Thank you for adhering to the District's metal detection guidance. The Department of Safety and Security wants to provide you with some pointers on following the metal detector search instructions for both secondary and elementary searches. 

 Middle and High Schools 

• Metal Detector Searches for Middle and High Schools-Metal detector searches must be conducted daily. These required daily searches can be conducted randomly or with 100% of all students. Randomly: For random searches, search every ___ # of students, changing that random number daily or the same day. The other students will bypass the screening and go to class.  
• Documentation- Middle and high schools must submit their Metal Detector Log daily to Safety and Security. Instructions can be found on the form.  

Elementary Schools 

• Metal Detector Searches for Elementary Schools-Metal detector searches will be conducted as needed by the school.    
• Documentation- If elementary schools conduct a search, the Metal detector form must be completed and submitted as instructed on the bottom of the form to Safety and Security. 

For questions regarding searches or log completion, don't hesitate to contact Executive Director Carolyn Jackson at jacksoncw1@scsk12.org. 

Please remember to alert SEED if you have hired new attendance and behavior support staff (i.e., clerical, monitors, behavior specialists, assistant principals, etc.). It is paramount that we identify these individuals to provide tailored training and support. Please contact Dr. Blocker (Manager of Equity Discipline & Attendance) at blockerj@scsk12.org when needed.

View the list of Attendance & Discipline Analysts-School Assignments

It has come to our attention that illegal substances that contain cannabis and THC (illegal substances within marijuana) are now being manufactured specifically to capture the attention and entice our younger populations. Packages are beginning to take on the appearance of fruit candies and other snack flavors that are nearly identical to regular snack packages. It is now more important than ever before, that administrators take proactive strategies to alert our students and parents to the detrimental effects, discipline penalties, and existence of these camouflaged illegal substances. 

 Proactive strategies from school administrators are not limited to but may include:

• Intercom Announcement reminders
• Student assemblies
• Memos to parents and students

Please see the images to familiarize yourself and the school population with this new trend. The use, possession, and distribution of drugs remain a state-mandated 180-day suspension offense.

Contact SEED at 901-416-6007, if you need further discipline guidance. 

Code: CVD

Description:  COVID Positive or Exposed with Distance Learning

Presence Status: Present

Code Category: Distance Learning (Distance Learning)

• The D-Code (Distance Learning) was used last year when the district defaulted to virtual schooling environments. District leadership will communicate when these codes should be used district-wide. We are using the CVD (COVID exposed Distance Learning code) for students who have been identified as having COVID but who are attending school via distance (virtual) learning, alternative assignments, or telephoned instruction.

Code: CVHB

Description:  COVID Positive Test with Home Bound Services

Presence Status:  Present

Code Category: Distance Learning (Distance Learning)

• Students who have severe COVID-related symptoms that cause them to be qualified by a doctor for Homebound services and approved by the Homebound advisor will be counted present using the attendance code of CVHB (COVID Homebound).
• Asynchronous Learning can take place for students who are being quarantined due to COVID in conjunction with the CVD code. For our district’s purposes, remote learning will be in the state-approved forms of alternative assignments and telephoned instruction. Please click here to access the state's guidelines that outline this process. School and class closures must be state-approved with waivers.
• NOTE: This code is an absent value code

Code: CVA

Description:  COVID Positive or Exposed and Absent

Presence Status: Absent

Code Category: Excused (Excused)

• Students who test positive and are quarantined will be counted as an excused absence​ if the student is not receiving alternate assignments or participating in virtual learning or telephoned instruction. The attendance code that will be used for these instances will be the CVA (COVID absent) code.

CODES NOT BEING USED:

• D Code (Distance Learning)
• PNC (Present No Connectivity)
• ANC (Absent No Connectivity

ALL students are required to complete online registration.  

• Online Registration launched Monday, January 10 for all new and returning students in Shelby County Schools.
• General Choice Transfer will begin Tuesday, January 25 at 10 a.m.
• Online Registration link will be accessible on all student digital devices for parents to easily update their child’s information.
• Students who do not register will not be considered enrolled. (Please ensure all parents complete the Online Registration to be fully enrolled into SCS).
• Yearly updates to demographic data, opt-in/out, and health information are required for all students.

Review the MANDATORY Discipline Training on Threats & Fights  (i.e., Counselors, administrators, teachers, etc.). 

The Office of Student Equity Enrollment and Discipline is offering virtual professional development sessions around attendance, SEL, RTI2-B, and truancy during Spring 2022. Interested participants will need to register for courses in PLZ. Session facilitators will send the link to access training to all enrolled participants prior to the session. If you have any questions, email Thomasena Stuckett at stucketttd@scsk12.org. 

