We are proud that MSCS has once again been named as a NAMM Foundation "Best Community" for Music Education. While we know there is work to be done, it is nice to see other stakeholders recognize the strides we are making.  This work requires a variety of support in terms of scheduling, staffing, equipment, and facilities.  Here are a few reminders to make sure our instrumental and choral programs continue to grow and provide all MSCS middle and high school students with quality opportunities for music education:    

• Scheduling

To equitably serve students and recruit/retain quality instructors, adequate student scheduling should be prioritized, with a focus on grouping students by experience level. While everyone is committed to being as flexible as possible to accommodate competing priorities, the performing ensemble curriculum maps cannot be followed when students are placed in non-beginning-level courses without prior experience.  Please help support nuanced schedule adjustments based on the MSCS Secondary Guide to Education, located here.  

• Band/Music Equipment

 If you have students enrolled in music programs and do not have adequate equipment, the MSCS C&I Department will work to help make sure students are served with equity. In order to facilitate support, our department requires that we collect the music equipment inventories for each school at the beginning and end of each year so we can justify expenditures and forecast needs. This does not replace the process principals have in place to make sure all inventoried items are accounted for. The Office of Asset Management Inventory Procedures can be found here.   If your staff needs support in this area, you can share this guidance and they can reach out for direct support.    

If you need any assistance in addressing needs as they emerge, or if you have a vision for your program that we can support, contact Dru Davison at davisonpd@scsk12.org or 416-3432.  Thank you for supporting the Band and Performing Arts Programs!     

Student growth portfolio models produce authentic student growth measures unique to an individual teacher’s students. Through video, audio, and still pictures of student work, teachers capture student growth in real time.  

Student growth portfolio models generate an individual TVAAS growth score classifying the educators participating as ‘tested’ since the student growth portfolio model score becomes at least 35% of their evaluation score.  

Consider the following items to support teachers in your buildings while they implement a student growth portfolio model: 

• Protect instructional time by limiting interruptions and maximizing the time these teachers have with their students. 
• Utilize the instructional data gathered through the portfolio process to guide PLCs and professional learning for teachers implementing this assessment. 
• Assist with providing the required technology. 
• Use the portfolio process to inform conversations about instruction, such as pre-and post-conferences or coaching conversations. 
• Provide opportunities for teachers implementing the portfolio to collaborate around the process. 
• Encourage teachers to keep records of all assessments for use in data team meetings. 
• Encourage teachers implementing portfolio growth models to share the process with peers who are unfamiliar with the process. 
• Engage with Content Instructional Advisors for content support. 

Please be mindful of this extra burden on educator time, and make arrangements to support them through a recommended minimum of 8 hours to compile and upload student growth evidence.  Pathways for accomplishing support may include allowing portfolio teachers to participate in group portfolio sessions in lieu of regularly scheduled faculty meetings, providing flexibility with duty schedules during March and April, providing flex time as your schedule allows, and looking for creative ways to equitably support portfolio teachers during this process.   

The Myra C. Stiles Scholarship Award was created to honor the legacy of a longtime member of the DWSC, Ms. Myra C. Stiles. She was the DWSC Treasurer for over 20 years, which distinguished her as the longest-serving officer in DWSC history. 

The Myra C. Stiles Scholarship Award is now open for high school female seniors! And the goal is to give $500 scholarship awards to four (4) students! Please feel free to distribute the flyer shown below. This year, the scholarship application can only be completed online by the following link:   https://forms.gle/n2aMofS9VXbEL6vq7. 

If there is any issue with the scholarship link or if you have any questions about the scholarship application process or rules, please contact Lynnette Hall-Lewis, Esq., Chair of the Scholarship Committee, at DWSC.901@gmail.com. 

March Madness Registration Challenge

• All schools (no Charters and Alternatives) will be required to participate in the MSCS March Madness Registration Challenge. 
• Winners are based on percentages of returning students registered at the end of day for each round. 
• Percentages are pulled the morning after the end date.  The percentages will be pulled by the SEED department to determine which school moves on to the next round.
• Prizes will be awarded to the champions (elementary, middle, high).

 Registration/Enrollment School Support  

• School leaders who do NOT have a GOS or clerical available to assist parents with registration and enrollment should contact the Office of S.E.E.D. Enrollment/Registration team for support.  Parents with all required documentation should not be turned away; please refer them to S.E.E.D. for immediate assistance.  For questions, call 416-6007.

As we strive to embrace Restorative Mindsets district-wide, we are continuing to identify schools that have shown tremendous growth and improvement in the areas of behavior, attendance, and with their use of intervention and support. 

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 broadcast spot will air for one (1) week!

Our school for the month of March to be highlighted is our very own GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS MIDDLE!!! Since the start of this year, their Year-Over-Year Comparison rates have represented extreme growth that cannot be ignored!  

Click on the link to learn more https://youtu.be/4z-l9nZkdtw

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

Great Job Grandview Heights Middle & Principal Barber, keep up the good work!!!

