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. 

The E.M.B.O.D.I. Committee of Memphis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will host its 2023 Spring E.M.B.O.D.I., Saturday, April 15th at 10:00 am until 2:00 pm at Dexter Elementary School - 7105 Dexter Road in Cordova. 

We invite all male youth between the ages of 13-18 to join us as we engage in activities centered around our theme "Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind." If you know of any males who can benefit from this experience, have them register at: EMBODI Registration. 

Registration deadline is April 7, 2023.  For more information, contact us at macembodi@gmail.com

The Tennessee Educator Survey is the state’s annual survey used to understand the experience of educators. Each year, the Tennessee Department of Education and Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA) gather this information to empower stakeholders and decision-makers across the state to better meet the needs of teachers. 

Schools and districts with response rates greater than 45% will receive access to their aggregate survey data in May. TERA will be contacting schools with close to 45% participation with a goal of increasing response rates. Participation rates for schools are posted here. Schools with high staff participation rates will be eligible for one of six staff appreciation grants of $5,000.

Completion of this survey is voluntary and individual responses are confidential. The deadline for completion is April 14, 2023. Educators should have received a link in their email (as listed in TNCompass) from tned.research.alliance@vanderbilt.edu. Teachers can request a new invite by following these directions. 

Online Educator Learning: If you are looking for a short course to learn more about i-Ready and all the amazing resources, you have access to the online educator learning platform by clicking on the help tab in your i-Ready dashboard. Our digital courses provide product information, implementation best practices, and testimonials from educators across the country on how they use i-Ready in their classrooms.  Check out some of the courses below:  

Best Practices for i-Ready Personalized Instruction  

Setting Goals with Students after the Second Diagnostic 

Using Data to Plan Instruction after the Second Diagnostic 

Preparing for Small Group Instruction  

Planning and Evaluating Differentiated Instruction 

Engaging Students through Data Chats 

Using the Prerequisites Report to Inform Instruction  

Using Tools for Scaffolding Comprehension  

Greetings Principals,

The Field Trip Approval Process for in-town, out-of-town, and international field trips is included in the AOSS Manual. Please familiarize yourself with this information and share it with the appropriate members of your team.

If you have any questions, please contact Patrece Williams, Office of School Compliance at 416-1570. 

Two district-wide registration nights have been scheduled for Thursday, March 23th, and April 27th  from 5:00 – 6:30 pm at ALL SCHOOLS.  Both nights will be heavily promoted so please make sure that your team is ready to provide friendly, efficient support to our families!  

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!!!

All RTI2 Leads received the Early Warning System (EWS) list on Wednesday, March 22nd, via email from the assigned RTI2 Advisor.  This list reflects high school students at risk academically, that will need to be administered the universal screening assessments.  

During this window you will complete the following:

• Administer the i-Ready Reading diagnostic to students on the ELA EWS list.
• Administer the i-Ready Math diagnostic to students on the Math EWS list.
• Administer both i-Ready Reading and Math diagnostics to students on both ELA and Math EWS list.
• Administer the Written Expression benchmark to students on the ELA EWS list.
• Administer the screening for characteristics of dyslexia process for students who score below the 10th percentile on the i-Ready Reading diagnostic.
• Students with existing plans are not required to benchmark.
• Administer assessments during the district window of March 22nd through April 7th 

Please continue to reach out to the RTI2 Team or RTI2 Helpdesk (rti2@scsk12.org) with additional questions.

The spring universal screening window for grades K-8 will occur from April 24th through May 12th.  This is an update to what was originally published on the Assessment Calendar, to ensure alignment with the TDOE identified screening window dates.

As a reminder, K-8 spring screening includes the administration of the universal screening, benchmark, characteristics of dyslexia, and written expression assessments.  RTI2 will continue collaborating with RTI2 Leads to ensure an assessment schedule is developed and submitted.

Please continue to reach out to the RTI2 Team or RTI2 Helpdesk (rti2@scsk12.org) with additional questions.

RTI2 SOAR Cycle 3 runs from January 30th - May 12th 

Indicators to be rated:

• Data Team
• Intervention Plans Up to Date
• Progress Monitoring
• Benchmarking
• Characteristics of Dyslexia
• Written Expression
• Student Progress

Progress Monitoring Pull Dates

SOAR Cycle 3 will have 6 two-week cycles where progress monitoring will be pulled. The RTI2 team will pull the data on the Monday following each two-week cycle. Each two-week data pull will be averaged. To be on track, schools must have an average of 80%. This data continues to be communicated to the ILD, Principal, and RTI2 Lead according to the bi-weekly cycle.

Please see the pull dates below:

• Jan. 30 - Feb. 10 (Data pulled Feb. 13)
• Feb. 13 - Feb. 24 (Data pulled Feb. 27)
• Feb. 27 - Mar. 10 (Data pulled Mar. 13)
• Mar. 20 - Mar. 31 (Data pulled Apr. 3)
• Apr. 3 - Apr. 14 (Data pulled Apr. 17)
• Apr. 17 - Apr. 28 (Data pulled May 1)

Please continue to reach out to the RTI2 Team or RTI2 Helpdesk (rti2@scsk12.org) with additional questions.

