Posted in High School:

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. Rezoning is taken very seriously, and the district makes every effort to ensure stakeholders are involved in the process. In May 2020, CMCSS began communicating the need for rezoning to families with the construction of the Kirkwood complex.

The population of Montgomery County has increased 27.7% in the last 10 years. Projections indicate the population could see a 40% growth rate in the next 20 years. The effect of this tremendous change can be seen in our local schools.

Growth in CMCSS

• CMCSS has a 30-year average growth of 677 new students every year.
• Current enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is 37,769 students.
• Oakland, Rossview, and West Creek Elementary schools have recently undergone expansion projects to address capacity. See the current capacity of each school here (pdf).
• School capacity has an impact on the flexibility of programming and extracurricular activities.
• Maintaining a capacity of approximately 85% is the goal of CMCSS.
• The goal of CMCSS is to not rely on portables as a permanent solution.

At the Jan. 4, 2022, School Board Study Session, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board heard on first reading the recommendation that changes be made to the middle and high school zone lines for the 2022-2023 school year.

In 2021, the district initiated the process of working with a third-party consulting firm, RSP and Associates, with expertise in school system rezoning. In collaboration with the consulting firm and community stakeholders, the CMCSS Zoning Project Team has studied and evaluated existing school zones and building capacities to identify opportunities to better serve students, per the district’s Zoning Procedure (OPS-P017). The following criteria guide the team’s work:

• Rezone as few students as possible
• The proximity of students to existing schools
• Transport students the least distance possible
• Equitable distribution of resources according to the learning needs of all students
• Enrollment capacity of existing schools
• Consideration of free and reduced lunch status (socioeconomic)
• Allow for future growth where possible (based upon Regional Planning Commission lot and permit data)

Taking these guidelines into consideration, the Zoning Project Team made the following recommendation to the School Board. (Click here to see the presentation)

CMCSS and RSP & Associates will host three public forums to gain feedback from the community regarding the rezoning recommendations. The community is invited to attend the following forums:

• Monday, January 17, 2022, 5:30 pm (Virtual Meeting – access the meeting link here)
• Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 5:30 pm (Virtual Meeting – access the meeting link here)
• Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 5:30 pm (In-Person Meeting – Rossview High School)

A final zoning recommendation will be presented to the School Board on Feb. 8 for voting. District rezoning information can be found at cmcss.net/zoning.

Class of 2022 tnAchieves mentor recruitment is underway!

Begin the process of becoming a tnAchieves mentor by visiting the tnAchieves website. Applications are available for new and returning mentors.

After completing a mentor application/renewal, you will receive a confirmation email with the next steps. After applying, all tnAchieves mentors must complete mentor training to be paired with Class of 2022 TN Promise students. tnAchieves will communicate training details as soon as they are available.

tnAchieves mentors play a critical role in the success of students across the state of Tennessee as they pursue a post-secondary credential. Many students need just a little extra help in navigating the college-going process. tnAchieves mentors provide that support by offering encouragement and personal guidance to students in their community.

What are the responsibilities of a mentor?

tnAchieves Mentors are asked to serve three essential roles for their students from mid-February 2022 through their first semester of college. Mentoring only takes one hour per month, but that one hour can make a significant difference in a student’s life!

Mentors invest 12 hours annually assisting 5-10 high school seniors. tnAchieves has designed the mentor role so that even the busiest executive, parent, or young professional can make a meaningful impact. If you do not have experience working in education, do not worry! All mentors receive online training, a handbook, and support from the tnAchieves staff.

Questions? Email: [email protected]

Learn more at tnAchieves.org.

CMCSS student report cards for the first nine weeks of the 2021-22 school year will be available on Wednesday, October 27. 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.

At any time, parents/guardians can check their student’s academic progress on PowerSchool. 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.

TNREADY DATA

TNReady data from the 2020-21 school year will be sent home with your student(s) beginning Wednesday, October 27. Please contact your child’s enrolled school if you do not receive this information.

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

Here’s an interactive tutorial

** Best experienced in Full Screen (click the icon in the top right corner before you begin) **

https://www.iorad.com/player/1866690/Accessing-PowerSchool-Access-Codes

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.

