Frequently Asked Questions

Help!!! My child needs an account to get lunch in the cafeteria.
Students may either bring lunch from home or buy lunch, drinks, and snacks using a PIN number to access their pre-paid lunch account. In order to open a lunch account, you will need your child’s student ID number. This number is usually included with correspondence that is sent by the school district after you have registered your child for school. You can also obtain this number by calling Food Services. The number is (973) 762-5600 X1002. Once you have that, you can pay via check using the form for lunch accounts, which is located in the office or go to mealpayplus.com and use your credit card, or call (866) 575-5353 to give your credit card information over the phone. When logging on to Mealpay, please remember to drop the first zero from your child’s ID number.

Help!!! My child has forgotten his/her lunch.
You can deliver your child’s lunch to the main office before his/her scheduled lunch time. Clinton School staff will be sure your child receives it.

Help!!! My child needs money in his/her lunch account.
An account needs to be opened for a student before purchases can be made. Please be sure to replenish the money when the balance is low. This can be done online (www.mealpay.com) or buy sending money to school in designated envelope. Information can be obtained from the EZ Lunch Office at 973-762-5600.

Help!!! My child is on medication that he/she needs to take during the day.
All medications require a physician’s written order and written parental permission before they can be administered by our school nurse. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines such as Tylenol, cough drops, nutritional supplements, etc. The physician’s request may be obtained at the time the medication is prescribed. If this isn’t possible please have your physician FAX the request to the Clinton School nurse at _(973)378-5241. This FAX must be followed by the original copy.

All medications must be delivered to the school nurse by the parent/guardian. In addition, students may not have any medications in their possession while in school, with the exception o life-saving medications such as inhalers. A special permission slip is required for this and arrangements should be made with the school nurse. The medication should be in its original labeled container.

Medication can only be administered by the school nurse, another registered nurse employed by the district, or the student’s parent/guardian. EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE INCLUDE EMERGENCY MEDICATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH BEE STING OR FOOD ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, OR OTHER LIFE THREATENING ILLNESSES. These students may self-administer their emergency medication or the medication may be administered by a designee trained in the administration of life-saving medication as well as CPR, provided that a physician’s written order and a parental written request for their child’s self administration or emergency medication are on in file with the school nurse. If you have any questions, contact our school nurse at (973)378-7686, ext. 4.

We strongly encourage communication with the school nurse so that your child can receive the best care during the school day. You can stop in or call the nurse at any time with any questions or concerns.

Help!!! My child got sick during the school day and I’m at work!!
In the event your child is sick during the school day, he/she may rest in the nurse’s office until either the guardian or your emergency contact is able to pick him up. Please make every effort to make sure your emergency contact list is correct and current.

Help!!! My child is late for school.
If a child is late for school, please tell him/her to go directly to the office to get a late pass. If this is a planned event (i.e., doctor’s appointment), please leave a message on the main office number at (973) 378-7686.

Help!!! My child will be absent from school.
If your child will be absent, please notify the school by calling (973)378-7686 by 9:00 am. In case of absence due to illness, please inform school of the nature of the illness. It is important for us to know when there is a communicable illness so that we can notify other parents and/or take appropriate action.

A student must be absent for two consecutive days before homework will be sent home. Homework will be ready by 3:30 pm on the second day, only if requested by a parent.

Help!!! My child lost his/her lunchbox!
All lost and found items are collected in the hallway outside the cafeteria. Unclaimed items are donated to the Clinton School account at a local consignment store several times a year. We use this account from time to time to help families in need. Please look for lost items sooner rather than later.

Help!!! My child needs before school and/or after school care!
The South Mountain YMCA runs the before school program. Their number is 973-762-4145 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30a-5p Sat 9-11:00a 13 Jefferson Avenue, Maplewood. They also run an off-site after school program.

The on-site after school program (ASP) is run through the Township of Maplewood Dept of Recreation. The number is (973) 762-0183 and their hours are generally 9-4.

The PTA is not affiliated with either of these programs.

Help!!! My child needs permission to walk home alone.
Students in kindergarten, first, and second grades will not be allowed to walk home alone. They must be picked up at their assigned locations.

Students in third, fourth, or fifth grades may walk home alone with their parent’s permission. Any parent who does not want their child to walk home unescorted must complete a dismissal form designating who will pick their child up. Forms will be sent home at the beginning of the year and will be available in the main office after that.

Any designated escort other than parent/guardian will be required to show identification before taking the student.

Students who walk home must leave school grounds immediately. There are no staff members to supervise students after 3 pm.

If a student must be picked up early from school for any reason, parents/guardians must report to the main office to sign out their child.

Who is on the SOMA Board Of Education?
The Board of Education is the governing body of the South Orange – Maplewood School District with responsibility for developing policy to ensure the proper care, management and control of District affairs. The Board consists of nine citizens elected at large by the voters of South Orange and Maplewood. Board members serve three year terms, with three members of the Board subject to election each year.

In addition to setting policy, the Board hires the superintendent; approves staff hires, transfers, resignations, terminations, and leaves of absence; approves expenditures; approves educational programs (curricula); and otherwise ensures that the facilities and equipment are available to support learning and teaching in the District.

The Board also approves the budget for the School District. However, the tax levy is approved by a separate entity, the Board of School Estimate (BOSE), which is comprised of three members of the Village Trustees of South Orange, three members of the Township Committee of Maplewood and two members of the Board of Education.

Every year in April, the Board holds an organization meeting to elect officers (President and two Vice-Presidents), appoint committees and settle other routine business. There are four standing committees — Finance and Facilities; Human Resources and Legal; Educational Programs; and Policy — that meet periodically to study specific issues and work on special projects as assigned by the Board, and make recommendations to the Board as a whole.

