.  Skills desired:  creativity, an outgoing personality, persistence, creative writing, record keeping, creative display and most of all - a sense of fun!  Timing:  January to May, but the last 3 weeks is "crunch time".

Auction - General Help:  Mailings, Decorations, etc:  Help Auction Liaison and Development Office with various short-term duties, including collating invitations, purchasing and setting up decorations in coordination with the acution theme and soliciting other volunteers to help with these tasks as needed.  Busiest time is March to May.

Baking/Hospitality:  Coordinate volunteers to provide baked goods for social gatherings and information sessions during the school year including:  LS/MS Back to School Night (October 6th), Fall and Spring PACS meetings and Craig Expo (May 11th).

Craig Gear:  Take and fill orders, collect funds and work with venders to ensure all orders are met.  Samples should be displayed at New Student Orientation (September 1st), LS/MS Parent Welcome Breakfast (September 6th), HS Back to School Night (September 22nd), LS/MS Back to School Night (October 6th), Chili Throwdown (October 15th) and Grandfriends Day (November 23rd).

Parent Socials:  Organize, publicize and attend informal parent socials (meeting for coffee, etc.) to increase a sense of Craig community among Lower School, Middle School and High School parents.