November 2020 News

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. Good afternoon, CMCSS families, This is David Holman, Chief Technology Officer for CMCSS. I want to thank our students, parents, guardians, teachers, and staff for your patience today as the Technology Department worked to resolve the connectivity issues. I want to share what happened today and what we are doing to resolve the situation. This morning, the district experienced latency on the internal network. When an upgrade was implemented to resolve the initial latency issue, it resulted in another unforeseen issue with our VPN service. We have been in contact with the vendor and will be implementing a solution tonight that will alleviate both the latency and the VPN service issues. As the district communicated in October, today was the second of five pre-planned remote learning days to allow our team an opportunity to evaluate and repair any issues that could arise in the event that multiple schools or the entire district needed to transition to remote learning due to the circumstances of the pandemic. While I know how frustrating disruptions to remote learning can be for all those involved, I appreciate you giving us this opportunity to improve. Students who were unable to access assignments and coursework due to connectivity issues should communicate with their teachers. We will give students the same grace we have asked of you as we navigate this unprecedented time.    As a reminder, tomorrow, Tue., Nov. 24 and Wed., Nov. 25 also are pre-planned remote learning days before Thanksgiving break. Students should follow the learning plans provided by their teachers. Please note that elementary and middle school students will not have live instruction the next two days. High school […]

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. Good evening, CMCSS families, As a reminder, next Monday, November 23 through Wednesday, November 25 are pre-planned, district-wide remote learning days for traditional students. With remote learning, students will not report to the school building as they will access learning via the laptops provided by the district. This week, teachers will communicate with students on how to access lessons. Families who need access to no-cost meals can find information here. Thanksgiving Break will be Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27, and classes will resume on Monday, November 30. CMCSS students, faculty, staff, and administrators have worked hard to implement the district’s reopening plan and to keep our school buildings open for those families that chose the traditional option. It is going to take the community working together to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in order to keep our buildings open. Please remember, everyone is expected to self-screen prior to entering school property. In addition, students, faculty, and staff should not enter a school building if they are awaiting a COVID-19 test result or if a household member is awaiting a COVID-19 test result unless the household member is being tested routinely for work or surgeries. If you have questions, please review the Back to School/Work Flowchart. Regarding fan attendance at athletic events, CMCSS is following guidance from TSSAA. All CMCSS facilities have limited seating capacities for all sporting events. Masks are required for all spectators. Families are allowed to sit together, but spectators must remain physically distant whenever possible from all other spectators. CMCSS has the authority to enforce health and safety guidelines for spectators and the right to remove spectators […]

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. The CMCSS Child Nutrition department will alter its curbside food distribution days at the end of December to align with Winter Break. Please see the alternate schedule below. All curbside food distribution will take place at the elementary schools. Mondays are typically a distribution day for virtual students only. Fridays are typically a distribution day for virtual and traditional students. Mon., Nov. 20 – Fri., Dec. 4: The week will operate as normal with Monday and Friday distribution. Mon., Dec. 7 – Fri., Dec. 11: The week will operate as normal with Monday and Friday distribution. Mon., Dec. 14 – Fri., Dec. 18: The week will operate as normal with Monday and Friday distribution. Mon., Dec. 21: LAST CURBSIDE DISTRIBUTION DAY IN DECEMBER Distribution is from 11 am – 2 pm and will include food for the remote learning days as well as Winter Break. Families should be prepared for a larger than the normal distribution of food. Mon., Jan. 4 – Fri., Jan. 8: The week will operate as normal with Monday and Friday distribution.

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. The Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board (IDB) voted to move forward with the purchase of 116 acres of farmland near Rossview Road at the September meeting. The tract of land purchased is located along 1-24 near exit 8 near Hayes Lane and Rossview Road; and is the site of a new Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) Campus, with plans for an elementary, middle, high school, transportation facility, and athletic fields. The IDB will serve as the buyer and financial conduit for the site; after the pad site for the middle school is completed IDB will transfer the deed for the land to CMCSS who in collaboration with Montgomery County will oversee the design and construction of the Campus. The first building on the campus, the middle school, is slated to be complete by the fall of 2022. “The IDB is pleased to assist Montgomery County and CMCSS in building new learning facilities for our youth to support the future growth of our steadily expanding community,” said Frank Tate, Executive Director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board, “We are happy to help facilitate the swift turnaround on this investment; supporting the community at this level enhances the quality of life in Clarksville-Montgomery County, which is a key role of the IDB. “This was a collaborative effort to get the best offer for our school system and our community. I appreciate the work that all parties have contributed and will continue to contribute towards this crucial project for the students and families of Montgomery County” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett. “CMCSS is excited about this opportunity to partner with local leadership to […]

Remote learning is part of the CMCSS Continuum of Learning. CMCSS has a plan for individual classrooms, a school, or the entire district to have students learning remotely if needed at any time. As the conditions surrounding the pandemic change, the district will be prepared to continue to provide high quality education to all students, no matter the circumstances.

