e-Appeal: Digital Newspaper: A replica of The Commercial Appeal's e-Appeal is now available for MSCS teachers and librarians to use with students in the classroom. The e-Appeal’s easy navigational tools allow teachers to move from article to article, page to page, and to print and e-mail articles.
If you have any questions regarding e-Appeal, please contact Meryl Isabel, textbook manager, via phone: 416-5870.
Reminder: October 31, 2022
The District now utilizes a centralized withdrawal process to monitor and track students. These withdrawals are currently being handled by the SEED Office. To ensure office staff is fully knowledgeable, please review the FACT and step sheet to better understand the process.
As a reminder, e-mail addresses have been created for all schools to communicate real-time student requests with principals, VPs, APs, Counselors, GOS, Records, and Financial secretaries, if applicable.
Attendance:
Please email studentservices@scsk12.org for questions.
As a reminder, state law requires all districts and schools to implement the truancy intervention process with fidelity. Per state law and MSCS Policy 6016, schools must ensure that truant students with five (5) or more unexcused absences receive a Student Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting. Failure to conduct a SART meeting impedes the truancy process and can result in truancy cases being dismissed from court. Please refer to Truancy Flow Chart to ensure each step of the SART process is completed. All truancy actions must be documented in PowerSchool, and the PSAP be entered in BrightBytes.
Several trainings will be offered this semester around the SART process. School clerical and administrators responsible for attendance and truancy should attend. The dates are listed below. Participants should register in PLZ using course code #31824.
Your assigned truancy specialist can provide onsite support and additional training. Contact Thomasena Stuckett at stucketttd@scsk12.org or Gail Cotton at cottongd@scsk12.org if you have any questions or need further information.
It has come to our attention that some schools have been utilizing self-made/unofficial forms of suspension. Please remember that schools are mandated only to use the District’s standardized official suspension letter. Suspensions must be entered in Incident Management within 24 hours of the incident (business days). NO EXCEPTIONS.
Please see the steps for printing an Official Letter of Suspension. Also, OSS: must be entered first in the Title Field for the suspension to print. Moving forward, only principals, assistant principals, vice-principals, and select central office staff from the SEED department will have the ability to enter suspensions.
If you have questions regarding discipline data entry, contact June Nickols, Discipline Advisor, at NICKOLSJL@scsk12.org. If you need additional clarity regarding TCA-related obligations concerning discipline implementation, contact Dr. JB Blocker, Manager of Equity Discipline & Intervention (EDI), at BLOCKERJ@scsk12.org or 901-314-9157.
It is important to remember that the KID Team staff is limited and serves all of our elementary school populations. The KID Team protocols require that Tier 1, 2, and 3 supports are exhausted before one of the three KID Team specialists is deployed for one-on-one student support. Please review the attached KID Team manual before making KID Team referrals.
For additional guidance or KID Team assessment, contact Pamela Jones, Advisor JONESP@scsk12.org, or at 901-416-8343.
Please review the KID Team manual.
The next AP Student Saturday Review will be held on December 3 at East High School. Sessions will be held in the following subjects:
Please post the following QR code and/or link for student registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ap-student-saturday-review-dec-3rd-2022-tickets-440415473537. Thank you for supporting this wonderful learning opportunity for students. Please contact James Smith if you have questions.
Reminder: December 3, 2022
Virtual Education & Logistics and The Department of Information Technology will be entering our last phase of 1:1 teacher device distribution. There are two action items that schools must complete prior to making final device requests and by October 24th. It is important to note that after this final distribution of devices, schools will make any future purchases for teacher and staff laptops as needed.
Action Item 1: Complete the 1:1 Extra Teacher Device Inventory Report (CLICK HERE) to document any extra 1:1 teacher devices that you have in your building. If you do not have any extra devices, you must still submit the survey form to indicate that you do not have extra teacher devices.
Action Item 2: All teachers and staff who currently have a 1:1 device must complete the Computer/Device Checkout Form (CLICK HERE) and attach the PDF file to the 1:1 Extra Teacher Device Inventory Report (CLICK HERE). Verify that individual forms are complete prior to submission.
Remember that teachers should be required to turn in their devices at the end of the school year and if transferring to another work location at any point during the school year. That device should then be assigned to the incoming person filling the vacancy, and that person should also complete the Computer/Device Checkout Form.
Please submit all requested documents by Monday, October 24, 2022, by COB.
Reminder: October 21, 2022
October is Adopt-A-School Month, and MSCS and the Greater Memphis Chamber are issuing a call to action to businesses to Reimagine 901 by becoming school adopters.
Businesses have the opportunity to support schools, impact student learning, and experience meaningful volunteer opportunities. During this campaign, school leaders can engage in activities like inviting active and potential adopters to their schools and highlighting them on school websites.
The Adopt-A-School Luncheon is Thursday, October 27, at 11:30 am at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn, 3700 Central Avenue.
Principals are encouraged to nominate an adopter for recognition.