Posted in Elementary School:

We are excited to welcome our kindergarten families to CMCSS! Whether this is your first student in the district or you are an experienced first-day family, here are some things you should know as we begin the school year.

Before School Begins

Registration and Enrollment

If you have not yet started the registration process, begin online at parents.cmcss.net.

Online registration is the first step in the enrollment process. Families can save time by uploading documents electronically. There is still an option to turn in important registration documents in person to either the Enrollment Center or your child’s school. Keep in mind that school front offices are closed for a portion of the summer and reopen in late July.

If you need technical assistance or prefer to register in person, please contact the Enrollment Center at 931-542-5078. The Enrollment Center is located at 430 Greenwood Avenue, Clarksville.

Click Here for Registration Information

Interested in CMCSS K-12 Virtual?

CMCSS K-12 Virtual is a full-time school of choice, offering parents and students a comprehensive kindergarten through twelfth-grade virtual instruction program that can be accessed from the student’s home. It is the district’s only K-12, full-time, virtual instructional program. The school year follows the CMCSS district calendar. As a school of choice, it provides students with an opportunity to learn through an interactive platform as well as live instruction through state-certified CMCSS teachers. Learn more on their website.

How do I find our school zone?

If you are uncertain about your child’s zoned school for the 2026-2027 school year, visit the zoning page to find maps and an interactive address map.

How do I find our bus stop?

After July 25, CMCSS Student Transportation will update the information found on our Bus Info page. Families can input their child’s primary residence address to find out which school their child is zoned to and where their bus stop will be located.

How can we prepare for kindergarten?

Kindergarten Kick-off and Elementary Back to School Night

Kindergarten Kick-off

Kindergarten Kick-off will be held at all CMCSS elementary schools on Tuesday, April 7, from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Families can tour the school, meet the kindergarten teaching team, grab a snack in the cafeteria and much more!

Back to School Night

All elementary schools will host Open Houses on at the beginning of August. Watch the district’s social media and your school’s Facebook page for details. Make time to visit with your child’s teacher, tour the school, and learn about a typical kindergarten day! If families have already purchased classroom supplies, this is a great time to bring those to school.

First Day of School and Flex Days

All kindergarteners will attend the first half-day of school on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Each elementary school will host its first day of school in a manner best suited for its families. While it is not required that families attend the entire half-day, some families may choose to do so. Additional information will be provided by each school.

Schools will communicate individually with families regarding kindergarten flex days (August 10-13). Your child will be scheduled to come to school on one of the four flex days. All kindergarteners will then begin school on Friday, August 14, for their first full day of school.

What does my child need to bring on the first day of school?

Wednesday, August 5 is a half-day designed to make your child comfortable with the transition to school. While nothing is required on the first day, they can carry their backpack and water bottle. It may also be a good time to drop off school supplies. Breakfast and lunch are not served on the first half day of school.

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.

Spanish Immersion Elementary School at Barksdale has been recognized as a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School! The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Every year, the U.S. Department of Education seeks out and celebrates great American schools, schools demonstrating that all students can achieve to high levels. For context, out of approximately 1,700 public schools in the state of Tennessee, this year only 6 schools received this honor. Nationally, 316 public schools out of approximately 90,000 public schools were recognized, which is approximately 0.35 % of schools both statewide and nationally.

“The National Blue Ribbon Schools Award is a testament to the exceptional achievements of students and educators at each of these schools,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities. As we celebrate their achievements, let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”

The coveted National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. Spanish Immersion Elementary School at Barksdale is CMCSS’ second school in two years to be awarded, with Middle College at APSU being named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School.

“I am incredibly proud of the students, faculty, staff, administration, and families at Spanish Immersion Elementary School at Barksdale for this outstanding achievement,” stated Director of Schools Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder. “CMCSS is committed to improving outcomes for all students and providing choices for families. Having two of our schools of choice awarded with this distinction demonstrates the strength of our options. We will continue strengthening academics at all schools in CMCSS, expanding our schools and programs of choice, and supporting additional schools as they achieve National Blue Ribbon School awards in the future.”  

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 will begin accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year on April 4, 2024. Visit cmcss.net/prek to begin the application and for more information.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System offers Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten classes on an application basis as established by the Tennessee Department of Education.

