MSCS Middle School Science Advisor Featured as Keynote Panelist at 2024 National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conference in Denver, Colorado

Mr. Charles Hayes, 6-8 Science Advisor for Curriculum and Instruction, was recently featured as one of this year's panelists for Teacher Voices at The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conference in Denver, Colorado, March 20-23, 2024. Teacher Voices included three nationally recognized panel members who are dedicated educators in their local school districts. Each gave a motivating account of how they connected with the community and discussed inclusive, interesting methods for getting their students interested in STEM and science.

Check out the interview leading up to the panel discussion at Identity, Community, Connection | NSTA 2024 Teacher Voices Panel (youtube.com)

Please click the links below for additional information. 

Charles Hayes Headshot Outdoor Photo.jpg

Identity, Community, Connection | NSTA 2024 Teacher Voices Panel (youtube.com)

National Conference on Science Education Denver 2024 Teacher Voices | NSTA

School Health Profiles Survey Administration: As a requirement of our cooperative agreement with the CDC, in March and April, MSCS will conduct surveys of principals and lead health education teachers to assess the status of school health policies and practices at all traditional and alternative middle schools and high schools. We will administer the School Health Profiles surveys online through Survey Monkey.  Each school will receive one questionnaire for the principal and one for the lead health education teacher through emailed links.  

By Friday, March 22nd, please complete this two-question, participation form that provides more information about the questionnaires and asks you to designate a teacher or staff member to complete the lead health educator survey.

Please click the link below for the Solar Eclipse safety statement and class resources.

Solar Eclipse.pdf 

Principals, please share with third-grade teachers.

T.C.A. § 49-6-3115 offers a pathway to promotion for 3rd grade students who score “approaching” on the English language arts portion of their most recent TCAP test if the student scores at or above the 50th percentile on the most recent (spring) TN-URS (aimswebPlus). Districts must administer their regular district-selected URS three times per year (Fall, Winter, Spring) to K-3 students pursuant to the Tennessee Literacy Success Act. For 3rd grade, however, for the purposes of promotion, districts should additionally give the aimswebPlus assessment to 3rd grade students in the spring.  

The use of the Universal Reading Screener (URS) as a promotion pathway from 3rd to 4th grade will not be an option for any student without a valid spring URS data point through aimswebPlus. See T.C.A. § 49-6-3115(a)(2)(vi).

To assist with aimswebPlus, the “Grade 3 Spring” webinar is available for asynchronous viewing on the aimswebPlus + RAN | Tennessee website under Training & Implementation and On-Demand Webinars. 

Questions be shared with your RTI Advisor or can be sent to RTI2@scsk12.org.

RTI Advisors will be hosting open office hours to support Third-grade teachers with any questions that they may have related to the aimswebPlus benchmark administration for third-grade students. Details are found in the flyer.

• Maintaining regular attendance throughout the academic year is a critical factor in student achievement on standardized assessments. Being present allows students to master the material and participate in test-taking strategies practiced in class. Let's continue to emphasize the importance of regular attendance and work collaboratively to ensure a strong finish to the school year!
• 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.
• Each school should have an attendance administrator who can assist and verify the accuracy of attendance data.   
• Please contact Mildred Avery at 416-6007 with any questions.
• Attendance Training for School Staff is now being offered! These training sessions will equip staff with the knowledge and resources needed to effectively navigate the attendance process.

Attendance Training for School Staff

Course #: 36083

Location: TTC - 3772 Jackson

Registration is open! Please sign up in PLZ.

• All rescind requests must be submitted by May 3rd, 2024. Please note that submissions received after this deadline will not be accepted.
• Rescind Request Link:
• https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=lBwpK7Bet0SJ6kuvFuzEqS9JchfmIJpJqRBRxFHAOltUMkxENVI2M1k2R0lZQTJLSFA0TVRIMUpISS4u
• We encourage you to submit your request as soon as possible to ensure it is processed in a timely manner.
• If you have any questions regarding the rescinding process, please contact Doris Rice at 416-6007.

