Posted in High School:

The CMCSS School Board announced the following Points of Pride for students, faculty, and staff during the March 2026 formal board meeting.

MONTGOMERY CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL

Montgomery Central Middle School’s Cheerleading Team was a finalist at the 2026 UCA National Cheerleading Championship in the Large Junior High Intermediate Division.

Student-Athletes:
Olivia French
E’lajah Haley
Abagail Leo
Layla Lewis
Amber Neblett
Allyssa Jurecki
Ryleigh Hatmaker
Jenna Caudle
Ashlyn Chambers
Eliza Henley
Hayden Allen
Audrina Aull
Baylee Cilk
Paisleigh Hill
Cady Perry
Caroline Rasch
Sadie Shawver
Ava Walter

Coaches:
Leah Dillard
Carrie Britt

KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

The Kenwood High School Robotics Team earned First Place at the 2026 7th Brigade Robotics Championship and Third Place overall at the State Robotics Championship.

Cadets:
Tianlee Zhao
Marlyne Petit
Saolong Zhao
Khyson Gray
Coach:
LTC (Ret) Hugo Jackson

WEST CREEK HIGH SCHOOL

The West Creek High School JROTC Marksmanship Team was the first-place champions at the 2026 Tennessee State High School Three-Position (3 Par) Air Rifle Championship.

Cadets:
Brentney Armstrong, 3rd Place
Gwenyth Barham, 5th Place
Ariel Gutierrez, 2nd Place
Neela Romero, 4th Place

Coach:
SFC (Ret) Joe Slate

The following Clarksville High, Kirkwood High, Montgomery Central High, Northwest, Rossview, and West Creek High schools student-athletes placed at the TSSAA Wrestling State Championship.

CLARKSVILLE HIGH
Boys Individuals:
Aiden Rowe – 3rd Place Boys 132

Girls Team:
2nd Place – 2026 TSSAA Girls Dual Wrestling State Championship
2nd Place – 2026 TSSAA Girls Individual Wrestling State Championship

Team Members:
Alaih’la Allen
Madylyn Carlyle
Macy Dallefeld
Jazzlyn Deghost
Amber Dufour
Kalei Durham
Alexandra Erb
Mya Erminelli
Millie Hoback
Ciara Hoye
Emma Husser
Ava Johnson
Sally Johnson
Chloe Kemmerlin
Alyssa Michalenko
Elisabeth Nelson
Elizabeth Nelson
Lacore Obermuller
Valeria Ortiz
Tatiana Pena-Corona
Shianne Phelan
Angel Robles
Allison Velasco
Evelin Velasco
Luvleigh Watkins
Saniya Whiteside
Ava Ziegler

Coaches:
Doug Badon
David Johnson
Shaun Manhollan
Cole McCartney
Colleen Powers
Santonya Ransom

Individuals:
Sally Johnson – 1st Place State Champion Girls 165
Alexandra Erb – 2nd Place Girls 100
Tatiana Pena-Corona – 2nd Place Girls 114
Ava Johnson – 2nd Place Girls 145
Emma Husser – 3rd Place Girls 152
Kalei Durham – 5th Place Girls 185
Chloe Kemmerlin – 6th Place Girls 107

(photo of Kirkwood High School not available)

KIRKWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Boys Individuals:
Luke Louzensky – 2nd Place Boys 132

Girls Individuals:
Ella McKeown – 3rd Place Girls 100

(photo of Montgomery Central High School not available)

MONTGOMERY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Boys Individuals:
Wesley Sudderth – 3rd Place Boys 106
Tamarion Johnson – 2nd Place Boys 150

Girls Individuals:
Audrey Levendusky – 2nd Place Girls 152

NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL

Girls Individuals:
Anjolina Rosario – 3rd Place Girls 235

ROSSVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Girls Individuals:
Nevada Wildheart – 1st Place State Champion Girls 126

WEST CREEK HIGH SCHOOL

Girls Team:
3rd Place – 2026 TSSAA Girls Individual Wrestling State Championship

Team Members:
Darcy Aguilar
Kiara Amerson
Gabriela Barzola Rodriguez
Mariana Bowen
Emilia Contreras
Lexi Dean
Rosy Lagunas Rogel
Elizabella Laurin
Irelynn Laurin
Judy Liu
Xophie McGhee
Clarissa Miralles
Kori Redding
Mackenzi Simons
Aniyah Wakefield
Amya Everett

