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Good evening, CMCSS families,

Across the nation, schools are observing an increase in concerning student behaviors that are linked to social media, especially the app TikTok. As many CMCSS schools communicated with families a few weeks ago, an increase in vandalism and theft in schools and on buses was linked to a TikTok challenge. Recently, the District has been made aware of other planned challenges that promote crimes such as assaulting employees, sexual assault, and public nudity. 

“These social media challenges may appear to be harmless or fun to an adolescent, but what parents need to clearly understand is that these thoughtless actions will come with serious consequences,” stated Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson. “I have heard some say ‘what is the big deal, it’s just a soap dispenser’ or ‘I was just messing around.’ The reality is, the damages left behind to school property and the invasion or violation of another student or staff member’s person can easily lead to thousands in fines and restitution for parents to pay and a felony offense for their child. I encourage parents to pay close attention to what their children are doing and intervene where it is needed. We plan to take the most appropriate action necessary to help resolve this issue and get their attention.”

In addition to concerns about TikTok challenges, there are other digital dangers like cyberbullying, child exploitation, sharing personal information, and offensive content. 

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is the leading federal law enforcement agency that investigates crimes involving exploitation of minors,” said Nashville HSI Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet Jr. “Our agents continually work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes and identify and rescue victims. While the internet is a great way to interact with friends and family, as well as meet new people, predators know this and actively stalk online meeting places such as chat rooms and social media sites. Education and community awareness regarding the dangers of online activity is extremely important.”

Finally, when a threat of violence is brought to our attention, we take it seriously and move forward to take the necessary action. Law enforcement and school officials work together to investigate. We will be vigilant in finding individuals responsible, and, as Sheriff Fuson has stated, “any and everybody involved will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

School Resource Officers and CMCSS employees work diligently to keep our schools safe, but it takes the entire community working together to provide a secure educational environment. We are asking parents and guardians to please talk to their children about online safety, appropriate behaviors, and consequences for criminal behaviors and offenses in the Student Code of Conduct.

Additionally, please talk to your children about the importance of immediately reporting any safety concern to an adult. Whether it is on social media or in the schoolhouse, if you see or hear something, say something. Please report concerns of school violence to officials, do not post or repost rumors or threats on social media.

Thank you for your support.

The following are a few resources on internet safety for parents/guardians:

•  CMCSS Internet Safety Site: https://sites.google.com/cmcss.net/cmcss-internet-safety/home
•  CMCSS Homeland Security Internet Safety Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkwj8QM304U
•  CMCSS Interview with Homeland Security Special Agent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycu2q3HcceM
•  Netsmartz: https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/home
•  Thorn Foundation: https://parents.thorn.org
•  Child Rescue Coalition: https://childrescuecoalition.org/education/
•  Digital Monitoring Software article from Child Rescue Coalition:  https://childrescuecoalition.org/educations/keeping-kids-safe-online-theres-an-app-for-that-or-5/

On Tuesday, September 14, 2021, the CMCSS School Board established a face mask requirement for students and employees indoors in CMCSS facilities when physical distancing is not possible. This requirement will be effective Monday, September 20, 2021, and will be revisited by the School Board at each monthly Formal School Board Meeting through January 11, 2022, when the requirement is set to expire. Parent(s)/guardian(s) can opt their child out of this requirement.

To streamline the opt-out process for parents/guardians and minimize the paperwork burden on employees, the Technology Department sent an electronic form to parents/guardians via text and email on Sep. 16. If you did not receive a customized electronic form for your child or had trouble accessing the form, you can complete the opt-out form linked here and return to your child’s school nurse. Please contact your child’s school if you need support with the opt-out process.

To access the CMCSS COVID-19 Dashboard, health and safety protocols, previous health and safety updates, and more, please visit ​​cmcss.net/covid19

CMCSS has communicated with families since last year that schools cannot eliminate the spread of COVID-19 during in-person learning, but our collective actions can help mitigate the spread. The District’s COVID-19 mitigation strategy has always been about using multiple layers to improve success, sometimes referred to as the Swiss Cheese model. For the 2021-2022 school year, CMCSS has been using the following primary mitigation layers:

