Posted in Middle School:


May 18th, 2022

TCAP Scores Not Included in Students’ Spring 2022 Grades

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.


May 9th, 2022

Operational Updates for the 2022-2023 School Year

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.


April 4th, 2022

Open Enrollment for 2022-2023 School Year

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

School Kindergarten 2nd grade 4th grade 5th grade
Byrns Darden Elementary 20 seats
Carmel Elementary 10 seats 10 seats 20 seats 20 seats
Cumberland Heights Elementary 5 seats
East Montgomery Elementary 20 seats
Kenwood Elementary 18 seats
Minglewood Elementary 40 seats 15 seats

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL

School 6th grade 8th grade
Kirkwood Middle 15 seats
Richview Middle 15 seats 15 seats

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

 

HIGH SCHOOL

School 9th grade 10th grade 11th grade 12th grade
Kenwood High 10 seats 10 seats 10 seats 10 seats
Montgomery Central High 10 seats 20 seats

*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.


March 14th, 2022

Updated Information for the Return to School/Work Flowchart

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.


February 1st, 2022

Family Life Curriculum Development Process Public Meetings

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


January 12th, 2022

Accessing Student Report Cards – January 2022

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.

 


January 7th, 2022

Handle with Care

Local first responder agencies are partnering with CMCSS to implement the national Handle with Care program in Clarksville-Montgomery County. Handle with Care is a program in which first responders work together with schools to provide proactive support for potentially trauma-affected students within the community.

First responders will identify children at a scene who have been potentially exposed to trauma. The child’s pertinent information, including name, birthday, school, and grade, will be sent by first responders in a confidential notice to the child’s school before the next school day. There is no information being given regarding the incident. School officials will receive the child’s identifying information and the three words “handle with care.” CMCSS will not be sharing any information with any person or entity as a partner in Handle with Care. Click here to watch a brief overview video.

The Clarksville City Council and Montgomery County Commission have approved the interlocal agreement. Training will take place in January 2022, and the program will be implemented next semester.


January 5th, 2022

CMCSS Seeks Community Feedback Regarding District-Wide Rezoning

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:

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.


December 21st, 2021

2022-23 Application Period for Schools & Programs of Choice

What is the Application Window?

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System offers several non-traditional schools and programs of choice for students. Each year, families can apply to express interest in their students participating in the program. 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. Unless otherwise noted, the application period is January 14 through February 11, 2022.

Access to the applications is NOT currently available. They will be available during the application period.

CMCSS K-12 Virtual School

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 certified teachers and also provided the opportunity for independent application of skills.
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. 11, 2022
Parent Informational Meeting:
  • Monday, January 17, at 12:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, January 20, at 6:00 p.m.
For more information, visit: k12virtual.cmcss.net

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:
February 11, 2022
Parent Informational Meeting:
Monday, January 17, at 5:30 p.m. Held in the Moore Magnet School Cafeteria 1350 Madison Street, Clarksville

Spanish Immersion Program at Barksdale

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. Students who enter the program need to be committed to continuing Spanish dual-language learning through 5th grade at Barksdale.
Eligibility:
Incoming kindergartner; early literacy benchmark screening required
Application Deadline:
February 11, 2022
Parent Informational Meeting:
A virtual meeting will be offered on Tuesday, January 18, at 6:00 p.m. Parents must complete the RSVP form below to receive the invite. (An in-person meeting was offered in November.)

CMCSS Academies

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:

February 11, 2022

Parent Informational Meeting:

January 26, 2022 (in-person)
February 7, 2022 (virtual)

Middle College at Austin Peay

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

Parent Informational Meeting:

January 13, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
Held at Central Service South
1312 Highway 48, Clarksville

Early Technical College at 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 for IEMM, HVAC, Diesel Powered Equipment, Pharmacy Technology, 2.5 GPA for Pre-Practical Nursing; maturity for a college environment; good attendance and behavior; and on track to graduate

Application Dates:

Rolling Admission Process

Parent Informational Meeting:

January 13, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
Held at Central Service South
1312 Highway 48, Clarksville


October 27th, 2021

Accessing Student Report Cards – October 2021

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

16 STEPS

1. To begin, navigate to cmcss.net and click Students & Parents

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2. Click Parents

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3. Click Parent Self-Service

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4. Scroll down and click on Get Student Security Info

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5. Enter the student’s first name

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6. Type Middle Name

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7. Type Last Name

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8. Click Month

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9. Click Day

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10. Click Year

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11. Click Continue

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12. Scroll undefined and click EnteredCode

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13. Click Submit Code

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14. Power School Access Code 1 will appear in this cell

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15. Power School Access Code 2 will appear in this cell

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16. That’s it. You’re done.

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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.