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These Frequently Asked Questions were developed to help with general questions and information regarding the Clay Local School District. If you do not find the question you are looking for or the answer, please either check out the District Information or contact an administrator in one of the three buildings.
Q: What are the district’s contact phone numbers and building addresses?
This information may also be obtained from various locations within the school’s web page.
Clay Local School District
44 Clay High Street
Portsmouth, OH 45662
740-354-6645/740-354-5746 (fax)
District Online Calendar
Clay Junior-Senior High School (6-12)
44 Clay High Street
Portsmouth, OH 45662
740-354-6644/740-354-5746 (fax)
Clay Elementary School (PK-5)
44 Clay High Street
Portsmouth, OH 45662
740-354-6644/740-354-5746 (fax)
Q: Who should I contact for a particular question?
For general inquiries and for a question that you may not be sure who should answer the inquiry, you should contact the secretary or principal in the particular "building" in which your child attends.
Questions for Clay Elementary, contact Tony Piguet, principal, or Erica Willis, elementary secretary. Questions for Clay Junior-Senior High School, contact Todd Warnock, principal, or Lori Scott, secretary.
For district matters, a call to the Treasurer's office (Brandi Dillow) or to the Superintendent (Anthony Mantell) at 740-354-6645 would be appropriate. For guidance information, contact either Steve Williams (elementary guidance, 740-354-6644) or Bob Hayes (CHS, 740-354-6644). For an athletic question, contact the district's athletic director—Mark Rose—at 740-354-6644x205.
Q: Which "buildings" in the district house a particular grade level?
Clay Elementary serves grades PK through five while Clay Junior-Senior High School has grades six through twelve.
Q: How do I know if school is closed due to an emergency or weather conditions?
School closings, delays, and early dismissals will be reported by the local media on the following television and radio stations: television stations WSAZ-Channel 3, WOWK-Channel 13, & ONN-Channel 27; radio stations WNXT 1260 AM, WNXT 99.3 FM, & WPAY 104 FM.
If known beforehand, this information will also be reported via the school’s website, the school calendar, text alerts, and by reminders being sent home with the students. In the event of inclement weather in the mornings, the superintendent in coordination with transportation personnel, may choose one of three courses of action:
1. One (1) hour delay
2. Two (2) hour delay
3. Close school for the day
During the day, of course, the superintendent may chose to dismiss school early as well. The school district encourages parents and guardians to have a plan for your children in place for any of the above actions. Remember to listen or watch local radio and TV stations for closings or delays when the weather is questionable. Calling the school only hampers school personnel and ties up needed telephone lines. If there is a one or two hour delay, students must not be dropped off early because there will be no supervision at that time in the buildings. If there is a one or two hour delay, LATCHKEY will still be open at 6:30AM at Rosemount for students who are registered for that program.
Q: When does school start in the morning?
Students are expected to be at the high school building for the first bell at 7:56 a.m. Students at the elementary buildings need to report by 8:45 a.m.
Q: At what time do the three buildings dismiss?
The high school building dismisses at 2:30 p.m. The elementary buildings dismiss at 3:35 p.m.
Q: How much do school lunches cost?
Lunches for the elementary students are $2.25 & $2.50. High school students have a choice of three different lunch entrees. The basic lunch is $2.25. The middle lunch is $2.50 while the deluxe lunch is $2.75. Adult lunches are $3.00. All meals come with a choice of vegetable/salad, soup, fruit, and drink. [MENUS]
Please note: Students are permitted to bring "food" from home; however, no refrigeration will be provided for the food. Parents are not permitted to bring prepared lunches/food from restaurants to their child for lunch, and students are not permitted to leave school grounds for lunch.
Q: If my son/daughter will be absent, what should I do?
First, if you know you child will be absent from school, you should call and notify the school (before 8 a.m. if possible). If not, you will be receiving a call from the school that specific day as an inquiry to his/her absence.
Q: If I want my son/daughter to keep up with their work/assignments, can I call the school to request homework assignments/material?
Yes. In fact, we encourage this practice. This is especially true if he/she is going to be absent for more than one (1) day. However, please call early in the day (before 8 a.m. if possible) or notify the school the day before (if known). The teachers need time to prepare the work to be sent to the office.
Q: If my son/daughter is absent from school--whether a whole day, a half day, or part of a day, what is required?
First, it is recommended you call to notify the school that he/she will be absent. Secondly, when the student returns to school, he/she will need a home note/doctor's note explaining the absence. Otherwise, the day of absence will be unexcused. Clay Local Schools: 740-354-6644. Please refer to the Student Handbook for more specific information regarding absences.
Q: If I need to take my son/daughter with me on vacation, out of town, or out of school for more than a day, should I notify the school?
Yes. If you do not, he/she will be unexcused without make-up. If you notify the school (in most cases three days in advance), the student will be unexcused; however, he/she will be permitted to make-up any missed assignments. This also gives the teachers advance warning. First, you should write a note or at least call and notify the principal. Address the note to the principal or assistant principal. They will then send the note around to the teachers. The teachers may be able to send the assignments home early rather than having your child make up the work after the return to school.