• Using MERV 13 instead of MERV 9 filters in all buildings
• Increasing outdoor air ventilation
• Employing enhanced two-step cleaning throughout buildings
• Encouraging self-screening, masks, handwashing, covering sneezes, and staying home when sick for all students, employees, and visitors
• Identifying opportunities to promote physical distancing when possible in schools
• Replenishing hand sanitizing stations
• Promoting the use of personal water bottles and filling stations while water fountains are shut down
• Establishing School Health Screening Rooms
• Providing vaccination opportunities and COVID-19 testing for employees and their families at Onsite Employee Health and Wellness Clinics
• Updating and implementing the Return to School/Work Flowchart

To add more layers to CMCSS’ mitigation strategy, effective Monday, August 23, the following protocols will take effect when Montgomery County is experiencing high transmission levels:

• Modifying custodial procedures to further increase the focus on two-step cleaning throughout the day and decrease focus on other areas (window cleaning, floor buffing, etc.)
• Operating mechanical systems (HVAC) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as possible for each building’s situation to further increase filtration
• Limiting nonessential visitors from the school environment at the discretion of building administrators, to include temporarily not allowing lunchtime visitors
• Limiting indoor mass gatherings during the school day at the discretion of building administrators
• Providing masks in school buildings and on transportation for those who request one
• Increasing hand sanitizing stations in schools and on transportation

COVID-19 Exposure Response Plan

When a CMCSS student or CMCSS employee tests positive for COVID-19, they will need to notify either the school nurse (if they are a student) or their supervisor (if they are an employee). The medical office that performed the test will notify the Montgomery County Health Department for contact tracing. 

Click here for the current CMCSS Return to Work/School Flowchart developed by the CMCSS Safety and Health Department in collaboration with the Montgomery County Health Department. For the Spanish version, click here.

Events/Athletics Capacity

CMCSS will return to normal capacity for after-school events, meetings, and athletics for the 2021-2022 school year. CMCSS will continue following TSSAA’s guidelines for athletics. The district will keep families informed as guidelines are updated throughout the year.

Face Masks

Face masks are strongly encouraged for students, employees, and visitors inside buildings and on transportation. Families are encouraged to use their judgment on sending their student(s) to school with a mask and make whatever decision will be best for the health of their child(ren) or other members of their household. For more information from the CDC on the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19, click here. 

Self-Screening

Employees will be expected to self-screen before entering school premises.

Self-screening protocols for students and visitors will continue. Families are strongly encouraged to engage in self-screening at home prior to each school day. Click here for updated guidance from the CDC regarding screening K-12 students for symptoms of COVID-19.

Self-Screening Protocol

Have you had any of the below symptoms as a new-onset in the past 72 hours? (This does not include chronic conditions)

• fever of 100 degrees or greater
• new onset of a cough
• new onset of shortness of breath
• new onset of sore throat
• new onset of body aches
• diarrhea
• new onset of headache
• new onset of loss of taste or smell
• nausea or vomiting
• congestion or runny nose
• chills
• fatigue

If “yes”, please consult your personal health care provider before returning to any CMCSS locations. Students, employees, and visitors who are sick must follow the CMCSS Flowchart.

Water Fountains

Water fountains will be closed during the 2021-2022 school year. Water filling stations will be open where available. Students should bring their own water bottles. 

Effective June 1, 2021; Updated Aug. 20, 2021. Reviewed Dec. 13, 2021. Subject to change based on updated guidance and local, state, or national recommendations or mandates. If you have any questions or feedback on the plan, please email [email protected] 

Below is the information regarding live streams of CMCSS graduations. Each high school administration is communicating with students and families about specific graduation times since there will be multiple ceremonies per school. Contact your child’s enrolled school for specific questions regarding ticketing, seating, or ceremony information.

Adult Education

Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Ceremony A (11:30 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Clarksville High School

Saturday, May 29, 2021
Ceremony A (9:00 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (11:30 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony C (2:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Kenwood High School

Thursday, May 27, 2021
Ceremony A (4:30 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (7:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Middle College at Austin Peay State University

Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Ceremony A (9:00 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Montgomery Central High School

Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Ceremony A (4:30 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (7:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Northeast High School

Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Ceremony A (2:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (4:30 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony C (7:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Northwest High School

Friday, May 28, 2021
Ceremony A (4:30 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (7:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Rossview High School

Thursday, May 27, 2021
Ceremony A (9:00 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (11:30 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony C (2:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

West Creek High School

Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Ceremony A (9:00 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony B (11:30 am): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)
Ceremony C (2:00 pm): Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Additional Information

Cheatham County Central High School

Friday, May 28, 2021, at 1o:00 am: Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

Sycamore High School

Friday, May 28, 2021, at 1:00 pm: Watch the graduation here (YouTube)

From left: Jessica Drudy, Christina Ploeckelman, Millard House, Victoria McAlman

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Foundation hosted its fourth annual Teacher of the Year Awards, sponsored by James Corlew Chevrolet.

