The Academic Team will be hosting Mandatory 3rd Grade Commitment Teacher Meetings on Wednesday, March 23, and Thursday, March 24 at the TLA auditorium. All 2nd-grade teachers, 3GC Team Leads, and School Counselors are asked to attend. Chief Carson will provide important and time-sensitive information regarding the 3rd Grade Commitment. The meetings will be hosted based on school zones. Please click the following link for more details 3GC March Teacher Meetings Schedule. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Director Monica Jordan, Ms. LaTosha Wiseman, or Ms. Audra Smith if you need additional assistance.

According to the 12-month hourly work schedule, SEAs are scheduled to work March 14-16, during Spring Break. Virtual professional learning assignments and experiences have been planned for SEAs who do not take vacation days or who are not needed to support their school with Spring Break Learning Academy on March 14-16.  

During Spring Break, SEAs do not have to report to schools. Instead, SEAs will be required to complete 18 hours of professional learning that includes self-paced, asynchronous professional learning assignments, live TEAMS sessions with the RTI2 Team, and Bridge to Practice exercises by March 16. All hours can be completed remotely, provided that SEAs have access to the Internet.  

NOTE: If a SEA takes vacation days or supports Spring Break Learning Academy at his/her assigned school, the SEA is NOT REQUIRED to complete the VIRTUAL professional learning experiences. If a SEA works at a school hosting Spring Break Learning Academy (SBLA), the SEA is expected to support SBLA, as needed.

All information regarding the professional learning expectations can be accessed using this link: SEA Spring Break 2022 Professional Learning

The professional learning assignments will not be accessible until Monday, March 14 @ 8:00 AM.  All assignments must be completed by Wednesday, March 16 @ 4:00 PM.   

If you have any questions, please contact the Early Literacy Department via email at EarlyLiteracyDept@scsk12.org or call 901.416.4801.

The Superintendent of Shelby County Schools, Dr. Joris Ray, held a press conference a while ago, calling for assistance to help with the plight of young, African-American males in our schools and community. The Superintendent’s  “Band of Brothers” was created to provide mentorship to those who need support the most in these troubling times.  Looking at the violence in our communities, we see that time is of the essence and we need civic, conscience-minded people to be a catalyst to change the very deadly direction in which our communities are headed. 

The ladies of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. are aware of this plight and committed to creating a safe, thriving place by equipping our young men with the necessary proper tools to be successful. We are determined to impact the lives in the communities where we live and work.  We do this by sponsoring several youth initiatives, some monthly and some yearly.  

One of the programs that we offer yearly to help young men is E.M.B.O.D.I., which stands for Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence.  This program was designed to refocus the efforts of the sorority with the support and action of other major organizations on the plight of African-American males.  E.M.B.O.D.I. addresses issues related to STEM education, culture, self-efficacy, leadership, physical and mental health, healthy lifestyle choices, character, ethics, relationships, college readiness, fiscal management, civic engagement, and service-learning.  

The Memphis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is partnering with 100 Black Men of Memphis with our 2022 Spring Virtual E.M.B.O.D.I. Conference to be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022, from 10 am-2 pm.  The event is free and open to all males, ages 13-18. We need your assistance in disseminating this information to school counselors within our district so they are able to encourage male youth to attend the conference. The registration link is https://bit.ly/2022MACEMBODI.

Please see the flyer with registration information. This year’s conference will not disappoint! We have professionals from all around the country who will provide thought-provoking topics that address Civil Rights/Equality, Gun Violence, Social-Emotional Awareness, Individual & Community Wealth, Self-Development (Belief in Self).

If you need additional information, please contact macembodi@gmail.com. We look forward to your partnership with ensuring our male youth are afforded the opportunities to become responsible and productive citizens in their homes and in the communities.

Attention: HS Leaders 

A Special Opportunity for Your HS Students 

Memphis River Parks Partnership, along with the Mellon Foundation, is sponsoring the first Tom Lee Poetry and Spoken Word Prize. It is open for all students in 9th to 12th grades. The three winners will receive cash prizes. In addition, the teachers of the winning students will receive prizes, as well. 

The contest honors outstanding poetry and spoken word inspired by Tom Lee and the qualities of courage, selflessness, kindness, and generosity that he exemplified in 1925 when he rescued 32 people from the cold, dangerous currents of the Mississippi River. The largest park on the riverfront, Tom Lee Park, is named in honor of the African American hero. 

**One of the poem reviewers, Rosalind Guy, published author and educator, will host office hours on Monday, March 21 from 4- 6 p.m. Zoom registration link is HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpcOyhpz8tHdJWu4woJiYgFdfg5mezRHtF Posters and flyers about the contest have been delivered to high school ELA department heads. These resources have the rules and details about the contest. Tom Lee Poetry and Spoken Word Prize flyer and judging rubric HERE: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MhokuB9l-NLNFaB6sSML5p7kPkXXXhT6?usp=sharing Please email questions to ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.

