Gear up for Go Local Card Pre-Sales starting this November!

What is the Go Local Card?  

Go Local Card is a community-wide campaign to support the Asheville City Schools. It is unique in our community and unique across the country. Locally owned businesses have donated a discount to card holders for one year. 100% of the proceeds will benefit schools and our community by supporting your school, the Asheville City Schools Foundation, and the Asheville Grown Business Alliance.

What is the Go Local Card Fundraiser? The Go Local Card Fundraiser is a unique opportunity to pre-sell loyalty cards that provide discounts to the purchaser for over 300 local businesses all over Asheville. The cards sell for $15.  Five dollars from each card sold goes directly to your school or PTO. Our schools are offered a unique pre-sale window from November 1 to December 1, 2013 so that you can ensure your school gets $5 from each card. This year, we added many new business and focused on those close to our schools.  Contact Erica@acsf.org or (828) 350-6139 for more info.

Calling all Champions…attention Parents!

Do you have a volunteer at your school that is OUTSTANDING? ACSF requests YOUR nominee! We are going to be able to attract an inspiring and diverse group of nominees and we want your input from every school!

Need to Know:

·         Asheville City Schools Foundation wants to honor unsung heroes at their 10th Annual signature event-The Celebration of Champions.

·         Seeking nominations from all schools in the categories of Lifetime Achievement Award, Business Champion, Community Agency Champion (faith-based, non-profits, etc.), Volunteer Champion, Parent Leader Champion as well as Parent Champions for each school that is new this year.

·         Panel will be seeking persons or organizations that have gone above and beyond in leadership across schools or in their respective school that met a previously under-served population or unidentified need.

·         Attached is the nomination form that needs to be returned back to the foundation by email to Erica@acsf.org or by courier December 15th. All nominees will be notified by February 15.

Book Fair Thank You!

Thank you to all of the volunteers and families who purchased items at our Scholastic Book Fair. You helped us make this a huge success! Our fair sales totaled $8,046. That means our teachers will get to spend $4,023 in Scholastic Dollars. You made this happen!

Auction planning meeting

CLAXTON FALL GROUNDS WORKDAY

THIS Saturday, October 19th from 9am to 12pm

We will need help moving railroad ties and large stones. We will also be dividing and transplanting perennials, spreading mulch and raking leaves. Bring friends if you can!

Bring your spades, pitchforks, hard rakes, large muscles, wheelbarrows, 

leftover 8”-10” black nursery pots, and garden knives.

Children are encouraged to help, but both playgrounds will be open, just in case ;)

Pizza lunch provided!

Thank you,

Claxton PTO Grounds Committee

Tricia Johnson, Kristin Cozza and Molly Peeples

upcoming district-wide PTO meeting

2 times to choose from 

Tuesday, October 15, 12:00-1:30 pm

Asheville City Schools Board Room, 85 Mountain Street, 28801

Lunch  will be provided by Asheville City Schools (advise us of any dietary restrictions)

Childcare is available (please let us know if you need it)

Please RSVP by Friday, October 11th

Tuesday, October 15, 5:30-7:00 pm

Asheville City Schools Training Room, 85 Mountain Street, 28801

Dinner will be provided by Asheville City Schools (advise us of any dietary restrictions)

Childcare is available (please let us know if you need it)

Please RSVP by Friday, October 11th

We will introduce everyone to Marta Alcala-Williams, the brand new Parent Engagement Coordinator for the district, and provide a venue for you to share with Marta and me what worked well last year, how Marta might be able to support you this year, and if the district should support the continuation of quarterly PTO meetings.

We would love to have at least 2 people from each school attend. This is a good opportunity for each school to share with Marta their ideas for future parent outreach and your PTO’s priorities for this school year. And, of course, this will be a good opportunity for parents of all ACS schools to discuss topics, ideas and concerns that affect their children and all ACS students.

If you would like to submit an additional item to put on the agenda, please let Jay Lively know.

Feel free to email me with any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Jay Lively

Volunteer Training and Outreach Programs Director

Asheville City Schools Foundation

828-350-6135

3 Teacher PTO minigrants awarded!

We are pleased to award 3 teacher minigrants in this Fall award cycle.

Ms. Then will receive $150.00 to create a Fourth grade Comics Club.  As Ms. Then notes, ‘The educational potential of combining pictures and words has become apparent; in a world where children are faced with a multiple of electronic gadgets and distractions, they still love to read comic books!”

Ms. Head will receive $200.00 to purchase software applications for the IPad mini initiative. The first grade team, along with the ITF and Literacy Coach of Claxton, was awarded a grant from ACSF to purchase 30 IPad minis, and no funds remained for purchase of software. This grant will purchase the software needed.

Ms. Lange was awarded $150.00 to help expand the Spanish/English Bilingual section of our library. Students from K-5 will be affected by the expansion of this section in the media center.

