CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Students attending traditional, in-person school at Rossview Middle will have to switch to remote learning Monday, after the school hit a tipping point for teachers and staff being quarantined for COVID-19, combined with planned leave.

This is the first Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools closure for COVID-19, spokesman Anthony Johnson confirmed to Clarksville Now on Saturday.

Students are expected to return for in-person learning on Tuesday.

CMCSS has planned from the beginning for a possible shift to remote learning for traditional students on a school-by-school basis, if needed. For that reason, students were issued laptop computers for from-home online learning, if that becomes necessary.

Message to parents

Rossview Middle Principal Julie Hallums made the announcement in an email to parents on Friday afternoon.

“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,” Hallums said in the email.

“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.”

Rossview Midddle has had six positive cases over the past three weeks, resulting in over 100 quarantines, Hallums said.

“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,” Hallums said.

“If we work together, we can help keep our students, employees, and community healthy and minimize disruptions this school year.”

16 students test positive in CMCSS

As of Friday, Sept. 25, there are 16 active COVID-19 cases among CMCSS students, with 291 students in quarantine, according to school system data.

There are 11 active cases among school-level employees and 22 such employees in quarantine. 118 CMCSS employees are on COVID-related leave.