Welcome back, MSCS Leaders! The i-Ready Team is delighted to again partner with you this year. Professional Development is already underway around the district, and things are moving for 22-23. 

Your i-Ready Account is expected to open Wednesday, August 10. At this time, staff can log in and review rosters and resources. The Diagnostic window will run from August 15-September 2. Students can also log in on August 10. However, they will not be able to access the Diagnostic until Monday, August 15.

Lastly, please find some important start-up documents attached (including instructions on how to log in) and some key links below that you will want to share with staff and families. 

• Diagnostic Administration Best Practices/Getting Good Data - https://i-readycentral.com/articles/get-good-data/
• i-Ready Central - https://www.i-readycentral.com
• i-Ready Family Center – https://i-readycentral.com/familycenter/
• i-Ready Family Resources in Multiple Languages - https://i-readycentral.com/articles/family-resources-in-multiple-languages/, The i-Ready Team, is looking forward to our continued work together!

SCS i-Ready K-2 Support Resources 22-23v2.pdf
SCS i-Ready Ready Toolbox RTI2 Best Practices 22-23v2.pdf
i-Ready Login Admin.Teacher.Student.Family 22-23v2.pdf

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction is aware of teachers' dilemma with accessing the Eureka Math Digital Resources through Great Minds inSync. We are currently working with the vendor to resolve the issue. Please utilize the below demo account to access the resources in the meantime. 

Teachers will not have the function of assigning tasks to their students because this is a demo account. However, they may project and download any instructional resources for students. We apologize for the inconvenience this is causing. We will send a follow-up email notifying everyone once the problem has been resolved. Please share this information with math teachers and those that support math.

• Website: digital.greatminds.org
• Teacher Login: teacherdemo1@greatmindsdemo.org
• Password: GMDemos22!

We wanted to provide some information regarding water delivery. As we continue to supply bottled water to your students and staff, we ask that you adhere to the following bullet points that will assist you: 

• If your water supply is low, please contact the MSCS Warehouse via email at warehouserequest@scsk12.org (please cc Alfred Brandon and Tamara Clark), and the MSCS Warehouse Team will make a delivery to your school. 
• All water requests are handled with emergency status unless otherwise specified. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Alfred Brandon, MSCS Warehouse and Fulfillment Managers, at 901-558-7277. If you do not get a timely response, please contact Stephen Wherry, Bus Ops, at 901-412-6529. 

The district will have open enrollment for charter bus companies and recreational service vendors from Wednesday, August 10, through Friday, August 19. 

 A notification for open enrollment will be posted on the MSCS- Procurement Services website under the “Bids/RFPs” tab. If you have a potential charter bus and/or recreational services vendor (food trucks, bounce houses, etc.) with who you would like for your school to do business within 2022-2023, please direct them to the MSCS website(www.scsk12.org) during August 1-19 to enroll. They will need to click the Find It Fast button and click on Doing Business with MSCS; it will take them to the Procurement Services website. Under the Menu far left side of the page, click on Bids & RFPS, and click on August, where the notification will be posted. 

The Open Enrollment for Charter Buses and Recreational Vendors will be advertised on the MSCS – Procurement Services website, published in the Daily Newspaper, and the Commercial Appeal as well posted on Twitter. 

If you have any questions, please contact Sandra Burgess at burgessse@scsk12.org or 901-416-1997.

The Department of Professional Learning & Support strives to build the capacity of teachers, leaders, and central office staff. The goal of effective coaching, strategic planning, professional learning, data analysis, and observation and feedback is to improve schools' academic growth and achievement.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office: at 901-416-5930 or professionallearning@scsk12.org.

Click here for the 2022-23 Professional Learning & Support Calendar. Monthly notifications will be released with updated details of offered sessions.
 

Thank you for implementing the 3GC criteria for the 21-22 school year. As you are aware, there was a Good Cause exemption for 2nd grade students who did not meet the 3GC criteria for them to be promoted to 3rd grade. The Good Cause exemption was for students who have IEPs (SPED), ILPs, (ELL), and 504 plans.  

For these 2nd grade students who qualified for the Good Cause exemption, if the elementary site is planning to retain these students again in 2nd grade for the 2022-23 school year, the school must hold an official IEP (SPED), ILP (ELL) or 504 meeting with the parent in the first two weeks of school in order to review this decision with the parent and team for the upcoming school year. A central office staff member from the appropriate department must be invited and attend this meeting.

If the school is promoting their identified 2nd grade students with Good Cause exemptions to the 3rd grade for upcoming school year, no further action is needed, and students identified as Good Cause exemption will automatically be promoted in system to 3rd grade.

• If you have questions regarding 3GC policy, contact Latosha Wiseman at wisemanlk@scsk12.org or Audra Smith at smitha@scsk12.org.
• If you have questions regarding ELL and 3GC or need to invite ELL central office staff to a meeting, contact Carol Richardson at richardsoncr@scsk12.org.
• If you have questions regarding SPED and 3GC or need to invite SPED central office staff to a meeting, contact Rebecca Fik at fikra@scsk12.org.
• If you have questions regarding 504 and 3GC or need to invite 504 central office staff to a meeting, contact Rosalind Davis at davisrj@scsk12.org.

New students records should be enrolled in the assigned school. DO NOT use the Registration School until further notice. 

All required fields MUST be completed when enrolling new students. Failure to complete all the required fields will delay the student record from loading to EIS. THIS WILL IMPACT FUNDING.

Level Data is available to identify the student who have missing data.