On Friday, October 29, the community is invited to attend the Honor Choir Festival at Montgomery Central High School. Over 80 students from CMCSS high school choir programs will participate in this public concert, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The clinician for this year’s festival is Dr. Tim Sharp and the accompanist is Jan Corrothers. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students, and children 6 and under are free.

Clinician/Accompanist

Tim Sharp (BM, MCM, DMA) has varied his career as conductor, university professor, publisher, and arts administrator and innovator. Currently in his thirteenth year as Artistic and Executive Director of the Tulsa Chorale, Tulsa (OK), Tim enjoys programming relevant concerts that have become a staple of the artistic classical music landscape throughout the region. He is the Director of Innovation for Trevecca University’s (Nashville, TN) Center for Community Arts Innovation, and Director of Music at Immanuel Baptist Church (Nashville, TN).

Tim’s research and writing focuses pedagogically in conducting and score analysis, and his many published essays and books betray his eclectic interests in regional music history, acoustics, creativity, innovation, and aesthetics. He has conducted university, community, church, and children’s choirs, and performs as choral conductor and clinician in the United States and internationally.

Dr. Sharp is a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, with degrees in music and conducting from The School of Church Music of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Belmont University, and Bluefield College.

Tim has just concluded thirteen years as Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association, the national professional association for choral conductors, educators, scholars, students, and choral music industry representatives in the United States. He represents choral activity in the USA to the International Federation for Choral Music. Prior to his leadership of ACDA, Sharp was Dean of Fine Arts at Rhodes College, and earlier, Director of Choral Activities at Belmont University.

Sacred Choral Music Repertoire: Insights for Conductors is Tim’s latest book for choral conductors. Other publications in choral conducting are Relevance in the Choral Art, Innovation in the Ensemble Arts: Sustaining Creativity, Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts: Helping Others Find Their Voice and Collaboration in the Ensemble Arts: Working and Playing Well with Others. In addition to these publications, Tim has many published choral compositions and arrangements.

Tim lives on a working farm in Hickory Point (Clarksville), Tennessee, along with his wife Jane and daughter Emma.

Jan Corrothers is a collaborative pianist and organist based in the Greater Nashville area where she serves as Staff Accompanist for the Music Department of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. Jan performs as accompanist for choral conventions, workshops, festivals, recitals, and reading sessions across the United States and abroad. Previously, Jan served as Staff Accompanist and Adjunct Faculty member at Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University, Alderson Broaddus University, Marietta College, Ohio University, and as Principal Accompanist of the Cincinnati Youth Choir, in residence at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.

While in Northern KY, Jan collaborated regularly with the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati, under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson, as well as the Festival Singers of Florida, under the direction of Dr. Kevin Fenton. Most recently, she was the guest pianist for the 2020 ACDA Eastern Division Elementary Honor Choir in Rochester, NY, under the direction of Henry Leck.

Jan has been an invited guest lecturer in Beijing, China, presenting research on the art of Choral Collaboration: Understanding the Function of the Conductor/Accompanist/Choir Triangle. She shared her research as a guest presenter for Chorus America’s Conducting Retreat at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music in 2013.

Freelance performing opportunities include serving as Guest Collaborative Artist at Anderson University with Jessica Rivera Shafer, Soprano (2015), choral festival pianist with the Cincinnati Youth Choir in Carnegie Hall, All State Chorus accompanist in WV, KY, TN, and FL, as well as ACDA Regional and National honor choir accompanist.

From 2015-2017, Jan served as Board President and Conference Coordinator of the Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians’ national organization (FABM). She is also featured as a recording artist with Dr. Raquel Rodriquez, cornet, on the album: Cincinnati Virtuosity, The Cornet Solos of Frank Simon and Herman Bellstedt.

Jan received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organ Performance and Church Music from Alderson Broaddus University, where she received the 2008 Outstanding Young Alumni Award, and a Master of Music degree in Organ Performance from Shenandoah University, where she was awarded a graduate assistantship as pianist for the opera program.

This week, CMCSS students in grades 6 – 12 will have the opportunity to voluntarily participate in a short one-question survey regarding ESSER 3.0 funding. The question will be a multi-select ranking question. Data collected will provide the district with another avenue of stakeholder feedback.