Colleagues:

As part of our annual close out process, we are implementing the following year-end spending deadlines that MUST be strictly adhered to. Click here to access the FY 2022-2023 SPENDING DEADLINES memo.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Tito Langston at langstont@scsk12.org.

SDC Work Session:

The Statewide Dual Credit Challenge exams begin next month (dates below). In preparation for the exams, Advanced Academics will host a work session for your SDC coordinator. We want to ensure that all schools are on the right Challenge Exam track. The training will cover SDC testing policies, procedures, and protocols. We will share challenge exam updates and instructions. Please send a representative from your school as we have very important information to share. School testing coordinators are encouraged to attend as they are an integral part of exam planning. For more information, contact Senior Dual Enrollment Advisor, Armella Smith  smithaa@scsk12.org  901-416-5465

Monday, March 27, 2023

TLA W115 & W116

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

SDC Challenge Exam Dates:

MAKE PLANS TO JOIN US MARCH 27 AND MARCH 28 FOR OUR EXCITING MONTHLY LEADERSHIP SESSION.  

Novice Principals- Monday, March 27, 2023: 8:30 a.m-3:30 p.m.

(TLA Multipurpose Room)

New Principals- Tuesday, March 28, 2023: 8:30 a.m-3:30 p.m.

(TLA Multipurpose Room)

PLZ Credit will be given.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Tameka D. Lewis (lewistd@scsk12.org). 

Checkout our Blended Learning monthly newsletter, where you can find highlights across the district with blended learning coaching, critical articles about ChatGPT and its implications on education, Digital Citizenship information, and this month's top Nearpod users! Please see all the useful information and contact a member of the Blended Learning team for assistance with technology integration as we near testing

See best practices to take for an optimal experience with EOC and an informational video to share with students and staff regarding updated methods of use with TestNav.  These step sheets (TestNav Step Sheet 2023 1.pdf, TestNav iPad Setup 1.pdf, TestNav Best Practices 1.pdf, Student Login Step Sheet 1.pdf) were created to provide the “best practices” for a positive testing experience using the TestNav application.  The TestNav Quick Start Guide video is a visual resource that contains step by step information for best practices with TestNav for EOC.

The Quarter 3 SEA Survey for K-2 Principals, teachers, and SEAs is live until Wednesday, March 29 at 5:30p. The purpose of the quarterly SEA survey is to understand how SEAs are being utilized within the schools and track changes throughout the school year.

Surveys have been sent directly to SEAs and teachers from SurveyMonkey. K-2 Principals can access their survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PrincipalSEAQ3.

According to T.C.A. § 49-1-302 , each district or charter organization must utilize at least one approved growth measure for Non-Tested teachers.  To adhere to this mandate, Memphis-Shelby County Schools elected to utilize TEAM Student Growth Portfolios.
 

Principals.  Please encourage your NTGS Portfolio Educators to log into their Portfolium Accounts to select their Portfolio Model and Collections for SY2022-23. 

While there is no deadline for Point A Submissions, educators are strongly encouraged to submit their Point A and B Submissions prior to the 11:59 PM local time, May 1, 2023, deadline.  

*Please note:  Per the State, no further submissions will be allowed after the deadline.  Any Portfolio missing any of the four collections will be marked Incomplete (I) and an LOE (Level of Overall Effectiveness) score will NOT generate for the school year. 

Questions/Support

For issues accessing the platform, general questions about submissions, changes in job/role that do not require portfolio submission, please contact the District Portfolio Lead, Ayodele Hall, at hallam@scsk12.org .  

Professionalism represents 5% of the overall TEM rating for both tested and non-tested teachers and must be completed and finalized by both the educator and the administrator to receive an LOE (Level of Overall Effectiveness) score.  
 

Professionalism containers are currently live and educators may begin inputting narratives, uploading artifacts, and completing self-scores.  The deadline for teacher completion is Friday, April 21, 2023.  

100% of Professionalism containers must be completed and locked by Friday, May 12, 2023.  

For questions and/or concerns about instructional evaluation, please contact EPS by phone at 416-2475 or via email at eps@scsk12.org.

The deadline for  EOY Report containers to be completed and locked in PLZ is Friday, May 12, 2023.  For questions and/or concerns about instructional evaluations, please contact your EPS Advisor by phone, at 901-416-2475 or via email at eps@scsk12.org.

The spring Student Perception Survey is vastly approaching.  All site coordinators should contact support+shelbycounty@panoramaed.com for technical support or skipperc@scsk12.org for eligibility questions. 

• Survey​ Opens: March 6 
• Survey Closes: March 24

The MSCS Compass is a one-stop shop for all your PowerBI reports, including the new and improved Student Profile, which is now called Student Data 360. Watch our introduction and navigation video here - Intro to MSCS Compass  
   

What’s in PowerBI? Check out all of the reports we have available, here.  
 

Support Resources: Check out the DAIM Support SharePoint site, complete with additional video tutorials, walkthrough guides, and more!  
 

