Crystal Lake School PTO

08/29/2026

📣 This Week’s PTO Newsletter is here!

Welcome back, CLS! 🐯
We hope everyone had a great first TWO days back! We’re so happy to have everyone back and already have some fun things to look forward to! 💙

📅 A few dates to save:
🎉 OPEN HOUSE — September 10th
Come visit the PTO table during Open House! Stop by, say hi, learn what we’re all about, and maybe even win a few prizes! We’re very nice, we promise. 😇😂

📚 FIRST PTO MEETING — Thursday, September 17th at 6:45 PM
📍 Library
Come see what we have planned and find out how you can get involved!

🧡💙COLOR RUN — Friday, October 2nd at 5:00 PM
This is the big one! Get ready to run, get messy, and get COVERED IN COLOR! 🎨🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️
💰 Fundraising packets will be sent home next week!
There are going to be some GREAT prizes this year, so get ready to start fundraising! 🏆👀

We’re excited for another great year and can’t wait to see all of our CLS families! 💙🐯

08/27/2026

🐯 Happy First Day, Crystal Lake Tigers! 🐯

And just like that… we’re off and running!

We hope it’s a year filled with new friends, big smiles, lots of learning, and only mostly remembering where you put your backpack.

A HUGE welcome back to our amazing families and staff! We’re so excited for another great year together. 💙

📸 FIRST DAY PHOTO TIME!
Drop those first-day-of-school smiles, poses, nervous faces, proud parents, teacher pics, and “HOW IS IT ALREADY THIS TIME?!” photos in the comments below! 👇

Let’s fill the comments with our Tigers! 🐯

Happy First Day, Crystal Lake!

Let’s make it a great one! 🎒✨

08/26/2026

See you later, Tigers! 🐯

08/21/2026

See you tomorrow morning Kindergarten & PreK families!

🍧 Popsicles on the Playground! ☀️

Calling all incoming CLS Pre-K and Kindergarten students and families! 🎉

Join us for a fun morning of popsicles, play, and new friendships before the school year begins!

📅 Saturday, August 22
🕙 10:00 AM
📍 Kindergarten Playground at CLS

This is a great opportunity for your little one to meet future classmates, make new friends, and become familiar with the playground before the first day of school. Families can also meet the PTO Board, ask questions, and learn about the exciting events we have planned for the upcoming school year.

We can't wait to welcome our newest CLS families and kick off an amazing year together. See you on the playground! 💙💛

08/19/2026

We are inching our way closer towards the 1st day of school!

Bus Routes are posted. 🚌

🚨Inquiries should be directed to First Student at 860-875-6675 🚨

2026-2027 bus routes have been posted! 🚌🚌🚌

Visit our Transportation page to find yours: https://www.ellingtonpublicschools.org/transportation-information

➡ Inquiries should be directed to First Student at 860-875-6675.

08/13/2026

Flash Sale Alert!
Our Crystal Lake Official Spirit Wear Store just added even more savings! Shop performance tees for $19.99, ¼ zips for $33.19, crewnecks for $35.99, performance hoodies for $41.49, tie-dyes for $22.19, and save up to 35% OFF sitewide on even more spirit wear. Don't miss out!
Shop Here: https://1stplace.sale/18421

08/12/2026

🍎☕️ Stock the Staff Lounge for Back to School! 💙

Let’s welcome our amazing Crystal Lake School staff back with a fully stocked staff lounge! We’re collecting snacks, drinks, treats, and other goodies to help make their first days back a little brighter.

Sign up to donate an item here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044CAEA92BA4F8C34-64944055-back

📍 Donation Drop-Off: Crystal Lake School
📅 Saturday, August 22 & Sunday, August 23
⏰ 9:30–11:30 AM

Every donation, big or small, is a wonderful way to show our CLS staff how much we appreciate everything they do for our students! 💙
Let’s fill that lounge and give our staff the warm welcome they deserve! 🍎✨

08/09/2026

Yesterday, our community showed up in a way that left us truly speechless. ❤️

On such incredibly short notice, so many families came through for a CLS family in need. Our community rallied together with an outpouring of generosity, kindness, and strength.

There were several moments throughout the day when PTO members were moved to tears ,not just by the generosity, but by the genuine care and compassion our families showed one another.

This is what makes Ellington so special. When one of our families needs us, we come together. We lift each other up. We remind each other that no one has to face something difficult alone.

Thank you showing up with such big hearts. We are so grateful to be part of this community!

Send a message to learn more

08/09/2026

📚❤️ Happy National Book Lovers Day!

There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good book especially during summer! ☀️📖

Don’t forget to keep working on your Summer Learning Bingo Cards! 🎉

For the center space, send Mrs.Castonguay a picture of your child reading this summer to [email protected]. 📚❤️

08/08/2026

❤️ CLS FAMILY IN NEED❤️

One of our Ellington families experienced a devastating house fire early this morning. Thankfully, Mom, Dad, their 6-year-old daughter, and their 4-month-old baby boy are all safe and staying with a neighbor. We are incredibly grateful they are safe, but they have lost their home and will need our community’s support as they begin to navigate the days ahead.

As a CLS community, we would love to surround the family with love and help provide the things they need right now. ❤️

Items they are currently in need of:

👶 Baby Boy - 4 months
• Size 2 diapers
• Baby wipes
• 3–6 month clothing

👧 6-Year-Old Girl
• Size 6/7 clothing
• Size 11 shoes

👩 Mom
• Medium clothing
• Size 7 shoes

👨 Dad
• XL clothing
• Size 10 shoes

🧴 For the whole family
• Personal care/hygiene items
• Clothing and other everyday necessities

💗 There is also a GoFundMe set up to help the family with the many expenses they are facing after losing their home. If you are able to donate, any amount will make a meaningful difference.

👉 GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/4df4c380d

If you are able to donate clothing, diapers, baby supplies, or personal care items, PTO members will be at Crystal Lake Elementary today(8/8) from 1:00-3:00pm to collect donations.

This is one of those moments when our community can truly make a difference. Let’s come together and show the family that they are surrounded by love and support. ❤️

A special thank you to Ann Marie for stepping in so quickly to organize support for the Rosati family. She acted without hesitation and has worked to put everything together so quickly, with the goal of relieving the family of even a little bit of the burden during this incredibly difficult time.

Please keep the family in your thoughts as they begin to rebuild after this heartbreaking loss. ❤️