The question was specifically designed for students and appeared as follows: 

CMCSS expects to receive a lot of money that we can spend on our schools and students. Please rank the items below from 1 to 7 that you would like to see CMCSS spend more money on with these new funds. 1 = I want CMCSS to spend the most money on this, 7 = I want CMCSS to spend the least amount of money on this

1. Academics and Instruction
2. Arts (Music/Band, Art Classes)
3. Improvements to School Buildings
4. Student Social and Emotional Learning Support
5. More Technology or Technology Improvements
6. Tutoring Opportunities 
7. More Substitute Teachers and Bus Drivers

Stakeholders who have questions regarding ESSER 3.0 can contact [email protected].

On October 20, parents and guardians of CMCSS will receive an electronic Federal Impact Aid survey.

Federal Impact Aid is designed to assist local school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to tax-exempt Federal property. Federal Impact Aid is set up for school districts where federally owned lands (such as Fort Campbell, government buildings, TVA steam plants, subsidized housing, etc.) are located. It intends to help offset the lost property taxes that would have been collected if businesses or privately owned residences were located there instead. Federal Impact Aid does not provide funding for every military-dependent child who is served in our school system.

Each year, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System sends out to parents a survey to collect data about federally connected students. The funding formula that determines how much money a school system will receive hinges on accurate information collected on the survey.

It is crucial that parents complete the forms. And the information must be what is accurate on November 2. This year, there will be an electronic survey that is confidential and has no effect on personal taxes or on those who live in subsidized housing.

Please complete the survey by November 12, 2021.

Strength and resiliency can be found in many places, yet none are as inspiring as seeing it in our students. Through the tumultuous 2020-21 school year, several CMCSS students within the JROTC program proved grit and determination can produce excellent results.

In July, three teams from two CMCSS high schools, Northwest and Rossview, competed during the JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB) National Competition in Washington, D.C. Northwest High School was represented by their Leadership and Academic teams. Rossview High School Academic Team qualified for the national competition.

The overall finish of each team represents the highest level each school has ever received. The Northwest High Leadership team took 11th-place out of 1,500 teams across the nation. The school’s Academic Team was one of the Top 16 in the country, out of over 1,700 academic teams. Rossview High Academic Team also placed in the Top 16 and has the added distinction of receiving the highest score of any CMCSS JROTC academic team to date.

These achievements would be tremendous even in a traditional year. To accomplish this feat through the uncertainty of last year is astounding. The cadets humbly acknowledge their success and bring the credit back to the unity of the team and the foundational support of the program.

“Freshman me was this little shell of a person that didn’t want to expand much,” said Bridger Helm, a senior at Northwest. He explains how CSM (Ret.) Glenn Louk took him aside and began to assign specific responsibilities. The experience pushed him to try more, and it made all the difference.

Kaylee Coon, a senior at Northwest, and Madeline Pufall, a sophomore at Rossview, share similar experiences of being shy and unsure of themselves. Through their journey with JROTC, the cadets have grown more confident in their abilities. “Everything with JROTC has taught me a lot about myself,” said Kaylee. “I found a lot of strength. It taught me to be proud of myself.”

The JROTC program offers multiple avenues of exploration along with leadership and academics. Students can also try raider, drill, S.T.E.M. opportunities of Robotics, Drone and Cyber Patriot, and rifle teams. Cadets are assigned to the team that best fits their interests and abilities. They insist the program is not simply a ‘military focused’ mindset and instead has provided a much stronger frame of mind.

“When you think about JROTC, you think military,” Madeline explained. “But I relate it more to a life skills class. How to be a better citizen, how to work with what you have, and how to give back to the community.”

Through JROTC and their trip to Washington, D.C., the students also had a deeper understanding of the importance of relationships and teamwork.

“Teammates are definitely important, even through normal life activities,” said Kaylee. Now that she and Bridger have assumed leadership roles with their program, they both insist that teamwork and group effort are critical to achieving their goals.

They all agree the experience has left them with a better understanding of communication. For Kaylee, she admits the time spent in Washington reminded her how important balance is to her overall wellness. While she went in thinking the entire experience had to be serious and focused, she found herself becoming more anxious. “[I learned] you can have fun even if you’re doing something serious.”

Thinking back to last year, they realize the impact of the program. “It was something that didn’t change. I knew it was always going to be there,” said Bridger. Madeline nodded in agreement. “I had JROTC to look forward to. My people were there, and it was my own little outlet,” she said.

