Welcome to Clay Elementary School! Clay is one of four elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District and has a student population of approximately 460 students. Although we are the largest elementary school in the district, we pride ourselves in fostering a child-centered school where we continually strive to meet individual student needs and nurture the development of the “whole child.”
As the principal at Clay Elementary for the past five years, it has been and continues to be a pleasure to welcome students into our school each morning. Their excitement and enthusiasm for being part of our school community is a reflection of their eagerness to learn and do the very best they can each and every day. Our “Clay family” of teachers, support staff and parents are dedicated to providing the best possible learning experience for everyone.
Elementary Schools are not successful by accident, it takes the continued support and true dedication of everyone in the building to reach high levels of academic performance and make a difference in the lives of our children. Not only do we strive for academic excellence, our school emphasizes a proactive approach to building a positive school climate through the use of a School Wide Positive Behavior System. We emphasize positive decision making by encouraging all children to be Clay Crickets CHAMPS by……Coming to school prepared and ready to learn; Having a positive attitude; Always telling the truth; Making good choices; Paying attention and following instructions; and Showing respect for people and property. Students receive “Clay Cricket Tickets” as positive reinforcement for modeling these behavior traits in the school setting.
Academic Success is measured through continuous multiple assessments, evaluation of the assessment data, and reflective dialogue among our professional colleagues leading to the refinement of research based teaching strategies and interventions to reach all learners. Our students are accountable for the opportunities that they are provided to master the curriculum and are encouraged to feel safe enough to risk, grow, and achieve success as an educated, responsible, and caring member of society.
I look forward to a productive and successful school year as we work together to “achieve success one student at a time!”