Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, Clayton Elementary opened its doors in the Fall of 2006. Located on a lush site of over 14 acres, the school is named for long-time South Austin resident and community contributor, Nan Clayton. Mrs. Clayton served for many years on the Austin ISD School Board as a member and as Board President.
School Mascot: Cardinals
School Colors: Red, White, Blue (but mostly red)
Clayton Cardinal Flight Plan: Respectful, Responsible, Motivated, Kind, Honest
School Song:
(written by music teacher, Barry Nunnelee)
Listen to the Song:
Oh we're the Clayton Cardinals,
red white & blue.
Clayton Cardinals
loyal through & through.
Oh we're the Clayton Cardinals,
red white & blue.
Clayton Cardinals
loyal through & through.
We're soaring to need new heights and learning at Clayton.
Respectful, Responsible, Motivated, Kind & Honest.
Oh we're the Clayton Cardinals,
red white & blue.
Clayton Cardinals
loyal through & through.
Oh we're the Clayton Cardinals,
red white & blue.
Clayton Cardinals
loyal through & through.
Did you know?
Our teachers are amazing for SO many reasons... but did you know that 3 of our teachers are National Board Certified, 3 have been teaching for over 30 years & 30% have a master's degree?!?!
History
Clayton Elementary is nestled in the Texas Hill Country, Clayton Elementary opened its doors in the Fall of 2006. Located on a lush site of over 14 acres, the school is named for long-time South Austin resident and community contributor, Nan Clayton. Mrs. Clayton served for many years on the Austin ISD School Board as a member and as Board President.
Nan Clayton has been passionate about learning her entire life. As a child, she loved reading so much that she taught the younger kids in her family to read. During class at school, she would even sneak extra books under her desk to peruse. All of her life, Nan loved history and science the most. Momentarily attracted to medicine, she soon turned her attention to completing her degree in Zoology and Chemistry. She became a certified teacher with a Master’s Degree in Chemical Education. She was a teacher in the Del Valle and Austin school districts and then became an active parent and PTA President at Barton Hills Elementary School.
In 1978, Mrs. Clayton was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Austin Independent School District. She went on to become the second woman ever elected President in the Board’s 100-year history. During Nan’s 14 years on the school board, which included the long effort to desegregate schools, she was a constant voice for equality and excellence of opportunity for all.
Mrs. Clayton was also instrumental in forming The Community Action Network (“CAN”) that researches and coordinates the work of 14 community-based organizations and collects data on crucial issues such as Early Childhood Education, homelessness, low-income housing, wellness, and youth services. As a result of CAN’s work, Nan was able to help institute Austin ISD’s full-day kindergarten program for all children, one of the first in Texas.
To this day, Mrs. Clayton remains active in many civic groups, among them The League of Women Voters for whom she co-chairs a statewide committee to study Testing and Accountability and its impact on Texas schools, and the South Austin Civic Association, through which she chairs candidate forums for high school students to address and question candidates for the Austin City Council and the AISD School Board.
Mrs. Clayton has long been and continues to be a hands-on advocate for all schools and schoolchildren. Her tremendous efforts and example will be shared with students at Clayton Elementary for years to come, and we are proud that our campus bears her name.