• Please be advised that the transfer application window for students under eligible circumstances has closed, the SEED Office will not be accepting any further student transfer requests for the remainder of the current academic year.

• Register Now! Virtual Office Hours: Power Up Your BI Skills 
• Sessions are recorded and will be posted Fridays to the DAIM Support Hub.

Join us for weekly virtual office hours, a dedicated support resource for Power BI users. Each session focuses on a specific data topic, providing real-time training and support within 30 minutes - because we know your time is valuable!

Tuesdays & Thursdays at 3:30 PM:

https://forms.clickup.com/f/87xbk-6181/XTZK5NW6JSHSI5RIKA

• April 2nd and 4th : Summer School Eligibility Report

• For more support or questions, visit us at DAIMSUPPORT@scsk12.org.

Attention: Middle School, K-8, & High School Principals

Please CLICK HERE to review a list of students enrolled at your school without a 1:1 device.  Currently, students without a 1:1 device owe a fine for a previously lost or damaged device or accessory. 

Digital Device Ambassadors should continue to work with parents to complete waivers and satisfy fines to ensure that all students have their personal device in time for testing. During check-ins, please ask your DDA to provide the number of parents they have connected with to ensure that parents of students who are Direct Certified have been notified of their eligibility for a Device Cost Relief waiver. 

Waivers can be used to cover the cost of lost or damaged devices only. Forms must be completed in their entirety to ensure grant compliance. Please email device_support@scsk12.org with devices related questions.

Attention Building Leaders: 

The last 9-week grading period is underway, and we wanted to remind school leaders that virtual resources are at your disposal.  Enrollment in MVS OL courses and Project Graduation classes has concluded.  However, Grade Results is still available.  All district Professional School Counselors were given access to Grade Results at the beginning of the school year.  PSCs can enroll students in Grade Results for 3 reasons: 

1. To help support a teachers' Grade Repair plans for that student. (Open enrollment- Students can complete lessons until the last day of the quarter following the one being repaired.)
2. To allow a student to asynchronously complete a failed credit through Credit Recovery. (Open enrollment until the last day of school.) 
3. To allow a student to asynchronously complete new coursework through Credit Accrual. (Criteria and deadlines below.)

Reminder: Students can only be enrolled in Grade Results Credit Accrual for the following reasons:

If you have questions about Grade Results, please contact Sr. Advisor Wanda Hunt at 416.7040 huntwk@scsk12.org. 

The Student Technology Xpert Program (Tech Xpert) is delighted to invite you to our technology conference on Thursday, May 9, 2024, from 9:00 am-1:00 pm at Memphis Sports and Events Center located at 995 Early Maxwell Blvd, Memphis, TN 38104.   This one-day student conference, I AM THE FUTURE Tech Xplosion 2024, will allow middle school students, teachers, and school leaders the opportunity to explore new technologies specifically in the areas of eGaming, game design, virtual/augmented reality, coding, robotics, drones, aerial photography, and 3D printing. This conference also includes a keynote speaker, live performance and lunch.

 This exciting event will allow students to:

• Discover new technologies through hands-on student workshops and live demonstrations.
• Engage with representatives from MSCS high schools with STEM and coding programs.
• Learn about post-secondary options and career opportunities through our keynote speaker and various tech companies.
• Gain exposure to local colleges with course offerings in the field of technology such as game design, software engineering, aviation, information technology and more.

We formally invite your school to participate in the event by sending 2 teachers and 25 student representatives, preferably those who excel in Science and Math and who are highly interested in technology. We are proud to offer this conference at no cost, however your school must provide transportation to and from this event. We look forward to your participation. Click here to view the flyer. Click here to scan the QR Code.  

 Confirm your school's attendance in 2 easy steps:

1. Complete the school confirmation form by Friday, April 12, 2024.
2. Reserve transportation for your school by Friday, April 12, 2024. *Due to the capacity of the event, we strongly suggest securing your bus as soon as possible.