• Congrats to the winning schools, which you will find attached! 
• Congrats to the winning zones: 

• Reading 

• 1st Place: Zone 3 – Catherine Battle 
• 2nd Place: Zone 2 – Janice Tankson 
• 3rd Place: Zone 10 – Kimberly Sanders 

• Math 

• 1st Place: Zone 10 – Kimberly Sanders 
• 2nd Place: Zone 2 – Janice Tankson 
• 3rd Place: Zone 7 – Debra Fox 

• Reminder on what this M-SCS/i-Ready incentive campaign is all about: 

• Goal: Memphis-Shelby County Schools would like to recognize the top-performing zone, schools, teachers, and students for meeting district goals 
• Data is collected monthly via i-Ready around online instructional usage (student) and teacher toolbox (staff) usage, with results announced March-May 2022. 
• Students who show consistently strong usage will be entered into a drawing for end of year bicycle (with helmet) giveaway! 
• Teachers who are nominated as exemplary for implementation of Ready Print will also be recognized, and entered into a grand-prize drawing for end of year!

The spring universal screening and benchmarking window is right around the corner. All schools, K-12, will participate in the Illuminate Fastbridge assessments, including screening for Characteristics of Dyslexia. In addition, high schools will administer the Written Expression Benchmarks. The screening window is split this spring; therefore, it is integral that school-based testing schedules adhere to this state and district approved window: 

• The window for grades 4-12 runs from March 21 - April 8. 
• The high school Early Warning System list will be available Monday, March 21st, via PowerBi. High School Advisors will also send this list to all Leads and Principals on March 21st. As Leads await the EWS list, it is best practice to begin benchmarking students with active intervention plans.
• Aligned with the TN Literacy Success Act, all K-3 students must remain in compliance with the state's assessment window. The K-3 assessment results are reported to the state, following each screening and benchmarking assessment window. The window for grades K-3 runs April 11-15 and May 9-20. 
   

RTI2 Advisors have been working diligently with RTI2 Leads ensuring all schools have an assessment schedule. RTI2 Leads are expected to submit the school-based Spring Screening & Benchmarking Schedule to your school’s RTI2 SharePoint folder, no later than March 11, 2022. Consider the following questions when organizing the assessment schedule with your administrative team:

• Are you familiar with the TN Literacy Success Act and the requirements K-3 universal screening? Stay informed by reviewing the TN Universal Reading Screener Administration guidelines at this TDOE link: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/2020-21-leg-session/URS%20Administration%20Guidelines%20Final.pdf 
• Have you identified and communicated with staff members that will be responsible for administering the assessments? Have these staff been trained to administer the assessments? https://bit.ly/3tH1GSZ 
• Have all staff administering the assessments ensured they can access Illuminate FastBridge? https://bit.ly/33Os2Wc 
• Are teachers and staff informed of the testing schedule and expectations?
• How will parents and students be informed prior to and at the conclusion of the RTI2 assessment window? https://bit.ly/34rGgAy
• Does your school have a data team meeting scheduled to review the screening, benchmarking, and diagnostic results? 
• How can your ILT leverage this data to inform core instruction supports? 
• Does your school administrative team have a plan and schedule in place to monitor the completion of these assessments and ensure students are taking their time to show 'what they know’? The Illuminate FastBridge results are utilized by various MSCS departments to monitor student progress for both core instruction and intervention.

2021-22 Illuminate FastBridge Universal Screening and Benchmarking Guidelines

Dyslexia Screening Packet SY 2021-22.pdf

RTI2 Assessment Calendar 2021-22 (Revised September 2021)

Request free festival favors for the kids in your community now. A festival favor is a kit of math games that allow students to do fun math at home or on the go. 

Thanks to our partners at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Title 1 schools are eligible to receive the festival favors for free while supplies last. 

Due to a limited number of festival favors in stock, there is a limit of 30 festival favors per school.

https://www.jrmf.org/festival-favors 

Free Math On the Go Kits.docx

The Academic Operations and School Support (AOSS) Manual contains pertinent information about early childhood and extended learning opportunities and programs. Please see the links below for further details:

• Protocol on Early Childhood Students
• Protocol on Alternative Schools
• Protocol on ELP

Memphis-Shelby County Schools is committed to ensuring a strong academic partnership with our parents and community. And to Reimagine 901 successfully, there must be a shared mission with families and partners supporting the same goals. Family Data Night is an opportunity for each school to support our shared mission and goals by delivering consistent messages to parents regarding student assessments, guidance on accessing data, interpreting results, and a host of other timely information from departments across MSCS. This year, schools will host Spring Family Data Night during the week of March 28-April 1.  

Schools will determine the structure of their Spring Family Data Night. Please see the FAMILY DATA NIGHT TOOL KIT with planning this meeting. If you need additional assistance, contact Director Monica Jordan, Ms. Latosha Wiseman, or Ms. Audra Smith. 

All Aggressive Monitoring materials that were shared during Chief Carson's March LDW sessions are linked below. This includes a video of the presentation, all materials used during the session, and a folder with sample tracker templates. These templates are samples of what a tracker could look like inside classrooms. The trackers can be updated to meet the instructional needs of your buildings.

