Posted in High School:

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System is looking for community partners to provide academic tutoring support to middle and high school students. Two opportunities are available for tutors including supporting students in the AVID program and afterschool tutoring.

AVID Program Tutors

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) system helps schools reduce the opportunity gap so they can prepare all students for college, career, and life. CMCSS is in its fourth year of partnership with AVID at five district schools — New Providence Middle, Kenwood Middle, Kenwood High, Northwest High, West Creek Middle, and West Creek High. Several hundred students are currently being served in AVID at these schools. Students in the AVID elective course benefit from mentorship as they seek to develop the skills necessary for the successful completion of their coursework.

AVID tutors must be currently enrolled in, or have graduated from, a college or university, or be a retired educator. Tutors must be willing to serve students in one or more of the following schools: Kenwood, New Providence, and West Creek Middle schools as well as Kenwood, Northwest, and West Creek High schools.

After School Program Tutors

CMCSS Afterschool Program Tutor positions are available to current junior and senior students, recent CMCSS graduates attending college, and retired teachers. Tutors may be assigned to any of the eight area middle schools or seven area high schools, as determined by the program facilitators.

A successful tutor will assist with tasks such as reviewing student work including calendars, agendas, assignment sheets, and notes. A tutor’s most important role is serving as a facilitator for collaborative studying with a small group of students. Training is provided for all tutors on facilitating the groups and supporting students to use positive study methods and the AVID study strategies when necessary. Tutors often serve as role models to encourage the students to stay motivated and develop strong study habits and life skills.

Tutoring is a paid position that varies based on your education. Tutors should be available a minimum of two days per week, one hour per day between the hours of 7:30 am – 2:30 pm.

“Tutors provide our students with another example of positive adult influence,” said Dr. Schanda Doughty, Director of Curriculum and Instruction 9-12. “The program provides students the tools they need to be successful members of the community, but the tutors provide that real-life example and the encouragement to succeed.”

Those interested in learning more about the program can apply online here.

This information was released at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. As indicated below, please reference the individual school websites for their library collection. Click on “Library Media Center” on the homepage of your school’s website. Library-Media Specialists have access to update their schools’ webpages to keep the library collection current on each school’s page. The links below have been removed to alleviate confusion and ensure stakeholders are accessing the most updated list of materials on each school’s webpage. To find each school’s website, click the following links: Elementary, Middle, and High.

In accordance with the TN Age-Appropriate Materials Act, CMCSS has a policy and procedure to ensure that each school’s library collection is developed and periodically reviewed in accordance with state law and has a procedure to receive and evaluate feedback from students, parents/guardians, and employees of each school.

A list of each school’s library collection is linked below. In the future, a list of each school’s library collection will be found on each school’s website via the “Library Media Center” link on the homepage.

Barkers Mill Elementary

Barksdale Elementary

Burt Elementary

Byrns Darden Elementary

Carmel Elementary

Clarksville High

Cumberland Heights Elementary

East Montgomery Elementary

Glenellen Elementary

Hazelwood Elementary

Kenwood Elementary

Kenwood High

Kenwood Middle

Kirkwood Middle

Liberty Elementary

Minglewood Elementary

Montgomery Central Elementary

Montgomery Central High

Montgomery Central Middle

Moore Magnet Elementary

New Providence Middle

Norman Smith Elementary

Northeast Elementary

Northeast High

Northeast Middle

Northwest High

Oakland Elementary

Pisgah Elementary

Richview Middle

Ringgold Elementary

Rossview Elementary

Rossview High

Rossview Middle

Sango Elementary

St. Bethlehem Elementary

West Creek Elementary

West Creek High

West Creek Middle

Woodlawn Elementary

Click here for the CMCSS Library Services and Collection Policy (INS-A091).

Click here for the CMCSS Library Procedure (INS-P048).

Any student, parent or guardian of a student, or school employee may provide feedback regarding one or more of the materials in the library collection of the student’s or employee’s school by submitting a request for reconsideration. The request must be submitted to the school’s principal.

Click here for the CMCSS Request for Reconsideration of Resource form (INS-F164).

CMCSS will not include the TCAP state standardized test results as part of students’ final grades this school year. CMCSS updated the District grading policy in 2015 to align with T.C.A. § 49-1-617. District policy states that students’ TCAP scores will not be included in their final spring semester grades if the TCAP scores are not received by the District at least five instructional days before the end of the academic year. As CMCSS nears the end of the school year and finalizes student grades, the raw scores were not received within the last five instructional days and will not be included.

