Click on the link to see the power point for incoming 9th graders and parents.
Posted in Middle School:
8th Grade Night for Parents
October 6th, 2022
CMCSS Seeks Community Members for Focus Groups to Discuss Strategic Work Feedback
Each year, CMCSS sets strategic goals for what the district will focus on that academic year. In order to be successful, we need to hear your feedback on these goals. The district will host a series of focus groups with parents and community members to collect input on our progress toward strategic goals.
What: Strategic Work Focus Groups
When: End of October (Times and dates will vary; participants can select a date and time in the form linked below.)
Why: The District holds focus groups with key partners to collect feedback on specific areas and make adjustments to ensure we meet student, employee, and parent expectations.
How: If you are interested in being part of a focus group, click here to complete a short form and express your interest. We will randomly select 10-12 participants per focus group.
September 21st, 2022
September 2022 Point of Pride
The following Points of Pride were awarded at the September Formal Board Meeting.
CMCSS Reward Schools
Schools are recognized as a Reward school when they demonstrate high levels of performance and/or improvement in performance by meeting their annual measurable objectives across performance indicators and student groups. The Reward school distinction places significant emphasis on improvement from the prior school year. With 38 CMCSS schools having TCAP scores from last year, this means around 30% of CMCSS schools performed in the top of the state.
Barksdale Elementary
Byrns Darden Elementary
Cumberland Heights Elementary
East Montgomery Elementary
Glenellen Elementary
Northeast Elementary – Not Pictured
Rossview Elementary
Sango Elementary
West Creek Elementary
Woodlawn Elementary
Montgomery Central High
- Barksdale Elementary
- Byrns Darden Elementary
- Cumberland Heights Elementary
- East Montgomery Elementary
- Glenellen Elementary
- Rossview Elementary
- Sango Elementary
- West Creek Elementary
- Woodlawn Elementary
- Montgomery Central High School
College Board National Recognition
Two students earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. The National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students from all 50 states with academic honors. To be eligible to apply, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the college entrance exams, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town. Both of CMCSS’ honorees are from West Creek High School.
Congratulations, Brianna Adams and Janyamol Paine.
No picture is available.
National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Two students have been named 2023 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. They are two of approximately 16,000 semifinalists nationwide who have earned this recognition. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.
Congratulations to Seth Robles, Clarksville High School, and Vivian Ma, Rossview High School, who is not pictured.
At a banquet with Governor Lee, Ms. Shelly Lott was awarded the Financial Literacy Leadership Award for the Middle Tennessee Grand Division. For almost five years, Ms. Lott has taught students how to make smart decisions with money, understanding everything from investing to taxes, and helping them plan for their futures. The program she started at Northeast Middle has continued to grow. The Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission honored Ms. Lott for her tremendous efforts. Congratulations, Ms. Lott!

September 2022 School Accountability Designations and Calendar Reminders
2021-2022 School Accountability Designations
In accordance with Tennessee’s accountability system, the Tennessee Department of Education names schools that are excelling, as well as those that need additional support. Late yesterday afternoon, TDOE released the 2021-2022 designations. As Dr. Luna-Vedder emphasized in July when the initial TCAP District scores were released:
“There are many bright spots in the data to celebrate as a result of the hard work of our educators and students! We will not rest on our laurels and will be having critical conversations over the coming days and weeks to develop strategic plans to address gaps and areas of concern. I look forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure CMCSS is one of the best school districts in the state of Tennessee.”
CMCSS is proud to have almost 30% of our schools recognized by the state as Reward schools! Schools receiving this designation typically demonstrate high levels of performance and/or growth across all indicators. Congratulations to the students, faculty, staff, and administrators at the following CMCSS Reward Schools:
Barksdale Elementary
Byrns Darden Elementary
Cumberland Heights Elementary
East Montgomery Elementary
Glenellen Elementary
Northeast Elementary
Rossview Elementary
Sango Elementary
West Creek Elementary
Woodlawn Elementary
Montgomery Central High
CMCSS has one Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school. Schools with overall accountability scores in the bottom five percent statewide for the performance of a given student group are identified as Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) schools. Schools can be identified as TSI schools for any of the following given student groups when meeting the identification criteria: Black/Hispanic/Native American, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners, Students with Disabilities, Hispanic/Latino, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Asian, and White. These schools are supported by the department and are eligible for additional funding. Kenwood High School has received the TSI designation for the Economically Disadvantaged and White subgroups. CMCSS is providing additional resources and supports to close the achievement gap at this school.
CMCSS has three Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) schools. Only schools identified as TSI based on the most recent TSI list will be eligible for ATSI identification. TSI schools whose student group success rates are less than or equal to the maximum success rate of any Priority school in their school pool will be identified as ATSI if they do not also have a score of 4 or 3 for each indicator for which that student group is eligible. Schools identified in 2021-22 will receive the designation for one year and can exit the designation in 2022-23 by meeting exit criteria. Kenwood Middle School, Montgomery Central Middle School, and West Creek Middle School have received the ATSI designation for the Students with Disabilities subgroup. CMCSS is providing additional resources and supports to close the achievement gaps at these schools.
As a District, CMCSS received the second highest designation – Advancing. Districts designated as advancing received an overall score equal to or greater than 2.1 but less than 3.1. Only 1% of Tennessee’s districts received the highest designation of Exemplary. CMCSS is focused on improving student achievement, especially in literacy and math, and Dr. Luna-Vedder has continued to emphasize that CMCSS can and will be one of the best districts in the state as we work together to be better than ever.
Calendar Reminders
Please note the upcoming items for September:
- Wednesday, September 14, 5-7 p.m. – Annual College Fair (click here for more info)
- Thursday, September 15, 4:30-7:30 p.m. – Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Monday, September 19 – Staff Development | Students Do Not Report
- Thursday, September 22, 4:30-7:30 p.m. – High School Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Thursday, September 29, 4:30-7:30 p.m. – Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences
To view calendars, visit cmcss.net/calendars.

