Clarkston Elementary School - One team, one goal; ensuring success for all.

Yesterday was “U” for USA in our ABC Countdown! 🇺🇸⭐🦅 Pre-K and Kindergarten classes visited the STEM Lab with Mrs. Smith and took on a fun Flagpole STEM Challenge! 🚩🏗️ Working in teams 🤝, students used red, white, and blue Play-Doh ❤️🤍💙, toothpicks, and a flag to build the tallest freestanding flagpole they could create. We loved seeing their creativity 🎨, teamwork 👏, and problem-solving skills 💡 in action. What a fun way to celebrate “U” Day!

🚓🚒🍕💐 CAREER DAY AT CLARKSTON ELEMENTARY WAS ONE FOR THE BOOKS! 💐🍕🚒🚓 Today our students didn’t just learn about careers… they EXPERIENCED them hands-on! From climbing inside emergency vehicles 🚑🚔 to making pizza dough 🍕, exploring giant trucks 🚛, learning about money management 💰, behavior therapy, content creation 🎥, graphic design 🎨, landscaping 🌿, law ⚖️, and so much more — our students were fully immersed in real-world learning! A HUGE thank you to our incredible presenters and community members who poured into our students today: 🐄 Sabrina Pringle with Chick-fil-A 🍕 Parry’s Pizza 💐 Erin Wilson with Diamond W Floral 🚒 Tyler Fire Department 🚑 UT Health EMS Ambulance 🏦 Southside Bank 🚛 Quikrete Ready Mix Concrete Truck 🚛 Fritcher’s Dump Truck 🚔 Tyler Police Department 🚓 Smith County Sheriff’s Precincts 1, 3, & 4 👮‍♀️ April Molina with Tyler PD 🌿 Alden Utz with Excel Pools & Landscaping 🤝 Nick Zavala with Mentoring Alliance 💻 Marc De La Garza for Network Administration 🎨 Karen Shackelford for Graphic Design 📱 Cornelius Shackelford for Content Creation & Money Management 🥋 Professor Rock from Rock Double Five Jujutsu 🧠 Alicia Jamison – Paraprofessional for Behaviors 🧩 Sequoia Jordan, RBT & Rory Herterich, BCBA – Behavior Therapy 🇺🇸 Gerald Newton – Retired Veteran 🔋 Jon Mercer – Battery Manager ⚖️ Attorney Ross 👮 Chief Pinkerton and the Smith County Constable crew Our students touched, explored, created, questioned, investigated, climbed, observed, and learned in ways that can’t be replicated in a textbook. They explored SWAT vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, police units, dump trucks, and concrete mixers while hearing firsthand stories from the people who serve our community every single day. The excitement on our students’ faces said it all. 💙 Career Day at Clarkston is about planting seeds for future dreams, showing students what’s possible, and connecting learning to the real world. Today was a powerful reminder that our community shows up BIG for kids — and we are so thankful. #ClarkstonElementary #CareerDay #HandsOnLearning #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #TylerTX #StudentEngagement #RealWorldLearning #ThankYouCommunity #CareerExploration

Clarkston takes on Career Day! 👮‍♂️👷‍♂️🧑‍🍳👨‍💼👨‍🚒👨‍⚖️👨‍💻🐾 Thank you to all of our parents & community members who volunteered your time to provide this amazing experience for our Cougars!

Cougar Nation: please use the link below to access the weekly Cougar Connection!
4.5 days left in the 2025-2026 school year!
https://tylerisd.edurooms.com/engage/clarkston-elementary-school/newsletters/cougar-connection-may-15-2026

Have a great weekend!

🛒💰 Mrs. Busby’s kindergarten class went “shopping” yesterday using the “money” they earned from the growth they made on their end-of-year assessments! Students worked hard all year and were rewarded based on the points they grew. Mrs. Busby says, "Yesterday, students went shopping based on the points they grew by… and let’s just say they cleaned house! 🛒 👏 We are so proud of their hard work, determination, and growth this year. They earned every bit of it!"