Voluntary Pre-K classes promote a high-quality academic environment, which fosters the love and joy of learning and promotes success in kindergarten and throughout the child’s life.

For questions about Voluntary Pre-K, please contact the Pre-K Learning Team at [email protected].

Information to Review

Children must be 4 years old by or on August 15 of the current year to qualify.

Parents and guardians who wish to apply for the CMCSS Voluntary Pre-K Program (VPK), should review the following process:

• VPK applications will open in the Spring of each year. CMCSS will announce application periods before the online portal opens.
• Income guidelines for Voluntary Pre-K
• Once the online application opens, visit parents.cmcss.net and choose “Enroll.” Then, choose “VPK.”
• Once the Pre-K team receives your application, one of the team members will contact you via email to meet via Zoom to verify your family’s income and the child’s birth certificate.
• If you qualify for the CMCSS VPK program, you will receive an email from the Pre-K Coordinator if you have been accepted. If you qualify but are on the waiting list, your email will state that you are on the waiting list. If we have a spot become available, we will contact you throughout the year.

• Our VPK program is a grant-funded program. You must meet the income requirements that the state has set forth to qualify for a spot.
  • A month’s worth of pay stubs (TN requires gross income; therefore pay-stub must show gross income)
  • Military: most recent LES (TN requires both BAH & Base pay to be added)
  • Recent food stamp letter (must show eligibility dates, case number, and parent’s name)
  • SS award letter
  • 2023 Income Tax (form 1040 or W2)
  • Unemployment benefits
  • Disability benefits.

  Peer Model Program

  Our peer model program is for peer to attend one of our special education PreK classrooms to serve as peer models for our students receiving special education services. Both programs use the same curriculum, the teachers and EA’s train together, they both have the same scope and sequence, amongst other things.

  Parents and guardians who are interested in their child participating in the Peer Model Program, please follow these steps:

  • Visit cmcss.net/prek to complete the application.
  • To be considered as a Peer Model, the child(ren) can’t be receiving any type of therapy (ST, OT, PT, etc.) or have an active IEP.
  • Once we receive this information, we will be in contact to schedule a screener
  • Students must be four-years-old on or before August 15
  • Please contact the Pre-K Learning Team at [email protected] for more information.

On the afternoon of Monday, April 8, we will be able to observe a partial solar eclipse in Clarksville-Montgomery County. This will be a different experience than the total solar eclipse in August 2017, when our community was a prime location in the path of totality. However, this will still be a great learning experience for students. CMCSS has purchased ISO-certified solar eclipse safety glasses for students and employees. Weather and schedules permitting, schools may plan educational activities and provide opportunities for students to view the eclipse at school.

If you would prefer to pick up your student early from school, students will be counted present for an entire day if you pick them up after they have been in school for a total of 3 hours and 30 minutes.

If you do not want your child to view the eclipse at school, please send a written note to your child’s school by Friday, April 5 to exempt them from participation in any viewing activities.

CMCSS is offering Open Enrollment in specific schools and grade levels with available capacity for the 2024-2025 school year. 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. Open Enrollment is only open to residents of Montgomery County. Applications for the 2024-2025 school year will be accepted from Monday, March 25 through Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Please see below for the application. Completed applications should be delivered in person or mailed to the CMCSS Enrollment Center, 430 Greenwood Ave. Clarksville, TN 37040, ATTN: Director of Student Services.  This Open Enrollment process is separate from the application period for schools and programs of choice that took place January – February 2024.

2024-2025 Open Enrollment Application (STS-F023)

The application above has expired.

CMCSS Open Enrollment Policy (STS-A004)

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 2024.

The state of Tennessee has had a student promotion and retention law in place since 2011. During the 2021 Special Session, the Tennessee legislature updated that law to ensure that all students have the support to read and perform on grade level no later than the 2022-23 school year. If a student does not pass the 3rd-grade section of the ELA TCAP (a student who receives an approaching or below score), they will be provided support to ensure they are ready for grade-level ELA lessons in fourth grade. If a student’s family does not wish to take advantage of these supports, the student will be retained to third grade to ensure that they receive an additional year of instruction and can participate fully during their fourth grade ELA classroom moving forward. For more information, click here for the Tennessee Department of Education’s (TDOE) FAQ document.