Paid Tutor Positions Available to Assist CMCSS Students
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.
August 12th, 2022
Age-Appropriate Materials Act
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.
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).

Family Guide to the Start of School (2022-23 School Year)

A Family Guide to Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) 2022-2023
What is RTI²?
Response to instruction and intervention is the way CMCSS intervenes with students who are struggling academically by focusing on quality core instruction and intervention of specific skill deficits. The purpose of RTI² is to intervene with students quickly in the area of need so skill deficit gaps do not develop as they progress through school.
What does the RTI² Framework look like?
The RTI² Framework has three tiers; each tier provides intensifying levels of support.
- In Tier l, all students receive evidence-based, high-quality, general education standards-based instruction that incorporates ongoing universal screening and assessments to inform instruction. Tier I is another name for the regular core instruction all students get every year.
- In Tier ll, students identified as having significant skill deficits receive intervention targeted to the specific area of need. Student progress is consistently monitored during intervention and decisions about tier movement are based on progress monitoring data.
- In Tier III, more intensive interventions are provided to students who have not made significant progress in Tier II, or who demonstrate a deficit significant enough to warrant immediate Tier III intervention. Students are monitored closely to determine if the intervention is effective. Movement from Tier III is dependent upon intervention success.
Tier II and III intervention occur in addition to regular classroom instruction. Schools will communicate with parents in writing when students go into and out of intervention, as well as update progress during intervention.
What are the key components of RTI²?
RTI² has been around for many years and is proven to improve instruction for all students by identifying areas for improvement in core instruction.
Schools assess all students in the fall, winter, and spring using what is called a Universal Screener. This is a skills-based measure students are given to quickly check how they perform compared to grade-level expectations. Screeners are brief and measure math and reading proficiency, as well as social-emotional protective factors. School teams consider data from a variety of sources, including the screener, to determine the level of intervention most appropriate and the specific skill deficit.
Another key component of RTI² is progress monitoring. Progress monitoring is a way for teachers to take a snapshot of how children are doing on a specific skill. It includes formal and informal assessments. Progress monitoring helps determine whether an intervention is successful or needs to be changed. Data from this type of monitoring is shared with parents on a regular basis (every 4-5 weeks).
When progress monitoring indicates a student is not responding to the intervention at an acceptable rate (gap closure is not occurring at a reasonable rate), another approach or intervention may be implemented. If a higher level of support is needed, students may be provided more intensive intervention that further focuses on the supporting skills they need to be successful learners (Tier lll). Students who do not respond to Tier III interventions may be referred for a special education evaluation.
What if I think my child needs special education?
If at any time parents/guardians become concerned that their child needs special education services, they should contact their child’s teacher or administrator. Other forms of evaluation, in addition to information gathered through the RTI² framework, are needed to determine if a student is eligible for special education services. A parent’s written consent is required for these evaluations to be conducted.
Additional information about RTI² implementation will be provided by each school.
A SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SCREENING AND CONTINUED INTERVENTION
If your student was recommended to continue participation in tiered intervention in the spring, that intervention will be continued this fall. The district will begin administering fall universal screening measures to gauge student progress and make instructional plans to meet the needs of all students as soon as students return to school. Data from the fall universal screening will be used in conjunction with previous screening, progress monitoring, and curriculum-based data to determine the need for continued intervention, tier level, and pinpoint specific deficits. After universal screening measures are administered, parents/guardians will be provided information if the continued or initial placement of their student(s) in tiered intervention is recommended. All data will be treated as continuous (i.e., the summer break does not necessitate a ‘restart’ on data collection and/or delay progression toward referral) and data teams will meet frequently and consistently to review student progress and make informed decisions.
TENNESSEE LITERACY SUCCESS ACT AND THE CMCSS FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS PLAN
In compliance with the Tennessee Literacy Success Act, each district and public charter school must submit a Foundational Literacy Skills Plan. School districts and public charter schools must create a local Foundational Literacy Skills Plan for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and submit the final approved plan to the department for approval. The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System’s Foundational Literacy Skills Plan has been approved by the Tennessee Department of Education and may be found here.
We wish you and your student(s) a healthy, productive school year! Should you have any questions, please contact your school’s RTI2 lead or the district RTI2 data team at [email protected]
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.

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.