As a reminder, the last half day of school is Wednesday, May 25.

CMCSS is reaching out with two operational updates for the 2022-2023 school year. Please note these changes will not take effect until next school year. We want to provide families with as much advance notice as possible.

End of USDA Waiver and No-Cost Meals

The USDA has not indicated that they will be extending the waiver for school districts to continue offering no-cost student meals for the 2022-2023 school year. For the past two school years, CMCSS has been able to provide breakfast and lunch meals at no cost to students each school day because of the USDA’s waivers.

At this time, unless CMCSS receives notification otherwise from the USDA, the district will be required to return to its normal meal payment methods in August. Families will continue to be highly encouraged to preload funds on a student’s online account. More information will be communicated before next school year, but below are the meal prices:

Elementary Student Meal Prices

Breakfast (Full Pay): $1.00

Breakfast (Reduced): $0.30

Lunch (Full Pay): $2.65

Lunch (Reduced): $0.40

Secondary Student Meal Prices

Breakfast (Full Pay): $1.15

Breakfast (Reduced): $0.30

Lunch (Full Pay): $2.85

Lunch (Reduced): $0.40

It will be extremely important that all families who believe their children qualify for free or reduced meals complete the application for the 2022-2023 school year. CMCSS will provide more information on the application over the summer and at the beginning of next school year. Applications for next school year cannot be completed until later in July. Applications must be submitted and approved each school year for a student to receive benefits.

Transportation Parent Responsibility Zone

In an effort to improve transportation services while facing the ongoing local, state, and national bus driver shortage, CMCSS is updating its transportation routes and qualifications for the 2022-2023 school year.

State law establishes that school districts may provide school transportation for children who live more than 1 ½ miles from their zoned school. CMCSS has exceeded the expectations of the state law to provide transportation to elementary students who live more than half a mile (.5) from their zoned school and middle and high school students who live more than a mile (1) from their zoned school.

Effective the 2022-2023 school year, CMCSS will be expanding the radius of the parent responsibility zone (PRZ), the area in which families are responsible for providing transportation (car rider, walker, etc.), by half a mile for both elementary and secondary students to:

• 1 mile for elementary students
• 1 ½ miles for middle and high school students

Exceptions: 

For student safety, transportation will still be provided for students who live in the PRZ under the following travel conditions:

• 4 or more lanes of traffic without a crossing guard
• Roads with insufficient road width (less than 24 ft.) with speeds above 35 mph
• Roads with no sidewalks with speeds above 35 mph

Notes:

• This change will not impact students who receive Special Populations transportation services as indicated in their IEPs.
• Any future development within the PRZ that has accessible safe travel paths may not be eligible for CMCSS transportation.
• If a daycare is in the PRZ, CMCSS will not provide transportation.

The Transportation Department will be directly contacting families who have students in the 1/2 mile expanded zone. Click here for more information and interactive maps of the PRZ for each school.

CMCSS is offering Open Enrollment in specific schools and grade levels with available capacity for the 2022-2023 school year. The Open Enrollment application period will be April 18-May 18, 2022. Due to the comprehensive rezoning that changed capacities at some schools, the District had to delay the determination of open seats for Open Enrollment until spring 2022. The Open Enrollment process is separate from the application period for schools and programs of choice that took place January-February 2022.

Space for Open Enrollment is limited to only the specific schools and grades listed below. Each grade listed has a limited number of available seats. If more requests are received than available seats, a lottery drawing will be held.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

 *Note: a previous version of this chart indicated Richview had 15 seats in 7th. This error has been corrected above.

HIGH SCHOOL

*For high school students, parents/guardians and students will need to consult with a school counselor to ensure the open enrollment transfer would not affect a student’s graduation track.

Application Form

Click here for the 2022-2023 Open Enrollment Request Application.

For more information on CMCSS’ Open Enrollment policy, click here.

Note on Virtual School: If families are interested in CMCSS K-12 Virtual for the 2022-2023 school year, there will be additional enrollment periods from April 1-30, 2022, and July 1-22, 2022. Please contact K-12 Virtual Enrollment Specialist Ashley Pledger at 931-553-1117 or [email protected] to learn more about CMCSS K-12 Virtual School enrollment.

