Attention: School Leaders

Please inform your students and their families about the upcoming Virtual ACT Family Night on 11/2 at 5:30p.m. 

Families will learn about the structure of the test, resources available to prepare for the test, test dates, and information about how to register for the test. We will also share information about how test scores are used in college admission and obtaining scholarships. These sessions are generally targeted for families of students in grades 7-12, but these sessions will focus on underclassmen who may beginning their experience with ACT this year. Families who participate receive preparation materials and can participate to win gifts cards for ACT Registration or ACT Score Analysis Reports.  

This event will provide MSCS families an opportunity to learn more about ACT preparation strategies to meet or exceeded the test readiness benchmarks.

College Readiness Benchmarks: 

English-18, Math-22, Reading-22, and Science-23

Please share the linked flyer with your students and families.  

Operation Warm Hearts Coat Requests: Do you need coats and other winter clothing for your students? If so, please complete the survey linked below to provide information about your students’ needs by Friday, November 10. 

Each school is asked to designate one person to serve as the coordinator for this effort. That person will be responsible for providing size information for up to 10 students and picking items up on the day of distribution in December.  Requests will be filled based on availability, and an MSCS FACE team member will contact the coordinator to confirm a pick-up time for each school.
 

Link to Submit Coat Requests: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OWH23

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 was 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 27th.

Questions? Email ci_ela_team@scsk12.org.

The Office of SEED is conducting an additional PSAP training session on November 7, 2023.  Please share with appropriate staff. Potential participants can sign up for the session in PLZ using code number 35130. Only administrators, counselors, family engagement specialists or behavior specialists should attend. Contact Thomasena Stuckett at stucketttd@scsk12.org with any questions. 

The warehouse will begin delivering K-5 Envision Math teacher’s editions to schools next week.

Textbook Coordinators, if you have any questions, please contact Meryl Isabel, textbook manager via phone:  416-5870. 
 

October's Teacher Development Week has concluded. Thank you for your dedication and participation.Teacher Development Week 2023 Redelivery Expectations can be found here. Please ensure that your financial secretaries have completed the Microsoft form that was sent to them on Tuesday, October 23rd titled Teacher Development Week 23-24 SY. Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Geneva Gordon, gordong@scsk12.org, if you have any questions or concerns.

Please note the dates for November Leadership Development Week:

• Monday, November 6, 2023: PLC Coaches
• Tuesday, November 7, 2023: Principals
• Tuesday, November 8, 2023: DLAs (Evening Session)
• Wednesday, November 8, 2023: Assistant/Vice Principals
• Thursday, November 9, 2023: Professional School Counselors
• Thursday, November 9, 2023: DLAs (Evening Session)

Please contact Dr. Angela Nichols at nicholsam@scsk12.org if you have any questions. 

We are nearing the end of first semester in supporting our students social and emotional learning needs with the Rethink curriculum. There have been some changes to the Rethink November and December Scope and Sequence. Check it out to be sure you are in the know. Please be sure to pay close attention to the date for data collection each month: 

• Data for November Compliance Month will be collected Monday, November 20, 2023 EOD. 
• Data for December Compliance Month will be collected Friday, December 15, 2023 EOD. 

• Schools may submit General Choice Transfer (GCT) rescind requests for students who are non-compliant with grades, attendance, and behaviors. Rescissions will not be processed until the end of the current semester.
• Please notify parents before submitting a rescind request and wait for confirmation of approval before submitting a centralized withdrawal or notifying parents of a rescind to home school.
• Note: All special education (SPE) and displaced students must be vetted according to IEPs standards and McKinney Vento Law.
• Please submit all rescind requests through the following link: S.E.E.D. Request Rescind GCT
• Please contact Doris Rice at 416-6007 with any questions.

 *** All rescind dates are aligned with MSCS grading periods.

• School administrators must ensure teachers record attendance daily and input grades in Power Teacher Pro. Do Not use paper forms.
• School office staff should process and reconcile daily attendance codes submitted by teachers. Failure to complete this task will impact funding (TISA).
• Each school should have an attendance administrator who can assist and verify the accuracy of attendance data.   
• Please contact Millie Avery at 416-6007 with any questions. 

• Please note that the district’s Centralized Withdrawal Form will be closed when school is not in session. The upcoming dates are as follow: 
  • Friday, November 10 (Veterans Day)
  • November 20 -24 (Thanksgiving)
• Please contact Justin Doss at 416-6007 with any questions.

