CLearspring Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions:

Office: 240-740-2580, fax: 301-253-2608

What are the regular school hours?

9:00 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. for Headstart, Pre-K – grade 5

What are the hours when it is an early release day?

9:00 a.m to 12:55 p.m. for ALL Grades

 Lunch and Recess Schedule

No entry into the building during arrival and dismissal due to increased security measures.  Students will enter through the front doors after exiting the bus and all walkers/car riders will enter through the side doors located in the car circle area.    

Dismissal - students will remain inside and will be called when your vehicle arrives in the car circle.  Please place your student’s name where it can be seen in order to identify your vehicle. Any changes in dismissal must be reported to the front office by 2:30 p.m.

 If I know my child will be absent what do I do?  

Three ways to report an absence:

1.Report a Student Absence online form – this can be found:  https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/clearspringes/about/absence.aspx 

2.  Call 240-740-2581 to report an absence to the Attendance Hotline.

3.  Email the student's teacher but you must CC the Attendance Secretary, Pia_E_Leaman@mcpsmd.org and Admin Secretary, Lisa_L_Gruber@mcpsmd.org Teachers on leave do not check their emails and transportation changes sent by email may not be relayed to the Substitute.  

Upon return to school, send a note to the main office: include student's full name, grade, teacher's name, dates and reason for absence, attendance note template MCPS requires a doctor's note for absences of 5 days or more.   

When my child returns to school after an absence, what do I do?

The child must return with a note explaining the absence. The dates and your signature are required. The note is to be given to the teacher who will send it to the office in the morning. A note must explain every day of absence or the child will be marked with an unexcused absence. An absence of 5 consecutive days requires a doctor’s note for the absences to be excused.

Extended Absences

Extended Absence Notification Form. Parent acknowledgement of effects of extended absences.  Must be completed prior to absences of 5 days or more NOT RELATED to Illness.  Extended Absence Notification Form.  

Cell Phone Permission Form

Students must have a Cell phone permission form signed by the parents/guardians and approval from the principal to bring a cell phone to school.  Without a signed permission form, the cell phone will be sent to the front office and a parent/guardian will have to make arrangements to come by and pick it up. Please print the Cell phone permission, parents/guardians sign and date this form and return to the front office.

How do I take my child out of school early?

Send a note with your child to state that you will pick him/her up early or use the Report a Student Absence online form and specify that he/she will be leaving early. When the time arrives, please report to the office and sign your child out at the front office. Your child will be called out of class to leave.

What do I do if my child is late for school?

Tardiness is defined as a failure to be seated in class ready to work when the bell rings. CES has the expectation that students arrive to school on time.  Students are deemed late to school if not seated in class by 9:00 am. Late-arriving students must be accompanied into the main office and signed in by their parent/guardian to receive a tardy pass that will be turned into the homeroom teacher. The car drop off door (side entrance) remains locked at all times and there is no entry after 9:00 a.m.  Parent/guardians should ensure that their student is entering the building  with enough time to get to class or they should park in the visitor lot and accompany their student through the front door and into the main office for late check-in.

What do I do if my child wants to go home with a friend after school?

A note or email from the parent must be sent to the homeroom teacher in the morning concerning any change in the child's routine, such as taking a different bus home. The student will be given an orange dismissal note to give to the bus driver if riding a different bus. Please do not contact the office with last minute transportation changes unless there is an emergency. These are disruptive to classroom instruction and often confuse the student about the appropriate way to get home. Please call the office no later than 2:30 if it is necessary to change dismissal procedures.  

What time is breakfast served and how much does it cost?

Breakfast is served from 8:40 – 8:55 a.m. and costs $1.30.

How much does lunch cost?

$2.55 for lunch including milk, milk alone is $.60. Reduced lunch is $.40

If my child forgets his/her lunch, what do I do?

You can bring his/her lunch into the office and your child will be able to pick it up in the office. OR your child can purchase a lunch in the cafeteria.  If there is no money in the student’s lunch account we debit their account. If your child’s debt is over $10.00 we will no longer lend money. Your child will receive a cheese sandwich with milk and you will be asked to pay $.25 for each sandwich they receive.

Can I pay for lunch in advance?

Yes. The cafeteria has a computerized cash register system. You can pay in advance by sending a check made out to “Clearspring ES Cafeteria" with the child's full name on the check. The least amount recommended is $10.00 for a child who receives a reduced-priced lunch and $30.00 for full price lunches. The cost of the meal is deducted automatically from the computer. A notice will be sent home and a telephone call will be made when your child’s account is in arrears. You can also manage your student's lunch account with http://www.MySchoolBucks.com/.

Can I write one check for all my children for lunch?  

Yes. Write the complete name of each child (first and last) on the check you send.

What do I do if the bus doesn't come to pick up my child?

Any problems with the bus, the bus stop or the driver should be reported to the Division of Transportation, Bus Depot number (see below) Also, please call the school to tell them the bus is late and the number of the bus.

If my child's bus is routinely late, who should I call to complain? Call Bus Operations by Depot for Bus Route Number: If Bus Route # starts with:

2xxx - Clarksburg 240-740-4728

4xxx - Shady Grove North 240-740-6222

5xxx - Shady Grove South 240-740-6210

How can I volunteer at the school?  Mandatory Training must be completed.  Click the link for required training and how to sign up to volunteer in a classroom.

Please contact the PTA at Clearspring.PTA@gmail.com

How do I contact my child's teacher if I have a question?

Parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled for each child during the first semester. At any other time, a parent can write a note to the teacher or email the teacher. Conferences need to be set up in advance with the teacher. All Staff Directory information can be found on the Clearspring Website at:  Staff Directory