Dear Bulldog Families,

This week, May 4 through May 8, is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week at Clay Hill Elementary. Our theme this year is "One Team, One Dream," and there is no team more dedicated to seeing our students succeed than the wonderful educators and staff members in our building. Our staff works tirelessly to create a "winning" environment where every child can grow, and we invite you to join us in making them feel like MVPs. Whether it’s a handwritten note from your student, a kind email, or a simple "thank you" in the car loop, your words of gratitude mean the world to our team.

"A great teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart."

As a reminder, our 3rd through 6th-grade students will participate in state FAST Reading and Math Testing this week. You can champion your child's success by ensuring they arrive on time after a restful night's sleep and a healthy breakfast, ready to show off everything they have learned! Beyond the physical prep, please take a moment to remind your student that these tests are just one way to show what they know and that their effort is what truly matters to us. A positive, low-stress environment at home this week will help our Bulldogs walk through the school doors feeling confident and ready to shine.

We are so proud of the work happening here every day, and we thank you for being such supportive partners in your child's education. Let’s make sure our staff feels the love this week!

Principal Reed

Thank you, families, for supporting Thursday's Spring Roundup and Orientation! We had so much fun meeting a few new families and introducing parents and students to what to expect in their classes next year! We can't wait to make 2026-2027 the best year ever at Clay Hill Elementary school, building on success and enhancing our current programs to make them even better!

We look forward to welcoming our CHE Mothers and Mother-figures for Muffins with Moms on Friday, May 8! Guests will enjoy muffins and juice and escort their children to class to retrieve a teacher-selected text for summer reading, along with an activity guide to prevent summer slide and create a literacy opportunity for mothers and their children. We love our CHE Moms and can't wait to see you all there! RSVP through the QR code below or click the link >> Muffins with Mom Pre-Registration

Come out for fun and fellowship on May the 4th! We will enjoy board games and great fun with our CHE families from 5:00-7:00 PM!

One of the most treasured annual events in our school community is our spring Senior Walk! Students who attended Clay Hill Elementary (sixth grade class of 2020) are now high school graduates! Come see them walk our sidewalks and hallways in their full cap and gown regalia one last time on Friday, May 15, at 10:00 am. Welcome BACK, Bulldogs!

Please keep in mind a few reminders to ensure student safety and limit distractions in the classroom.

First, the kids have GROWN so much since the fall! Check to make sure that clothing still fits appropriately. Shorts must be mid-thigh in length. Holes above the mid-thigh should have something underneath. Athletic shoes should be worn on PE days to limit potential injury. (Crocs fall off and can lead to twisted ankles, so no Crocs on PE days, please!)

It's HOT, and water bottles are strongly encouraged. However, water bottles should be clear and contain only water. This limits noisy bottle drops in class & lunch, and ensures that drinks are safe and appropriate for the room (and won't cause issues with insects). Water bottles are not necessary, since we have many fountains and bottle-filling stations, if needed. Water bottles are also for sale in the cafeteria each day.

Please check your child's backpack to ensure that toys are not brought to school. Stuffed animals, Pokémon cards, etc., can get damaged, stolen/lost, or they can cause a distraction that shifts focus away from our work in the classroom.

Thank you for your help in enabling our students to finish STRONG!

Monday, May the Fourth: Wear Your STAR WARS Gear!
-Weekly Parent Engagement Winners (Sign the Planner each day!)
-Weekly PAWS Points Winners
-Word of the Week: Keen
-STAR WARS Game Night, 5-7 pm

Tuesday, May 5:
-School Bus Driver Appreciation Day!
-3rd and 4th Grade State FAST ELA Testing

Wednesday, May 6:
-5th and 6th Grade State FAST ELA Testing
-CCDS Job Fair, 5-7 PM, FIH

Thursday, May 7: Nat'l School Nurse Day
-3rd and 4th Grade State FAST Math Testing

Friday, May 8:
-Muffins with Moms, 7:45-8:30 am
-5th and 6th Grade STATE Math Testing
-Dress as a Teacher OR in your Future Career!

Building on the momentum of our "Connected & Protected" event, we are thrilled to launch The Safety Net Series. This video series was created in direct response to the questions we’ve received from our community. These bite-sized videos provide a "safety net" for families, offering practical walkthroughs on everything from privacy settings to healthy digital boundaries.

What you’ll learn:

Proactive Protection: Real-world strategies to stay ahead of digital trends.

Tech-Savvy Tips: How to navigate app permissions and location services.

Open Dialogue: Practical ways to talk with your child about their digital life.

WATCH Episode 1: Parents' Guide to Smartphones HERE

Florida is known as the "Lightning Capital of the World."  With more deaths and injuries than all other states combined,  Florida is ranked as the  #1  target for public safety and lightning awareness. School administration and/or the designee (school staff member overseeing activity) is expected and has the authority to act in the safest interest of all students, staff, guests, and visitors, and may cancel or delay activities, including student dismissal, While we make every effort to avoid disruption to schedules and routines, spring storms may affect dismissal and/or other activities from time to time. Our team will make every effort to communicate with parents in advance of any anticipated storm disruption. 

Thank you for your patience during these events, and for monitoring conditions when storms are expected!

Transportation registration for the 2026-2027 school year is officially open. Registration is an ANNUAL requirement. Don't wait! Register for the bus today! Click the QR code or visit: oneclay.net/bus.

Testing in grades 3-6 in reading, math, and science begins on Tuesday, April 21 and continues through May 12! To learn more about test items, administration rules, and other critical parent information, click the links below to access parent letters specific to your child's grade(s). Please contact CHE with any questions you may have about end of year assessments!

CHE K-2 Parent Assessment Letter (Reading and Math)

CHE 3-6 Parent Assessment Letter (Reading and Math)

CHE Gr. 5 Parent Assessment Letter (Science)