Holiday Assistance Party Tonight!

Holiday Assistance Party

Mrs. Allan and Mr. Ackerman are looking for a couple of volunteers to help pass our gifts at our Party Wednesday, December 14th at 4:30 in the Gymnasium.

The party is intended to support parents and families who receive holiday assistance.
There will be snacks and loads and loads of gifts!

Come on out for this final volunteer event before the holidays and show your hearty spirits!

Questions: Please contact sijal.nasralla@asheville.k12.nc.us
350-6507

Annual Holiday Luncheon

Please join your child's class for the annual Holiday Luncheon on December 13th!  RSVP using the form that came home in your Thursday folder last week. 

Claxton Winter Concert

Please join us for... 

The

Claxton Elementary

Winter Concert

Tuesday Evening

December 13th, 2011

An evening of music by

Claxton's Student Performance Groups

and

Select Grade Level Classes

in celebration of the season.

  

We know you're all collecting box tops and sending them in to Coach Swain, but did you know you can earn money for Claxton as you do your online holiday shopping?  

Over 100 retailers give eBoxTops to our school when you sign up and shop online at the Marketplace.-Easy!  We bet the stores you shop are already on the list, so this is a chance to do a little something extra without doing anything extra!  Shop enough and you'll become an Online Power Earner and can earn Bonus Box Tops!  Click here to sign up now! 


(Don't forget to take a look at the Support page for other ways you can support Claxton through the things you do everyday.)

Don't forget the tree!

Congratulations to the fifth grade on a fantastic fundraising idea -- Christmas trees and wreaths!

Pre-ordered trees were delivered to school today and they look great -- big and healthy, just like a Christmas tree should be.  These are fresh cut Fraser Fir trees from Jasperwood Farm in Leicester.

If you ordered a tree, it must be picked up TODAY, so don't forget!

There's No Business like Show Business!

Volunteers needed to Classroom Run and Supervise.

Claxton staff are in the beginning stages of what will become Doo-Wop Wed Widing Hood "A 1950's Musical Fairy Tale." Auditions beginning next week December 8^th will need volunteers throughout the day.

Email Sijal Nasralla to sign up. 

Any parents interested in Choreography, Costuming, Props, Scene Design, Make-Up, Back-stage Help, or Music? Please Contact Cindy Baldwin so we can put those special talents to good use!

ASA Showcase!

All After School Arts Students and their families are encouraged to attend the ASA Showcase Monday Nov.21 at 3p.m.  Come celebrate our students! 

Students will be showcasing what they have learned over the past 10 weeks. Parents please plan on taking your child home after the event. (There are no ASA classes on this day.)

Thanks to Amy Jones, our ASA coordinator, and to all of the instructors who have helped to make this a great ASA season for our kids!

New Claxton Merchandise on Sale

Beginning Tuesday, November 22nd

Merchandise will be available at the pickup line for dismissal.
You can also print the order form and send it in marked "PTO Merchandise"

Get your Holiday Shopping done early with great gifts for kids and teachers! 

CLAXTON MERCHANDISE PRICING 2011-2012

Tote bag .....  $7.00

Water bottle ..... $8.00

Long Sleeve Tee ..... $15.00

Full Zip Hoodie Jacket ..... $25.00

Short Sleeve Blue Tee ..... $8.00

*Please make checks payable to Claxton PTO.

Cash & checks can be placed in PTO box.

Adorable Little Bags!

The Claxton PTO is partnering with Roly Poly Crafts to bring you crazy fun reusable sandwich bags, snack bags and sandwich wraps!  We have the opportunity for our school to benefit from 30% of all sales of these adorable reusable bags by ROLY POLY.  You'll save money and keep all those plastic sandwich bags from going into the garbage day after day after day... 

Take a look at the order form and think of the gift giving season that is quickly approaching.  They'd make a great stocking stuffer for friends, family, nieces and nephews! To see additional fabric selections go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/rolypolycuts.

You're welcome to print the order form and or look for a copy in Thursday folders this week.  We'll be accepting orders through Monday November 28th.  Checks should be made payable directly to Roly Poly Crafts, and should be returned to your classroom teacher marked "PTO". The bags will be delivered approximately 2 weeks later-just in time for the holidays! 

Unsure which one is right for you?  We'll have samples outside of the Thanksgiving Lunch in the cafeteria on November 17th (you can also place orders there).

Support your school and spoil your friends. Buy these adorable ROLY POLY reusable bags!

FIRST Lego League Tournament, Nov. 19th

Bring the whole family to an exciting robotics competition where all of the competitors are kids – you’ll be amazed at what they (and their robots) can do! Hosted by the UNCA Mechatronics Engineering Department, the first ever Asheville-based official FIRST® LEGO® League Robotics Tournament will be held Saturday, November 19, 2011 from noon-5 pm at the UNCA Justice Athletic Center. Admission is free.

