New PTA Board
April 30, 2013
Happy Mother’s Day! Hope everyone had a wonderful day celebrating moms. I certainly did.
On a celebratory note, I wanted to congratulate the new PTA Board on their appointments for the coming school year.
Julie Kluge – President
Alex Guiterman – VP, Communications
Courtney Holmes – VP, Social
Clair Sassin – VP Fundraising
Christine Walyus – Recording Secretary
Amber Dungan – Corresponding Secretary
Melissa Schwabber – Committee Chair
Linley Mancilla – Committee Chair
Also, note this weekend is our outdoor garden day – we hope to see you at Claremont planting with us.
Spring Concert
April 29, 2013
The musical talent of Claremont Immersion was on full display last week at the spring concert. The sweet music of elementary-aged school children filled the gym and allowed parents to capture yet another magical moment of childhood – the beauty of a children’s chorus, orchestra and band. Of course, none of this was possible without the hours our music teachers put in to turn the raw talent into art that more than parents can enjoy – thank you!
Here are a few images from our night:
Lean, Green, No Screen
April 15, 2013
We’ll celebrate TV Turnoff Week & Earth Day making us LEAN, GREEN, & NO SCREEN all week!
Students who make the LEAN, GREEN, NO SCREEN Pledge will be eligible for a chance to win one of eight $10 gift cards to Barnes & Noble Bookstore, courtesy of the PTA.
Monday, April 22:
Have a waste-free lunch! How empty can we leave the trash cans?
Thursday, April 25
from 6-7 pm
Join us for Family Night, featuring:
Meatless Meals Cooking Demo,
Book Fair,
& Raffle Drawing
Throughout the week, visit the BOOK FAIR in the Library, daily from 8a-3p, (Thursday until 7pm), with books in Spanish and English!
Welcome to 2013
December 10, 2012
Happy New Year to everyone!
Welcome back!
I hope you had a wonderful winter break and were able to get some down time with your families. It’s always so nice to just rest, relax and enjoy the people you love (after all the craziness passes). We were visiting family in Little Rock where we saw 10 inches of snow and lost power for two days…on top of lost luggage! Needless to say, we were well-rested and happy to come back to Arlington; my daughter was thrilled to go back to school today. I am sure all of the kids have great stories to share, and I hope we hear many of them over the next days.
In the meantime, please join us for the first PTA meeting of 2013 on Tuesday, January 8th at 7 pm. Ms. Schadel, the gifted resources teacher will be talking with us about the program. Adeltante will be hosting their family evente on January 11 and on January 25th, we invite you to our annual international dinner and dance.
Getting into the Swing of Things
September 10, 2012
Whew! What a week – we made it with lots of smiles and capped the week off with our first PTA event of the year - what a turnout last Friday night at the ice cream social. I believe this could be the start of something good. It was lovely to see so many Claremont families reconnecting and connecting. The kids had a blast and the popsicles were delicioulsly refreshing.
I imagine most of you are glad for the kids to settle into the school routine and madness. To help you get organized, please visit the website for the list of school and PTA events and look for the weekly memo that highlights the week’s goings on. This week is math workshop week. Each grade has a different day to attend the session. Please refer to the calendar for specific dates and times.
One routine I hope you all will take part in is the montly PTA meeting. Please join us for the first PTA meeting of the school year in the library on Tuesday, September 11 at 7pm. Babysitting and translation services provided.
See you around school.
It’s Finally Here…The First Day of School
September 3, 2012
Welcome back Claremont!
I hope your summer vacation was restful, fun and special and that you’re ready to begin a new chapter in the memory making book – the start of another school year. I know I am!

Over the last week my daughter has been counting down the days (and we were on holiday) until school starts. I consider that a testament to Claremont. Others may be anxious or dreading the the start but rest assured, shortly after the first bell rings, they will be chattering excitedly with their friends and teachers and getting used to a new routine.
As many of you know, it’s been a transitional summer at Claremont, and we too will have new routines to learn and a lot of new faces to meet including our new principal, Ms. Panfil. Please say hi to her if you see her.