The following message was sent to families on Monday, March 14, 2022. 

Good afternoon, CMCSS families,

We are reaching out with a few updates regarding COVID-19 and the CMCSS communicable diseases procedure. In collaboration with the Montgomery County Health Department, the CMCSS Back to School/Work Flowchart has been updated based on current data available for Montgomery County.

School nurses will follow the Communicable Diseases Procedure (HEA-P001) for any students who exhibit symptoms of a cold, illness, or communicable disease. 

Students who test positive for COVID-19 will still have at least a five-day exclusion from school. Please refer to the CMCSS Return to School/Work Flowchart regarding the specifics for exclusion, quarantine, and household contacts. 

It is important to continue to follow proper health and safety practices should you experience cold, flu, or COVID-19 symptoms. 

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze in your bent elbow.
• Clean your hands often.

Communicating Illness-Related Absences

Families should always notify their child’s school of any absences. If your child has tested positive for COVID-19, you must contact the school and provide proof of a positive test result. The School Nurse or Attendance Secretary will note the COVID-19 related exclusion. For all other illness-related or non-illness-related absences, please refer to the CMCSS Attendance Policy.

As communicated last semester, effective 2021-2022, all school systems in Tennessee are required to implement a program of family life education (T.C.A. 49-6-1302). In the fall, CMCSS sought feedback from teachers, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders on three proposed Family Life Curriculum resources that could be used by educators to teach the required components. After reviewing feedback with the CMCSS School Board, District leaders paused the process to seek additional guidance from the Tennessee Department of Education, legal counsel, and other districts across Tennessee. 

CMCSS is inviting all stakeholders to engage in the Family Life Curriculum development process by participating in one of the upcoming public meetings. At the meetings, District personnel will engage with stakeholders to address the following questions: 

• What materials or textbooks will be used to develop the CMCSS curriculum?
• How will teachers and students access the curriculum? 
• What is required to be taught?

Meetings:

• Tuesday, February 15
  • 10 a.m. at Central Services South – 1312 Highway 48/13, Clarksville, TN 37040
  • 5:30 p.m. at West Creek High School – 1210 West Creek Coyote Trail, Clarksville, TN 37042 (enter at the cafeteria/activities entrance)
• Thursday, February 17
  • 5:30 p.m. at Central Services South – 1312 Highway 48/13, Clarksville, TN 37040

If you have any questions or input, please use the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FamLifeEd

Pre-Practical Nursing Program for Rising Seniors 2022-2023

Pre-Practical Nursing

CMCSS rising 12th-grade students will have the opportunity to complete the first trimester of the TCAT’s Practical Nursing program free of charge while still in high school.

• Half of the day (up to 4 class periods) will consist of core high school graduation requirements. Students may complete these courses traditionally at their zoned high school or through an online platform as an enrolled student in the Early Technical College at TCAT.
• Students will complete 3 hours of pre-practical nursing classes at TCAT Monday-Friday, from 2:30-5:30 pm.

Transportation to and from TCAT can only be provided by CMCSS if a student participates in the program through enrollment in the Early Technical College. All books, uniforms, and tuition costs for the Pre-Practical Nursing Program will be covered by CMCSS and a TCAT grant.

Successful pre-practical nursing students will be guaranteed a seat at either TCAT Clarksville or TCAT Dickson as an adult student in the Practical Nursing program after high school graduation. Students will complete clinical hours in the summer between their HS graduation and adult TCAT enrollment in order to be able to sit for the CNA certification assessment and ensure a seamless transition into the adult program.

Entrance Requirements

• GPA: 2.5 or above
• A grade of 80 or better per course in Biology, Algebra I, and English
• ACT: 19 or higher score in Reading and Math OR Successful passage of the state-wide HSEI examination (70-Reading and 70-Math)

In-Person Information Sessions (2 options)

• Thursday, February 3, 2022: 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
  Cental Services South (1312 Highway 48/13, Clarksville, TN 37040)
• Thursday, February 10, 2022: 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
  Cental Services South (1312 Highway 48/13, Clarksville, TN 37040)

Apply

Complete this Google Form. In-person interviews will be scheduled for students who meet the entrance requirements.