Three teams from Claxton, ten teams from Asheville and twenty-three teams from across western North Carolina will compete
in a series of robotics challenges and present their research on this year’s theme: Food Factor.

Food for Thought -the final event in the Reading, Riding & Retrofit Sustainable Schools series- this THURSDAY November 17th 5-7pm at the Arboretum

This Thursday's free event from 5 – 7 p.m.  features a variety of displays and short presentations around the topics of local food, gardens and healthy school environments and communities.    The focus of this event is on outdoor teaching environments – including school gardens – and building health and wellness topics into activities and the curriculum.

Claxton Spirit Night - November 15th

Come have dinner with your friends and
Help Support Claxton!

On Tuesday November 15th, 10% of all dinner sales will go to Claxton.

Bring your family!

Tell your friends!

Wild WIng Cafe Asheville

161 Biltmore Ave

828-253-3066

www.wildwingcafe.com

Book Fair Wrap!

We would like to thank teachers for brining in their students and parents for the incredible support they gave to the PTO by participating. Thank you to Ms. Geer for letting us take over the library for a week. We are still working on final numbers, and won't know for certain until the end of the online book fair (you can still order until the 23rd!), BUT it looks like we had a very successful outcome so far!

Thanks - Julie & Ginger

Classroom Volunteers Needed

Reading with Brain Mahoney
Book check-out with Linda Greer
Clerical and one-on-one with Susan Ellis
Clerical Assitance with Andrea Giglitto
Clerical Assistance with Debbie Powell
One-on-One reading with Margaret Payne
One-on-One reading with Regina Blount

Barnes & Noble Gift Wrap Fundraiser

December 3rd 9:45am-5pm

Come on out to raise money for Claxton's PTO this Winter holiday season!
We will be gift-wrapping all day and will need 2 volunteers at all times for 2 hour shifts so bring yourselves and any other little helpers if you can.

Math Game Workday

November 21st 8am-12pm
PTO Workroom
Stop in to help out with the 3rd and 4th grade math game projects.
There is still plenty of work to be done. Cutting, copying, laminateing, and bagging! Lets make sure our students are getting their games before the snowy holiday season.

For any questions please contact sijal.nasralla@asheville.k12.nc.us

Giving Thanks for Grounds Helpers!

Fall is in the air...and the plants are in the ground!  Well, many new plants that were donated to our school have been installed in recent weeks.  We'd like to thank the following businesses who so generously contributed plants to the school:

Jesse Israel & Sons Garden Center

B. B. Barns Garden Center

Reems Creek Garden Center

Southeastern Natives Nursery

Botanical Treasures

If you're planning on shopping for plants this fall or for the holiday season, please consider supporting these businesses that so generously support our school!  Let them know you're from Claxton, and please tell them "Thank You!"

Please also thank the Claxton parents and friends that have come out to do the hands-on work of getting the plants installed: Kristin Cozza, Molly Peeples, David Davidson, Bernie Griwatz, Eric Mueller, Mary Beth Kingston, Dorrie and George Sieburg, Lockie Hunter, Judy Wells, Andrew Godleski, Lee and Mary Skelton.

We really appreciate all of their hard work on such a cold and blustery workday! Hardy souls! Please give them a pat on the back (or a back rub!) if you see them.

And, if you've been at school, you've seen that we still have a number of plants to install that are placed around the grounds. If you find yourself with few extra minutes (maybe after drop off or before pickup), please feel free to bring a shovel and help out. There is a large pile of compost in front of the big metal box next to the main entrance to school. 

Book Fair, November 4th - 9th in the Media Center

Come out for a little early Christmas shopping at the Book Fair, November 4th - 9th.  The book fair will be open during the day and after school each day, with evening hours on November 8th from 5:30 - 7:00 during the Pasta Dinner hosted by the 5th grade.

Our Scholastic Book Fair this year is headed by PTO Members Julie Porter-Shirley and Ginger Frank. Housed by Mrs. Geer in the Media center. Volunteers are needed to help with sales, supervision, set-up, and break-down at time throughout the week. We're still looking for volunteers, so contact Sijal, Julie or Ginger for more information.

Pasta Dinner to Support 5th Grade

Save the Date -- November 8th

Don't be Fusilli!

Help Us get PASTa our Fundraising Goal!

Please join us 

for a pasta dinner 

to support the 5th grade 

trip to Atlanta

5:30 - 7:00

Tuesday, Nov. 8th

*Book Fair will also be open for evening hours

Yummy bake sale items for dessert!

Announcing the Go Local Card program

Love Asheville (The Asheville Grown Business Alliance) and the Asheville City Schools Foundation (ACSF) are uniting to support Asheville city schools and local businesses through the Go Local Card program. The Go Local card is a fund-raising tool for Asheville PTO (parent teacher organization) groups and the ACSF, and keeps our dollars in locally owned businesses while supporting city schools. 


