Celebrate Week of the Young child!

information sessions with prospective superintendent candidates

Tonight (Monday March 31st)  is the first of three information sessions with prospective superintendent candidates.  You will have the opportunity to meet and provide feedback on each of the candidates.
We'll host each candidate from 6-7pm in the ACS boardroom at 85 Mountain Street and each will answer questions submitted by the audience:


•       Monday, March 31 --- Dr. Ron Hargrave
•       Tuesday April 1st----- Dr. Jeff Cox
•       Wednesday April 2nd -- Dr. Pam Baldwin

We hope to see you all there!

Claxton's International Carnival coming in April!

Claxton's International Carnival
will be held on:
Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Each classroom will showcase a country and activity from their country.  Students will then receive a passport and work their way around the "globe" playing games and collecting stamps.  We will also have some of the old carnival favorites from years past; the bounce houses, cake walk, face painting, ice cream from the Hop, food, drink, prizes.



Please check with your student's teacher to see if they can use your help, and please come out to support the school on April 26th.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email Molly Russell at mollyjrussell@mac.com

A Big Thank you to our Auction Donors and Friends!

Claxton PTO thanks you for your

support of this awesome fundraiser!

It was a huge success and our largest one yet.

We raised over $20,000!!!

These funds go to support teacher supplies,

teacher mini grants, After School Arts,

field trip scholarships, cultural events, assemblies,

visiting artists, school celebrations,

and much more.

Want to help next year??

We are already planning this event for next year and looking for

volunteers to help. If you’d like to be a part of this fun night for a great cause, please contact dawn.rentz@gmail.com

GENTLY USED TOYS WANTED

We are looking for gently used small toys to use as prizes for at the Claxton carnival. 

This is a great opportunity to clean out your toy boxes and junk drawers and donate your old toys to the school. Please leave your items in the marked boxes in the front lobby. Thanks for your support!

Claxton Parents, We Need Your Help!!!!

CLAXTON PARENTS! WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

Please support Claxton by volunteering for a position with our 2014-2015 Claxton PTO next year! Below are the descriptions of each position available. Please take the time to read them over and feel free to grab a friend and co-chair any position. There is something for everyone! We truly need your support and appreciate your help!

**Parent Information Meeting**

 April 2nd Weds, 7:45am-8:45am, Media Center

After you drop off your children come by the Claxton Media Center, to find out more, ask any questions regarding the positions available for next year, and learn more about the PTO in general.

Feel free to contact our nominating committee below with questions and respond to one of the emails below if you are interested in a position for next year:

Will Hornaday: will@hornadaydesign.com; Anne Callihan: annecallihan@yahoo.com; Rachel Friel: rachelfriel@yahoo.com

Claxton Elem. PTO 2014-15 Committee Chair and Executive Vacancies & Descriptions

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SPMT (Student Planning and Management Team) Rep - (3 yr. term)—Represent the PTO at SPMT meetings, serving as a liaison between the two and communicating SPMT activities at monthly PTO meetings. Monthly SPMT meeting required.

VP Volunteers - Oversees Room Representatives and Volunteer Committees.  Maintains regular communication with ACSF Volunteer Coordinator.

VP Fundraising- Supervises and works closely with fundraising committees throughout the year.

Secretary- Attends monthly PTO meetings, first Tuesday of the month at 6pm and takes minutes at meetings.

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEES

Corporate Sponsors Co-Chair - Solicits sponsorships from and encourages partnerships with local businesses. Works closely with VP of Communications to ensure that corporate sponsors are advertised in appropriate venues.

Fall Book Fair - Organizes and executes weeklong fall Scholastic book fair.

Spirit Nights/Passive Giving - Coordinates with area restaurants to arrange quarterly Claxton Spirit Nights. Publicizes passive giving opportunities such as Ingles’ Tools for Schools and Harris Teeter Together in Education. Acts as Liaison between Asheville City Schools Foundation and Go Local businesses selling cards on behalf of Claxton.

4th Grade Field Trip Rep - Organize 5th grade graduation reception. Work with 5th grade field trip rep on fundraising for 4th and 5th grade field trips.

5th Grade Field Trip Rep - Organize 5th grade MLK Breakfast and service projects and 5th grade Wall of Fame. Work with 4th grade field trip rep on fundraising for 4th and 5th grade field trips.

Community Outreach/Family Nights - Works with school counselor and administration to coordinate monthly drives for staff and for students in need. Organizes Pisgah View and Hillcrest Apartments Family Nights monthly.

