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.  

The Secretary of State’s office is launching the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level and Silver Level awards for Tennessee high schools which meet student voter registration thresholds.

Gold Level: 100% of eligible students, 18 and older by the next election, are registered to vote. The Secretary of State’s office will present the school with a commemorative plaque and present certificates to Student Ambassadors.

Silver Level: 85% of eligible students, 18 and older by the next election, are registered to vote. The Secretary of State’s office will mail certificates to Student Ambassadors.

The award is named in honor of renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley. One of the central figures in the women’s suffrage movement, she worked tirelessly to secure the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote. Learn more about Anne Dallas Dudley and Women's Suffrage in Tennessee on the Tennessee Virtual Archive.

All Tennessee public, charter and private schools as well as home school associations are encouraged to participate in the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program.

Tennessee law allows students who are either 18 years of age, or 17 years of age and will be 18 by the date of the next election to register to vote.

Completed applications will be accepted until March 31.

Need guidance for using Ready print books with other programs? Simply follow these steps:

• Log into i-Ready (https://login.i-ready.com)
• Click Assess & Teach
• Click desired subject under Teacher Toolbox to open the Toolbox
• Near upper left corner, click Program Implementation
• Click “Using Ready Reading in Tennessee” (for Reading) or “Using Ready to Supplement Another Program” (for Math)
• Here you will find correlation/sequencing guides and implementation strategy

SCS District i-Ready Session Late Jan-March 2022 -LB.docx

Curriculum & Instruction Elementary Science has revised the list of standards that will be assessed on the District Formative Assessment for Quarter 3. Standards were inadvertently omitted. This oversite affects only grades 4 and 5. 

Quarter 3 District Common Assessment Science 2021-22.pdf

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. 

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.

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

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

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).

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. 

As we continue to prioritize student safety and adhere to social distancing protocols when traveling on field trips, we are closely monitoring the CDC guidelines. Adjustments will be made in accordance with these recommendations at the discretion of the District’s Executive Administration. While our standard field trip protocols and procedures are in effect, including out of town field trip request(s), there are a few things to share with school-based staff regarding travel as recommendations:  

Current Guidance 

• Ensure PPE essentials are available    
• Bus accommodations with social distancing guidelines supported including the bus seating chart
• 2 students to a room versus 4 to maintain social distancing (if applicable)  
• Adhering to the district's mask-wearing practices 
• Plan of action if a student or chaperone begin to display COVID symptom(s)
• Incorporate perimeters that adhere to social distancing while in the hotel  
• First Student is the provider for transportation. The attached Field Trip Bus Request Form SCS Updated 071321 form will be used to place field trip requests with First Student. Please forward the form to CharterSCS@firstgroup.com and COPY TransAdminSupport@scsk12.org. 

Continuous Guidance 

• The in-town ratio is 1 chaperone for every 20 students  
• The out-of-town ratio is 1 chaperone for every 10 students 

If you have any questions, please contact Patrece Williams, Office of School Compliance at 416-1570. 

To assist with teacher and student absences, please review processes at your site: 

• If it is a planned absence, the teacher must provide specific work for that day for the substitute teacher aligned to the curriculum map/pacing guide/prescription.
• For unplanned absences, a substitute folder must be updated quarterly with work aligned to the curriculum map/pacing guide/prescription for the current quarter. Teachers should have a sub folder with at least five days of work for unplanned absences.
• For student absences, students are allowed to make up work regardless of if it is an excused or unexcused absence. Please review Policy 6014 (link).

The i-Ready Incentive Campaign runs February through May, to celebrate Zone, School, and Student success with utilizing the i-Ready platform to support instruction and intervention. Please see the attachment for an overview of this year's campaign. This information can also be shared with teachers, students, and parents.

i-Ready Incentive Campaign Announcement 2.2.22.pdf

Please take a moment to review the February edition of the RTI2 Lead Update. This bi-weekly publication includes pertinent RTI2 reminders and updates. 

National School Counseling Week is February 7-11. Let’s express our appreciation for School Counselors and the shared impact made with students. 

2022 Theme: School Counseling: Better Together 

We are requesting for all School Counselors to attend the Leaders Professional Learning Session scheduled on Thursday, February 10. Don’t let them miss out. Please contact School Counseling Services for questions. 

C&I Literacy Team is excited to announce two poetry writing contest opportunities arriving in our schools for SCS secondary teachers and students. This Spring, high school students and teachers can win prizes for poetry writing and spoken word by students participating in the Tom Lee Poetry and Spoken Word Prize (sponsored by Memphis River Parks Partnership)! A direct mailing of posters and flyers for the Tom Lee Poetry contest will be sent to HS English Dept. Heads. These mailings of poetry resources begin to arrive in all SCS high schools starting the week of February 7. 

