We are excited to announce that in collaboration with TDOE, Early Reading trainings will be offered again this summer for PreK-5 MSCS teachers. Teachers that successfully complete Courses 1 and 2 will receive a $1000 dollar stipend. 

Course 1 Asynchronous

•  Use this link to access Course 1: 
•  https://bestforall.tnedu.gov/binder/reading-360-modules • For more information regarding Course I click here.

Course 2 Face-to-Face

• Please encourage teachers to apply for this week-long in-person training using the following link:
• https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e4aa8ad2ba1fa7-tdoe Training Dates Times 
• June 13-17, 9:00 am-4: 00 pm (CST) 
• June 21-24, 9:00 am-5: 00 pm (CST) 
• June 2–July 1, 9:00 am-4: 00 pm (CST) 
• July 5-July 8, 9:00 am-5:00 pm (CST) 

Noteworthy: To be eligible for the $1000 stipend, teachers must meet the following criteria: 

• Current PreK-5 classroom teacher with a valid TN teaching license 
• Complete the asynchronous Course 1 
• Attend ALL dates associated with the face-to-face training week selected 

For additional information email ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.

The Spring 2022 ILT information is due to be submitted in one email from the principal to SCSILTStipends@scsk12.org on May 4. ILT documents can be found here. If you have questions, please contact Emily Vuoso at vuosoeb@scsk12.org. 

Tips for smooth processing:

1. Time Logs should include employee id, employee name, content area, school name, date, description of the activity, time in/out, hours worked, and the principal's signature.  Time should total 22 hours of support outside of the contractual workday.
2. The Excel stipend sheet should include all information including hours worked and the principal's signature.
3. Submit an ILT Agreement for any member who has not previously submitted (i.e. teacher resigned so a new member was identified).

Principals, save the date for May Leadership Development Week on May 10.

 We will not meet with other groups in May.

Discipline Hearing Appeals (DHAs) are state-mandated formal Due Process proceedings that should take precedence over most other meetings that may be held at your schools. Please ensure that if the original administrator who is scheduled to conduct the DHA is not available that you identify another administrator (i.e., assistant principal, vice-principal, or principal) to conduct the hearing during the previously scheduled time. To ensure a seamless DHA process and for your convenience, the district has standardized hearing times for 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1 p.m. Please contact Jeannie Parks by responding to the DHA electronic invitation before the date of the hearing if you have a scheduling conflict. Hearings should not be rescheduled without prior notice as a result of meeting conflicts.

If you need additional clarity, please email Dr. Blocker, Manager of Attendance, Equity & Discipline at BLOCKERJ@SCSK12.ORG 

We are seeking volunteers for the Mid-south Leadership Symposium and the MSCS Operations Institute. The 2022 Mid-south Leadership Symposium will convene at the Renasant Convention Center on June 14-16. 

The Operations Institute will be held on June 21-23 at the University of Memphis. Please look at your calendar and sign up using this link to support us in a variety of ways before, during, and immediately following the event. Orientation will be provided.

 If you have questions, please contact Tiffany Boyle (boyletd@scsk12.org) or Emily Vuoso (vuosoeb@scsk12.org).

As we prepare to close out the 2021-22 school year, our office will be issuing end-of-year Choice transfer rescind letters to parents of students who are not eligible to return to your school for the 2022-23 school year. As outlined in Policy #6002, all General Choice transfers are approved through a student’s exit grade. However, in the event the student does not maintain acceptable attendance, behavior, and/or grades, principals can request to rescind the transfer through the SEED department.  

Keep in mind, that requests are vetted and approved by our office and communicated to the parent or legal guardian. Please follow the link below to submit your request electronically no later than, Friday, May 13. All transfers will be rescinded effective, Friday, May 27.

Click here to Complete Rescind Request

We wanted to remind you of the AOSS Protocol - Physical Activity (PA) Requirements as we prepare for warmer weather. We have enclosed a copy that you can share with your team for your convenience. 

Over April, Emerson Collective, a social impact organization, is excited to launch a special initiative focused on funding hundreds of community gardens and school gardens around the United States, driven by a belief in and appreciation for the importance of nature for healthy individuals and the wellbeing of communities.

Emerson Collective is inviting proposals from 501c3 nonprofit organizations and schools ready to build, improve, or expand community or school gardens across the U.S. Selected organizations will receive a one-time grant to transform or renovate spaces into gardens for the shared benefit of the community or school.  Please share this information with your teachers, faculty, and staff.  

If interested, you can find additional information at this link. The application is due April 30 and any questions can be directed to GardenOpportunity@emersoncollective.com. https://lnkd.in/eXZYjHqv

REMINDER! The Tennessee Educator Survey is OPEN until April 29. The survey link was emailed to you on March 7. Please provide your feedback on this confidential survey to share your experiences with teaching during the pandemic. Questions? Email tned.research.alliance@vanderbilt.edu.

During the week of May 16-20, MSCS students will be given the opportunity to engage in the District-Wide Days of Service campaign as we look to close out this school year in the spirit of serving others. The Days of Service campaign will encourage students to give back to the community. This initiative will promote “agents of change” where students will have the opportunity to serve and engage in activities that leave a lasting impact. Your school's participation in this campaign is voluntary.

The theme of this event will be Beautifying Your School Community. 

Schools will be encouraged to engage students in activities that will beautify their school campuses.  However, schools will have the autonomy to choose their own activities. You may also want to expand their services to neighboring areas around the school or expand their efforts throughout a broader radius of the school area. Some suggestions include: Campus Clean-Up, Planting Flowers on Campus, or Cleaning Local Areas Near the School.  