We're excited to announce an opportunity for you to volunteer at the MSCS Leadership Symposium, taking place from June 10th to June 14th, 2024, at Southwind High School.

Your participation would greatly contribute to the success of this event. If you're interested, please register as a volunteer using the following link: https://bit.ly/MSCSSymposiumVolunteers.

For any inquiries or further information, please contact Lytania Black at blackly@scsk12.org.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support our community and help build tomorrow with our leaders.

Greetings Principals,

The Office of School Operations would like to remind you of some important health-related protocols contained in the AOSS Manual.  For your convenience, we have enclosed a copy of protocols 6.2 Medical Emergencies and 6.3 Medical Non-Emergencies.  Please review this information and share it with your team.

Please inform your students and their families about the upcoming Virtual ACT Family Night on April 18 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.  

As we navigate through another exciting season of athletics, I wanted to take a moment to emphasize the crucial role administrators and coaches play in modeling good behavior and sportsmanship for our student athletes. I want to take a moment to remind you of behavior expectations and the purpose of education-based athletics. We have already seen a number of occurrences of poor sportsmanship from both players and coaches in the spring season.

In the realm of education-based athletics, the values we impart to our students extend far beyond the scoreboard. It is imperative that we demonstrate integrity, respect, and sportsmanship in every aspect of competition. Our actions serve as powerful examples for our athletes, shaping not only their performance on the field but also their character off it. Sportsmanship is the cornerstone of healthy competition. It fosters camaraderie, respect for opponents, and graciousness in victory and defeat. When our coaches and student-athletes exhibit good sportsmanship, they contribute positively to the overall culture of our schools and communities.

However, the absence of these principles can have detrimental effects. When sportsmanship is compromised, it tarnishes the reputation of our schools, undermines the integrity of our athletic programs and results in penalties that diminish the support available for our students. Moreover, it perpetuates a culture of hostility and division within our community, detracting from the true essence of education-based athletics. We understand that emotions can run high in the heat of competition If you have concerns about the officiating at a game, it is important to address them calmly through the proper channels after the game. Coaches and others should communicate with the school's Athletic Director to file a complaint or express a concern. The athletic director can then contact the assignor or the MSCIAA to ensure that the issue is handled appropriately. Nevertheless, it is our responsibility to instill in our students a deep-seated respect for the game and the officials who oversee it.

Student-Athletes, coaches, administrators and spectators should help to create a positive and sportsmanlike environment regardless of what is happening in the contest. We all should also refrain from derogatory actions and/or negative remarks during athletic contests. There should be a mutual respect demonstrated among coaches, student-athletes, spectators, and officials.  We must be intentional about teaching and modeling acceptable conduct. We have been entrusted with a profound influence over the development of our student athletes. Together, let us demonstrate to our students the true essence of competition and the profound impact of exemplary behavior both on and off the field.

*Common outcomes for participants:

• Learning sportsmanship to win humbly and graciously and to lose with dignity.

• Modeling integrity through playing by the rules.

• Using teamwork in order to contribute to a greater goal in which the athlete places the team’s success or recognition before that of an individual.

• Reaching out to assist teammates, which translates into helping others around them in life and contributing to the community.

• Developing perseverance and the ability to bounce back from defeats.

• Incorporating goal-setting learned through athletics into their approach to life.

• Developing a solid work ethic that emphasizes preparation and effort.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our student-athletes and our athletic programs. Your dedication to fostering a culture of excellence does not go unnoticed, and I am confident that together, we will continue to uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship.

*Ref: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/defining-education-based-activity-programs/

The NIE End-of-Year Conference container is now open in PLZ! The DEADLINE to complete ALL NIE End-Of-Year Conferences are as follows:

• School-Based – May 17th

Central Office – June 14th

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:   

• The Goal Setting Conference AND Mid-Year Conference should be completed in its entirety BEFORE completing the End-of-Year Conference in PLZ.

