News for the Nest
October 3, 2025
A newsletter for Clayton families from school leadership and the PTA
Upcoming Events
Saturday, Oct 4 πHappy Birthday to Ms. Pandola, 1st Grade Teacher!π
Sunday, Oct 5 πHappy Birthday to Coach Cantu, PE Coach!π
Monday, Oct 6 πHappy Birthday to Mr. Jose, Lead Custodian!π
- 8:00 PreK fire truck visit
Tuesday, Oct 7
- 5:30-7:30 PTA Presents: Family Fitness Night!ππ»ββοΈ (details below)
- 9:00 Evacuation Drill
Thursday, Oct 9
- 12:00 Virtual session w/ Principal McCollum (link) to learn about new proposed boundaries for Clayton (more info below)
Friday, Oct 10 β NO SCHOOL β π Happy Birthday to Ms. Jacobs, SCORES Teacher!π
Saturday, Oct 12 π Happy Birthday to Ms. Gabby, ECSE TA!π
Monday, Oct 13 β NO SCHOOL β Indigenous People's Day
Oct 20 - NO SCHOOL Parent/Teacher Conference Day, Diwali
Oct 15 - Booster Fundraiser Program begins
Oct 24 - π Booster Fundraiser Fun Run π
BIG NEWS! Our annual School Fundraiser; Clayton Fun Run kicks off soon!
We are raising money so we can continue to provide great experiences for your child at school. Our goal is to raise at least $65,000 for campus improvements, classroom support, and a part time intervention teacher and device manager and we need your help. Save the date and stay tuned for more details on how you can support our cause.
π» Register online at MyBooster.com β 10/01/2025
π Fundraiser Kickoff in school β 10/15/2025
π Event Day β 10/24/2025
Donβt forget, we have a special partnership with Chuck E Cheese! With your studentβs first $35 donation, they earn a 30 Game Play Wristband!
Clayton's Fun Run is a joint school/PTA fundraising and we use Booster to help us.
Learn about new proposed boundary change for Clayton w/ Principal McCollum
Virtual session Thursday, Oct. 9 at 12:00
Link to session: meet.google.com/spv-pjkq-bzo
Austin ISD is proposing changes to school boundaries across the city, as part of a larger plan to save millions of dollars and reach our financial goals. I will present the changes that affect Clayton, as well as proposed changes to student transfer policies and other changes taking place at the district-level.
All information presented is already available to the AISD School Consolidation website and was shared with the community via email 10-3-25. https://www.austinisd.org/consolidate
We will have time for questions and answers.
I hope you join us!
In Austin ISD, we are committed to building transformational relationships that lead to a sense of trust and belonging for all. We welcome the opportunity to hear the stories that make AISD feel like home! Please help us recognize our dedicated staff members by submitting a RAVE.
The Recognizing All Valuable Employees or RAVE Program was created to honor those who take the extra steps to provide equitable and exceptional experiences. If you had an exceptional experience interacting with an Austin ISD employee , please nominate that staff member by completing the form below.
Science Fair Sessions Available!
Book Fair Is Coming -- We Need Your Help!
Our Fall book fair will be themed "The Wild Reader," and we would love for you to be part of the magic! The fair will be held during the week of October 27 - 31, please click the button below to sign up. The fair always creates excitement about books, completely funds our part-time library clerk, and provides the paperback books we use as Accelerated Reader (A.R.) rewards. Here's a quick overview of what to expect on different shifts:
Friday setup: We convert the library into a bookstore during this vital job; wear your sneakers!
After school, every day: The registers don't stop!
Monday, during the school day: previews; we're hopping all day long.
Tuesday, during the school day: mostly previews - it's pretty busy!
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday mornings: the early rush to buy is on.
Wednesday & Thursday during school afternoon: often quiet
Friday early morning: last chance to buy (piggy banks are emptied) :-)
Friday afternoon: No glamour, but so appreciated - time to restore the library
With appreciation from your Clayton Librarian,
~ Dana Sposeep
Fall Session II Registration is Open
Our after school program partner, ATX Ballers, has opened registration for their 2nd Fall Session (Oct 28 - Dec 16). They meet on Tuesdays after school at Clayton.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
Literary Pumpkins!