Use this form to indicate your school's participation. Please return the form by 12 noon on May 6. Also, please remember to take lots of pictures and videos of your students' involvement in the District-Wide Days of Service. We look forward to your participation!

View the flyer here. 

The Athletics Office is in the process of updating schedules. If your school has additional questions or concerns about the 2022 football schedule, please reach out to India Weaver at weaveri@scsk12.org.

Please be reminded that SCS Board Policy states that each school must have an administrator or designee at every athletic contest. This game administrator should be someone other than the coach(es) of the home team. 

We want to avoid any incidences that would negatively reflect on your school or the District. A great way to proactively prevent unsportsmanlike conduct is to make sure that we discuss and model appropriate behavior and sportsmanship with our student-athletes, coaches, and fans. Please remind staff attending athletic contests as spectators that they still represent their school and should assist Game Administrators by providing positive examples of appropriate behavior.

The behavior and lack of sportsmanship displayed at contests by a few individuals have the potential to snowball. Furthermore, the official cannot be expected to control the crowd. School representatives from both teams should be present to aid in crowd control. Please remember always to practice and teach sportsmanship consistent with the values of education-based athletics. 

Poster 1

Poster 2

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools Human Resources Benefits Division is pleased to announce the launch of our new electronic leave of absence process for all eligible employees.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE PROCESS

April 22 - Educators Upload professionalism artifacts and complete self-score

April 29 - 100% TEM Observation Completion                              

May 13 -  100% Professionalism Completion           

May 13 -  100% End of Year Conference Completion 

REMINDER:

If professionalism is not finalized by both the administrator and the educator, the educator WILL NOT receive an LOE for SY2021-22.

If you have completed your NIE Goal Setting Conference and Mid-Year Conference, be sure that you have finalized ALL components to generate the overall green check. If the green check does not appear, a component may be incomplete.

NIE Partial Plans 

Please ensure that the Goal Setting Conference is completed within 30 working days of the hire/contract start date. The Mid-Year Conference is not required for NIE partial plans and will not appear as a container to complete.

Questions? Contact Employee Performance and Support: eps@scsk12.org | 901.416.2475

Have you completed at least 2 courses within the STAR12 platform? If not, don’t miss out on the thousands of FREE e-learning professional development courses offered by STAR12!  

Please Note: Access to certain learning courses will depend on your STAR12 account type.  

• If this is your first time logging in OR you do not remember your login password:
• Go to MySTAR12.com
• Enter your SCS email address, then
• Click “forgot password.”
• As Access accounts are limited, inactivity may result in loss of STAR12 access.

Questions? Contact Employee Performance and Support: eps@scsk12.org | 901.416.2475 

The deadline to certify as an NIE Evaluator for the 2021-2022 school year is April 29! Anyone seeking NIE Certification after April 29 will be required to wait until the next NIE Certification process which begins in June 2022 for SY2022-23.  

More details regarding the SY2022-23 NIE Certification/Recertification process are forthcoming. 

Please be reminded of the following: 

• If you have completed your NIE Goal Setting Conference and Mid-Year Conference, be sure that you have finalized ALL components to generate the overall green check. If the green check does not appear, a component may be incomplete!
• NIE Partial Plans –Please ensure that the Goal Setting Conference is completed within 30 working days of the hire/contract start date. The Mid-Year Conference is not required for NIE partial plans and will not appear as a container to complete.

NIE DEADLINES

End of Year Conferences 

• Schools - May 20
• Central Office - June 17

Do you have an incredible aspiring educator in your building looking for a pathway to become a fully licensed teacher with Memphis-Shelby County Schools? Nominate them to apply for the Relay Teaching Residency cohort in 2022, and nominators can earn $500 for referrals.

Relay works in partnership with MSCS to train educators using a rigorous, supportive program where they can earn a teaching license and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree. Eligible educators receive financial support from the district to help offset tuition costs. Educators must receive a nomination from their school leader, fill out an interest form, and complete Relay’s graduate school application. 

You can nominate an educator at this link: https://link.relay.edu/SCS22. 

There are still a limited number of slots available to interested candidates, and nominations are reviewed on a rolling basis until all slots are filled, so get your nomination form in as soon as possible. Please see here to learn more about Relay and here for more information about the Residency program. 

Whether you are a secretary, paraprofessional, nutrition specialist, or serve in another school-based role, we have a classroom teaching opportunity for you!  All you need is a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.75 or higher and a passion to educate the next generation of leaders. Join us to learn more about pathways to becoming a licensed educator in MSCS during our Pathways to Teaching Expo.  

Join us for an hour of power at the New Teacher Academy on April 28, at 5 p.m. Be sure to pass along this information! Register here.   

Considering working at a new school next year? The 2022-23 transfer period is open for all school staff interested in transferring to a new school site next school year. The transfer period will remain open through April 29. Please CLICK HERE from HR for the full details on the 2022-23 transfer process.

Training and Support Resources:

• Upcoming Virtual Office Hours-> Week of April 25th: 3GC SLA Eligibility Report
• Check out our latest video trainings on the new Summer School,  Feeder Pattern, and Tutoring reports!

Updates and Repairs:

• The SLA Eligibility page within the 3GC dashboard has some BIG changes. Here are some new things to check out:
  • Updated Report Card column to data table to calculate overall criteria met
  • Summer School flag based on ELA or Math grade
  • Updated Lexile rules based on 425 cut point for Spring
• Virtual Office Hours training will be available next week.

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: Measure What Matters 901

DAIM Hub and Data Quality Alerts:

• Does something in a dashboard look wrong? Check the DAIM Hub and our Data Quality Updates.

And check out the rest of the  DAIM Support Sharepoint site, complete with additional video tutorials, walkthrough guides, and more!