Q: Will my son/daughter be eligible to play in an athletic contest if he/she are absent from school?
Yes and no. If he/she only misses a half day, then he/she will be eligible to play in a contest that day. It is preferable if the absence during the a.m. session rather than the p.m. session. On the other hand, if he/she misses a whole day for a death in the family, for example, then he/she is still eligible for that day's contest. However, please do not assume anything. Please refer to the Student Handbook or talk to the principal or athletic director for more information regarding this matter.
Q: In order to try out, go through conditioning, or play on an athletic team/cheerleader squad, does my son/daughter have to have a current physical?
Yes. A physical/athletic participation form must be current and must be submitted to the school (Athletic Director) before the student-athlete may participate in any type of athletic activity. Please refer to the Athletic Handbook for more specific information. [OHSAA Participation Form/Athletic Information]
Q: Does Clay participate in open enrollment?
Yes. In fact, open enrollment information can be found on this site. [OPEN ENROLLMENT INFORMATION & APPLICATION] You can also contact the district at 740.354.6645 or one of the principals or guidance counselors (740-354-6644). [Clay Jr.-Sr. High School Registration Guide]
Q: How do I enroll my children in the Clay Local School District?
Students who are new to the district should register at the school where they will attend. You are encouraged to call the building to make an appointment for registration. Documents required for registration include the following (bold is required/the others are recommended): a certified copy of the student's birth certificate, student's social security information, health/shot records information, proof of residency (could be rental/lease or buyer's agreement, utility bill, driver's license, etc.), name and address of former school, transfer records, copy of individualized education plan or multi-factored evaluation, and custody papers, if applicable.
Q: When and where can I register my child for kindergarten?
Kindergarten registration will be announced during the year. For an exact date or more information, please contact the district at 740-354-6645. You will need to provide the following documents at the time of registration: certified copy of the student's birth certificate, student's social security information, custody information (if applicable), and immunization/health records.
Q: Does Clay offer driver’s education at the school?
No. Clay no longer offers any type of driver’s education program at the school. Parents/Students will need to contact one of the area’s driver’s education programs—e.g. AAA.
Q: What are class dues? Why do I need to pay them? For what are these “dues” used?
Class dues are another way of raising money without having major fundraiser events. Each class in grades 6-12 have class dues. The class dues are now $20/semester ($40/year). The fees help offset such costs associated with homecoming, prom, and graduation commencement ceremonies. In order to attend the prom or go through commencement, students must be in “good standing.” In other words, these “dues” must be paid in full.
A waiver form may be obtained and filed with the school each year to excuse a student from these class dues. However, this waiver form doesn’t waive the requirement for these class dues to be paid before attending the prom or going through the graduation ceremonies. Class dues should be paid to the high school secretary.
Q: Who can and cannot attend the Clay Junior-Senior Prom and other dances?
No one older than 20 will be admitted to any dance governed by Clay Jr./Sr. High School (including Jr/Sr Prom) and its faculty/staff. Any student who wishes to attend the Jr./Sr. prom must be at least a junior or senior high school student (but no more than 20 years of age). No person out of high school will be admitted to any dance that involves Clay Junior High students.
Q: Where do Clay's athletic teams play their home contests/games (cross country, baseball, junior high basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, and junior high volleyball? [Athletic Facilities]
This sounds like a stupid question, but there is never a stupid question. We would rather have the public know than have them guessing. Just like many other school districts in the country, Clay does not play all their games at the high school.
Cross country, for example, has all of their events on the road. We simply do not have cross country facilities. Baseball is played at the high school. The field is located behind the high school building. Junior high basketball is now played in the junior high gym (old high school gym). The soccer field is behind the high school. The softball team plays at Rubyville. The tennis team currently has no home courts. All of their matches are on the road even though we consider matches at Mound Park to be our home court. The old high school gymnasium is the home for the junior high volleyball team.
Q: What is the school number for Clay High School that I use on ACT and college admissions applications?
The number for Clay High School is 364-260. Clay is currently a test site for the ACT. If you wish to take the test at Clay High,the number for the CHS Test Site admission/application is the 364-260.
Q: If I have already graduated and I need a copy of my transcript, how can I obtain that document from the district?
To obtain a copy of the transcript or other graduation records, please contact CHS at 740-354-6644 or 740-354-5746(fax).
Q: How can I obtain a student employment application/form?
Students who need to obtain a student employment application should contact the high school (740-354-6644).
Q: Does the school district allow community organizations to rent their facilities?
Persons or organizations interested in using district facilities for meetings or other activities should contact the Board of Education (740-354-6645) for information about Board policies, restrictions, and charges for building rentals.
An application and permit for use of school facilities will need to be completed to obtain approval of facility use. School functions take precedence over those of outside organizations. In the event of school closings, all activities will automatically be canceled. |
District Info 