Please download all materials prior to editing:  March LDW Aggressive Monitoring Materials

Our annual Symposium is scheduled for June 14-16. The Sheraton Memphis Downtown is offering MSCS a discount starting June 13. Room rates are $139.00 plus taxes and valet parking at a nightly rate of $26.00 plus tax. 

To book this rate please email Alexandria Thomas, in-house reservationist at athomas@sheratonmemphisdowntown.com, and please cc: Deidra Speight at dspeight@sheratonmemphisdownton.com and Tari Harris at harristc1@scsk12.org. 

Don't forget that the 2022 Mid-south Leadership Symposium Call for Proposals closes on March 21.  We look forward to your submissions.

Please save the dates for the 2022 Mid-South Leadership Symposium and Operations Institute.

Thank you for attending the March LDW. You can access presentations and materials here.

Register today for required training on Implementing Blended Learning with Station Rotation Model March 21-25 at the TLA. These sessions are three hours in length and are structured to allow your school's ​​four-person team (2 teachers,1 digital learning ambassador,1 PLC Coach) to attend as participants who will then redeliver the presentation in your building during the week of March 28 - April 1.  

Substitute coverage will be provided, and the subcode will be given to participants at the conclusion of the session. As a result of the session and redelivery, you can then have teachers begin to implement the station rotation model beginning April 4.
 

Your school's representatives should plan to attend sessions as outlined below and register in PLZ using course code 30171 by Friday, March 11. 

If you have any clarifying questions, please reach out to Racheal Addison- addisonrd@scsk12.org.

MSCS Registration & Enrollment Spring Break Event at Gaston Park Community Center on March 12, 12 - 3 p.m. Learn more! English | Spanish

Again this year, we have partnered with the I am a Voter (IAAV) strategic collaborative on voter education, registration, mobilization, and reform to bring opportunities for voter registration and information to our students and their families this year. The IAAV collaborative has offered to host voter registration drives for our students at school at your request. 

We are excited to invite you to review this sign-up link to select a date and time for a voter registration drive at your school after Spring Break. This opportunity is being offered for any student who will be 18 years old by May 3. 

If you have any questions or need assistance obtaining the list for your school, please contact us at scsface@scsk12.org.

We will be hosting our next ACT Family Night on April 7, at 5:30p.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.  

Look for these updates in Power BI:

• New Tutoring Dashboard
• New Tutoring filter pane option
• Student Baseball Card is now named "Student Data 360"

Student Profile Dashboard Redesign 22-23:

Tell us about the data you are using the most and which information you wish you had. Take 60 seconds and visit: https://tinyurl.com/MeasureWhatMatters901

Virtual Office Hours:

Join us for Virtual Office Hours the week of March 28, when we will review the new Tutoring dashboard. Register here. Subscribe to our DAIM Dashboard channel on Stream to stay connected. You can view the full calendar of VOH sessions here. Check out our re-designed DAIM Support Sharepoint site, complete with video tutorials, walkthroughs, and more!

 60% of Observations should be completed by March 11.

SY2020-2021 LOE scores are calculated, and the nullification process has concluded. Please see the following updates as it relates to SY2021-22 evaluation track assignments.

• If an Educator elected to nullify their SY2020-2021 LOE score, then the LOE score from SY2018-2019 will be used.
• If an Educator did not elect to nullify, their SY2020-2021 LOE score will be used.  
• Educators who received an LOE score of 1 or 2 for SY2020-21 or nullified and their 2018-19 was a 1 or 2 will be placed on the Focus track.  Please note: 2 plans will be visible in PLZ: 1 archived (old plan) and 1 new (focus plan).  

The Focus track requires 1 Announced and 2 Unannounced observations to be completed. Please see container updates below:

• Classroom Educators: 
  • If the Announced #1 observation was completed in the old plan, the evaluator must complete Unannounced #1 and Unannounced #2 observations in the Focus plan.  
  • If Announced #1 and Unannounced #1 observations were completed in the old plan, the evaluator must complete Unannounced #2 in the Focus plan.
• Non-Classroom Educators: 
  • If the Announced #1 observation was completed in the old plan, the evaluator must complete Announced #2 and Announced #3 observations in the Focus plan. 

ICC Omission: For SY2021-2022, the ICC will be visible but will not be required for the TEM Focus evaluation plan. 

The Spring Survey Window is March 7-25.

The final opportunity to attend professionalism training this academic year will be March 23. Please be reminded that the administrator and educator's professionalism MUST be completed and finalized to receive a Level Of Effectiveness (LOE) score for SY2021-22. 

• Professionalism 2021-22: Completing the Professionalism Component of the TEM Rubric
• Section #57671 March 23, 4 - 5 p.m.

Note: Professionalism artifacts can be uploaded in PLZ until April 22. All professionalism conferences must be completed and finalized by May 13.

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: 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.

Please review Procurement's FAQs here.