• Attendance training will be offered on multiple dates. Assigned staff who support attendance can visit PLZ to register.  Participates will review district and state mandated guidelines surrounding attendance, and learn the tools needed to successfully carry out day-to-day attendance responsibilities.  Please Bring Your Laptop.

*Course #: 32108 (Elementary and K-8)

*Course #: 32114 (Middle and High)

• This course is designed for staff who enroll students, approve registration, and process student withdrawals at the school level (Administrators, GOS, Financial Secretaries, Enrollment staff and Clerical Assistants).  Participants will learn how navigate PowerSchool SIS via a training database and navigate the online platform and view real-time data.

*Course #: 34911 (Elementary, Middle, and High)

Mini Grants of $500 are available to ALL AP teachers.  Please encourage your AP teachers to complete the following application to request class materials:  https://tnapaccessforall.org/ap-access-for-all-mini-grant/. Funding is limited, so AP teachers should apply as soon as possible. Contact James Smith if you have questions.

Greetings Principals,

As we approach the holidays, we wanted to provide you with a copy of the protocol regarding 10.2 Recognition of Religious Beliefs, Customs and Holidays.

The window for completing Growth and Achievement selections for the SY 2023-24 is open from October 2-27.  Please find the guidance for EDUCATORS and EVALUATORS, which can also be found in PLZ under the "Resources" tab for completing the selections for Growth and Achievement. 

Any Questions? Reach out to the EPS office by phone,  at 901.416.2475 or via email at eps@scsk12.org. 

• The Fall Student Perception Survey is vastly approaching. The survey window will run from October  30 - November 9.
• Site Coordinator Training Dates:   All Site Coordinators should register for one of the virtual sessions in PLZ.  Course #32320. The training dates are October 5, October 16, and October 18. 

New TEAM Observers

(Managed by the TDOE) - Click HERE for guidance on becoming TEAM Certified. 

*Be sure to select TRAINING FOR ADMINISTRATORS' certification!

Please forward a copy of the completed TEAM Certificate to eps@scsk12.org.

Informal Observations

The 23-24 Instructional Practice Classroom Walkthrough Tools are available here.  You can use this link (bit.ly/2324Walkthrough) to submit your walkthrough tool which will feed data to the Power BI on the Instructional Practice Dashboard.  Please download a PDF copy of your entry for your records.

Formal Observations

One Informal Observation must be completed in PLZ prior to completing the Formal TEM Observation. The step sheet on how to upload to PLZ the PDF from what you submitted in the Microsoft Form is linked here. 

If you have questions regarding the 23-24 Classroom Walkthrough Tools, the submission link for the walkthrough tool, or the PLZ step sheet please email professionallearning@scsk12.org.  For TEM questions, please contact eps@scsk12.org.

Per the TDOE, Educator Level of Overall Effectiveness (LOE) scores for 2022-23 are live in the TNCompass platform. 

Information regarding the calculations for 2022-23 teacher evaluations may be found here.  

For an educator to receive an LOE score, all required component scores (depending on the evaluation type) must be present in TNCompass.  Components include Observation, Achievement, Growth, Professionalism, and/or Student Perception Survey)  Note: Educators identified as partial year exemption (PYE) will not receive an LOE score.    

For questions regarding missing component scores or other evaluation-related questions, please submit a PLZ HelpDesk ticket so that the EPS can research the issue (link also available in PLZ under "PLZ Help").  

The Shelby County Health Department will be externally offering services to families. Please see attached flyers in English and Spanish you can share. The Shelby County Health Department’s 814 Jefferson Ave. headquarters will be open on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month from 9am to 1pm and will provide immunizations, shot records, birth certificates, and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) services. 

https://scsk12.sharepoint.com/sites/HealthPromotions-StudentServices/Shared%20Documents/Saturday%20Services%20Eng%20New.jpg?web=1

https://scsk12.sharepoint.com/sites/HealthPromotions-StudentServices/Shared%20Documents/Saturday%20Services%20Span%20New.jpg?web=1

Methodist LeBonheur Community Care Associates is partnering with Memphis Shelby County Schools to provide FLU shots for staff and dependents. Please visit our website at Health Promotions (scsk12.org) or you may call 416-6709 for an appointment. See flyer for available locations and additional details. For more information, please call Health Promotions at 416-6432.

https://scsk12.sharepoint.com/sites/HealthPromotions-StudentServices/Shared%20Documents/FLU%20SHOT%20FLYER%202023.jpg?web=1