The Claremont PTA and Claremont staff have been busy getting ready to welcome our students for another year. I want to thank all the parents and staff who have worked behind the scenes over the summer from various locations to roll out our “red carpet.” At the risk of forgetting some names, thank you to:
- Kathryn Utan, Diana West, Christine Walyus for the bulletin board and brochure
- Steve Duall and the entire gardening committe for cleaning up the gardens before school
- Mabel Martinez, Gabriela Uro, Megan Lourdes for serving on the principal selection committee
- Maggie Ryner, Courtney Holmes for coordinating and running the after school enrichment program
- Jeannine Markoe Raymond and all of the edukit volunteers for ensuring all the kits were properly delivered
- Laurie Magnum for organizing the MCM Run
- Susie Wallin for running the back to school social and Viva Verde
- Cindy MacIntyre for last week’s teacher school lunch
- Heather Dodson for the countless web changes, additions and deletions
- Alex Guiterman for translations
- The PTA board (Marie Uribe, Rich Kelly, Amber Dungan, Claire Sassin, Julie Kluge, and Christine Walyus) for working over the summer to plan the budget and the year’s activities
- Susan Burnett for running the show
- Lety Macias, Monica Hahn for delivering the calendar, the packets and getting us to the first day as seamlessly as possible
- Caroline and Javier Gil for planning Adelante
Please give a shout of thanks to any of these folks if you see them around school. Without their contributions, we’d be a more than a little lost. Volunteers really make things happen at Claremont
Enjoy the first day…capture that Kodak, I mean Shuttefly or twitter or facebook, moment! See you tomorrow.
Sarita
Welcome to Claremont!
August 5, 2012
WELCOME CLAREMONT FAMILIES
FROM THE PTA
The PTA welcomes new families to Claremont and looks forward to reconnecting with returning Claremont families. A special place, Claremont staff, parents and students have created a close-knit and supportive community. We hope to engage you for the Claremont family. To officially kick things off, please note the following key dates we invite you to attend:
- Back to School Social – Friday, September 7th at 6:00 p.m.
- First PTA Meeting – Tuesday, September 11th at 7 p.m.
- Back to School Night – September 19th at 7 p.m.
- School Pictures – Wednesday, October 5th
The PTA’s efforts to enhance the Claremont experience for your child and the school include fundraising and volunteering. Claremont’s very active and enthusiastic PTA come together to raise money and create a fun and caring community for our children. Parents donate time and/or money by participating in PTA sponsored events/fundraisers such as Sally Foster, book fairs, the silent auctions and grocery store and school supplies programs. These funds are used to support a wide variety of activities including classroom resources and technology, teacher programs, after-school enrichment scholarships, library books and social events for the community. What a difference volunteers make!
We hope you will join in and become part of the PTA’s efforts. Parental involvement can be the difference to a successful school, and volunteers definitely make things happen at Claremont!
PTA Volunteers Needed: Volunteers make things happen at Claremont. We would like you to get involved with the PTA in any way you can. Consider volunteering for a committee or developing your own idea. Your participation is always needed and appreciated!
Visit the Claremont PTA website (claremont-pta.org) to see a list and description of the PTA’s committees. Identify the committee(s) for which you are interested in volunteering and contact me, Amber Dungan (volunteer coordinator) or the committee chair.
Communication Tools: The PTA uses a variety of tools to communicate effectively and efficiently.
- Arlington County and Claremont PTA websites
- Tuesday packets
- PTA meetings
- Phone tree
- School newsletter
- Spanish speaking liaison serve to provide effective communication
- APS School Talk (register via the school website)
- Two PTA list servs: Claremont PTA (for PTA and school related information only), Parrots Prattle for non-PTA related discussions)
- school calendar
To join, send an email to the following addresses.
Claremont PTA: claremont-pta-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
ParrotsPrattle: claremont-parrotsprattle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Of course, any PTA member is an excellent resource too. The PTA executive board:
|
Exec. BOARD |
Name |
Email Address |
Telephone |
| President | Sarita Bhargava | saritabhargava@hotmail.com | 703/533-3371 |
| VP, Social | Julie Kluge | jkluge@cisco.com | 571/214-4133 |
| VP, Fundraising | Clair Sassin | csassin@sassinconsulting.com | 703/820-5911 |
| VP, Communications | Marie Uribe | mmdeluka@gmail.com | 703/869-0122 |
| Corresponding Secretary | Amber Dugan | itsber@yahoo.com | 310/489-1318 |
| Recording Secretary | Christine Walyus | walyus@comcast.net | 703/824-1567 |
| Treasurer | Rich Kelly | richkelly@aol.com | 703/979-1409 |
Student Directory: You can provide information for the Claremont Directory on the Claremont PTA website. The information gathered creates the hard copy version of the directory issued in October.