Coaches:
John Nikolao
Jen Binkley
Dominico Bowen
Beau Roberts
Roseanna Vaugh

Individuals:
Mariana Bowen – 1st Place State Champion Girls 138
Irelynn Laurin – 2nd Place Girls 165
Lexi Dean – 3rd Place Girls 132

Free Community Event

Saturday, February 28, 2026
Competition starts at 8:00 a.m.
Held at Kenwood High School (241 E. Pine Mountain Road)

Hosted by the Kenwood High School Black Knights Battalion, the JROTC Red River Brigade Championships will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Events will occur inside and outside of Kenwood High School, 241 E. Pine Mountain Road. This event is free and open to the public. The community is invited to watch and cheer for the cadets from all eight traditional CMCSS high schools. Cadets from Tennessee, Kentucky, and the surrounding area will be competing.

Teams will participate in Drill and Air Rifle competitions. We expect representatives from college ROTC programs will be on-site to discuss post secondary opportunities for students. An awards ceremony will be held when all events are complete. Students interested in participating in JROTC are welcome to speak with school leaders to learn more about the programs offered within CMCSS.

Cadets will participate in either Drill or Air Rifle competitions. Drill is a marching unit that performs routines based on military drills. Cadets can perform either armed or unarmed drills during competitive drill competitions. Air Rifle teams compete at varying distances in marksmanship competitions.
Students do not have to participate in JROTC to be eligible for ROTC in college. Students interested in learning more about the benefits of ROTC college programs can speak with college representatives at the event, including the University of Tennessee system, Murray State ROTC, Austin Peay State University ROTC, and more.

The annual Kiwanis Club of Clarksville Interview-a-Veteran Essay Contest is now open to CMCSS students. Students in 6th through 12th grade have the opportunity to submit an essay based on an interview with a military veteran. Submissions are due by September 26, 2025.

All essays will be reviewed and judged based on a rubric, first by CMCSS and then by the Kiwanis Club of Clarksville judges. School winners will receive a plaque and $100 cash. The Grand Division Winners will receive another $100 and a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Grand Winner, Runner-up, and Most Inspiring and Heroic winners will read a two to three-minute excerpt of their essays at the Kiwanis Awards Luncheon.

Full rules are available here for the middle school submissions. 

Full rules are available here for the high school submissions. 

The middle school prompt is, “How did (Veteran’s name) service and sacrifice inspire me?”

High school students can choose one of two prompts: “How learning from (Veteran’s name) story has shaped my perspective on leadership, service, or resilience” and “Based on interviewing (Veteran’s name) and research, how important is military preparedness in today’s modern world?”

Interested families can fill out the application form here. Be sure to include your grade and ELA or English teacher’s name on your application. Families are encouraged to work with their students to learn about the history, courage, and sacrifice of military veterans.

The district has hosted a series of successful dyslexia screening events during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years for families in the Montgomery County community. All events are held at the CMCSS Learning Center, 343 Pageant Lane, Clarksville. Dates for the 2026-27 school year will be announced in the summer of 2026.

About the Participants

• During the 2025-26 school year, 98 families participated in evening screening events while 62 families participated in daytime screening events.
• Of the 160 families served:
  • All school levels (elementary, middle, and high) were screened
  • Several out-of-district students were screened, including private, Fort Campbell, out-of-state, and homeschool students

To participate in the screening, children must be at least four years old and up to 12th grade. Students do not have to be enrolled in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. A parent or guardian must remain on-site during the screening. If the child is a CMCSS student, the screener’s results will be shared with the child’s school.

If a student has been previously screened for characteristics of dyslexia, please bring or share the information using the registration link.

Event Dates and Times

2026-27 dates will be announced soon

Additional Resources

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that affects reading and spelling skills at the word level. Individuals with dyslexia manifest along a spectrum, with some impacted in minor ways and others experiencing significant difficulty acquiring the ability to recognize and spell words and read with automaticity and fluency.

Click here to read the Signs of Dyslexia by Age from the National Center on Improving Literacy. 

Click here to read about understanding the definition of Dyslexia from the National Center on Improving Literacy.

Click this link to read the Dyslexia Resource Guide

Click this link to see the Screening for Characteristics of Dyslexia – Companion Guide

Why is Screening Important?

