September 2020 News

Good afternoon, Rossview Middle Parents and Guardians,

This is principal Julie Hallums with an important message for our families. The Rossview Middle School faculty and staff have been working diligently and creatively to cover classes as the school has had a higher employee absentee rate over the past week due to required quarantines and other leave. Many of our faculty and staff are set to return next Tuesday. However, due to staffing concerns for next Monday, September 28, Rossview Middle School traditional students will have a remote learning day. With remote learning, students will not report to the school building as they will access learning via the laptops provided by the district. Teachers have communicated with students on how to access lessons.

Please know that I understand a change like this presents challenges for families. We must all work together during this pandemic to keep our children and employees safe. Over the past three weeks, our school has had 6 positive COVID-19 cases which led to over 100 quarantines. While the Montgomery County Health Department has not linked these cases, it is important to reiterate how just one positive case entering the school environment can impact our community. I ask parents and guardians to please ensure that you support us by not sending your children to school or any other activities if they are sick, exhibiting symptoms, awaiting COVID-19 test results, and most importantly if they are quarantined or are known to be positive for the virus, even if they don’t have symptoms. If we work together, we can help keep our students, employees, and community healthy and minimize disruptions this school year. Thank you for your continued support. Our teachers look forward to connecting with your children remotely on Monday and seeing them back in the building on Tuesday. 

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System would like to remind parents and guardians of 7th-grade students, that the state requires proof that your student has had a booster dose of tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine (known as Tdap).

This requirement is necessary for your child to be admitted into the 7th grade. The state has not relaxed this requirement because of COVID-19. In fact, they are communicating that it is more important than ever to ensure your child is fully immunized.

The Tennessee Department of Health has issued an immunization requirement for all students entering into the 7th grade and as follows:

• • Documentation of Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis Booster (Tdap) after 10 years of age (on the appropriate DTaP/DT/Td line of the TN Certificate of Immunization). We can only accept a TN Certificate of Immunization. Pharmacy receipts and immunization cards are not acceptable documentation.

Documentation is Due by Friday, October 2.

Tennessee state law requires facilities to accept only the official Tennessee Certificate of Immunization. Proof of immunization must be on this certificate. For currently enrolled students in 7th grade, only proof of the new immunization is required on the new certificate of immunization. It is not necessary to copy the information from the previous certificate on to the new certificate. Your healthcare provider or the health department will provide you with the certificate when you take your child for his/her required immunization. School staff, including the school nurse, cannot complete or make changes to the certificate. This must be done by your healthcare provider.

Please make arrangements with your healthcare provider, the Health Department, or one of the Immunization Partners on the attached list for your child to receive this new immunization prior to the first day of the 2020-2021 school year. The Montgomery County Health Department can be reached at 931-648-5747.

It is state law that no child be permitted to attend school until proof of immunization is provided to the school. *Exemptions: Please see our policy on medical/religious exemptions for more information.*

For additional information, please visit the TN Department of Health website.

Please feel free to contact the school nurse for any questions or additional information. You may also contact the Student Health Services Department, at 931-920-7976.

As a reminder, the USDA approved for CMCSS to continue serving free breakfast and lunch meals to all children 18 and under, as the district has since March. The USDA stated that these free meals will be available through December 2020, or until funds run out. No information has been made available beyond December 2020. 

 Meals are available for all children 18 and under in Montgomery County, including students in CMCSS K-12 Virtual, students enrolled in traditional, and children not enrolled in CMCSS schools.

Traditional students may receive a free breakfast and lunch each school day, inside their school building, as part of their regular day. 

CMCSS K-12 Virtual students and children not enrolled in a CMCSS school may pick up meals curbside. All curbside meals will be available at the closest elementary school beginning Friday, September 18. Curbside meals will no longer be available for pick-up at any middle or high school locations. Families with multiple children can pick-up all meals in one location. 

Weekday meals are available Mondays from 1 – 2 p.m. for CMCSS K-12 Virtual and non-enrolled children, 18-years-old and under, at all CMCSS elementary schools. 

Weekend meals are available Fridays from 1 – 2 p.m. for CMCSS K-12 Virtual, traditional students, and non-enrolled children, 18-years-old and under, at all CMCSS elementary schools. 