Practical Nursing at TCAT Overview

Three trimesters (1 year) certification and degree program through Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT.)

Students study basic nursing skills and related subjects such as body structure and function, nutrition, pharmacology, obstetrics, and psychology. Clinical experience provides supervised nursing care of medical, surgical, obstetric, and pediatric patients. Both classroom work and clinical experiences are such that upon completion of the course, the graduate is eligible for the written examination by the State Board of Nursing. Licensed practical nurses who have passed their examination usually work under the supervision of the registered nurse or physician.

All CMCSS high schools will host a Stop, Drop, FAFSA event from January 18-21, 2022. School leaders will help students understand the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process, answer questions regarding the application, and assist with the next steps.

Confusion surrounding the FAFSA application process is one of the most common reasons students do not fill out the forms. School leaders encourage all CMCSS Seniors to complete the application to know of any aide available to them. Many colleges, universities, and technical schools require completion of the FAFSA as part of the admission process, whether students qualify or not. The TN Promise requires completion of the application by February 1.

Several common myths surround the FAFSA, according to collegefortn.org. Read more about the Five Common Financial Aid Myths.

For families who may have questions or need additional assistance understanding the application process, CMCSS has several helpful resources.

Help for Families

Phone Helpline: Students can call and speak with a live person who can provide assistance regarding the application process. Live support is available by calling 931-553-1189 from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm on the following days: Tuesday, January 18 and January 25 and Thursday, January 20 and January 27.

Text Helpline: Students and parents can text FAFSA to 335577 to receive mobile support from “Get Schooled.” The mobile program assists students with a variety of services.

Video Tutorials: Assistance is available from StudentAid.gov with a video instructional series.

Part 1-How to Complete the FAFSA,

Part 2-School Selection & Dependency Status,

Part 3-Parent Demographics,

Part 4-Parent Financials,

Part 5-Student Financial & Signature Status

Parent Webinars: Parent webinars are offered every Thursday in January. Access the webinar link here.

Email Support: Families can receive support from the state FAFSA support team ([email protected]) or the CMCSS FAFSA support team ([email protected]).

CMCSS student report cards for the second nine weeks of the 2021-22 school year will be available on Wednesday, January 12. Parents/guardians will access report cards online using the CMCSS Parent Self-Service webpage at parents.cmcss.net.

If parents/guardians have issues accessing their child’s report card using CMCSS Parent Self-Service, they can contact their child’s enrolled school.

The report card available through Parent Self-Service is considered the official report card with comments for the grading period.

Parents/guardians can check their student’s academic progress on PowerSchool at any time. PowerSchool is the official grade book and attendance tracker for CMCSS. While some digital learning platforms have a grade book, please note that official grades will only be recorded in PowerSchool.

CREATING A POWERSCHOOL ACCOUNT

If you need to create a PowerSchool account, visit powerschool.cmcss.net, click the Create Account tab, and complete the form.

Families will need an Access Code for each child. Access codes can be obtained through the parents.cmcss.net portal by clicking on “Get Student Security Info” and following the steps listed in the video below.

PowerSchool Access Codes: https://ior.ad/7PBU

If you are using the PowerSchool app, the CMCSS’ District Code is P Z Q N.

UNDERSTANDING POWERSCHOOL AND REPORT CARD ABBREVIATIONS

Families may see several abbreviations in PowerSchool, including:

• N(#) ex. N1, N2, etc. This is the student’s current grade in the nine weeks.
• S(#) ex. S1, S2, etc. This is the student’s semester grade, which includes the nine weeks combined. For high school students, this grade will reflect the semester credits earned for that period. This grade will also include mid-term exams when applicable.
• Y(#) ex. Y1. This refers to the student’s cumulative grade for the year.
• OT On-Track. Students in grades K – 5 may see this designation on their report cards.
• AE Approaching Expectations. Students in grades K – 5 may see this designation on their report cards.
• BE Below Expectations. Students in grades K – 5 may see this designation on their report cards.

Watch this video to understand the PowerSchool dashboard:
K-2 Standards-Based Iorad: https://ior.ad/7MKm
3-12 Traditional Grading Iorad: https://ior.ad/7O3p

Note: Students in grades 3 – 5 may be assigned a letter grade and have letter grades available through PowerSchool. Report cards may also display the OT, AE, or BE information under College and Career Readiness.