By screening for early warning indicators of characteristics of dyslexia, teachers and instructors can better pinpoint areas of concern and design support. If your child’s profile reflects characteristics of dyslexia, parents or guardians will be provided information about dyslexia, and the school will be notified of the screening data. A student does not need to be formally diagnosed with dyslexia to receive appropriate intervention. The survey-level assessments used in screening are sufficient to identify your child’s needs and plan for dyslexia-specific intervention.

How to Participate

Screenings will be held on the dates above. Families must sign up for an appointment time via the Google Form above. No walk-ins will be available. There will also be an option on the form to discuss your child’s reading data and answer questions. This will not include a screener, and the student does not have to be in attendance.

On December 19, the Tennessee Department of Education released the 2023-24 State Report Card with additional data, including school letter grades. The A-F school letter grades for Tennessee schools were implemented in 2023. School letter grades are calculated using several pieces of data, including student achievement and growth on standardized assessments, subgroup performance, and college and career readiness at the high school level. Since implementation, CMCSS has not had any schools rated at the lowest level, an F. CMCSS has continued this trend in 2023-24 and made significant improvements from 2022-23.

In CMCSS, 90% of schools received an average or better letter grade of an A, B, or C, an increase from 73% in 2022-2023. Nearly half of CMCSS schools performed in the top categories, earning an A or B, and the number of schools earning a D decreased by 64%. There were no F grades in CMCSS.

Over 30% of schools improved their letter grades from last year, including a significant 3-grade improvement at Northeast Elementary School from a D to an A, and 2-grade improvements at Montgomery Central Middle School (C to A) and Moore Magnet Elementary School (D to B).

Click here to review the Tennessee Department of Education’s School Letter Grade Dashboard. The TCAP Family Portal can be found here, and additional online education tools can be found here.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System will host a Dyslexia Screening Event for families in the Montgomery County community. The event will be held at the CMCSS Learning Center, 343 Pageant Lane, Clarksville on October 22 and November 21. Families can register for a time slot using the Google forms below.

To participate in the screening, children must be at least four years old and up to 12th grade. Students do not have to be enrolled in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. A parent or guardian must remain on-site during the screening. If the child is a CMCSS student, the results from the screener will be shared with the child’s school.

If a student has been previously screened for characteristics of dyslexia, please bring or share the information in the registration link.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a language based learning disability affecting reading and spelling skills at the word level. Individuals with dyslexia manifest along a spectrum, with some impacted in minor ways and others experiencing significant difficulty acquiring the ability to recognize and spell words and read with automaticity and fluency.

Dyslexia Resource Guide

Why is Screening Important?

By screening for early warning indicators of characteristics of dyslexia, teachers and instructors can better pinpoint areas of concern and design support. If your child’s profile reflects characteristics of dyslexia, parents or guardians will be provided information about dyslexia, and the school will be notified of the screening data. A student must not be formally diagnosed with dyslexia to receive appropriate intervention. The survey-level assessments used in screening are sufficient to identify your child’s needs and plan for dyslexia-specific intervention.

How to Participate

Screenings will be held on Tuesday, October 22, and Thursday, November 21, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Families who wish to attend during the 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. or 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. time slots should use the Google form below to reserve a time. For the 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. time slots, walk-ins are welcome, but registration is preferred to adequately staff.

Registration Links:

To register for the Tuesday, October 22, 2024 event, use this link: https://bit.ly/3MjQ16r

To register for the Thursday, November 21, 2024 event, use this link: https://bit.ly/3T1Beko

CMCSS has announced the following administrator announcements.

June 28, 2024

Dr. Christopher J. Causey, Chief of Staff

Dr. Christopher J. Causey has been selected as the Chief of Staff for CMCSS, replacing Dr. Angela Huff who is stepping down to focus on her family after serving in CMCSS since 2018 as the Chief of Staff and Interim Director of Schools (2021-2022). Currently, Dr. Causey is the Supervisor of High Schools and K12 Accountability for Sumner County Schools. Previously, he served for six years as the Director of Schools for Robertson County Schools. Under his leadership, Robertson County Schools had its first five schools to ever achieve TN Reward School status, the district grew from “In Need of Improvement” to “Achieving” in two years, over half the schools reached the highest Level 5 status for TVAAS, and the district’s ACT Average Composite Score increased, among other improvements and innovations. Dr. Causey began his career in public education in 1996, and he has served as a teacher, basketball and baseball coach, assistant principal, principal, Supervisor of Accountability, and Supervisor of Middle Grades Education. Over his nearly 30-year career in education, Dr. Causey has been a member of numerous regional and state-level leadership committees and organizations and has earned several accolades, including the Tennessee Association of School Librarians Administrator of the Year Award. He is a graduate of Leadership Middle Tennessee and Leadership Robertson County, and he has served on the Stokes Brown Library Board of Directors and Robertson County Education Initiative. Dr. Causey is a McRel Balanced Leadership Trainer and has served as an adjunct professor and doctoral advisor at Trevecca Nazarene University. He earned his Ed.D. in Leadership and Professional Practice and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University and B.S. in Middle Grades Education from Western Kentucky University.