School leaders, as you know, spring is approaching, and misbehavior begins to occur more frequently during this time. As you determine discipline, please remember that Alternative School seats are NOT infinite and that students should receive progressive discipline supports before expulsion. 

Alternative School spaces for high schools are currently at capacity, and middle school seats are rapidly filling up. The superintendent encourages using our Early Return Review Process, Wellness Center Referrals, and other Restorative Practices to address non-violent misbehaviors. Please be sure to think creatively and restoratively when determining discipline consequences. The SEED and Alternative School Division are reviewing student expulsions to identify those who may qualify for an early return to maintain seating opportunities for students who may be expelled during the remaining quarters. 

School administrators should submit a student withdrawal form when referring students to the Alternative setting by using the following link: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx?action=33810&culture=en

If you have questions regarding discipline implementation, please email Dr. Blocker at  BLOCKERJ@scsk12.org. 

Please see the steps for printing an Official Letter of Suspension. Title should include OSS: # of Days.  

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.

CCTE Important Dates to Remember

Past Due
Fall Equipment Inventory Submission
 

February 28th
Industry Credentials /Certifications
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Hair Braider Registration
• OSHA 30 Construction
• OSHA 30 General Industry
• ServSafe Food Handler
 

March 3rd
Formative Assessment
Testing window for Pre-Test, Assessment #1, #2 and #3 has been extended.

March 23rd
Personal Finance - Dave Ramsey Training Session (Select Teachers)

March 24th
SSQI Documents Submission
• Indicator 1.4 – Spring Advisory Meeting
• Indicator 3.3 – Professional Development Log (PLZ Transcript)
• Indicator 5.1 – Student Industry Certification, WBL, Internship
• Indicator 5.2 – CTSO Student Participation

We are quickly approaching the end of another successful school year and we want to continue to ensure that all students have access to a 1:1 device.  Please adhere to the following deadlines for submission of device requests and completion/acceptance of ECF forms.  

• Friday, March 31- Elementary Grades K-5
• Friday, February 24 - Middle School Grade 6-8
• Friday, April 28 - High School Grades 9-12

Attention Middle School Principals

The Middle School Lenovo Device Exchange will occur from March 23 - April 5.  The 1:1 Device Team will report to your school to provide students in grades 6-8 with a NEW Lenovo 500w device. Students must bring their Surface Go tablet, keyboard, and charger to school on device exchange day.
 

• The Ecollect form completion deadline for parents has been extended to March 20.  Please see the attached flyer for instructions (English version) (Spanish version).
   
• The (Lenovo only) Device Request Window is from Friday, March 24 - Friday, April 28. 

The deadline for several Optional programmatic activities has been extended. Please make note of the revised deadlines below.

- Optional Program Spending Deadline: Friday, March 24

- OSSP Progress Report: Friday, March 24

- Entering and Processing Renewal Applications: Tuesday, March 28

Please contact the Optional Schools office if you have questions or need assistance.

The deadline to submit updates to your fall AP® exam order and to place new exam orders through AP Registration and Ordering is Wednesday, March 15 at 10:59 p.m. (CST). 

Please contact James Smith if you have questions or need assistance.

Greetings Principals,

We wanted to provide you with helpful information that will be useful to you and your school teams.  Please familiarize yourself with the Allergy and Asthma Emergency Protocol.

Please reference this step sheet to upload your Literacy Success Act Certificate of Completion as a general attachment within in TNCompass.

TASL upload season has arrived and if you have questions or need support, I will have a Teams Meeting space open where you can drop in for TASL support.  Please use the link to join.  

According to the 12-month hourly work schedule, SEAs are expected to work March 13-15, during Spring Break. Virtual professional learning assignments and experiences have been planned for SEAs who do not take vacation days or who are not selected to support schools with Spring Break Learning Academy on March 13-15.  

NOTE: If an SEA takes vacation days or supports Spring Break Learning Academy at one of the elementary school sites, the SEA is NOT REQUIRED to complete the VIRTUAL professional learning experiences.

During Spring Break, SEAs do not have to report to schools. Instead, SEAs will be required to complete 18 hours of professional learning that includes self-paced, asynchronous professional learning assignments and daily Bridge to Practice exercises.  All hours can be completed remotely, provided SEAs can access a device and the Internet.  

If an SEA cannot access the Internet, Wi-Fi, or Hotspot, the SEA can report to the Early Literacy Office on the lower level of Hamilton High School on March 13-15, 2023 @ 8:30AM-4:00PM.  To ensure accommodations for SEAs reporting to Hamilton High, each SEA must sign up here:  https://forms.office.com/r/ATrqZ0hj9u   SEAs must bring their own devices and present their MSCS ID upon entry.

Professional learning assignments must be completed by 3:30PM each day, March 13-March 15.  No late or emailed assignments will be accepted.

Link to SEA Spring Break Professional Learning: SEA Spring Break Work Expectations - 02132023.pdf

If you have any questions, please email the Early Literacy Department  at EarlyLiteracyDept@scsk12.org or call 901.416.4801.