AGF Co-Director Leah Ferguson notes, "We are excited to have a partner like the Asheville Grown Business Alliance. Their great vision has brought Asheville forward and is a model for the nation of participatory change. In this partnership we hope to fix a new way of looking at public school- business relationships. Funds from the cards will help to develop more vibrant and excellent public schools and all of the money stays in our community. There is no better win-win situation I can imagine." 


The Go Local card, which will be rolled out February 1, 2012, will cost $15 and gives the bearer access to discounts and special offers at locally owned businesses in Asheville for one year. For every card sold, $10 will stay in Asheville City Schools and the ACS Foundation, providing educational equity grants and resources to classrooms and teachers. PTOs will begin pre-selling the card on October 30, 2011. 


AGBA Director Franzi Charen says of the initiative “Education is a primary goal of our campaign and our children hold the future of our community in their hands. We are very excited about this opportunity to work with the public school system & think this will be a valuable initiative for all involved." 


Asheville businesses are signing onto the program now. ACSF and Love Asheville will take care of marketing and celebrate this partnership with a launch party in February. 


For information, please contact Beth Russo at AshevilleGoLocalCard@gmail.com; visit the Asheville City Schools Foundation Facebook page or call 828.713.2504.

Fall Planting

Well, we had a very cold and wet workday on Saturday. A few hardy souls (Thank you very much!!) braved the weather, and we were able to plant a lot of plants. However, we still have a lot more plants to install! Plants are placed around the front and sides of the school to be planted. Piles of compost, to amend the soil, are located near the plants and a larger pile is next to the entrance to the school.

If you and a friend have a moment the next few weeks, please bring a shovel and come plant a few plants. Please call me if you have any questions. I will be around the campus this week and Kristin Cozza and I will be at the school this coming Saturday morning (November 5). Just keep in mind that your hard work now will pay off with a beautiful this school this spring!

Thank you for all of your hard work!

-- Mary

FRIDAY Nov 4th: Sustainable Living Roadshow on the UNCA Quad 11am-6pm

SUSTAINABLE LIVING ROADSHOW
2011 RighKnow TourHosted by the Student Environmental Center
UNC Asheville
The Quad,  November  4, 2011, 10am-6pm
(If inclement weather – Alumni Hall- Hichsmith Student Union)

SHOWCASING
Solar Stage
Conscious Carnival
Solutionary Showcase
Eco Info Zone
Green Marketplace
Activation Village- Of local and on-campus solutions
Awakened Art Garden
Hemp Hut
Creation Station
Tea House

Sustainable Living Roadshow (SLR) is a caravan of educators and entertainers
who tour the country in a fleet of renewable fuel vehicles setting up off-the-grid
eco-carnivals with experiential learning villages, empowering communities to
utilize sustainable living strategies for a healthier planet.
WWW.sustainablelivingroadshow.ORG

ACFS Celebration of Champions

Claxton Grounds Day

October 29th 9am-1pm, In the Front Lot 
Parents and students,  we need your help! Come be a part of the greening of Claxton. Let’s make our school shine in our community. We'll be sprucing up the front of the school – planting, weeding, pruning, dividing perennials, deadheading. Some plants have been donated, but we are looking for more. Please bring shovels, rakes, blowers, gloves, wheelbarrow, tarp and a great love for the outdoors and our school! Things we need donated: 

• Dogwood trees –Cornus florida, 
• Native Azalea, 
• Rhododendron or Mountain Laurel, 
• Viburnum, 
• Oakleaf Hydrangea, 
• Deciduous Holly, 
• Hosta, 
• Fern, 
• Helleborus, 
• Shasta Daisy, 
• Black-eyed Susan

- Mary Hiers (Claxton Grounds Coordinator)

Sustainable Living Roadshow at UNCA on November 4th

Sustainable Living Roadshow (SLR) is working with UNC Asheville and the Southeastern Student Renewable Energy Conference (SSREC) on Nov. 4 to create a community sustainability event.  Jim Barton passed along you contact and I am reaching out to you and Transition Asheville about participating in this exciting showcase of local solutions on the Quad at UNC Asheville.

Sustainable Living Roadshow (SLR) is a caravan of educators and entertainers who tour the country in a fleet of renewable fuel vehicles setting up off-the-grid eco-carnivals with interactive learning villages at K-12 schools, universities, festivals and community events. These villages are designed to empower communities to utilize sustainable living strategies for a healthier planet.  

Check out our website for more information - www.sustainablelivingroadshow.org.

ACT Fall Carnival Pictures

And good time was had by all....

Check out pictures from the Fall Carnival here!

Claxton Spirit Night

Don't feel like cookin'?

Join the club....

Claxton Spirit Night

Thursday October 27, 2011

5:00 - 8:00pm

Tunnel Rd. Drive Thru

10% of ALL sales will go to Claxton Elementary & the Claxton PTO

Tell your friends and family!

Bring them out to support our school!

(Tunnel Road location only -- BE SURE TO MENTION CLAXTON when dining to ensure proceeds are properly attributed to Claxton)

EAT MORE CHICKIN'!