“As a former Director of Schools, I know the extremely challenging job that Dr. Luna-Vedder has,” stated Dr. Causey. “I consider it an honor to serve her and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System in this important role. I’ve spent almost my entire career “next door,” having the opportunity to work closely with many talented educators and leaders in CMCSS. My wife and I spend a lot of time in Clarksville-Montgomery County, especially with my son being a student at Austin Peay, and I look forward to building relationships with more people as I support the great work happening in CMCSS.”

“Dr. Causey has been a fantastic colleague, and I look forward to him joining us in CMCSS,” stated Dr. Luna-Vedder, Director of Schools. “He has existing relationships with several leaders in our community and across Tennessee, and his experience, knowledge, and focus on success for all students will serve us well as we continue to improve our services and programs.”

June 13, 2024

Erin Hedrick, Clarksville High School Principal

Erin Hedrick has been selected as the principal of Clarksville High School. Hedrick is the founding principal of CMCSS K-12 Virtual School. Before founding the school of choice in 2021, she served as the CMCSS K-12 Virtual Coordinator, leading efforts to ensure continuity of education for the nearly 15,000 students whose families chose virtual learning in the 2020-2021 school year. Hedrick has 16 years of school administration experience, serving eight years as a principal at all levels and eight years as an assistant principal at Sango Elementary School. Under her leadership, her schools have had strong academic achievement and growth, earning multiple Tennessee Reward School designations for being a top performer in the state. She began her career with CMCSS as a teacher in 2000, and she is a three-time winner of the Green Apple Award (2001, 2002, and 2004), was named a Teacher of the Year in 2006, and won the CMCEA Spotlight Award in 2011. Over her 24-year career in public education, she has served in numerous school and district-level leadership roles and has led numerous professional learning sessions. Hedrick graduated from Clarksville High School and earned her M.A.Ed. and B.S. from Austin Peay State University.

Dr. Nigel Anderson, Kenwood High School Principal

Dr. Nigel Anderson has been selected as the principal of Kenwood High School. Currently, Dr. Anderson serves as an assistant principal at Northwest High School. He joined CMCSS in 2021 as a Coordinator of Special Populations, guiding schools on behavioral support programs and support for students with disabilities. Before joining CMCSS, Dr. Anderson served in school administration in Illinois as a principal, Associate Principal of Operations, and Special Services Coordinator. He began his career in public education in 2011 as a School Psychologist. Over his career, he has served in several school and district-level leadership capacities, specializing in special education, student discipline, school operations, and safety and crisis management. Dr. Anderson earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Francis, Ed.S. in School Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, M.A. in Educational Administration from Governors State University, and B.A. in Political Science from National Louis University.

Dr. Brad Hutson, Northeast High School Principal

Dr. Brad Hutson has been selected as the principal of Northeast High School. Dr. Hutson has served at Northeast High School for the past 15 years since beginning his career with CMCSS in 2009. Since 2016, he has served as an assistant principal and athletic director. He served as a speech, theatre, TV Production, and fine arts teacher for seven years, leading the Eagle News Network, Speech and Debate Team, and Student Government. Dr. Hutson has served in several school, district, and state-level leadership roles, including serving five years on the Tennessee High School Speech and Drama League (THSSDL) State Board and coordinating district and regional athletic events. He was named a Teacher of the Year in 2015, the state THSSDL Educator of the Year in 2011, and a Green Apple Award winner in 2010. Dr. Hutson earned his Ed.D. in Leadership and Professional Practices from Trevecca Nazarene and his M.S. in Health & Human Performance and B.S. in Mass Communications from Middle Tennessee State University. He also received certifications from Bethel University and Austin Peay State University.

The CMCSS School Board presented Point of Pride awards to students, faculty, and staff during the April 23 formal meeting.