As the students made the trip to Washington, fear of the unknown ran through their minds. “I had no idea what I was walking into,” admits Madeline, as this was her first time attending the national competition. For Bridger and Kaylee, they were nervous all of their training would be forgotten.

“My biggest fear was not remembering anything,” admits Bridger. He then reflected on the foundation he learned through JROTC. “Remembering you’re not one person. You’re part of a team.”

The students all rallied around each other, even if they were competing for different schools. “We were all in the auditorium together as they announced the playoffs,” said CSM (Ret) Louk. “There were 16 teams in the country that made the playoffs, and CMCSS had two.”

“Rossview was just as happy that Northwest was in the Top 16,” said MAJ (Ret) Braun, the Rossview High JROTC instructor. While the schools retained their healthy competition, overall, the instructor support drove the students to succeed.

Moving into a new school year, the teams are excited about the potential. Individually the students are hopeful that their peers will find a place in school where they feel comfortable and supported. For them, that place was the JROTC program. “JROTC changed my life for the better,” said Kaylee. She offered her insight to other students. “You’ll learn so many things about yourself, and it will widen your perspective.”

Pre-Practical Nursing Opportunity for Rising Seniors 2021-2022

Will you be a CMCSS senior during the 2021-2022 school year? Are you interested in becoming a nurse after high school graduation? The Pre-Practical Nursing Program may be for you!

Virtual Information Sessions

Thursday, July 8 at 11:00 am: https://cmcss-net.zoom.us/j/89929463750

Thursday, July 8 at 5:30 pm: https://cmcss-net.zoom.us/j/83946079460

Tuesday, July 13 at 6:00 pm: https://cmcss-net.zoom.us/j/86205295049

Overview

Three trimester (1 year) certification program through 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 State Board of Nursing’s written examination. Licensed practical nurses who have passed their examination usually work under the supervision of the registered nurse or physician.

Pre-Practical Nursing 
High school 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 four class periods) will consist of core HS graduation requirements. Students may complete these courses traditionally at their zoned school or through an online platform as an enrolled student in the Early Technical College at TCAT.
• Students will complete three hours of pre-practical nursing classes at TCAT from 2:30 – 5:30 pm each day, Monday – Friday.

CMCSS can only provide transportation to and from the TCAT 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)

Apply

Complete the Google Form (here). In-person interviews or virtual interviews will be scheduled for students who meet the entrance requirements.

Questions

Contact Dr. Karen Beard, Early Technical College Administrator, at [email protected].

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System was recently awarded nearly $50,000 by the Tennessee Department of Education. Through the Perkins Reserve Grant (PRG), the district will receive $49,997 for FY22. The Tennessee Department of Education awarded 38 school districts from across the state, which collectively received over $2 million in awards.

These funds will support career and technical education (CTE) initiatives for students throughout Tennessee.

In a statement from the Tennessee Department of Education, Commissioner Penny Schwinn said, “Tennessee is continuing to focus on career and technical education to boost student readiness and postsecondary success, and the Perkins Reserve Grant awards help support this work, especially in our rural districts. These grant awards will ensure districts, schools and partners can continue coming together to help expand CTE opportunities for all students.”

CMCSS plans to fund an Educator Prep Program, through which qualified candidates who are coming directly from jobs in aligned business and industry sectors can become certified teachers. Historically, CMCSS has averaged 4-5 new CTE teachers per year entering the profession through this pathway. During the past two years, that number has risen to nine new teachers each year. As the district continues to grow and demand for career-ready pathways increases, the district will continue to actively prepare and support current educators and recruit new experts in their respective fields.

Not only will the district continue to recruit and train qualified teachers for CTE programs, but the PRG funding also will be used to continue educating students on the career opportunities and technical training available after graduation. CMCSS plans to increase engagement with middle school students in order to continue to generate interest and excitement for over 32 different CTE pathways, including those within the eight CMCSS Academies.

Introducing sixth through eighth-grade students to future careers allows them to better understand the multitude of options available after graduation. Likewise, it allows students to develop a more strategic path in their academic journey, providing the chance to explore future career paths while still in school.

“We are thrilled with the chance to expand our CTE educator training and recruitment,” said Dr. Dayna Paine, director of career and technical education. “Investing in students benefits not just the individual, but the community as a whole.”

For more information on the CMCSS Career and Technical Education programs, click here.