According to the 2021 Tennessee Literacy Success Act, all educators who hold specific endorsements that allow them to teach reading in grades K-5 must complete an approved foundational skills course to renew their license by August 1, 2023. 

The TLSA license requirement applies to ANY educator—including non-teacher types, administrators, central office staff--who hold an endorsement included in this requirement.   

For more information on the TN Licensure Requirement, a list of included endorsements, and access the required asynchronous course, click the link below.

TN_LSA_Training_and_Licensure_Requirements.pdf

For district-level support, contact the Early Literacy Office at 901-416-4801 or email EarlyLiteracyDept@scsk12.org.

According to the 12-month hourly work schedule, Specialized Education Assistants (SEAs) are scheduled to work three days (Monday, December 19 - Wednesday, December 21) during the week of Winter Break unless days off have been requested and approved by school administration. 

SEAs are expected to report to their school sites each day, and engage in either of the following:

1. complete professional learning assignments as outlined by the Early Literacy Department OR
2. complete tasks assigned by the school administrator
    

Please carefully read the following information.

• If SEAs plan to be off during the Winter Break, they should follow the request for vacation policies as outlined by their school's administrative handbook.
• If an SEA takes vacation, the SEA is not required to complete professional learning assignments on the days approved for vacation.
• If an SEA is not taking vacation days and the SEA's school administrator has tasks for the SEA to complete, the SEA does not have to complete the Early Literacy professional learning assignments. In this case, it is the school's responsibility to capture and report the SEA's hours worked.
• If the school administrator does not provide tasks for the SEA to complete during the three days of Winter Break, the SEA must complete the professional learning assignments for each day worked.

Please see assignments here: SEA Winter Break Professional Learning Opportunities - 122022.pdf

Any questions regarding tasks or assignments, please call or email the Early Literacy Office at 901-416-4801 or EarlyLiteracyDept@scsk12.org.

For technical/Internet issues, please contact IT 901-416-2700.

Principals, please provide an updated copy of your school's staff roster by January 6, 2023. This list will help us quickly deliver new laptops to selected school staff members. Rosters should include the staff member's name and their role (ex.: English I Teacher, KK-01, Assistant Principal, Financial Secretary, PLC Coach, SPED teacher, CCTE teacher, etc.). No special format is required. Schools may share their existing school staff roster if it contains the necessary information. All staff rosters should be uploaded here or emailed directly to Valerie Matthews at matthewsvm@scsk12.org by January 6, 2023, by the close of business.  

Greetings Principals,

As we all look forward to a restful Winter Break, we wanted to thank you for your commitment to students and families.  We also wanted to remind you of the resources and supports available through the Office of School Operations. 

The Office of School Operations produces the AOSS Manual that highlights important protocols and references district policies.  As you have time during the break, please teak a moment to review the manual.

Also, the MSCS Parent Liaisons in the School Operations Office are the district's support for troubleshooting difficult situations. We have five District Parent Liaisons who work diligently to bridge the gap between home and school. With their help, parents receive support and reliable information to ensure their child's academic and social success. Please feel free to contact them for support.

Parent Liaisons 

Barbara Beloch           BELOCHBA@scsk12.org

Jeremy McKinnie        MCKINNIEJS@scsk12.org

Nancy Roll                  ROLLN@scsk12.org

Wayman Thomas       THOMASWPscs12.org   

Tracey Routen            ROUTENTE@scsk12.org

Team would like to spotlight Lauren Hobson. Lauren has brought to life the 5 SEL strategies, established by SEED’s SEL team to empower students with strategies to address their Social Emotional Learning needs. Click to view Student Spotlight Document.

Is Social Emotional Learning on your mind? The district will continue to utilize ReThink to make the SEL connection. Do you want your ReThink scope and sequence for second semester?  See ReThink Scope and Sequence 2nd Semester and Teacher Module 2nd Semester .

Beginning January 2023, the Parent Student Attendance Plan (PSAP) will move from BrightBytes to PowerSchool. Schools will be able to complete the PSAP form using the Incident Management platform. SART leads (administrators, counselors, family engagement specialists) will need to attend the training before being provided access to the form. Clerical staff will not have access. 

The first round of virtual traning wrapped up on Dec. 15. The next round will take place Jan. 3-5. Participants can sign up for the training using course number 32801. 

For any questions, contact Thomasena Stuckett at stucketttd@scsk12.org.

Please complete Wellness Center Referral Form and email it to wellnesscenter@scsk12.org to notify pertinent individuals of students who are referred for alcohol and drug counseling or who are referred to the Wellness Center. 

REMEMBER to click the identified behavior/purpose of the referral.

As we strive to embrace Restorative Mindsets district-wide, we are continuing to identify schools that have shown tremendous growth and improvement within the areas of behavior, attendance and with their use of intervention and supports. The Equity, Discipline & Intervention team will identify a total of 10 individual schools (1 per month) as our highlighted performers within the areas identified above. The lucky highlighted school will receive an On-Air TV spot that will run on WKNO/PBS Kids channel 10! Each broadcasted spot will air for 1 week!

Our first school to be highlighted will be our very own SHERWOOD MIDDLE!!! Since the start of this year, their Year Over Year Comparison rates have represented extreme growth that cannot be ignored! 

 Sherwood Middle’s data yields...

• 5% Attendance Rate Increase
• 30% Perfect Attendance Increase
• 14% Decrease in Chronic Absenteeism
• 29% Increase in Progressive Discipline Supports
• 28.5% Decrease in Exclusionary Consequences
• 1.2% Decrease in Suspension Rates

They have shown DRASTIC improvements within the areas of attendance and progressive discipline supports. 