“On behalf of the entire James Corlew family, I am humbled and excited to be a part of this expression of respect and appreciation for all the great teachers in our community,” said Jason Blurton, general manager of James Corlew Chevrolet.

While the event wasn’t held in person this year, the Education Foundation and James Corlew broadcasted a live virtual event from the dealership’s showroom where one Teacher walked away with a brand-new Chevrolet Spark.

“The Foundation is forever grateful to James Corlew for supporting the event again this year and allowing us to host the virtual giveaway from their dealership,” said Robin Burton, Executive Director of the CMC Education Foundation. “With all the uncertainties we faced this past year, the Foundation is excited we are continually able to offer support and recognition to our CMCSS teachers, students, staff. None of this would be possible without the continued support of our sponsors and partners.”

The three District Teachers of the Year vying for the car were Jessica Drudy representing grades 9-12 from Montgomery Central High School, Christina Ploeckelman representing grades 5-8 from Richview Middle School, and Victoria McAlman representing grades pre-K-4 from Burt Elementary School.

Drudy, Ploeckelman, and McAlman drew for the order in which they would choose a boxed gift. Two of the boxes contained $500 Visa gift cards, sponsored by the Education Foundation, and the third box held the key to the Chevrolet Spark. Jessica Drudy was the winner of the car.

“It is so humbling,” she said. “To be recognized by your peers at your school is one thing, but to be recognized at the district-level is so humbling.”

In total, 62 teachers were honored as Teachers of the Year for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System district. Each Teacher received a crystal award recognizing their achievement. Also, since an in-person reception was not an option this year, the Education Foundation provided each Teacher of the Year awardee with a gift certificate to the Choppin’ Block.

WATCH: A video with all the nominated teachers, with comments by their administrators, is available below.

The top three finalists represent three grade-level categories set by the Tennessee Department of Education. They will compete at the regional level in the Tennessee Department of Education Teacher of the Year.

“Our teachers have worked tirelessly this year and persevered. This recognition is a great honor, and I am proud of the work of our educators each day.”

Jessica Drudy, an English Teacher at Montgomery Central High, sits in her new Chevy Spark.

As a reminder, there will be no school on Monday, January 18 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King., Jr. Day. Classes for all students will resume on Tuesday, January 19, with traditional students continuing to learn remotely.

As we shared before Winter Break, the district has a contingency plan for a prioritized return to in-person learning for our youngest students. On Monday, January 25, CMCSS Pre-K through sixth-grade traditional students will return to in-person learning. Seventh through twelfth-grade traditional students will continue learning remotely until further notice. Next week, schools will be reaching out to parents and guardians of students in seventh through twelfth grade who are in self-contained, special populations classrooms to share more information about a phased return to in-person learning the week of January 25. After evaluating this phased return, the district will share more information about the return to in-person learning for all traditional students in upper grades.  

On average, there have been around 300 more students per grade level impacted by COVID-19 cases in the district’s upper grades than lower grades. CMCSS is prioritizing an in-person return for younger students and those in self-contained classrooms due to the greater difficulty distance learning poses for these students, the lower transmission rates among younger children, and the greater childcare burden placed on families with younger children. The district is hopeful this phased approach will help address staffing issues due to COVID-19 related leave and the substitute shortage that are expected to continue as the pandemic still exists.

Due to the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic, families should always have plans in the event that school buildings are closed and remote learning must take place. Additionally, the Tennessee Department of Health’s requirements for contact tracing and quarantines are still in place. Therefore, families should have plans in the event a child must transition to remote learning due to being a close contact to a positive case. 

Finally, as Onsite Employee Health and Wellness partners with the Montgomery County Health Department to distribute vaccines to CMCSS employees in the coming weeks, the potential exists that schools will temporarily transition to remote learning in order to expedite the vaccination process. The Communications Department will communicate with families as soon as plans are finalized.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System offers several non-traditional schools and programs of choice for students. Read below for more information on these innovative programs designed to provide families the opportunity to choose schools and programs that will help their children reach their potential. Please note that CMCSS will not be offering open enrollment in specific grade levels at select schools for the 2021-2022 school year. Unless otherwise noted, the application period is January 15 through February 15, 2021.