To contact any Board Member please e-mail chackett@somsd.k12.nj.us, the Superintendent’s executive confidential secretary, who will forward the message to the board member(s).

Who are the current Board members?
Mark Gleason
Board President
Term: 2009 – 2012

Rowland Bennett
1st Vice-President
Term: 2007 – 2010

Lynne E. Crawford
2nd Vice-President
Term: 2007 – 2010

Wayne Eastman
Term: 2009 – 2012

Richard Laine
Term: 2008 – 2011

Andrea Wren-Hardin
Term: 2008 – 2011

Jennifer Payne-Parrish
Term: 2009 – 2012

Sandra Karriem
Term: 2008 – 2011

Elizabeth Daugherty
Term: 2007 – 2010

For more information: http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/189610121793241930/site/default.asp

How can I contact a person in the Administration?
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/1896102485415267/site/default.asp

What is ESL?
ESL (English as a Second Language) is the teaching of English to children whose native language is other than English. These children are referred to as ESL or ELL students (English Language Learners). The children receive services from specially-trained teachers to improve their English literacy and support the child’s work in their classroom.

How many children does Clinton serve?
Clinton is the ESL elementary school in the SOMA School District. The ESL population makes us a truly international school and every student in the building learns from and values our incredibly diverse environment. One need only visit our annual International Dinner that takes place every spring to see one amazing result of this diversity.

About 10% of the student population are ESL students, although this number varies from year to year. When we quantify this diversity we’ve found that we often have 30 -40 countries represented and many, many languages.

The Clinton PTA translates a bi-monthly newsletter into Haitian Creole and Spanish as they are the two most commonly spoken languages of Clinton families after English.

What services are offered at Clinton?
Please contact the District Special Education Department to learn about the services provided.

How can I obtain a copy of A Guide to the Special Education Process?
Copies of A Guide to the Special Education Process are available through our district’s department of Special Services, 525 Academy Street, Maplewood, 973-762-5600 x1840.

What are integrated classrooms?
Inclusive education is when students with varied academic needs and learning styles are placed in general education classes with appropriate supports. Please read a letter from the principal for further information.

What are regular school hours?
First bell: 8:00am
Dismissal: 2:35pm

What is the schedule for a 4 hour day?
8:00am until 12:05pm

Will the school’s after school program (ASP) be running in the event of a 4 hour day?
Yes, the on-site after school program normally runs until the normal time. However, you should definitely confirm this with your after school provider.

What time is my child’s lunch?

We just moved here during the summer. The Clinton office is closed. Whom do I call to get my child registered?
All registrations are handled by the School District Office. You can contact the registration office at 973.762.5600. You will also need to go to the office in person to complete paperwork (525 Academy Street, right next to the high school). Be prepared to bring proof of residence (mortgage, utility bill etc), child’s birth certificate as well as any documentation from your previous school. Kindergarten registration is handled at the same office.

When will someone be back in the Clinton office?
Clinton School staff will be back in the office a few days before the start of the new school year.

Can I have a tour of the school before school starts?
We cannot give tours during the summer since the building is closed and classroom are often being cleaned, painted, etc. During the school year you can call the main office or contact the PTA to arrange a tour.

Where should I go the first day?
When you receive the letter with your child’s teacher assignment a few days before the start of school, the envelope will also contain a map of the building entrances that shows where each class/grade lines up. If you did not receive that letter, please contact the main office for information.

Where do my children line up?
The envelope with your child’s teacher assignment letter will also contain a map of the building entrances that shows where each class/grade lines up.

What part of the school do my children come out of at dismissal?
Your child will come out of the same door they entered in the morning at 2:35pm dismissal.

Where/when does my child line up for school?
The envelope with your child’s teacher assignment letter that is mailed to you a few days before the first day of school will also contain a map of the building entrances that shows where each class/grade lines up.

When will I learn the name of my child’s teacher?
The Maplewood South Orange School District sends teacher assignment letters to every student a few days before the first day of school. Teacher assignments are sent out on the same day for all elementary schools in the M/SO School District. The school will not release teacher assignment information before letters are mailed out.

What supplies should my child bring on the first day?
If your child’s kindergarten teacher requires any supplies on the first day of school, a list will be included with your teacher assignment letter. Generally, however, most kindergarten supplies will be requested during the first week of school and the list is usually quite short and includes items like tissues and hand sanitizer.

Should my child bring a snack on the first day of school?
Kindergarten and first grade students eat a snack every day. In most classrooms, parents are responsible for sending in a small, healthy snack and drink daily. In some classrooms, snacks might be provided by one family for an entire week. On the first day it is recommended that you do send in a snack. If the teacher has different plans for snack time, you will be informed at some point early in the school year.

What number should I call in the event my child will be absent?
Call the main office at (973)378-7686.

What are my child’s Before School and After School Care options?
Before and after school care are available at Clinton Elementary although the programs are run by other organizations. You should contact these organizations directly to find out about registration dates and procedures.

After Care
Two of the after care programs used most frequently by Clinton students are:

Maplewood Recreation Department After School Program (on-site at Clinton)
Main Office (973) 762-0183
After School Program Clinton Site (973) 762-0218

South Mountain YMCA After Care (children are bussed to the YMCA)
Main Office (973)762-4145 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30a-5p Sat 9-11:00a

The Clinton PTA is not affiliated with either of these programs although the PTA does offer two sessions of an After School Enrichment Program during the school year. The courses are commonly offers on Thursdays for 8 weeks (fall and spring) and last for about one hour. Registration materials will be sent home in your child’s backpack and through our email list.