NEW Releases and Features: 

Check out our release plan, available here!  

Reports that are now available:  

• OAG Compliance Report is now available in Student Grades! Use this report to identify students flagged for OAG (currently only based on age and not retention) and if they have an OAG plan in BrightBytes.
  • Check out the user guide here!
     
• RTI2 – A: Student Progress Report is now available! Use this report to assess actual vs recommended instructional level and skill deficit movement for Progress Monitoring!
  • Check out the user guide here!
     
• RTI2-A – Universal Screener, Characteristics of Dyslexia, and Benchmarking Next Steps compliance reports now contain Early Warning System data for high school students!
  • Check out the user guides here! 
     
• K-2 Walkthrough Report  is now available in Early Literacy (for Central Office staff ONLY)! Use this report to easily visualize observation data by grade, school, and zone.
   
• Suspension Ratios have been added back to the Student Discipline Overview and District Quick Report pages!
   

Coming Soon!  

• Student Surveys - Panorama
• OAG Report – Retention Flag
   

System Optimizations: Student Data 360 reports have been optimized to load at a much faster rate. These include:  

• Student Attendance – Current Load Time: 00.05.42 seconds  
• Student Assessment – Current Load Time: 00.05.89 seconds  
• Student Discipline – Current Load Time: 00.07.68 seconds  
• Student Enrollment – Current Load Time: 00.06.47 seconds  
• Student Grades – Current Load Time: 00.07.39 seconds  
• Student Snapshot – Current Load Time: 00.03.63 seconds  
• Student Surveys – Current Load Time: 00.04.40 seconds  

We are working on optimizing performance on as many reports as possible and your feedback is crucial. Please reach out if you experience any issues so that we can identify major pain points. Email us at DAIMSUPPORT@scsk12.org  

 
Trainings: 

• See our Training Calendar available here!
   

Virtual Office Hours: 

• This week (3/28 and 3/30) – we are going over RTI2-A: Student Progress Report and next week (4/4 and 4/6), we will hold Open Forum Q&A sessions. 
• VOH is held every week on Tuesday and Thursday at 3:30 PM  
• The format alternates every other week between an Open Floor Q&A session and an overview of a new and/or relevant report.  
• Recordings of any tutorials go out to everyone on the calendar invite and will be available on our Support Page.  
• Sign up at this link today!  
   

Under Construction:  

Does something in a dashboard look wrong? Check our Data Quality Updates.  
 

ATTENTION Counselors: We need your help! Please go in and check your intervention plans in BrightBytes and remove the “Protected” access flag. This is very important and impacts the ability to see accurate OAG compliance, RTI-B compliance and Progressive Discipline information in PowerBI.

For more information on how to remove the Protected flag, look here.  

Power BI Access: Principals can give school staff members access through the PowerBI Access App. If you see someone in the Access App that should be removed from your school, contact DAIM Support (DAIMSUPPORT@scsk12.org) and we can assist.

Academic eligibility tracking, in all sports,  for all student-athletes in middle and high schools should be complete.  Fall sport entries were due August 30th, winter sport entries were due November 28th and spring sport submissions were due March 21st.

Athletic Directors have been contacted to provide additional support and assistance for any incomplete submissions.  

Once student-athletes are entered into PowerSchool by sport, the Athletic Director and the MSCIAA can view information for each student-athlete such as age, grade, GPA, transcript and transfers, attendance, conduct, and parental contact information along with the ability to verify athletic eligibility. 

If you have any additional questions regarding PowerSchool completion, please contact the Athletic Office at 901-416-9941 or email weaveri@scsk12.org.

Competition at District Stadiums take precedence over practices. Please clear the stadium 60 minutes prior to game time.  Clearing the stadium includes all student-athletes, coaches, team followers etc. 

During practices, we are asking for your support to provide a positive atmosphere at the stadiums.  Please make sure your coaches are actively monitoring student-athletes to avoid potential conflicts with other school teams. When coaches and students are asked to clear the stadium due to competition, please reiterate that positive and respectful engagement with others is expected.

To support your school’s athletic staff practice planning, please review the  stadium usage file .  It includes all the competitions happening in the stadiums from day-to-day. This information is subject to change due to reschedules, so please view often to determine the length of time the stadium is available.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Athletic Office at weaveri@scsk12.org or 901-416-9941.

Thank you for your cooperation!

In the coming weeks, school leaders at district-managed schools requiring uniforms will begin to receive information from your assigned FACE team member about uniforms for your school's Necessity Closet. 

Each District-managed school requiring uniforms for students will receive:

• 10 polo-style shirts
• 10 pairs of pants

Click HERE for the Uniform/Clothing Request Link. Schools not requiring uniforms may also choose to receive clothing, as described above.

As a reminder, when families experience emergencies (e.g., house fires or floods), it is appropriate to submit a Family Resource Center Referral HERE or contact the FACE Office at scsface@scsk12.org. When families are experiencing homelessness, it is appropriate to contact the SEED Office at (901)416-6007.