CMCSS K-12 Virtual

CMCSS K-12 Virtual is an at-home educational experience that provides families the opportunity for both structure and flexibility in learning. Students accepted into CMCSS K-12 Virtual will be immersed in direct instruction from CMCSS teachers and also provided the opportunity for independent application of skills. Previous CMCSS K-12 Virtual participants will be screened to determine successful participation in the virtual setting.

Eligibility: CMCSS incoming kindergartener through 12th grader who is self-motivated, organized, and, with the help of teachers and learning mentors, can take responsibility for their own learning
Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2021
Application Link: Click here for the online application.

For more information, visit cmcss.net/k-12virtual.

Moore Magnet Elementary STEM School

STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, is embedded kindergarten through 5th grade at Moore. Students apply the knowledge they gain across the curriculum to solve challenges aligned with real-world problems tied to local community issues. Moore was one of the first schools in the state to receive the prestigious Tennessee STEM School Designation. Additionally, Moore was the first Montgomery County Green Certified School.

Eligibility: CMCSS incoming kindergartener through 5th grader
Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2021
Application Link: Click here for the online application.
For more information, visit mooremagnetelem.cmcss.net.

Barksdale Elementary Spanish Immersion

The Spanish Immersion program is a proven method of educating children by immersing them in the Spanish language so they become bilingual. In a language immersion program, the classroom environment becomes the setting for language acquisition through subject content instruction, educational discourse, and social interactions. In the 2021-2022 school year, the Spanish Immersion Program will be enrolling a limited number of kindergarten students. Students who enter the program need to be committed to continuing Spanish dual-language learning through 5th grade at Barksdale.

Eligibility: CMCSS incoming kindergartner; early literacy benchmark screening required
Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2021
Application Link: Click here for the online application.

For more information, visit cmcss.net/immersion.

Academies of CMCSS

College and career academies are schools within a school, aligned to a specific career theme. They are college and career preparatory small learning communities in which students focus their core class experience around a common career interest. Students share many of the same teachers, allowing educators to collaborate with each other in the coordination of lesson planning and classroom activities that align with the academy theme. Incoming high school freshmen will have the opportunity to apply to eight different college and career academies across the district. Rising sophomores interested in joining an Academy should talk with their school counselor.

Eligibility: CMCSS incoming 9th grader
Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2021
Application Link: Click here for the online application.
Virtual Open House: Click here to explore each Academy.

For more information, visit cmcss.net/academies.

Middle College at Austin Peay State University (APSU)

Middle College is a unique collaborative program between CMCSS and Austin Peay State University. This program enables junior and senior high school students to complete a high school education while receiving direct and invaluable access to free college courses at the same time, while on a college campus. Through grants and scholarships, Middle College students are not required to pay tuition nor do they incur the expense of college textbooks.

Eligibility: CMCSS incoming 11th grader; 2.85 GPA or higher; maturity for a college environment; good attendance and behavior; and on track to graduate
Application Dates: Rolling Admissions Process
Application Link: Click here for the online application.

For more information, visit middlecollege.cmcss.net.

Early Technical College at Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT)

The Early Technical College at TCAT is a unique, hands-on learning experience that allows students a no-cost opportunity to work towards an industry certification while also completing the necessary high school courses for graduation in the state of TN. Students can choose one option from four pathways, earning up to two certifications for the chosen pathway. Students who qualify can use funding from TNPromise to complete TCAT diplomas following HS graduation.

Eligibility: CMCSS incoming 11th grader; 2.2 GPA or higher; maturity for a college environment; good attendance and behavior; and on track to graduate
Application Dates: Rolling Admission Process
Application Link: Click here for the online application. 

For more information, visit cmcss.net/tcat.

CMCSS students’ report cards for the second nine weeks of the 2020-21 school year will be available on Monday, January 11. Since traditional students are learning remotely at this time, report cards will not be printed by the school. Report cards can be accessed online using the CMCSS Parent Self-Service webpage – parents.cmcss.net.

If you have any issues accessing your child’s report card using CMCSS Parent Self-Service, please contact your child’s enrolled school.