Take a look at these awesome creations from 4th grade! They did an amazing job with their Innovation Nation projects! A huge thank you to the Tyler ISD Foundation for helping to bring this experience to our kids & our 4th grade team for bringing the idea to life! 🎨🧠📝

What a cool experience for our 3rd-5th grades! UT Tyler School of Medicine brought their Mobile STEM Lab to campus & our kids were engaged in hands on learning & fun! We are so grateful for our partners at UT Tyler!

Today was “T” for Tie Dye in our ABC Countdown! 🌈🧦 Mrs. Busby’s Kindergarten class had so much fun tie dyeing socks and creating their own colorful designs. It was a bright, messy, and exciting day of creativity! 🎨

🏃‍♀️💙 What an INCREDIBLE day for our Kindergarteners at Clarkston Elementary! For the Letter “S” in Kindergarten, we celebrated all things Sports Day — and our students got the BEST surprise visitors from UT Tyler Recreational Sports! 🧡🤍 Not only did our kinders get to learn about fitness, teamwork, movement, and healthy habits, but they also had the opportunity to meet amazing athletes who ran for the ✨ Boston Marathon ✨! Our students worked so hard writing encouraging letters to Brittany before her big race, cheering her on with kind words, pictures, and motivation from their little hearts. 🥹✏️💌 Seeing our students make real-world connections through writing was such a powerful moment! We are especially thankful for the partnership and connection we have with The University of Texas at Tyler and their Rec Sports team. Having future leaders, athletes, and educators pour into our students creates experiences they will NEVER forget. This is what community, mentorship, and education are all about! From races under the arches to smiles, movement, laughter, and learning — today was one for the books! 🏅🎉 #ClarkstonElementary #UTTyler #UTTylerRecSports #SportsDay #KindergartenFun #BostonMarathon #FutureLeaders #WritingConnections #LetterS #CommunityConnections #TylerISD #KindergartenMagic

So proud of our 5th grade at the district track meet today! They FLEW! 🪽👟🐾

Today was “R” for Rainbow in our ABC Countdown! 🌈 Pre-K and Kindergarten students learned about the ROY G. BIV rainbow color sequence and worked together to create a beautiful scrap paper rainbow mural. It was a colorful day full of teamwork, creativity, and learning! ☀️

Congratulations to our spring semester student teachers-Ms.Dossey & Mrs. Hahn--They are both official college graduates! 🎉 We are so grateful to have had them on our campus this semester!

ABC Countdown - Today was “R” for Rainbow 🌈 …but it was also “R” for Retriever! 🐶 Mrs. Utz brought her golden retriever, Chip, to visit her Pre-K class, and students were so excited to meet their special furry friend. It was a fun-filled day full of smiles, learning, and puppy love! 💛

Congratulations to our retirees! Mrs. Downs & Ms. Phillips have served Clarkston families for many years & we are so thankful for them! Please help us wish both of them a happy retirement! ❤️🐾

Today we celebrate every woman who pours love, guidance, patience, and care into the lives of children—mothers, grandmothers, guardians, teachers, mentors, and all who serve in a motherly role. Happy Mother’s Day, and thank you for the difference you make every day!

Thank you to Clarkston PTA for loving on our staff this week! Cold drinks & snacks were exactly what we needed on field day! 🐾

Field day was filled with fun & great memories! We look forward to this day every year! ❤️🐾

What a GREAT FIELD DAY! 🎉🐾 A huge thank you to Coach Johnson & specials team, Clarkston PTA, Clarkston parents, & Hubbard student volunteers! More pictures to come!

Cougar Nation: 2 weeks of learning and fun left for the 25-26 school year! Check out the Cougar Connection for the events coming up!
https://tylerisd.edurooms.com/engage/clarkston-elementary-school/newsletters/cougar-connection-may-8-2026
Have a great weekend!

It's Field Day! ☀️🎉