📅 Mark Your Calendars, OneClay Families! 🗓️

As we move through October, here are the key district dates and upcoming events to keep on your radar:

Friday, Oct. 9: End of 1st Grading Period

Monday, Oct. 12: Planning Day / Student Holiday (No school for students)

Friday, Oct. 16: Report Cards Posted in Focus

Friday, Oct. 30: Early Dismissal (Elementary Schools Only)

📌 Stay Connected & Up to Date:

To view the full school calendar and download printable schedules, visit:oneclay.net/calendars

#OneClay #ClayCountyDistrictSchools #CCDS #SchoolCalendar #MarkYourCalendars #ClayCountyFL

🍂 October is packed with special observances across OneClay!

Here is what we are celebrating and highlighting throughout the month:

🌟 National Principals Month: Thank you to all of our amazing OneClay principals for everything that you do for our students, schools, and communities!

🧡 National Bullying Prevention Month & Unity Day: Together, we can create a world without bullying! Mark your calendars for Unity Day on October 21, 2026. Wear and share orange to show support for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion!

🔒 Cybersecurity Awareness Month: We are focusing on digital safety and smart cyber habits all month long.

💃 Hispanic Heritage Month: Florida continues celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through October 15!

📅 Stay Up to Date: For a full copy of the CCDS School Calendar, visit oneclay.net/calendars

#OneClay #ClayCountyDistrictSchools #ThankAPrincipal #UnityDay #BullyingPreventionMonth #CybersecurityAwareness #HispanicHeritageMonth

🍴🥪 New Lunch with a Scholar procedure:

Starting October 1st there will NO LONGER be lunch sign ups to have lunch with a scholar. You are invited to attend lunch at your convenience. You or someone in your group MUST BE on the scholar's Focus portal contact list.

Please have your ID ready to be scanned into our Raptor system when coming for lunch.

Also, please be advised that there will be days lunch with your scholar WILL NOT be offered.

Please check our Facebook page (see attached) & Peachjar emails for a calendar of those days each month.

✨GLOW TRIVIA NIGHT! ✨ Thunderbolt Elementary PFA presents GLOW TRIVIA! 💡🎉 Join us for a fun-filled night for the whole family, hosted by Trivia Master, Principal Bathurst! 🧠🏆 📅 October 9th ⏰ 5:00 PM 📍 Thunderbolt Elementary Cafe ✨ What to expect: 🎉 Fun for the whole family 🏆 Prizes for winners 💡 Glow gear for all 🆓 FREE for the TBE community! 🍕 Pizza & refreshments will be available for purchase! Purchase through the QR code on the flyer or on MySchoolBucks, https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZH4WPLXJ8082OZ_ZZ648T6EEBJQ9L9. ⚠️ Pizza sales end October 4th! Grab your glow gear and get ready for an evening of trivia, fun, and Thunderbolt Pride!

✨ Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Johanna McQuain! ✨ We are so proud to celebrate Mrs. McQuain, our incredible art teacher! Her creativity, passion, and dedication inspire our students to express themselves, think creatively, and create something amazing every day. ❤️ Thank you, Mrs. McQuain, for bringing so much color and creativity to Thunderbolt Elementary! We are beyond lucky to have you! 🖌️🎨✈️

Clay County District Schools is committed to supporting exceptional educators in every classroom across our community.

The One Mill Renewal on the November 3 ballot provides dedicated local revenue to support competitive salaries for teachers and essential school staff. Continuing this voter-approved measure ensures the district can retain and attract high-quality talent, directly benefiting students and maintaining high academic standards. One hundred percent of these local funds stay right here in Clay County public schools, with all expenditures monitored by an independent citizens' oversight committee.

Find full details, FAQs, and budget breakdowns at oneclay.net/renewal.

🗳️ Voter Registration Deadline: October 5, 2026

Planning to participate in the upcoming General Election? Make sure your record is ready before the books close! October 5, 2026 is the last day to register to vote or change your party affiliation in the state of Florida.

First-Time Voters: High school seniors turning 18 on or before Election Day and new residents must register by this date.

Current Voters: Moved recently or changed your name? Double-check your voter status to make sure your information is accurate.

Take a quick moment to register or update your information online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov.

🌟 Congratulations, Mrs. Lindsay Swearingen! 🌟 Thunderbolt Elementary is proud to celebrate Mrs. Swearingen, our School-Related Employee of the Year! 🎉✈️ As our Records Secretary/Registrar, her dedication, kindness, and hard work make a difference every day. We are so grateful for all she does for our students, families, and staff! Congratulations, Mrs. Swearingen! You make us proud! 💙 #ThunderboltPride #SchoolRelatedEmployeeOfTheYear #ThunderboltElementary

🌟 Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year Finalists! 🌟 Thunderbolt Elementary is so proud to celebrate Mrs. Lara Libretto, Mrs. Johanna McQuain, and Mrs. Katie Wheeler as our three finalists for Teacher of the Year! 🍎💙 Each of these incredible educators makes a lasting impact on our students and school community every day. We are grateful for their dedication, passion, and commitment to helping our Jets grow and soar! ✈️ Congratulations, Mrs. Libretto, Mrs. McQuain, and Mrs. Wheeler! We are so proud of you! 🎉👏 #ThunderboltElementary #TeacherOfTheYear #ThunderboltPride #Jets #RootedToGrowDestinedToSoar

❤️🤍💙 WEAR YOUR PATRIOTIC COLORS FOR FREEDOM FRIDAY!

