CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – As the new school year kicks off, several changes are taking effect for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System: stricter cell phone policies, longer recess times and a student School Board member.
Here’s an overview of what the cellphone blackout looks like, what’s involved in longer recess times, and what the student board member will do.
All-day cellphone blackout
One of the biggest changes coming to CMCSS was the unanimous School Board approval of a new “blackout” policy for the 2025-26 school year that bans the use of cellphones and electronic devices throughout the instructional day – even during passing periods, walking through the hallways from class to class.
“The response from both families and educators has been positive,” said CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson. “Most schools previously had some iteration of the current policy, with the previous district policy prohibiting use (only) during instructional time.”
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With the new districtwide policy, phones must be turned off or silenced and kept out of sight in classrooms and hallways. Violations now qualify as Category 2 offenses, potentially resulting in disciplinary referrals, administration-led consequences, or even out-of-school suspension.
However, individual schools may designate a time, such as lunch, when students may be permitted to use their phones. Parents should be sure they understand their school’s policy and discuss it with their students.
40-minute recess for elementary schools
Thanks to the concerted efforts of a local group of parents known as Say Yes to Recess, elementary students will now enjoy 40 minutes of unstructured, screen-free recess every school day.
This marks a significant increase from the prior average – often just 15 minutes when accounting for transitions and weather disruptions. The bill, which mandates 40 minutes of daily recess instead of approximately 130 minutes per week, sailed through the Tennessee Legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee on May 27.
“In our seven-hour school day, we are focused on strong instruction to raise the bar with student academic achievement and growth, but we have always acknowledged the importance of physical activity and breaks,” Johnson said.
“Just as we encourage families to support academic achievement at home by reading and engaging in learning activities, we also want to emphasize the importance of encouraging students to be physically active and make healthy choices.”
First student School Board member
In another first, the CMCSS School Board unanimously approved the inclusion of a non-voting student board member beginning this fall. The position, comprising of one primary student and one alternate, will invite juniors or seniors who are active in the Student Advisory Committee and in good academic standing to join monthly board meetings.
“The member will be selected by peers on the Student Advisory Committee in September and then approved by the School Board in October,” Johnson told Clarksville Now.
The student board member will attend the monthly formal session, contribute to discussions and then report back to the Student Advisory Council.
Break from new school openings
Johnson said this is the first school year in three years that CMCSS has not opened a new school, with all three Kirkwood schools opening over the last three years.
“However, we have begun construction on Freedom Elementary School, which will open in August 2026 to help balance capacities at our elementary schools,” he said.
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