Welcome from the CANS PTO

Posted 7/24/2025 12:00 am
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Hello!

I'm Aaron Windeler, and I’ll be your PTO President for the 2025–26 school year. After serving four years as Communications Chair, I’m excited to be back and involved again. My son has been at CANS since pre-K (back when it was at Rising Star on Vine), so I’ve seen firsthand how special this school community is.

Joining me as Vice President is Jeff Steller, a healthcare strategist at Children’s Hospital and a proud CANS parent of two. Jeff and I are both board game nerds with strong opinions—so if you ever want a heated debate about cooperative mechanics vs. hidden roles, we’re your guys.

We’re thrilled to have the rest of last year’s PTO board returning:

  • Peter Adams as Communications Chair

  • Chris Flores as Treasurer

  • Justine Balash as Recording Secretary

They’re a phenomenal team and have done amazing work keeping the PTO running smoothly and supporting our school.

We also want to acknowledge the incredible efforts of past PTO boards—we’re building on a strong foundation. While you’ll see a few schedule tweaks this year, many beloved events like Culture Fest, Fine Arts Night, and basketball are here to stay. They’re clear home runs we’re proud to continue.

Our main goal this year is to make PTO participation easier and more accessible. That means:

  • Clearly defined roles, so you know exactly what you're signing up for

  • Smaller, flexible commitments, to fit busy schedules

When kids see their parents and guardians volunteering, it sends a powerful message that school matters—and from personal experience, it’s also a great way to make real adult friends.

Looking forward to a great year together,
Aaron Windeler
PTO President, 2025–26

Back to School Bash

Join us for games, food trucks, information & fun at the Back to School Bash. August 9 from 12-3pm at CANS & Fairview. Hosted by CANS, Fairview-Clifton German Language School, and the CRC.

School Supply Drive

At CANS, we community source school supplies. Instead of individual lists, we use a Sign-Up Genius where families can contribute what they’re able—buying in bulk is welcome! The only required item for each student is a backpack. This year, we've also included our specials teachers to ensure all students are covered.

Click here to view the lists

Register for the School Directory

Whether you are a new or existing CANS family, take a moment to make sure you are registered for the CANS website and directory. Having information in the directory makes it easy for other families to get in touch. Only registered users can view directory entries. 

Register here: https://www.canselementary.org/create_account

If you are having trouble registering, or think you've already registered but can't log in, please get in touch with Peter Adams at peteradamsmusic@gmail.com.

Subscribe to the CANS Calendar

If you use Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or another calendar program that integrates with iCal, subscribe and get school events automatically added:

Subscribe here

View the calendar here

Volunteering

Throughout the year there are opportunities large and small for helping make CANS a great school. The best way to find out what's needed is to register for the site, check the Volunteer page where open volunteer opportunities will appear, or get in touch with canspto@gmail.com to find out about current needs.

 

Upcoming Events

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