DO NOT transfer students to inactive schools. These schools are identified with a lower case “I” (i) before the school name.

DO NOT use all zeros (000000000) for the student’s SSN or Student PIN. If the SSN is NOT provided by the parent, request a 979 number. If you need access to the A979 Request System, contact your assigned data specialist.

Please complete the annual Principal's Affirmation requirements worksheet. Specific assignments for each school is enclosed with the required completion dates. Please make sure that the form is completed in its entirety. If you have additional questions regarding this assignment please contact Mr. Cory Dickerson at  dickersoncl@scsk12.org.(901) 416-7375. 

• Code of Conduct Test 2022-2023 (Middle&High)
• Code of Conduct Test 2022-2023 (Elementary)
• Code of Conduct Test Elementary (Answer Key)
• Code of Conduct Test Key
• Bullying Student Contract 2022-2023 (Elementary)
• Bullying Student Contract 2022-2023 (Secondary)
• Policy 6046 Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Intimidation, Bullying & Cyberbullying 
• Policy 6071 Anti-Hazing

Please click here for the Start of the Year Discipline Protcols. 

AP Coordinators received instructions to complete an AP Participation Form. It must be completed before syllabi can be approved by College Board, and teachers can access AP Classroom ancillary and practice test materials. Contact James L. Smith with any questions via email or phone at 901-619-1347.

To ensure that all SCS honors teachers comply with state and district requirements that govern advanced courses, teachers must submit honors documentation of compliance each year. In-person and virtual honors compliance trainings will be held to reiterate policy requirements, communicate the honors compliance process, and discuss best practices on the following dates: 

All new honors teachers should plan to attend one session, and any returning teachers are certainly welcome to join for a refresher. Additional information regarding the honors compliance process will be provided to honors administrators at each school, and each honors teacher via email. Please contact MSCS Honors Advisors Terriny Lloyd (416-9867) or Emily Barbee (416-5839),  via email or by phone if you have questions.

The Equity, Discipline & Intervention (EDI) Office cordially invites RTI-B Coaches/Co-Coaches and School Counselors to attend the RTI-B Showcase on Friday, September 2 at the University of Memphis – University Center. Only (2) two staff per school may attend (space is limited). 

Please RSVP by August 26, at 12 p.m. and register in PLZ - Course #31606 and Section #63734.   

• RSVP Link: https://tinyurl.com/2022-RTI-B-Showcase-RSVP

The agenda includes sessions targeting support for RtI2-B implementation. Each school will receive one (1) voucher to use to shop at the NCYI Resource Fair and purchase items to build their Prevention and Intervention Library. These resources may be used by all counseling, behavior, and mental health staff. Free parking will be available in the Zach Curlin Garage. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Dr. Rhonda Hill at hillre@scsk12.org.

It is very important that all Optional applications and renewals are entered in PowerSchool (PS). Each student must have a renewal or new application entered in PS even if your school exists as a totally optional school. Please complete this request by September 15.

To ensure that your information is accurate, please complete the steps below:

• Run the Student Renewal Summary Report and the Application Summary Report (first and second choice) to verify names against the actual students who are enrolled in your school. 
  • If a student is enrolled but not on one of your reports, an application/renewal needs to be entered in PS and information sent to the Optional office. 
  • If a student’s name is on a report but not enrolled in your school, that application/renewal needs to be made Inactive, and an explanation needs to be recorded in the Note Section of PS (No Show, Student Moved, Charter, Home School, etc). 

All Optional students should be flagged. Instructions were emailed on August 10. If you need assistance, contact Optional Schools and Advanced Academics at 416-5338, or email Jennifer Boland.

Principals, please help us ensure that we are communicating with all members of your admin team by filling out this brief form. Please complete by August 15. 
 

Principals, we look forward to you joining us next week for Principals' Academic & Business Meeting. Please register in PLZ and bring a fully charged laptop.

Principals' Academic & Business Meeting

August 16 8:00a.m. – 4:30p.m.

• TLA Auditorium
• PLZ Course Code: 63799
• View Meeting Agenda HERE

Professional Learning and Support is pleased to offer new iReady learning to start this school year off strong. Principals are asked to send one teacher per grade per building to take this learning back to their schools. Please register in PLZ using course number 31593.  

Strengthening Your Implementation: Outcomes-Educators will explore New Features in i-Ready for Back-to-School 2022. Additionally, educators will examine the importance of personalized instruction, leveraging I-ready resources to support small group instruction as well as pitfalls to avoid regarding teacher assigned lessons. 

Principals, please have your High School Algebra I Teachers teaching the Enhancement Course and any High School Math Support Staff attend one of four sessions of Getting Started with Algebra I Enhancement.  

If they attended the session at Germantown High School on August 5 they do not need to attend again.

Register in PLZ using course #31502

• Course Title: Getting Started with Algebra I Enhancement
• Dates: August 30 or September 1
• Time: 3:30 - 5:00 pm
• Location: TLA Multi-purpose Room and Auditorium
• Audience: High School Algebra I Teachers (Only those that will be teaching the Enhancement Course) and any High School Math Support Staff 

Only DCS Staff with an official DCS identification badge or a court appointed guardian can visit foster care students at school. 

Contracted agencies such as Youth Villages, Meritan, and Omni Visions cannot provide home visits at school during school hours. Home visits are conducted for the purpose of assessing foster placements and the progress of children in their foster placements. Therefore, such visits should not be conducted at school.

If you need further guidance or support regarding this matter, please contact Karen Ball-Johnson at 901-416-7393 or ballkf@scsk12.org