One of our treasured Fall traditions at Clayton is the "Literary Pumpkin" project. This is a family project in which you choose a book and then decorate a pumpkin to represent that story or one of its characters. Then, bring it to the library and we'll display for all to enjoy. Here are a few guidelines:
This is not a contest. We do a "lucky drawing" of 5 names, and those students/families receive a $20 gift card to redeem at our book fair.
We'll welcome pumpkins between September 29 and October 23.
(The drawing will be on October 28.)
Artificial pumpkins are preferred (real ones tend to rot!); if you use a real pumpkin, please don't puncture any holes.
Have fun creating yours and admiring them all!
Warmly,
~ Dana Sposeep
Clayton Librarian
Best Buddies inclusion program is here!
Seeking one more parent as a committee member
Clayton is bringing a wonderful program called Best Buddies Friendship Program to our campus! Best Buddies Friendship Program is an international initiative that builds friendships between students with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities. At the elementary level, weβll create community through inclusive activities and social-emotional learning that promote acceptance and one-to-one connections.
Weβre looking for two parent volunteers to join our advisory team and help plan at least four events (two in the fall, two in the spring), plus the Central Texas Friendship Walk at Westlake HS on April 18. Events can be during or after schoolβanything from games and crafts to pizza parties and gardeningβto encourage friendships.
Interested? Please email Teacher Ellie Herrmann at elizabeth.herrmann@austinisd.org. Be sure to include your child's name and grade level, please. Advisory team members will contact families to confirm participation. We look forward to a fantastic pilot year of Best Buddies at Clayton!
Counseling Corner
This week in counseling students will:
- Introduce or review the Zones of Regulation.
- Identify body cues related to how we are feeling.
- Practice using empathy to identify how someone might be feeling in a given situation.
All About the Zones
Zones of Regulation is a research based curriculum that aims to make us aware of how our brain and body feel generally throughout the day and while we are experiencing certain emotions. Often, the physiological cues our bodies get can help build our awareness and understanding of the need to use skills to regulate before emotions get too big to handle. For example, noticing body sensations like my heart beating fast and my muscles feeling tense will strengthen my mind-body awareness and allow me to select calming strategies that work for me before I get so angry that I shout or push.
Zones of Regulation can help us learn when we need to regulate our emotions so we are able to most successfully learn, play, and make safe and thoughtful choices in times of stress. No emotions or βzonesβ are negative, some are just less effective in certain environments and situations. The idea is not to be so calm and collected that we never experience feelings, but rather to help our bodies return to a regulated homeostasis after a challenge.
You can help reinforce our learning at home by:
Using the language of zones at home to narrate how your brain and body are feeling. (i.e. βThis is really frustrating for me. I feel my heart beating faster and my muscles are starting to feel tight. Iβm going to take a few deep breaths.)
Encourage your child to share his/her zone with you.
Validate what zone your child is in, and help them brainstorm expected ways to self-regulate.
Over the next few weeks, we will explore each zone in depth. Students have finished their unit about the zones, so feel free to ask your learner what they already know!
News from PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
You can help with set up, break down or during the event!
If you missed the physical waiver that was sent home, you can print and fill out another from the link below!
This is about heart, creativity, and having FUN!
Deadline to submit is October 27, 2025
Questions? Email acpta1@nanclaytonpta.org
Letβs get creative!
Complete the form below to indicate interest in volunteer opportunities you want to be in contact about further!
Below is also a link to a list of volunteer opportunities at Clayton this year!
Email Erika Fletcher at staffappreciation@nanclaytonpta.org if you are interested!
Partnerships will include providing goodies, snacks, etc. to teachers and staff during our monthly appreciation events! All partnerships will be shared on social media outlets, printed for teachers to see, and in the News for the Nest!