Great Job Sherwood Middle & Principal Jean-Louis, keep up the good work!!!

 ALL students are required to complete online registration for 2023-24 school year.  

• Online Registration will launch Tuesday, January 17, 2023, for all new and returning students in Memphis Shelby County Schools.
• School Choice (General and Optional) application will open Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 10 a.m.
• Enrollment, Registration and Attendance training will be offered to school staff during the month of January and February.
• Students who do not register will not be considered enrolled for the 2023-24 school year.
• Yearly updates to demographic data, opt-in/out, and health information are required for all students.

Equity and Access is providing three learning opportunity sessions for the 2nd semester:

 

EXPLORE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT RACISM

Know:  Participants will know how Racial Identities empower or suppress engagement in the classroom.

Understand: Participants will understand how race plays a major role in the way our students see themselves and our educational system.

Do: Participants will EXPLORE racial identities and what we were taught (or not taught) about race and racism.

Session Goal: Explore what you know about your racial identity and what you were taught (or not taught) about race and racism.

 

EXPLORE YOUR INTERNALIZED OPPRESSION 

Know: Participants will know what internalized oppression is and how it manifests in our ways of knowing.

Understand: Participants will understand belief systems about race and racism that aren't yours

Do: Participants will develop new positive thoughts about themselves and their feelings about the world in which we teach and explore race, culture, intersectionality, and oppression.

Session Goal: Identify belief systems about race and racism that aren’t yours and develop new and more helpful thoughts and feelings.

 

CULTIVATE GENIUS TO RESTORE JOY AND EQUITY IN TEACHING

Know: Participants will know how to unearth joy and genius in the K-12 classroom.

Understand: Participants will understand that the restoration of equity and excellence must be the main pursuit for everyday anti-racism in our classrooms.

Do: Participants will use literacy as an instrument of liberation and advocacy for our children's lives. 

Session Goal: We will learn to use literacy not just as a set of skills to possess, but as the instrument used to define our children’s lives and the tool to advocate for their rights.

Please see the flyer for more information! Click here!

The deadline to register teachers for job-embedded training is quickly approaching. Please use the link to complete the form by January 5, 2023, with the names of 2-3 Science teachers who will attend. https://bit.ly/3HvfJnd
 

January TDW will be held on January 17-19, 2023, at Teaching & Learning Academy. Please ensure that your designees attend on the appropriate date for your grade band. 

Tuesday, 1/17: Elementary Schools

Wednesday, 1/18: Middle and K-8 Schools

Thursday, 1/19: High Schools

Please view the TDW Flyer here.

MSCS Literacy Commitment 3rd Grade Mandatory Parent Meeting: From January 23- February 3, 2023, schools will host a MSCS Literacy Commitment-3rd Grade Mandatory Parent Meeting. This meeting is to inform parents about their child's progress as it relates to the new Third Grade Reading Retention Law. By Thursday, January 19, we ask that you use the following link to identify the date and time you plan to host your in-person and virtual parent meetings Literacy Commitment Parent Meeting Link. Each school will provide 3rd-grade parents with information on their child's progress and indicate if their child is at risk for retention using data from our universal screener, i-Ready. 

*Students who score or fall below the 65th percentile on the fall and/or winter i-Ready reading diagnostic are at risk for possible retention.

*Meeting the 65th percentile on i-Ready has been shown to be a strong predictor of students scoring at or above expectations on TCAP.

Each school is asked to provide an overview of the MSCS Literacy Commitment and host one-on-one parent meetings. These meetings should be structured like parent-teacher conferences. Parents are expected to sign off on their child's progress during the one-on-one parent session. To assist schools with planning this meeting, please click the 2022 Literacy Commitment link.

MSCS Literacy Commitment Acknowledgement Parent- Signature Page: Please have parents sign off that they have been informed about the new MSCS Literacy Commitment during your parent meeting using the following link: MSCS Literacy Commitment Parent Acknowledgement 12.15.22.pdf. (Please file the documents at your school for proof of communication) 

We want to ensure, as a district, that we consistently communicate the progress of our students to parents. Don't hesitate to get in touch with Ms. Latosha Wiseman or Ms. Audra Smith, if you have any questions.

The resources listed below are for January 2, 2023.

Principal PPT 1.2.23 Principal PPT.pptx 

Principal handout Instructional Planning Overview K.12 1.2.23.docx
 

If you as principals have questions, please contact Assistant Superintendent Reggie Jackson, Assistant Superintendent Tracie Scott, Assistant Superintendent Amie Marsh or Executive Director Bill White who can support you.
 

You are able to communicate this information to teachers on Friday, December 16th.
 

Resources to be shared with teachers and SEAs on Friday, December 16th:

Teacher PPT 1.2.23 Teacher PPT.pptx 

Teacher handout TDOE Instructional Planning Overview K.12 1.2.23 - Copy.docx.  

SEA handout SEA Instructional Planning Overview K.12 1.2.23 - Copy - Copy.docx

If teachers have questions, they can email professionallearning@scsk12.org.

If SEAs have questions, they can email EarlyLiteracyDept@scsk12.org

The ILT Review Process is underway at this time.  Please support us with returning corrections or documents in a timely manner.  In order to process the fall 2022 ILT stipends, we must have 100% of schools submitted and reviewed.  Historically, the ILT teacher content leaders have received the fall stipend in January and we are on target to do that this year too.

If you have questions, please email Emily Vuoso at vuosoeb@scsk12.org.