Middle and high school course requirements for Computer Science (CS) will begin in the 2024-25 school year. Public middle school students will be required to take at least one course in CS education that includes instruction for at least one grading period during one school year of their middle school career. Starting with the freshman cohort of the 2024-25 school year, each public high school student must take at least one course in CS education as a graduation requirement.

Any middle or high school teacher who teaches a CS course must meet the endorsement requirements and any additional teacher certifications/training required for that course. Teachers utilizing a Computer Science Employment Standard to meet these requirements must have a CS Endorsement starting in the 2024-25 school year.

To ensure each school has the properly endorsed teaching staff to provide CS course requirements, we are reaching out to the school administrators to identify individuals who will need training through the Computer Science Endorsement Pathway. Please help us to identify teachers who will teach middle and high school required CS courses for the 2024-2025 school year by completing the Computer Science Teacher Identification Survey below. The teachers identified in the survey will be enrolled in the Spring and Summer Cohorts.

Please help us identify these individuals as quickly as possible. We want to ensure schools have the teacher capacity necessary to implement CS course requirements.

Survey Link:

https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/computer_science_teacher_need_survey

Central Office leaders! Please register for the Central Office Professional Learning Series. The next session is November 01, 2023, at the Teaching and Learning Academy. Use PLZ code 35101 to register. Contact Tari Harris at harristc1@scsk12.org with questions. 

Teacher Development Week is scheduled for the week of October 23, 2023, at the Teaching and Learning Academy. The content will be tailored to specific subject areas as follows:

• Monday: Science
• Tuesday: Math
• Wednesday: English Language Arts
• Thursday: K-2 Foundational Skills

For any inquiries or clarifications, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Geneva Gordon at gordong@scsk12.org.

Please register for the Leader Learning Series. The next session is October 26, 2023, at the Teaching and Learning Academy. Use PLZ code 35372 to register. Contact Dr. Tameka Lewis at lewistd@scsk12.org  with questions. 

Please register for the PLC Learning Series. The next session is October 26, 2023, at the Teaching and Learning Academy. Use PLZ code 35246 to register. Contact Ron Clark, III at clarkr@scsk12.org with questions. 

Attention: Elementary and Middle School Leaders

Elementary and Middle/K-8 Schools are now receiving their student copies of the Ready Read materials. The Ready Read delivery window for schools is September 25th - October 6th. Principals, please complete the survey below upon delivery and receipt of your Ready Read materials to your buildings. In this way, the Curriculum & Instruction ELA Team will be able to ensure each ES/MS/K-8 school receives the necessary materials for instruction.

Ready Read survey: https://forms.office.com/r/NgmMZMdKf1
 

Completed surveys are due by Friday, October 20th.

Questions? Email ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.

Greetings, Outstanding School Leaders:

We hope you are experiencing a productive day. We want to inform you of some essential information related to cell phones in schools. Enclosed for your convenience is a toolkit for you and your teams to utilize when experiencing cell phone concerns.  

The Cell phones in Schools Toolkit provides tactics and tools to help: 

• Reduce student cell phone usage in your schools. 
• Create a culture that promotes the appropriate storage of cell phones. 
• Prevent cell phone usage during the day – especially video recording and posting. 

The toolkit features information regarding: 

• What’s the Policy? 
• Changing the Culture 
• Make it Routine 
• Clear, Consistent Communication 
• Posters 
• Code of Conduct Consequences 
• Parent Retrieval and Confiscated Items 
• Important Disclaimer 
• Footnotes 

For more information regarding the policy in the toolkit, don't hesitate to contact the Policy Office at 901-416-4730. Please contact Student, Equity, Enrollment, and Discipline (S.E.E.D.) at 901-416-6007 for discipline questions. 

If you have any questions or need support, please contact Director Dr. F. Kevin Malone at malonefk@scsk12.org or 901-570-8955.  

Thank you for your continuing partnership. I look forward to continuing to serve you.

We hope you are having a successful Rethink Implementation at your school! There were some changes to the October Scope and Sequence. Check it out to be sure you are in the know!

The deadline to submit 2024 AP® Exam orders is Wednesday, November 15, at 11:59 p.m. ET.  Additional fees apply after the deadline, with some exceptions. Please contact James Smith if you have questions.

The PSAT 8/9 exam will be administered on October 24, with the remainder of the week to complete make-up exams. The District's PSAT 8/9 exam completion goal is 95%. 

TDOE has updated the state's ESL Manual, which was last updated in 2018. Please use the link to access the manual and become familiar with its contents. 

All initial ILPs should be completed for all ELs, Ws, and T1s/T2s in TN Pulse by October 31. Please support your ESL teachers in their efforts to complete this compliance task by the deadline.

Carol Richardson

Director, English as a Second Language (ESL)

Northeast Regional Office | 920 N. Highland | Memphis, TN | 38122