Supports/Pathways to 4th Grade

For some 3rd-grade students in Tennessee, this updated law requires the student and their family to make some important decisions. Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, 3rd-grade students who receive “approaching” or “below” on the English Language Arts (ELA) section of the TCAP assessment are able to get important learning supports from their school for free to ensure they are ready to move on to the 4th grade.

If a student’s family does not wish to take advantage of these supports, which are outlined in the graphic below, the student will be retained to 3rd grade the following school year and will not be promoted to 4th grade. Additionally, under the updated provisions of the law, your child must make adequate growth on the 4th grade ELA portion of the TCAP test before being promoted to fifth grade. However, the following students are exempt from 3rd-grade retention: English learners with less than two years of ELA instruction, students previously retained in grades K-3, students with a disability that impacts reading or students with a suspected disability that impacts reading.

Appeals

The state has an appeal process for students who have been identified for retention in third grade and achieved a performance level of “approaching” on either the third-grade TCAP English Language Arts (ELA) portion or the TCAP retake assessment. A parent or legal guardian has 14 calendar days from the time of notification of a third-grade student who scored “approaching” on the ELA section of TCAP to submit an appeal. More information will be included here after the state releases final information on appeals.

The following criteria outline eligibility for an appeal approval:

Criteria will be added after being finalized by the state.

A link to the Tennessee Department of Education Third Grade Retention Parent Appeal Form will be available here after it is released by the state.

Timeline

Please see below for a timeline from the Tennessee Department of Education:

Fall:

• Your child will take a universal reading screener.
• You will receive your child’s home literacy report, which should include information on your child’s current reading development, the support the school is providing your child in reading, and what to do to support literacy at home.
• Discuss results with your child’s teacher, if needed.

Winter:

• Your child will take a mid-year universal reading screener.
• You will receive another home literacy report. This literacy report will also indicate whether your child may be at-risk for retention.
• Discuss results with your child’s teacher, if needed.

Spring:

• Your child will take an end-of-year universal reading screener and the TCAP.
• You will receive a final home literacy report which should also indicate whether your child may be at-risk for retention.
• Schedule a parent-teacher conference to review the results of your home literacy report and any necessary next steps, including a testing retake opportunity, if needed.
• Sign your child up for summer programming and/or tutoring to support their literacy development.
• Review third-grade ELA retake and appeals information (if appropriate).
• Collect necessary information and file an appeal (if appropriate and desired).

Resources

Please see below for resources from the Tennessee Department of Education:

• CMCSS Parent Academic Resources – Third Grade Retention
• TDOE Learning Acceleration Webpage
• Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation Family Reading Time at Home Guides
• At-Home Decodable Reading Series

As with all legislation, the laws, rules, regulations, and guidance are subject to change.

The CMCSS Instruction and Curriculum Department will host information sessions throughout October for families interested in learning more about dyslexia and individualized learning plans for dyslexia (ILP-D.) Families may have received a phone call from their child’s teacher or paperwork sent home recently. These information sessions will answer questions regarding the CMCSS screening process and new state requirements. Caregivers can pre-submit questions to ensure they’re answered by emailing [email protected]. Pre-registration for the information sessions is not required.

Topics will include:

• What is dyslexia?
• How does CMCSS screen and support students with dyslexia?
• What are the updated state regulations with Individualized Learning Plans for students with characteristics of dyslexia? (ILP-D)
• What questions can I ask my child’s teacher to support my student at school?

Virtual Information Session Dates and Times

• Monday, October 2, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, October 3, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Monday, October 16, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, October 19, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• Monday, October 23, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, October 26, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Click here to access the Zoom link (valid for all the above meeting times.) 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a program that provides eligible households up to $30/month toward their internet bills as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. All households with a child who was approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals within the last 12 months under the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including children who attend schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, are eligible for ACP benefits.

Families can check their eligibility, sign up, and find fully covered plans at GetInternet.gov (mobile-accessible and available in Spanish) or by calling 877-384-2575.

The following are additional resources provided by the government:

• GetInternet.gov—a one-stop shop to learn about ACP, check eligibility, enroll, and find fully covered internet plans.
• White House Fact Sheet on the ACP and its benefits.

Additionally, CEMC/Cumberland Connect has provided resources in English and Spanish.