Please join the PTO in congratulating these teachers when you see them!

The spring minigrant deadline will be announced later in the school year.

Last Chance to Shop the Book Fair!

Our in-school Book Fair has ended, but you are still able to shop the Online Book Fair now through October 22nd. This extended shopping will give you a chance to shop an expanded selection of titles, find an out-of-stock book or just stock up on some reading favorites

Best of all, purchases benefit Claxton. All online orders ship for FREE to the school, after the Online Fair has ended.

Benefits of Online Shopping:

Ø Convenient access 24 hours! Expanded selection for ALL ages—preschool to adult

Ø Search for books by category, grade, age & price

Ø ALL purchases benefit our school

Ø FREE shipping directly to our school (orders will be sent home with your child)

So check out the Online Book Fair and thanks for supporting our school!

To access Claxton's book fair, go to http://onlinebookfairs.scholastic.com/default.aspx?f=3186561

Open Dream Ensemble needs help providing breakfasts

Oct. 30-Nov. 1 the Open Dream Ensemble will be sending 8 actors from Charlotte for a 3-day residency teaching science through playwriting and acting to 14 classes at Claxton.  We received a grant to fund the residency, but they have asked that we provide them with breakfast for each of the three days of their visit.

Below is a link to a google spreadsheet where you can sign up to help out by bringing one breakfast item for one day (e.g., bagels or coffee or fruit or juice).  All you have to do is bring enough for 8 people to the Teacher Break-room by 8:00 on the morning you have chosen.

The ODE has also let us know that they would be most appreciative if we can provide them with discount coupons or other deals to local restaurants to help defray the cost of their other meals.  Let me know if you can help with this.

Otherwise, I really appreciate you signing up below.  Thanks for your help! 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgWLw83omCwIdDZJVVc3ajZwa1hjbFpCZzdORGJwNkE&usp=sharing

The Read-A-Thon has Begun!

Last year's Read-A-Thon was a huge success. Many of our children jumped reading levels because of all the extra time they spent reading. They also helped raise over $6,000 for Claxton! Because of the success of the Read-A-Thon, for the first time we were able to take all the profits from the Scholastic book fair and give each teacher $160 to buy books for their classroom.

Let's make this year's Read-A-Thon an even bigger success! This week, your child brought home a reading log and a pledge sheet to participate in this fundraiser. If you have misplaced or did not get a letter and these forms, there are more at the front desk in the lobby. As a reminder, the Read-A-Thon ends Thursday, October 24th.

If you have any questions please contact either Joan Best at joansbest@gmail.com or Julie Porter-Shirley at julescashion@yahoo.com

International Walk/Bike to School Day on October 9, 2013

CONTACT: Coach Swain 828-350-6532 jesse.swain@asheville.k12.nc.us

                                         

Claxton Elementary School will celebrate

International Walk/Bike to School Day on October 9, 2013

WHAT:                       Claxton Elementary School in Asheville, NC will be joining schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk/Bike to School Day on October 9, 2013.

                                   

WHERE:                    If your child already walks or bikes to school, we ask that they do the same on October 9^th. For all students and parents who are interested in participating in the Walk/Bike who do not live in walking distance of the school can meet at two locations: the parking lot at Weaver Park, or in the parking lot at Fuddruckers on Charlotte St. Staff members will be at both locations by 7:15. We will leave both locations at 7:30 en route to Claxton.  

WHEN:                      Gather at 7:15 a.m., walk to begin at 7:30 a.m.    

SIGNIFICANCE:      In the U.S., International Walk to School Day is expected to include more than 4,000 events across all 50 states. Walkers from the U.S. will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world.

Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.

The event is being organized by Claxton Elementary School’s Wellness Team. All students who participate will receive a bottle of water and a Cliff Bar.

Walk to School Day in the USA                                 www.walktoschool.org                       

National Center for Safe Routes to School                www.saferoutesinfo.org

International Walk to School Day                               www.iwalktoschool.org

Hurrah for Claxton volunteers!

$530 earned for our PTO!

What a wonderful group of volunteers we had at the Claxton PTO aid station for the ACT Marathon this past Saturday!

 We were there at 5:30 in the morning cheering and handing out fluids to runners at mile 4. 

By doing this, we earned a whopping $530.00 for our PTO! 

Come to the International Potluck!

International Potluck

Tuesday, October 8th from 5-7:30 pm

Can you help us by making food from your country? 

How about a traditional game or craft? 

Would you like to demonstrate some traditional dancing from your country? 

All ideas are welcome and appreciated!

Be sure to let us know if you are coming: Click on this link to get the form for signing up here!

Questions? Email Rachael Lange at rachael.lange@asheville.k12.nc.us, Spanish teacher at Claxton."