CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Now that Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools have begun using up snow days, Director of Schools Millard House II is again addressing how the district makes the decision to close schools.
“There are a lot of determinants that you have to look at,” he said in an interview on the podcast “Clarksville’s Conversation.”
“Number one is the overall temperature. Let’s say, for instance it was a Monday and buses have not been started since Friday. If you’ve got temperatures below ten to fifteen degrees, sometimes it becomes difficult, and to not have the manpower to send around to 300 buses to get those buses started makes it difficult to have school on a Monday,” House said. “But if it happens during the week we have a different process.”
MORE DETAILS: How does CMCSS determine when to close school due to weather?
In a wide ranging interview with House, he also discusses how the shutdown of the federal government impacts our local schools, getting to know the Clarksville community, and his own personal story, which includes living with dyslexia and growing up with a speech impediment.
House said the learning disorder helped him become resilient at an early age.
“That’s what’s driven me in education, is to find and ensure that we provide the necessary support for all kids and provide an equitable school district in the services that we provide and what it looks like in the classroom on a day to day basis,” House said.
Both of House’s parents were educators and he gives them much of the credit for their support to allow him to overcome obstacles and accomplish as he put it, pretty much anything. He added that by around the sixth and seventh grade he was able to move forward with great years in high school and college.
When it comes to Clarksville-Montgomery County, there are over 35,400 students in the school system and House says the theory of action and first priority is to make sure the right school leaders are in place so the right individuals are supporting teachers.
House said teachers have a monumental task and are responsible for ensuring that everybody in the classroom is taught, is pushed, and feels good about who they are along the way.
“I’m proud of the strategy that we’re continuing to look at in terms of broadening our portfolio offerings. We want to make people understand that they don’t have to step out of our school system, we’ve got what you need,” House said.
He also discusses getting to know the Clarksville community, how the district makes the decision to close schools during inclement weather and how the shutdown of the federal government impacts our local schools.
The Clarksville’s Conversation podcast, hosted by Katie Gambill and Charlie Koon on Clarksvillenow.com gives you the opportunity to eavesdrop on interviews with leaders and innovators in Clarksville-Montgomery County who shape our community.
Next episode features local business owner Nicholas Nicoletta on the opening of a new restaurant.