We believe sustainability of explicit SEL instruction requires administrators and teachers have the knowledge, mindset, and skills necessary for equitable access to SEL content. Let us show you “The Way to ReThink”.  S.E.E.D. would like to provide your team support with ReThink Implementation.  Professional development hours are available if you register for one of these sessions in PLZ. The links are available for you to join the session.  

As a result of this session, teachers will be able to access essential lesson components within the ReThink platform to make strong instructional decisions that align with the district’s commitment to providing all students with meaningful social-emotional learning opportunities.

If you have questions, please email Rosalind Davis (DavisRJ@scsk12.org).

At this point, all schools should have received Ready Read student materials. If your school needs additional Ready Read student materials, please communicate your grade level-specific needs to the ELA Department of Curriculum and Instruction via ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.

The testing window for the District Common Formative Assessment 3 is February 28 - April 1. Use the links below to view the list of standards that will be assessed.

• https://bit.ly/2021-22DCFA3Standards
• 2021-22 Assessment #3 - Math Assessed Standards.docx
  Assessment #3- ELA Assessed Standards .docx
  Quarter 3 District Common Assessment Science 2021-22.docx

Kudos to all schools for their dedication and perseverance during the K-5 Winter Screening Window! The window closed on January 26, with an overall completion rate of 95.9%. 

There are roughly 1,495 students who need to complete the screening process; therefore, RTI2 Advisors will be disseminating the list of students with missing assessments to Leads, throughout the week of January 31. The list continues to be available, in real time, within the PowerBi RTI2 Dashboard. Please assist in ensuring these students receive the appropriate assessments. 

Continue to reach out to your RTI2 Advisor, the RTI2 Helpdesk (rti2@scsk12.org), or RTI2 Manager, Dr. Amy Maples (maplesa@scsk12.org), with any questions.

Don't forget to take a moment to review January's Curriculum Connection, your one-stop-shop for key Curriculum & Instruction updates and reminders! 

• https://www.smore.com/4sdwc
• January 2022 Curriculum Connection.pdf

ESSER Grant funds have provided SCS an opportunity to greatly expand district Behavior Support Specialist (BSS) services to our schools. For schools that have not hired their own full-time Behavior Specialist, the RtI2-Behavior office is redistributing 67 district-hired staff following an extensive onboarding and shadowing preparation process. The expansion and redistribution will impact most schools across all grade bands by providing increased time in schools to address Tier 1 and Tier 2 behavior deficits.

The redistribution of staff will require some school assignment changes but the advantages will be significant. Most High Schools, Middle Schools, and K-8 will be assigned a full-time BSS from our office. Most Elementary Schools will receive 50% BSS support. Schools that may consider eliminating funding for an active PCN dedicated to full-time behavior support during the school year will not receive district support through the 2021-22 contract year. Realignment of resources will take place again for the 2022-23 school year.  

Schools hiring their own BSS will have the option of said staff participating in district training. Invitations will be sent for any PLZ offering. We are also available to consult with school leadership and said BSS staff to assist with improving services to students upon request. 

All schools impacted by any BSS assignment changes will receive direct communication and an in-person school visit from a BSS Advisor to assist with a smooth transition during this expansion process.

Please feel free to contact Dr. Randy McPherson, RtI2-Behavior Manager at Mcphersonra@scsk12.org with any questions you may have.    

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Optional Schools Admittance Test Training will be held on Wednesday, February 16, from 9-11 a.m. Optional program administrators planning to administer the first or second-grade admittance test should plan to attend virtually. Sign-up is available in the PLZ (course #29907). If you have questions, please contact Linda Sklar.

Our next District Learning Day will be held on February 21 at various locations throughout the district.  Please review the February 2022 DLD Guidebook for locations, sessions, and registration information. 

Please see the February Leader Learning Flyer here.

The time has come again for us to celebrate the best and brightest of Memphis-Shelby County Schools by honoring esteemed alumni at the annual Alumni Hall of Fame Gala. This spring, we will pay tribute to individuals who have inspired others through visual arts. Visual artistry includes painting, graphic design, illustration, sculpture, literature, architecture, film, music, theater, and fashion.

If you know of any notable legacy MCS or SCS graduates who’ve used their skills and talents to motivate, inspire, and connect different cultures through art, while expressing innovation and character in various formations, nominate them to be a 2022 MSCS Alumni Hall of Fame inductee by Friday, February 4 at 5 p.m. (CST) 

Past honorees who have excelled in the arts include actress Kathy Bates, Larry Dodson and James Alexander of The Bar-Kays, songwriter/producer David Porter, and Elvis Presley. Our Alumni Hall of Fame members make our city and District proud of all that they have accomplished after graduating from our schools. Now, new honorees will join the ranks of the distinguished hall of famers in the spring!

Be sure to share this nomination form with family, friends, and colleagues. Everyone is welcome to share their suggestions during the nomination period, Friday, January 28 through Friday, February 4.