Children are not required to be present for curbside pick-up. The person picking up meals will need to provide the name of the child(ren) not present. 

Although pre-payment for meals will not be needed, if a student wants to purchase any items available outside of the free meal served in the cafeteria, funds will need to be applied to his/her account. Parents/guardians can preload funds on a student’s account at www.schoolcafe.com. This is the preferred and fastest way to add funds. Or, families may mail a check in advance to the cafeteria at their student’s enrolled school. No payments will be accepted curbside. Funds already applied to a student’s account can remain on the account for use when this program ends.

It is currently expected that the breakfast and lunch meals will be provided to students free of charge through December of 2020, this could potentially end earlier if funding for the free meals from the Federal Government runs out prior to the end of December 2020. Once the free meal program ends, each student’s meal eligibility status will take effect at that time, and a cost will be associated with each meal purchased unless the student receives an approved free meal eligibility status. A student’s eligibility status will change to paid status if an approved application is not on file and approved by Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at 4:30 pm. Please remember that parents or guardians are responsible for charge balances on their student’s account. 

As a reminder, the grace period for the Free and Reduced Meal Program will end on Wednesday, October 21. If you feel that your child qualifies for free and reduced meal benefits, and you have not filled out a free/reduced application for this school year, or you have not received a letter stating that your child is on the program for this school year, you will need to fill out an application. For a quicker application method, you can go to the online application at www.schoolcafe.com. If you choose to have a paper application, they are available at your child’s school or at Central Office.

For questions regarding Free and Reduced Meal Applications, contact [email protected]. 

As a reminder, the USDA approved for CMCSS to continue serving free breakfast and lunch meals to all children 18 and under, as the district has since March. The USDA stated that these free meals will be available through December 2020, or until funds run out. No information has been made available beyond December 2020. 

 Meals are available for all children 18 and under in Montgomery County, including students in CMCSS K-12 Virtual, students enrolled in traditional, and children not enrolled in CMCSS schools.

Traditional students may receive a free breakfast and lunch each school day, inside their school building, as part of their regular day. 

CMCSS K-12 Virtual students and children not enrolled in a CMCSS school may pick up meals curbside. All curbside meals will be available at the closest elementary school beginning Friday, September 18. Curbside meals will no longer be available for pick-up at any middle or high school locations. Families with multiple children can pick-up all meals in one location. 

Weekday meals are available Mondays from 1 – 2 p.m. for CMCSS K-12 Virtual and non-enrolled children, 18-years-old and under, at all CMCSS elementary schools. 

Weekend meals are available Fridays from 1 – 2 p.m. for CMCSS K-12 Virtual, traditional students, and non-enrolled children, 18-years-old and under, at all CMCSS elementary schools. 

Children are not required to be present for curbside pick-up. The person picking up meals will need to provide the name of the child(ren) not present. 

Although pre-payment for meals will not be needed, if a student wants to purchase any items available outside of the free meal served in the cafeteria, funds will need to be applied to his/her account. Parents/guardians can preload funds on a student’s account at www.schoolcafe.com. This is the preferred and fastest way to add funds. Or, families may mail a check in advance to the cafeteria at their student’s enrolled school. No payments will be accepted curbside. Funds already applied to a student’s account can remain on the account for use when this program ends.

It is currently expected that the breakfast and lunch meals will be provided to students free of charge through December of 2020, this could potentially end earlier if funding for the free meals from the Federal Government runs out prior to the end of December 2020. Once the free meal program ends, each student’s meal eligibility status will take effect at that time, and a cost will be associated with each meal purchased unless the student receives an approved free meal eligibility status. A student’s eligibility status will change to paid status if an approved application is not on file and approved by Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at 4:30 pm. Please remember that parents or guardians are responsible for charge balances on their student’s account. 

As a reminder, the grace period for the Free and Reduced Meal Program will end on Wednesday, October 21. If you feel that your child qualifies for free and reduced meal benefits, and you have not filled out a free/reduced application for this school year, or you have not received a letter stating that your child is on the program for this school year, you will need to fill out an application. For a quicker application method, you can go to the online application at www.schoolcafe.com. If you choose to have a paper application, they are available at your child’s school or at Central Office.

For questions regarding Free and Reduced Meal Applications, contact [email protected].