Note: Staff who have not completed the Goal-Setting Conference will need to do so.

• The Mid-Year Conference is NOT required for NIE Partial plans and will not appear as a container to complete.
• Need a refresher? The following resources are also found in PLZ under the Resources tab. 
  • NIE End-of-Year Conference Tutorial
  • NIE Evaluator Step Guide
  • NIE Employee Step Guide

Questions? Please reach out to eps@scsk12.org.

PEER REVIEWERS

The TN Department of Education's Educator Effectiveness Team is seeking to contract portfolio peer reviewers from across the state to review and score submitted portfolio collections. Final aggregated portfolio scores determine an educator’s effect on student growth and represent 35% of a teacher’s overall Level of Effectiveness (LOE) score. 

In order to qualify to be a Peer reviewer, one must:

• have demonstrated content area, grade level, instructional experience, and effectiveness.
• be detail-oriented and demonstrate a rich understanding of standards
• be familiar with scoring student work
• be comfortable using and have access to technology
• be able to articulate confidence in the portfolio model to demonstrate student growth
• be available to conduct peer reviews throughout the scoring window, May 28 - June 14
• commit to confidentiality

Applicants must meet all requirements of the solicitation and submit an application no later than 5 p.m. CST on March 29, 2024. Applications will be scored on a rubric aligned to the information shared above.

Please reach out to Portfolio.Questions@tn.gov with questions.

Non-Tested Grades and Subject Teachers.  

Please encourage your teachers to log into their Portfolium Account to select their model and collections for SY2023-24. The NTGS Educators listed below will submit Student Growth Portfolios for SY23-24:

• Fine Arts
• Physical Education (Elementary)
• Pre-K
• World Languages (French & Spanish)
   

While there is no deadline for Point A Submissions, educators are strongly encouraged to submit their Point A and B Submissions before the 5 p.m. local time, May 6, 2024, 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 be generated for the 2023-24 school year. 

QUESTIONS/SUPPORT

If any NGTS educator is having issues accessing the platform, has general questions about submissions, or has had job/role changes that do not require Submission of the portfolio, please contact the District Portfolio Lead, Ayodele Hall, at hallam@scsk12.org . 

UDEMY is no longer a supported district PD platform as of March 31, 2024. Should this change, it will be promptly communicated. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

If you would like a copy of your completed certificate(s), please email Starlett Calhoun, joness3@scsk12.org. 

** Please note, ALL requests for course completion certificates MUST be submitted by April 29th. 

New Releases:

Q3 Grades are available in Student Grades! See the user guide for more information!
 

Literacy Commitment – 3rd Grade Exemption Tracking Report in Power BI and the standalone screening app for inputting exemption requests is now available. See the user guide for the Power BI report here and the guide for the app here!
 

Summer School Eligibility Report is now available! This report has a new location in Student Grades. Also new for this year is the inclusion of OAG Summer School Eligibility! See the user guide for more information!

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Coming Soon:

• District 360: Pre-K Enrollment and Attendance
• RTI-A Dashboard – HS RTI Screener Tracking Using EWS

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Monthly Newsletter:

Check your inbox! On the first Wednesday of every month, the DAIM team sends out a monthly newsletter to all Power BI users. 

In it, you will find more information on upcoming trainings, new releases, and how-to guides.

To see this month’s edition (and all archived editions), visit our support page.

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Training and Support Resources:  

This week (4/9 and 4/11), we’re holding an Open Forum Q&A session. So, bring us your questions! This is your opportunity for real time support.

Next week (4/16 and 4/19), we’ll discuss the recently updated 1:1 Devices dashboard.

Sign up today! For more information on Virtual Office Hours, check out this flyer! 

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Check out our new page of all updated features and recent releases on our DAIM Support Page!

You can reach out to us at DAIMSUPPORT@scsk12.org if you need support.  

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Power BI Access:

Principals can give school staff members access through the PowerBI Access App. For more information about how to use the app, see this user guide!