The spring window runs from May 9 - 20. 

• The Spring Diagnostic will be added to student accounts for you, so no action is needed to add it.
• For more information on best practices for Diagnostic Administration, check out these pages on i-Ready Central (www.i-ReadyCentral.com) 

• Get Good Data: Get Organized, Prepare and Motivate Students, Actively Proctor, and Track Completion 
• Preparing Students for the Diagnostic 
• Proctoring Guidance for the Diagnostic 

• i-Ready Incentive campaign – April Winners 

• Congrats to our April winning schools and zones, which you will find in this PPT video - turn up your volume! (link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uF24I1_7lonrYqSHgMH9j8RCFFzDEbv2/view?usp=sharing ) 
• Stay tuned to next week’s Leaderboard/Teacher Weekly for the announcement of GRAND PRIZE winning schools and students!

For students to receive credit for Algebra I in grade eight, the course must be taught by a certified (7-12) math teacher or a middle school teacher (with grade eight on their license) who has met all requirements for Algebra I employment training. 

To ensure we have enough certified ALG I teachers for the 22-23 school year, the district will offer state-approved training for teachers during two separate weeks: June 6 – 10 and June 13 – June 17. Pending state approval, teachers will receive a stipend for attending the week-long training and reimbursement for the cost of their Praxis test by the district. Teachers will be required to fulfill the testing requirements prior to teaching Algebra I in middle school.

Please Note: Completing the employment standard criteria provides eligibility to teach Algebra I without a secondary mathematics endorsement and is not a change in licensure. 

Please see the attached letter sent to principals regarding requirements for both students and teachers.

Principals Letter ALG I 

The Field Trip Approval Process for in-town, out-of-town, and international field trips is included in the AOSS Manual. Please use the Field Trips link to access details about the topics below:

• Field Trip Approval Process Chart
• In-Town Field Trip Procedures
• Out-of-Town Field Trip Procedures
• International Field Trip Procedures

The following survey will generate your report to gather mandatory compliance data with Opportunities for Physical Activity (T.C.A. § 49-6-1021). To demonstrate compliance, all building principals must complete the Physical Activity Compliance Report SY 2021-22 survey on or before May 13.

Data collected from this survey will be submitted to the Education Committees of the House of Representatives and the Education Committee of the Senate by the Department of Education on October 1.

Please communicate with your building administration team to ensure only one report is submitted per school. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Heather.M.Piergies@tn.gov. 

Click here to begin.

The new Secondary Literacy Training (SLT) presented by TDOE is now LIVE! The SLT series includes Course I (asynchronous) and Course II (in-person).

In partnership with TDOE, MSCS is hosting in-person SLT Training this summer. Any 6th -12th grade licensed, practicing teacher completing Courses I and II successfully will be eligible for a $1,000 stipend. For details and sign-up, check out the flyer here.

• Start SLT Course I asynchronous learning modules on Best for All Central HERE. 
• Register to attend an in-person Course II Secondary Literacy Training week! Space is limited. Interested 6th – 12th-grade teachers should sign up TODAY. 

Important: SLT Course I satisfies the licensure requirements of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act. 

Questions? Email ci_ela_team@scsk12.org. 
 

Register to attend Summer 2022 Early Reading Training (ERT).

Any educator holding a license to teach any grade level in the span of grades Pre-K-5th and is currently employed by the District is eligible to receive the TDOE-provided stipend. (Teachers may not already be contracted by the District to work during the selected week of training.) Eligible teacher types include but are not limited to ESL, SPED, Art, Music, P.E., Library, Speech, Guidance Counselors, Instructional Coaches, Interventionists, etc. 

• Course I of the ERT counts as an approved course for PreK-5 teachers' new licensure requirements as outlined in the TN Literacy Success Act. 
• Teachers who complete Course I and Course II are eligible to receive a $1000 stipend. 

Click here to sign-up for Course II and learn more about Course I and other ERT details.

Questions? Email ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.
 

In planning for 2022-23, the C&I ELA Team welcomes teacher input around ELA curriculum resources. Please encourage your teachers to complete their grade band curriculum survey, and they will be entered to win the new MSCS Swag! The surveys can be accessed by clicking the appropriate link below: 

• K-2: https://forms.office.com/r/ksJxcq4CyM 
• 3-5: https://forms.office.com/r/jQuc4m1T9R 
• 6-8: https://forms.office.com/r/v5zxR4T6WU 
• 9-12: https://forms.office.com/r/hrdA8dWeiB 

Additionally, live virtual feedback sessions will be conducted throughout May. Let your teachers’ voices be heard! Encourage them to register for their grade band sessions using the following PLZ course #30501. 

Any questions? Email ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.

See instructions on how to run an Absentee Report. 

In partnership with the Offices of Equity and CI, a key goal of our work is to build systemic ownership and cohesion in pursuit of creating an equitable organization. In MSCS, our collective definition of educational equity means being unable to predict students’ achievement and participation based solely upon characteristics such as race, class, ethnicity, sex, beliefs, and proficiency in the dominant language. We see each child for who they are, and we are challenged to cultivate their individual genius. 