Student Diagnostic Data Chats is a strong next step for empowering students on their journey. Find more info on Data Chats.  

• Look for key reminders about online instruction best practices on i-Ready Central. 
• • i-Ready Professional Development sessions are available district-wide through March 2022. 
• Memphis-Shelby County Schools would like to recognize the top-performing zone, schools, and students for meeting district goals. The 3rd annual incentive campaign officially kicks off in February 2022! The goal is to optimize i-Ready instructional resources to maximize student growth and proficiency. Students who show strong usage will be entered into a drawing for the end-of-year bicycle giveaway.
   

Students in grades 3-12 of all cultural backgrounds are encouraged to submit creative, innovative and reflective works based on the theme, “I Belong and I Will Change the World By…” 

The contest begins February 1 and ends February 23. Winners will be announced on February 28. Share this flyer with your students. 

We will be hosting our next ACT Family Night on February 17, at 6 p.m. on TEAMs. This session will be targeted toward our underclassmen and their families. Register here. 

It is important that our students and families know that the ACT is about more than just getting into college. The state of Tennessee awards the status of Ready Graduate to any student who completes the ACT with a composite score of 21. This means our state believes that a student scoring a 21 is prepared to tackle the challenges of the world after high school, whether they choose to enter college, technical school, or the workplace. This work is so important to our state that students with the Ready Graduate status are part of our district report card, reflecting our success in helping students bridge the gap from the classroom to the post-secondary world. 

As a continued effort to support students and families in learning more about the college readiness standards and benchmarks set forth by ACT, Inc., the District continues to offer ACT Family Nights in partnership with ACT, Inc. During this session, families will learn about the structure of the test, resources available to prepare for the test, test dates, and information about how to register for the test. We will also share information about how test scores are used in college admission and obtaining scholarships. These sessions are generally targeted at families of students in grades 7-12, but this session will focus on underclassmen who may begin their experience with ACT this Spring or during the Summer. Families who participate receive preparation materials and can participate to win gifts cards for ACT Registration or ACT Score Analysis Reports.  

Point A and B submissions are due May 1.  

• Request for Portfolium Access: Please note, the process for obtaining access from the State is typically 2-3 weeks. Once accounts are created, an email containing a unique link from Portfolium is sent to the requestor. This link allows account activation and model and collections selection.  
• Exemptions: Teachers who are requesting Portfolio exemptions should contact their Content Advisor to receive the Portfolio Exemption Request Form. Teachers should complete the form, attach required documentation, and submit the form to their Content Manager no later than February 22, or within five (5) school days upon return from leave. 
  • Please note, exemption requests are submitted to the Tennessee Department of Education for approval. The Office of Employee Performance and Support does not grant portfolio exemptions. Also, any exemption request lacking documentation will not be processed.    

If you are having difficulties accessing your account, mistakenly chosen collections, or have general questions about Portfolios, please reach out to the District Portfolio Lead, Ayodele Hall (hallam@scsk12.org), for assistance.    
 

Fall 2021 Student Perception Survey results have been released. Panorama Education will conduct two District sessions to explore data and discuss strategies to deploy prior to the Spring 2022 Administration. Interested? Register now!

• Course Title: Student Perception Data Review: Fall 2021
• Course Number: 29809

The deadline to complete all NIE Mid-Year Conferences in PLZ is February 11.  

• ALL required fields should be completed in their entirety before finalizing.  
• Need a refresher? The NIE Mid-year Conference tutorial is in Safeschools! Employees should log into their Safeschools account to search the library and view the NIE Mid-Year Conference tutorial.  

 Click the links below to access printable NIE Step Guides 

• NIE Step Guide – Employee 
• NIE Step Guide – Evaluator  

Questions? Please reach out to eps@scsk12.org. 

Do you need extra support to pass your Praxis exam? The District's Aspiring Teacher Program is excited to offer Praxis tutoring to employees preparing to take the Praxis exam. The live sessions are facilitated by SCS teachers who have recently passed the exam and are eager to assist you! In addition to resources to prepare you for your Praxis exams, employees will receive PD Credit for each live tutoring session attended. Click HERE to register today! 

Reminder: All teachers must be enrolled in an Education Preparation Program (EPP) and pass their respective Content Assessments to become licensed educators. Emergency credentials (Permits) may be issued, but you must meet the following requirements for eligibility:

• 1st Year Requirements: Successfully completed 6 credit hours (at a regionally accredited institution) in the content area of the endorsement for the Permit Requested OR earned qualify scores on the required content assessment.
• 2nd Year Requirements: The individual earned qualifying scores on the required content assessment OR the educator is enrolled on track in or completed an approved Education Preparation Program leading to licensure with an endorsement in the area in which the permit is requested. 
• 3rd Year Requirements: The individual is enrolled on track in or completed an approved Educator Preparation Program leading to licensure.