Exterior of Clara H. Carlson elementary school

Clara H. Carlson School

Mrs. Stacia Walfall, Principal

Mr. Richard Mansfield, Asst. Principal

Mrs. Melissa Polzella, Asst. Principal

235 Belmont Boulevard, Elmont, NY 11003
Phone: (516) 326-5570
Fax: (516) 326-0349
Hours: 8:55 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

"Every Student Matters and Every Moment Counts."

Our Mission: Inspire creativity, cultivate academic growth, nurture our diverse community, and motivate students to be life-long learners.

Our Vision: Challenge the leaders, thinkers, and creators of tomorrow.

Welcome to the Clara H. Carlson Elementary school website! Coming from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds, our students thrive and grow as well-rounded individuals. Priority is given to maintaining a safe environment that is conducive to learning.

Our dedicated teachers and staff empower all students to reach their full potential and become life-long learners. Students are given a quality education in a safe, nurturing environment. Our staff works diligently to ensure each student receives a quality education with priorities focused on individual growth, social-emotional development and safety.

Our families play a key role in this educational journey. When you visit our school, you will find an extended hand ready to invite you to become a member of our community. We welcome you to the Carlson family and look forward to working with you and your child to have a wonderful school year.

Clara H. Carlson is one of six schools in the Elmont School District. It first opened its doors on February 3, 1930 and was originally named the Belmont Boulevard School. Ms. Clara H. Carlson was a former educator and principal in the Elmont School District. After being the 1st Belmont Boulevard principal, the 1st principal of the Gotham Avenue School and the principal of the Elmont Road School, the building was renamed the Clara H. Carlson School in the early 1960s. A ceremony was held to honor her dedication and commitment to the Elmont community.

Our clubs and programs include Afternoon Tutoring, Bienvenidos, Broadcasting Squad, Band, Chorus, Community Read, Girl Power, Honor Roll, International Night, Kindness, Model United Nations, Monday, Clubs, Morning Enrichment & Tutoring, NYSSMA, Orchestra, PTA, Recorder Ensemble, Safety Squad, Spelling Bee, Student Council, Student of the Month, Talent Show, and Teachers of Tomorrow

Our awareness activities include Alzheimer's, Autism, Black History Month, Breast Cancer, College and Career, Fire Safety, Hoops For Hearts, Leukemia & Lymphoma, Memorial Day, Pennies For Patients, Read Across America, Red Ribbon, September 11th Memorial, Staff Appreciation, and Veterans Day.

Languages spoken by CHC families include Bengali, English, French, Haitian Creole, Malayalam, Panjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Turkish, and Urdu.

Our grads have attended colleges including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Howard, Hampton, SUNY, CUNY, Community Colleges, Hofstra, Adelphi, University of Southern Carolina, Mercy, Temple, Fashion Institute of Technology, Florida State, St. John's, Delaware State, and more!

Announcements

Clara H. Carlson School Fourth Graders Host Native American Museum Exhibit

On February 26, Clara H. Carlson School fourth graders in Rina DiRe’s class entered a different world as they transformed their classroom into a Native American museum exhibit, marking the culmination of their history unit on the Algonquian and Iroquois tribes.

In collaborative groups, each team researched a specific tribe, including the Cayuga, Erie, Lenape and Mohawk peoples. Students delved into the tribe’s location, climate and geography, as well as their tools, artwork, and the roles of men and women. Using household materials such as popsicle sticks, cardboard and cotton balls, the students built models of the traditional homes of their assigned tribes, such as longhouses and wigwams.

During the exhibition, each group presented their tribe’s history and culture, showcasing poster displays and handmade artifacts. As their classmates listened, they took notes on the new facts they learned.

This hands-on project not only sparked creativity, but also fostered meaningful discussions, and strengthened teamwork and public speaking skills. This was the first museum-style project for the fourth grade class, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. According to Mrs. DiRe, the students loved the opportunity to learn through hands-on activities and to collaborate with their peers.

The museum exhibit was followed by a creative workshop on February 27, where the students crafted their own wampum belts, further deepening their understanding of Native American culture.

Click here to view the Clara H. Carlson School Fourth Graders Host Native American Museum Exhibit slideshow.

Date Added: 3/7/2025

First Graders at Clara H. Carlson School Create Useful Objects as Part of Science Unit on Plants and Animals

To culminate their science unit on the structures and functions of living things, Elmont’s Clara H. Carlson School first graders in Mrs. Jaeger and Mrs. McNamara’s class became scientists and engineers; collaborating in groups to design and create objects that solve a problem through Project-Based Learning.

Throughout the unit, the students learned about the various structures and functions of plants and animals, such as how webbed feet can help aquatic animals swim in water, feathers help keep birds warm and allow them to fly, and how tails help to keep their balance.

As part of the PBL, the first graders were introduced to the overall driving question of the unit, “What features and behaviors of living things help them survive?” To create their projects, the groups utilized the guiding question, “Can animal and plant parts give people ideas to make a tool that solves a problem?”

Each group designed a useful tool based on the function of a plant or animal’s feature, such as a helmet to represent a turtle’s shell, a window pole for a giraffe’s long neck, a seed organization box for a sunflower, and a drinking device for a flower. The students utilized household items – like bubble wrap, straws, popsicle sticks and tissue paper – to create their objects in class.

Click here to view the First Graders at Clara H. Carlson School Create Useful Objects as Part of Science Unit on Plants and Animals slideshow.

Date Added: 1/31/2025