The logic model found here outlines the strategies we will implement over the next three years to show how our combined efforts from The Office of Equity and C&I will create even more equitable outcomes for our students. 

Below, are our points of emphasis from the logic model:

• Guides staff in thinking about and evaluating equity in all departments
• Identifies assumptions and potential challenges to educational equity
• Organizes, identifies, and connects gaps in programmatic outcomes

AP and IB Exams and District Policy 5005 reflects the State's policy regarding advanced courses and removing the five additional points from an AP or IB student's grade if they do not complete the exam on the required dates of testing.

To remove the five additional points, teachers, AP/IB coordinators, principals, and the record's secretaries must follow the steps outlined below.

1. The AP/IB coordinator and AP/IB teacher identify the students who do not complete the exam.
2. The AP/IB teacher of record for the student who does not complete the exam must remove the five additional points from the teacher's PowerTeacher Gradebook for all previous grading terms. The five additional points must be removed from the Quarter Grade and the Exam Grade.
3. The AP/IB teacher and AP/IB coordinator must complete the Report Card Change of Data form and obtain all the necessary signatures.
4. A copy of the completed form should be given to the record's secretary to file in the student’s cumulative record and the AP coordinator should retain a copy as well.
5. The AP coordinator should send a list of the students, including PowerSchool student numbers, and the courses in which they are enrolled to the AP Advisor.
6. The AP Advisor will forward the list to the Department of Student Information Management who will restore grades in PowerSchool to match grades in PowerTeacher Gradebook.

Note: If a student completes the exam at a later date, the 5 additional points should be added back to the appropriate grades. Complete steps 3-6 above. Please contact James Smith if you have questions.

All MSCS 7th grade middle school students will have the opportunity to take ALG I during the 22-23 school year pending eligibility. Please share the flyers below to publicize the available opportunities for eligible students and staff members. 

Share the Algebra I Employment Standards Training Flyer with middle school teachers who would like to receive qualification to teach Algebra I. 

Share Algebra Bridge Camp Teacher Flyer with teachers who would like to serve as instructors for the Algebra Bridge Camp. 

Provide eligible students with a printed copy of the Algebra Bridge Camp Student Flyer to promote participation in the Algebra Bridge Camp. The camp is only for those 7th-grade students who meet the criteria for enrolling in Algebra I as an 8th grader.

Algebra I Employment Plan 

As we wrap up another school year, the year-end closeout procedures and inventory are necessary to ensure sustainability and accountability for all PE classes.

K-8 PE support classes will end after Friday, May 20. Please use May 23-27 to get all inventory updated and turned in. The equipment inventory will be due on Friday, May 27. 

Teachers must do the following: 

• Complete the entire inventory form 
• Get the Principal to sign off on the inventory. 

Feel free to reach out to the HPELW office with any questions at 901-416-0627. 
 

The Spring 2022 ILT information was 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).

Professional Learning and Support is offering Building Bridges Saturday Camp during May for core content teachers in K-12. 

Using a collaborative, hybrid learning model, teachers will build on their learning from the 2021-22 school year around Blended Learning and the Station Rotation Model so that as they plan over the summer months for the coming year, they will be able to develop and facilitate lessons in their classroom.  

Teachers can read more about specific details and sign up using this link. Registration will close on May 12 and details about the make-up session will be shared.

Teachers who sign up after 5 p.m. on May 6 will be able to complete a make-up session prior to the May 14 session.

Blackboard Messenger ADVANCED User Training is scheduled for:

• Tuesday, May 10 -  11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
• Thursday, May 11 – 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

**This training is ONLY for those who have experience using Blackboard Messenger and will not cover the basics of the system. Attendees must have an active Blackboard Messenger account.**

The live, virtual, and interactive session will be led by an expert at Blackboard. It will cover:

• Creating groups of recipients from a simple and advanced search
• Selecting recipients from a map
• Sending a Message from an uploaded List
• Sending a message using message templates
• Creating and sending a survey
• Finding Assistance

Sign up for the session in PLZ to receive PD credit. The course number is 28440.

The training session can be accessed at www.scsk12.org/blackboard or https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/db20e97c778b4a5181c76d3e9bfb5a58.

 Contact Kyle Bullock (bullockkd@scsk12.org) with any questions. 

This spring, all secondary schools will be participating in the MSCS Student Voice in Equity Survey from May 9-26. You can read more about the survey program here. Gathering equity data directly from students will allow your school and our district to create learning environments where every student feels safe, included, and empowered to achieve.

Thanks for your support of this important work. Please reach out to Equity and Access with any questions or concerns.

During the week of May 16-20, MSCS students will be allowed 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. Watch a special video from me here!

Schools will be encouraged to engage students in activities that will beautify their school campuses. However, schools will have the autonomy to choose their 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 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. 

Please enjoy a short video that reflects my appreciation for you! 

Thanks for all you do!