Claxton Winter Concert

Claxton Elementary 

Winter Concert 

and

Holiday Social

Tuesday Evening, December 18th, 2014

6:00 pm

An evening of Music by Claxton's Morning Music Groups

and Select Grade Level Classes

to Celebrate our children and the Season!

GO LOCAL CARDS ON SALE NOW!

Discounts at over 400 local businesses 

ONLY $16.00 per Card

Buy in the office or media center today!

You can also order online: click here

Support the Claxton Media Center and Asheville City Schools!!

$8.00 Goes Directly to Claxton!!!

4th grade Raleigh field trip meeting

4th grade Raleigh field trip meeting 

5:15 on Wednesday December 16th 

in the cafeteria

Inclement weather days – How do we make the decision?

Inclement weather days – How do we make the decision?

School closing and delays
The winter season can arrive early in Western North Carolina. Do you remember the light snow on Halloween year before last?
Our district administration, faculty and staff understand that our decision to open or close schools during inclement weather has a big effect on families. We also recognize that our students are better served – both academically and socially – by being in school.
However, our top priority is the safety of our students, families and staff.

What factors do we consider?
Please understand that we make the decision to open or close school based on a careful analysis of all relevant factors, such as:
 Information on road conditions from transportation staff, local law enforcement and road crews
 Amount of snow and ice accumulated; remember, your road may be clear while others might be treacherous
 Weather predictions/radar, is precipitation ending or will it continue throughout the day?
 Temperature with wind chills at or below -15F
 Whether or not the City can treat problem areas in a timely manner
 Building conditions (such as whether they have electricity and heat)
 Parking lot conditions

Who makes the decision?
As Superintendent of Schools, I am ultimately responsible for the final decision based on the above factors and recommendations from our Transportation Director and Communications Division.
When a closing or two-hour delay decision is made, where are the notifications posted?
We strive to make a decision by 5:45 AM or earlier so we can notify TV and radio stations and post the status via our website
(www.ashevillecityschools.net), Facebook, Twitter, emails and texts and the district hotline (350-6188). Keep in mind that changing weather conditions, not unusual in the mountains, may force us to make a decision later than 6:00 AM or to change a previously announced status.

Will we close schools if conditions worsen?
If conditions worsen during the school day, we may need to call an early dismissal and will give as much notice as possible to families and staff. Keep in mind that an early dismissal could occur soon after students first arrive at school. Although my staff and I do our absolute best in this process, we know that often no perfect decision exists. If you do not feel that it is safe for your child to get to school, use your best judgment whether or not he or she should attned. If you choose to keep your child at home, his/her absence will be counted as an excused absence. Also, please discourage teenagers from driving in bad conditions and offer them alternatives as
weather conditions worsen. Bottom line: safety will always come first in our inclement weather decisions. As you remember from last winter, both Atlanta and Raleigh got themselves into serious situations by delaying dismissal until it was too late.

How will I be notified about an early dismissal?
If school is dismissed early, we will first send a recorded call to every phone number in our School Messenger database, including work, home and cell phones. The dismissal status will then be relayed to the four local TV stations and to ten radio stations, as well as posted via our website, Facebook, Twitter, emails, texts, the district hotline and 211. It is imperative that you keep current the phone
and email information you provide to your school, which will ensure our calls and emails reach you.

How many days can we miss?
Calendar law changes over recent years have limited the number of makeup days available in our school calendar. We will keep you informed in advance about potential makeup days, which could include teacher workdays, Saturdays, extension of the school year or a portion of Spring Break. Our intention is to complete the school year by June 9, but because we received a weather waiver from the
state, we could extend the school year past this point. If we miss a significant number of days this winter, we will survey all our families to record your preferences for makeup day options.

Assist Students in Shopping for Family: December 18th

Assist Students in Shopping for Family:

December 18th

Parents needed to chaperone 

a selected group of students in shopping for holiday gifts

Click here to sign up!

Holiday Staff Appreciation Lunch: December 16th

Holiday Staff Appreciation Lunch

December 16th

Hosted by 2-3rd Grades

click here to sign up to bring food

December calendar

Claxton Elementary School

Dates to Remember

December 2014

Book Fair ends December 2nd

 Monday, December 1, 2014

Last Day for Monday ASA

ACS board meeting in ACS boardroom (6:30pm)

 Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Book Fair Ends today

PTO meeting in media center (6:00pm)

 Wednesday,  December 3, 2014

Last Day for Wednesday ASA

 Thursday, December 4, 2014

Last Day for Thursday ASA

Thursday Folders:  Rigsby’s class

 Friday,  December 5, 2014

Claxton Spirit Day – Claxton Colors

Field Trip:  Grade 3 (8:30am)

Field Trip:  Grade 2 (9:00am)

 Monday, December 8, 2014

Field Trip:  Grade 2 (9:00am)

Interim Report Cards go home

Family Night at PVA (Math)

6:00pm-7:15pm

 Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Last Day for Tuesday ASA

 Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Field Trip:  Grade 3-5 (9:30am)

 Thursday, December 11, 2014

Thursday Folders:  Gregg’s class

7th Annual Storytelling Festival

Dance:  Grades 3 – 5 (3:00pm-4:15pm)

 Friday, December 12, 2014

Claxton Spirit Day – Pajama Day

Holiday Dinner at Claxton

 Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Giving Smiles – Holiday Assistance Pickup and Activities in cafeteria (4:30pm)

 Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thursday Folders:  Wertheim’s class

Winter Concert in gymnatorium (6:00pm)

 Friday, December 19, 2014

Claxton Spirit Day – Claxton Colors

Last Day of School for 2014

December 22 – January 2

Winter Holidays - No School

school dance! Thursday December 11!

4th and 5th Grades Invite you to our 

Winter Dance 

Thursday December 11th

3:00-4:15pm

Claxton gym

The dance is for 3rd-5th graders.

Tickets are $3 per person and must be paid at the door on the day of the dance.

Drinks and baked goods will be for sale for $.50 each, and Pizza for $2 a slice.  

Please come out for some good winter fun!

All proceeds support the 4th and 5th grades scholarship funds!  

This is an important fundraiser for the 4th and 5th grades but also a ton of fun each year!

Don't miss out!

Emerging Parent groups on special topics

There are some parent groups starting up with the elementary schools regarding the below topics. Let Julie Porter Shirley know if you are interested in getting involved or attending a meeting to find out more. If you know anyone who's expressed interest in any of these, pass the info on to them as well.

Testing

School Food/Nutrition

Professional Development 

(getting back to the magnet themes)

Email Julie if interested at julescashion@yahoo.com

Volunteers Needed on December 18th- Take Students Shopping

Mrs. Dechant has asked the PTO this year to help students who may need assistance, shop for their parents! We are going to take two bus loads of students to the Dollar Tree for them to get small gifts for their parents and then come back to the school to help wrap them. If you are interested in helping, please sign up at the Google Doc below. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xbB-2rFgunK2yrRB_iH9XMi1RP7MIau6kgsYcDvckTU/edit#gid=0