2024 Miss Basketball Award Winner

Imari Berry, from Clarksville High School, was recently named the 2024 Miss Basketball Award winner and the Tennessee Girls Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year. She is the first Miss Basketball Award winner in Clarksville’s history and has twice previously been named a finalist for the award. Imari has been one of the nation’s top recruits and recently committed to the University of Louisville. This past winter, she became the all-time leading scorer in Clarksville High School’s history. She is known as a leader on and off the court and was selected for the McDonald’s All-American Team in 2023. Congratulations, Imari, and we will all continue cheering you on.

Final 8 at the TSSAA State Basketball National Championships – Clarksville High School

The Clarksville High Lady Wildcats made it to the Final 8 during the TSSAA State Basketball National Championship. The team is comprised of:

Players:
Imari Berry
Keira Garinger
Shakiah Vance
Ella Muiznieks
Olivia Loos
Avery Hawkins
Summer King
Ava Ahearn
Sierra Gregg
Campbell Boisseau
Ally Howard
Malon Smith
Emma Young
Ella Moore

Coaches:
Brian Rush
Tony Amero
Lucy Chilcutt
Sonja Chilcutt

Final 4 at the TSSAA State Basketball National Championships – Rossview High School

The Rossview High School team made school history by earning a spot in the Final 4 at the TSSAA State Basketball Championship. A moment of reflection was made to honor Cam Ward. Cam had a big list of accomplishments while playing basketball for Rossview High. He scored over 1,000 career points, helped lead the Hawks to the state tournament, and was named to the all-district and all-region team this past season. While he will be remembered for his accomplishments on the court, Cam will be remembered for the light he brought to so many lives as a loving son, brother, teammate, and friend.

As Coach Johnny Jackson and Dr. Sanders, Rossview Principal, shared their sentiments.

“Cam was full of light and joy and was such a positive presence in our classrooms, on the court and in our school community. He was and is an absolutely amazing young man who has a special place in so many hearts. He will be truly missed but will always be remembered – especially in the echoes of basketball games in our gymnasium and in the laughter of our hallways.”

“He taught me so much more than I ever taught him. I would switch places with him in a heartbeat. He lived life the way it was supposed to be lived. He was carefree, energetic and just smiled and spoke to everyone. … If the world had more Cams in it, it would be such a better place.”

The school board and audience took a moment of silence in remembrance of him.

The Rossview High School players and coaches include

Players:
Maksim Idzi
Jiyair Rose
Jay Yip
Cam Ward
Roland Morton
Quamond Linsey
Preston Russell
Landon Hankemeier
Evan Deal
Jacob Edwards
Cannon Prather
Christopher Johnson
Nicholas Blocker
Michael Lawton
Logan Piekielko

Coaches:
Johnny Jackson
Jacob Freeze
Jamil Jackson
Tariq Silver

(No Photo Available)

Best Prosecuting Attorney – Tennessee Mock Trial Competition

Ava Heuston, from Clarksville High School, was named the Best Prosecuting Attorney at the state Mock Trial Competition. This is out of 48 students in the highly-competitive category and first time a CMCSS student has ever won this award in nearly 50 years of this academic competition.

Purple Star Schools

The Tennessee Purple Star School Award was designed to highlight military-friendly schools that show a major commitment to serving students and families connected to our nation’s military. In CMCSS, over 25% of our students are military connected. A school must reapply every two years to maintain the recognition status, and awardees receive banners to display in their buildings. The criteria requires schools to have a point of contact who has completed a professional development component specific to the needs of military-connected students. The school website must contain a page that provides resources for military families. And, the school then chooses an additional activity that aligns with the school’s population and goals. When this award first started in Tennessee, CMCSS had 3 of the 6 schools in the state that earned the award. We are proud to share that at this time over 60% of CMCSS’ schools have earned this award, and we will continue striving for 100%. Six schools renewed their application and 11 schools were first-time applicants.

Renewing Applicant Schools
Barkers Mill Elementary School
Liberty Elementary School
Northeast Elementary School
Ringgold Elementary School
Rossview High School
Rossview Middle School

First-Time Applicant Schools
East Montgomery Elementary School
Glenellen Elementary School
Kenwood High School
Kirkwood High School
Middle College at Austin Peay
Minglewood Elementary School
Montgomery Central High School
Moore Magnet Elementary School
Northeast High School
Rossview Elementary School
St Bethlehem Elementary School