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. How School Psychologists Expand the Horizon for CMCSS Students School psychologists play a role that most people cannot clearly define. Yet, their work is crucial to creating strategies for intervention and supportive environments for students in need. On a typical day, they provide direct support to students, consult with teachers and families, and collaborate with school mental health professionals.  Recently a group of CMCSS school psychologists reflected on the common misconceptions regarding their profession. Whether it be parents or fellow staff, their role within the school is sometimes confused. “How many times have you been mistaken for a school counselor?” District Lead School Psychologist Dr. Ariane Narain asks her peers, to which they all smile and nod. Another shares a story to which everyone quickly relates as they’re often asked a variation of, “Where’s your couch?” Aside from the assumptions surrounding school psychologists’ role, the true nature of their position is significant. “The day can look very different if you’re in elementary, middle, or high school,” said Dr. Jasmine Scott, who works at Montgomery Central. “People think we just assess students all day,” said Narain. Much of their day is consulting, whether with students, parents, teachers, counselors, or administrators. These consultations are critical to the success of the students. “What we do carries such a heavy weight for special education.” School psychologists determine eligibility for a range of students, including special education and gifted students. Each student’s journey through eligibility and intervention for special services is unique, as is the relationship developed with the family.  The psychologists understand that just the mention of their presence creates a range of emotions for families […]

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. Col. (retired) Vernon F. Lightner has been named CMCSS’ Director of Army Instruction, replacing Col. (retired) Michael J. Taliento, Jr. who is retiring. Previously, he served as the Senior Army Instructor at Montgomery Central High School. Before teaching JROTC, he served in the U.S. Army for 27 years, retiring as a Colonel. Col. (retired) Lightner has served in a variety of leadership positions from Platoon Leader to Battalion Commander. He has participated in several operational deployments including Operation Intrinsic Action, Kuwait; Operation Restore Hope, Somalia; and two tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Joint Staff and Army Staff Badge, and various other campaign medals. He earned his M.S. in National Security and Resource Strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., an M.S. in Public Administration from Central Michigan University, and a B.S. in Business Administration from Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C. Additionally, he completed the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, and the Command and General Staff College. Colonel (retired) Lightner is married to Colonel (retired) Cynthia Lightner, and they have three adult children.

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. https://youtu.be/irvs0bDeno0 In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion, Rossview Middle School has altered the afternoon pick up location for families. Families picking up at the middle school will enter the complex on Cardinal Lane and turn right to drive past the front of the school. Drivers should be aware there will be two lanes of traffic for the pickup process. Drivers can turn left into the circular lot and pick up their middle school students. Vehicles are encouraged to leave the Rossview complex the same way in which they entered. Those picking up middle and high school students should complete their middle school pickup and turn right on Cardinal Lane to proceed to the back of the middle school. Drivers can then turn left, go past the athletic fields, and proceed to the high school activities entrance. These changes will only impact the afternoon schedule at this time. Morning drop-off will remain the same. To see the map regarding afternoon pick-up please visit our website.

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events may be not be relevant for the current school year. Three Clarksville-Montgomery County High Schools have recently received special designation from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, granting specific scholarship opportunities to students to access one of Tennessee’s premier public universities. The Flagship Scholarship is offered to admitted freshmen who graduate from a designated Flagship high school. Northeast, West Creek, and Kenwood high schools have all been named as UT-Knoxville Flagship schools. The Flagship Scholarship is a scholarship program provided by Flagship Universities across the 50 states. There are only 38 high schools in Tennessee that qualify for this designation. According to the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, “when combined with other federal, state, and institutional aid, this scholarship covers a student’s tuition and mandatory fees for up to eight (8) semesters.” The scholarship is automatically granted to students who meet all of the criteria, with no additional application required. Students must be a Tennessee resident and U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Students must also be first-time freshmen who enter UT in the fall semester immediately following graduation. The scholarship does specify that an admission application must be submitted by the December 15 deadline and a FAFSA application must be sent by February 1 prior to enrollment. Students who are interested in learning more about this opportunity should contact their school counselor or visit https://onestop.utk.edu/scholarships/tri-star-scholarship-program/for information.