Also, for the fourth year, Memphis Soul Prize is coming back! Information for schools interested in participating for 2022 will be shared in follow-up communications.

Event Calendar: 

• High Impact Summer Transition Program for Incoming 9th Graders - February 10, 12 -1:30 p.m. PST or February 25th, 3:00pm-4:30pm PST
• Building a Developmentally Responsive Master Schedule to Support 9th Grade Success - February 14, 12 -1:30 p.m. PST or March 7th, 3:00pm-4:30pm PST
• Collecting and Integrating Qualitative Data for 9th Grade Success Teams - February 15, 3 -4:30 p.m. PST OR March 8th, 12:00pm-1:30pm PST
• Building and Designing High Impact Evaluation Cycles for your 9th Grade Success Team - February 16, 12-1:30 p.m. PST or March 3rd, 3:00pm-4:30pm PST
• Equitable Grading Practices 101: How and Where to Begin - February 22, 12-1:30 p.m. PST or March 1st, 3:00pm-4:30pm PST
• Implementing Check and Connect to Support Your 9th Graders - February 24, 12 -1:30 p.m. PST or March 31st, 3:00pm-4:30pm PDT
• Designing Lessons That Accommodate All 9th Graders - March 2, 12 -1:30 p.m. PST or March 21st, 3:00pm-4:30pm PDT
• Examining and Responding to Student and Trend Level Data for 9th Grade Success Teams - March 9, 3:-4:40 p.m. PST or March 14th, 12:00pm-1:30pm PDT
• How to Provide Competency-Based Credit Retrieval Opportunities for 9th Graders - March 15, 3-4:30 p.m. PDT or March 24th, 12:00pm-1:30pm PDT

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, session and registration information. 

​

LDW is the week of February 7-11! Please wear red in honor of Heart Health Awareness Month on your designated day. Agendas can be found here.

Principals, please read the Opportunity Myth before the meeting. 

Please save the date for our annual Midsouth Symposium June 14-16 (Renasant Convention Center).

As we continue to progress toward more equitable outcomes for all students, you are invited to participate in our Equity Retreat Part 2. We will be harnessing the power of collaboration to design or implement structures to increase shared ownership across schools. Participants will have a focus on improving school attendance, creating a great place to work, and disrupting the path to student exclusion. 

If you would like to participate, please view this document to select the sessions you would like to attend. All sessions will be held in the TLA – Multipurpose room. 

Memphis-Shelby County schools were offered a unique opportunity to apply for an exciting experience designed to expose our students to additional high-quality educational options. Schools were given the chance to represent one of three Transformational Learning Models.

We are pleased to announce the schools that have been selected to represent the model of their choice. Participating schools will work to create meaningful experiences to support student engagement. Activities will include engaging in a leadership learning series, social justice awareness activities, and creating gardens and outdoor learning spaces.

We look forward to the continued growth and development of our students as they participate in the Transformational Models initiative.

Check out what’s happening in our employee and school-based clinics. Student Support Services will offer the “The Clinic View” newsletter each month.

• https://scsk12-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/edwardst1_scsk12_org/EZADwqqI5BFKm2_GrmtYmbgBqZS4ho6gj2gEeURzR5xjfA?e=9Ld2pP
• https://scsk12-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/edwardst1_scsk12_org/EZdlKtM9pbhAt1PTGfLXx6UBkGKxrtSVniYVyzHGewxjCQ?e=2ZcvQq

Asset Management will implement a new fully integrated inventory system in the coming months. This system will allow us to streamline the inventory process and enhance internal communication across multiple departments as well as improve support.  

The new system allows us the ability to connect real-time detailed information, life-cycle management, customer service, scheduling, accounting, and operations into one network. It will give school sites access to equipment inventory regardless of funding source and will integrate with APECS Inventory Management for proper state, local and federal reporting.  We are confident that the District will be able to better manage our inventory management operations by tracking detailed information in real time and for accuracy.

Your assistance is needed in identifying an Asset Inventory Designee(s) who will be responsible for managing assets at your respective site. Please complete the link below to submit your Asset Inventory Designee(s) by Friday, February 11. Each site may submit a maximum of three (3) designees.

https://forms.office.com/r/7P0kRqmGLq

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.    

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.

Look for the following updates in Power BI!

• Feeder Pattern Dashboard
• Instructional Practices 4 included in the Instructional Practices Walkthrough dashboard
• SOAR  Cycle 2 & Written Expression Reports in RTI dashboard
• Winter Lexile Scores included in Third Grade Commitment (3GC) dashboard