Please enter or update your family information. If you prefer not to provide information electronically or if you want to opt out of the directory, a paper form will be sent home in the second Tuesday Packet of the school year for you to complete.

Here’s to a fun-filled and successful year at Claremont with all the Claremont families.
Sarita Bhargava
PTA President
El PTA le da la bienvenida a todas las familias de Claremont. Nuestra comunidad es un grupo muy especial de administradores, empleados, profesores, padres y estudiantes, y esperamos que se una a nuestra familia. Para empezar el año escolar, le invitamos a los siguientes eventos:
- Celebración del regreso a la escuela: viernes, 7 de Septiembre, 6:00 p.m.
- Primera reunión del PTA: martes, 11 de Septiembre, 7:00 p.m.
- Noche de regreso a la escuela: miércoles, 19 de septiembre, 7:00 p.m.
- Fotos escolares: viernes, 5 de Octubre
Los esfuerzos del PTA ayudan a mejorar nuestra experiencia en Claremont. Estos esfuerzos incluyen la recaudación de fondos y el voluntariado. Nuestro PTA es muy activo, y nos reunimos para recaudar fondos y para crear un ambiente divertido y cariñoso para nuestros hijos. Los padres donan su tiempo y/o fondos al participar en los eventos patrocinados por el PTA, como Sally Foster, las ferias del libro, la subasta silenciosa, el programa de donaciones de los supermercados, y la compra de útiles escolares. Estos fondos se utilizan para recursos y tecnología en los salones de clase, programas para los maestros, becas para programas de enriquecimiento después de la escuela, libros para la biblioteca, eventos sociales para la comunidad, y muchas más actividades. ¡Gracias a todos los voluntarios!

Esperamos que se hagan miembros del PTA y nos ayuden en nuestros esfuerzos. La participación de los padres es la clave del éxito de la escuela, y los voluntarios hacen la diferencia en Claremont.
¡Necesitamos voluntarios! Por favor considere involucrarse en el PTA de alguna manera. Puede hacerse voluntario de algún comité, o puede desarrollar su propia iniciativa. Su participación se necesita, ¡y se agradece!
Visite la página web del PTA (www.claremont-pta.org), donde encontrará la lista y descripciones de los diferentes comités. Escoja el que más le interese y póngase en contacto conmigo, Amber Dungan, coordinadora de voluntariado, o con el coordinador encargado de ese comité.
Medios de comunicación – El PTA utiliza varias herramientas para comunicarnos con la comunidad de manera eficaz:
- Las páginas web del condado de Arlington y del PTA
- El paquete del martes
- Las reuniones del PTA
- El directorio de números de teléfono
- El boletín de noticias de Claremont
- El contacto de habla hispana del PTA
- APS schooltalk (se puede registrar en la página web de las Escuelas Públicas de Arlington)
- Calendario Escolar
- Dos grupos electrónicos de noticias para los padres de Claremont:
-
- La lista del PTA (sólo para asuntos de la escuela o del PTA)
- Parrots Prattle (para asuntos no relacionados con el PTA, como solicitar un servicio de niñera, o anunciar eventos importantes para la comunidad)
Para inscribirse, envíe un mensaje de correo electrónico a las siguientes direcciones:
Lista del PTA de Claremont: claremont-pta-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Lista del Parrots Prattle: claremont-parrotsprattle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Los miembros del PTA también son un excelente recurso de comunicación. Los miembros de la junta directiva del PTA son:
|
|
Nombre |
Dirección electrónica |
Teléfono |
| Presidente | Sarita Bhargava | saritabhargava@hotmail.com | 703/533-3371 |
| Vicepresidente de eventos sociales | Julie Kluge | jkluge@cisco.com | 571/214-4133 |
| Vicepresidente de recaudación de fondos | Clair Sassin | csassin@sassinconsulting.com | 703/820-5911 |
| Vicepresidente de comunicaciones | Marie Uribe | mmdeluka@gmail.com | 703/869-0122 |
| Secretaria de correspondencia | Amber Dugan | itsber@yahoo.com | 310/489-1318 |
| Secretaria | Christine Walyus | walyus@comcast.net | 703/824-1567 |
| Tesorero | Rich Kelly | richkelly@aol.com | 703/979-1409 |
Directorio de estudiantes: Usted puede proveer su información para el directorio de Claremont en la página web del PTA. La información recibida formará parte del directorio que se distribuirá en octubre.
