CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Students taking traditional, in-person classes with the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System have been told for months to be prepared to go remote at any time.

Now, the school system is putting some remote days on the calendar.

Thursday night, families were told of five, districtwide remote learning days for traditional students planned before winter break, according to CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson.

According to the notice sent to parents, the remote days will be:

  • Nov. 2 (day before Election Day)
  • Nov. 23-25 (three days before Thanksgiving break)
  • Dec. 21 (day before winter break)

Students will not report to the building and will instead use laptops that have been provided by the district, the notice said. More information will be sent out on how to access remote learning and on meals, for those who need them.

These remote learning days will accommodate some scheduling needs, but will also serve to ensure that everyone is able to do remote learning.

“The decision to implement these remote learning days was based on two factors,” the notice said. “First, we received feedback from families after the calendar was revised in August regarding the shortening of Thanksgiving and winter breaks. Implementing remote learning days will allow families to have that time together while still ensuring students are engaged in learning. Secondly, these pre-planned remote days will allow our Technology Department to evaluate and repair any issues that could arise for students in the event that multiple schools or the entire district needed to transition to remote learning due to the circumstances of the pandemic.

“So far, the district has had around 2,500 of our almost 23,000 traditional students who have had to learn remotely for a period of time due to COVID-19 reasons since the first day of school,” the notice said.

School leaders also urged that families help CMCSS keep students safe, and schools open, by taking COVID-19 precautions.

“District leaders hope we can continue to keep our buildings open, but it is going to take the community working together to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in order to do so. The percent of COVID-19 in the community has doubled since the first week of October. Hospitalizations are up 50% in Tennessee, and there has been a surge of cases across the country.

“Please follow the guidance of our local, state, and national public health experts. Wash your hands frequently, wear a mask when physical distancing cannot be maintained, and stay home if you are sick. The district will continue to do its best to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, but we need everyone to do their part.”