To cap off Celebrate Freedom Week and continue our recognition of American Founders' Month, Clay County District Schools invites all students and staff to wear red, white, and blue on Friday, September 25!

Show your school spirit and patriotic pride as we honor the foundation, history, and freedom of our nation. We can't wait to see our schools filled with red, white, and blue on Friday! ✨

#OneClay #ClayCountySchools #FreedomFriday #CelebrateFreedomWeek #AmericanFoundersMonth #PatrioticColors

Reminder: Picture Day is this Wednesday, September 23rd! 📸 Pre-order pictures through: www.leonards.com/order

On November 3, Clay County voters will consider the renewal of the existing One Mill ad valorem funding for four years (July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2031).

Because this measure is a renewal of the existing operating millage, it continues current funding without increasing tax rates. Revenues are strictly dedicated to two operational priorities:

School Safety: Funding law enforcement contracts for campus officers.

Employee Compensation: Providing competitive pay to retain and attract quality teachers and support staff.

All expenditures are subject to review by an independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Visit oneclay.net/renewal for more information.

❤️🤍💙 CELEBRATE FREEDOM WEEK! 📜✨

Clay County District Schools is proud to observe Celebrate Freedom Week from September 21–25 as part of American Founders' Month!

Throughout this week, students across our district will dive into the history and foundational principles of our nation. Lessons will highlight the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the visionary leaders who helped shape American democracy.

We encourage our families to join the celebration at home by reflecting together on freedom, civic responsibility, and the history that unites us! 🗽🦅

#OneClay #ClayCountySchools #CelebrateFreedomWeek #AmericanFoundersMonth #CivicsEducation #StudentSuccess

Mrs. Kusiak’s third grade scholars shared their thinking during a vocabulary lesson. 🧠🗣️

We couldn't help but post a few more pictures from Donuts with Dad, Granddad, or Someone Special. ☺️🍩

Donuts with Dads, Granddads, or Someone Special was a hit this morning!!! 🍩 Thank you to our PFA for putting on this fabulous event and thank you to everyone that attended. Your presence means more than we can put into words. Our scholars were all smiles this morning bringing their someone special to school and sharing donuts. We had a hard time choosing only a few pictures to share, because we took so many! Be sure to see more on the Thunderbolt PFA page!

🗳️ 2026 General Election: Important Dates to Remember

Make sure your voice is heard! Clay County District Schools encourages all eligible voters in our community—including parents, staff, and students turning 18—to prepare for the upcoming 2026 General Election.

Mark your calendars with these key deadlines:

October 5: Voter Registration Deadline Register to vote or update your information online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov.

October 22: Last Day to Request a Mail Ballot Submit your request by 5:00 PM at ClayElections.gov.

October 23–31: Early Voting All seven Clay County sites are open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (including weekends).

View locations at EarlyVoteClay.com.

November 3: Election Day Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

For official election details and voting resources, visit ClayElections.gov.

DONT MISS OUT! Save 20% on these limited time designs until 11:59pm tonight! Celebrate National Arts in Education Week TBE Merch Store: https://thunderbolt-elementary-pfa.myspreadshop.com/

TOMORROW!! We can't wait to celebrate Dads Take Your Child To School Day with our Thunderbolt Elementary School Dads! Donuts with Dad, Granddad or someone special! Friday, September, 18th 7:30am - 8:30am Join us in the side bus loop for donuts with your dad, granddad or anyone special to you! Celebrate Florida's Dads Take Your Child to School Day with us! Donuts and other refreshments provided by the Thunderbolt Elementary School PFA! Stay connected with the TBE PFA for more events like this on Facebook: Facebook.com/ThunderboltPFA

📜 Happy U.S. Constitution Day! 📜

Today, September 17th, we celebrate the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787—the foundation of our nation’s freedoms, rights, and democracy.

As part of American Founders' Month, students across Clay County District Schools are diving into civics and history lessons to learn how our government works and what it means to be an active, informed citizen. ❤️🤍💙

Help us celebrate today! Parents and guardians, ask your students what they learned about the Constitution in school today!

#ConstitutionDay #AmericanFoundersMonth #OneClay #ClayCountyDistrictSchools #CivicEducation #DiscoveringEndlessPossibilities