Por favor incluya su información; si prefiere no darnos su información electrónicamente o desea no aparecer en el directorio, use el formulario que será enviado en el segundo paquete del martes.
Esperamos que este sea un año lleno de éxitos para todas las familias de Claremont.
Sarita Bhargava
Presidente del PTA
Reflections – The Magic of a Moment
July 9, 2012
Have your child participate in the nationally sponsored PTA contest, Reflections!
Thankfully Normal
April 21, 2013
The past week has been difficult. I am a Bostonian and a runner and was most saddened to hear of the week’s unfolding events, perhaps a bit more because of my Boston roots. We have seen tragedy before, and we always persevere – as Bostonians have been saying – B strong!
So as we pick up our routines again, I am glad to touch on a few bits of normalcy in our lives.
I attended the PTA Movie Night this past Friday – what fun our kids seem to have watching a movie and eating pizza. A simple pleasure for us all.
There is a lot of activity going on at Claremont this week, so please try to participate in one or all of the events going on. In honor of Earth Day, we kick off Lean, Green, No Screen Week. Encourage your kids to turn off the screens and be green all week. In addition, the PTA is hosting the spring book fair allowing us to raise funds for many of the activities we undertake at Claremont.
Wednesday, April 24th is Support Staff Day – feel free to acknowledge our fantabulous team with a sweet, a note, a flower or more. On Thursday, April 25th, please join us at 5:30 pm for the principal’s garden dedication where we will honor our first principal, Cintial Johnson. At 6:30, our 3-5th graders will be performing ever so sweetly – a truly joyous event that will make us smile after the past week’s events.
See you all somewhere at Claremont.
Thank you to all who came out to the principal’s garden dedication! 
Waste Free Lunch
April 15, 2013
On Monday, April 22 (Earth Day), Claremont will hold its fourth annual Waste-Free Lunch. Having already weighed lunch room trash on March 18 (same cafeteria menu as April 22), we will now see how much we can reduce the 132 pounds of garbage created during a single lunch period (about 23,000 pounds in one year!). We hope this day will encourage an earth-friendly approach to packing and consuming lunch for our kids.
It’s time for Spring After School Activities!
January 29, 2013
In the Tuesday Packets, your children will bring home a one page registration form for the classes offered by the PTA. Soccer, Art, Sewing, Guitar, and the always popular Dodge Ball are just some of the possibilities! The catalog with a full description can be viewed here: Claremont Immersion School SPRING 2013 Catalog.
Classes fill very fast, so make sure you register ASAP. The volunteer extraordinaire Maggie Ryner-Ferm will be in the front lobby accepting forms and checks on Wednesday morning. Registration is first come first serve. After 8am, you can register by turning your forms into the “the box” in the front office lobby.
Think Spring!
International Dinner and Dance Tonight
January 25, 2013
Sample savories and sweets from all around the world at Claremont’s annual international dinner and dance. Eat and dance the night away from 6:30 – 9:30 pm amidst a few flurries. Join the fun – be there!
Claremont’s Outdoor Classroom is featured on the APS Green Scene
November 14, 2012
From the APS Website:
The Giving Tree
November 5, 2012
Tis the Season to be Giving
The Giving Tree
This holiday giving season, join the Claremont community as we help local families celebrate the spirit of giving
What is it?
The Giving Tree will provide a list of gifts that our community wants or needs during the holiday season…gifts will range from stocking stuffers like crayons and construction paper to books, coats and hats, games and toys.
How can I give?
Simply, take a tag from the tree and purchase the item on the tag and bring it back wrapped and labeled with the tag number and put it in the box in the front office.
Consider making a donation towards a book at the school book fair the week of December 3rd. We will collect the donations and provide books to the Giving Tree recipieints. We’ll take care of the rest.
If you can’t purchase the item, you can simply provide a donation, and someone from the PTA will purchase and wrap the item for you. Please provide your donation in an envelope with the tag number and place it in the box in the front office.
When is the deadline?
Please deliver your wrapped and numbered label item by December 4th.
PTA School Budget
September 10, 2012
Please find the 2012-2013 PTA Budget for review. It will be voted on at the PTA meeting on September 11 at 7pm.
School Calendar
August 15, 2012
Please find the English Calendar and the Spanish Calendar for your records.