Spring Fundraiser - Assist in implementation of a weeklong Fun Run event.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES

After School Arts Liaison—Works closely with VISTA Volunteer Coordinator to help organize the school’s Fall and Spring After School Arts programs.

Staff Appreciation Co-Chair - Coordinates meals and other events to honor and recognize Claxton staff throughout the year.

Feel free to contact our nominating committee below with questions and respond to one of the emails below if you are interested in a position for next year:

Will Hornaday: will@hornadaydesign.com; Anne Callihan: annecallihan@yahoo.com; Rachel Friel: rachelfriel@yahoo.com

Claxton Spring Open House is Tuesday March 18th

Join students, parents and teachers for our spring open house!

5:00-6:00 a FREE dinner

 featuring mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits, and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies

6:00-7:15 Open House

student presentations in the classroom

Cecilia's Kitchen spirit day is this Thursday, March 20

Come support Claxton while enjoying great food with fellow Claxton families and supporters!


CECILIA’S KITCHEN will donate 15% of all orders onTHURSDAY, March 20th to Claxton Elementary/Claxton PTO.

CECILIA’S KITCHEN
Claxton Spirit Day
Thursday, March 20, 2014
961 Merrimon Avenue
(828) 545-9107
Thursday Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
http://www.cecisculinarytour.com/

Come Play! Mountain Madness basketball tournament: March 15th!

Mountain Madness district-wide basketball tournament 
will take place on March 15th 9:00am to 6:00pm at Asheville High School

Event Details:
    -One team per school with both parent and teacher representation
    -Double elimination
    -5 to 10 players per team

If you are interested in participating or have questions, contact Rachel Tutwiler at rachel@acsf.org

Upcoming grounds workday: Saturday March 15th!

Help Our Gardens Grow! 

Join us for a day of ground work plus building, painting, and prepping the Claxton Children's Art Garden

Saturday, March 15th

starting at 9:00am

• Build a loom
• Paint a mural background
• Prime a picnic bench
• Mulch our flower beds

Bring the kids - Playground will be open!

Lunch will be provided

Bring or borrow a tool:

• hand saws or hand-held curcular saws
• carpenter's squares
• planes and chisels
• electric or hand drills
• ladders
• paint brushes
• electric sanders
• rakes
• wheelbarrows

For more information contact Melissa Cole Essig atmcoleessig@gmail.com or visit claxtonaplus.blogspot.com

Join us at ACSF’s upcoming Celebration of Champions event on March 29th

Congratulations to Claxton parent volunteer Lockie Hunter!
Lockie is being recognized as the “Parent Champion” at Asheville City Schools Foundation’s Celebration of Champions for her years of volunteerism at Claxton Elementary. 

Lockie not only serves on the Executive Board of the Claxton PTO, She also assists with Lego League, finds and writes grants, and manages all social media communications with the Claxton community. Claxton PTO presidents Julie Porter Shirley and Christy Ramm say that Lockie “is continually on the search for new and innovative grant opportunities that will add to the experiences our students and teachers have come to love. As a result, we have seen improvements in our physical building, gardens, technology, arts education, and cultural education.

Lockie will be acknowledged at ACSF’s upcoming Celebration of Champions event on March 29th. We would be pleased if you could join us in honoring her contributions to the Claxton community.

Tickets will be on sale at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e8vfys6z1ef4caa0&llr=ydpw55kab

SPMT binder survey: your input needed

Have you had a chance to respond to SPMT's binder survey? If not, please take a moment to give us some feedback by clicking on the link below!

https://docs.google.com/a/lockiehunter.com/forms/d/1PEheU3tg0J5vLxCluJgraiQx8MX8U_YxPiMvm9B6n9U/viewform

Auction is THIS Friday, March 7th! Here are more items to preview!

Pasta for Pennies: Spanish. Student Government project:3/3 -3/21

Pasta for Pennies. Student Government service project: 3/3 -3/21

March 3rd is Read Across America Day and Claxton is celebrating!

Claxton’s media center is sponsoring:

• Guest readers in every classroom
• A new “Grab & Grow” bag of books program that allows parents and guardians to check out themed book collections already assembled in fun tote bags
• A reading incentive program during March in which students earn silly Seuss prizes and are entered for multiple drawings of larger Diary of a Wimpy Kid prizes

Light the Night Auction needs volunteers

The Light the Night Auction needs volunteers to help with check-in/check-out and to serve as auction monitors during the silent auctions.  Below is a sign-up sheet for each task complete with time slots.  If you will be attending and would like to help out for an hour or 2, please sign up for a spot.

You may Sign up by clicking here