The National Civil Rights Museum’s celebration for and by young trailblazers, the Freedom Award Student Forum, is a hybrid learning opportunity for students and educators worldwide. The Student Forum will take place on October 17 from 10:30am-12:00pm CST at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN. Please see the reminders below.

1. Please review and share Keeper of the Dream Award information and consider nominating a student and inviting your students to self-nominate or nominate their peers! The Keeper of the Dream Award is a public recognition of selected youth in grades 6-12 that celebrates and recognizes the hard work and dedication of young people who take action and demonstrate a commitment to ensuring equal rights and opportunities for others. We are taking nominations through September 13! This award offers a monetary prize as well as a beautiful trophy and the opportunity to be honored by the museum in front of thousands of peers at the Student Forum. Please click here to nominate a student or share this link with anyone who wishes to nominate a student for the Keeper of the Dream Award!
2. This year, as we are at the Fed Ex Forum, a much larger venue than ever before and one with expanded capacity, teachers/schools will arrange and cover costs for transportation to and from the event. (Please note: the bus company that is preferred is First Student if you are in Shelby County, as they will send us a list of all buses they are transporting which is instrumental for our planning of bus parking.) If you are not using First Student as your bus vendor, or if you are coming from outside of Shelby County, please send us an email with your bus information to education@civilrightsmuseum.org. We request you send us this ASAP but no later than Oct. 1. 
3. We ask that you email us with your bus vendor and the bus number or confirmation number for your bus reservation. That way we can be looking for your bus to arrive and we will know we have enough space to park all buses.We will have three options for attending one mandatory Teacher/Chaperone Meeting to prepare for the Student Forum. Every school that attends must have a teacher, (preferably the lead teacher who registered for the event,)  virtually attend one of the meetings on any of the following dates/times: 
   • Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 from 5:30-6pm 
   • Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 from 5:30-6pm 
   • Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 from 5:30-6pm 
     • For all three dates/times the link/password to join the meetings are below: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89449226762 
       • Meeting ID: 894 4922 6762 
       • Passcode: NCRM101724
4. If you didn’t submit a number of students who will attend, please re-register and complete that field. If there wasn’t a number for students filled in to that field, your registration is not complete, and we kindly request that you to complete the form with a number, even if that number is an estimate. You can always email us at education@civilrightsmuseum.org to let us know if your number changes. Please keep in mind you can bring as many students as you can book buses for and bring at least 2 chaperones per 50 students. (Please note the MSCS ratio for in-town field trips is 1 adult chaperone: 20 students).
5. Please encourage other teachers to sign up to virtually attend the Student Forum! We’d like every teacher who plans to virtually attend to register here, so we can send them the link by which to log in for their individual class. Thanks for sharing this opportunity with as many colleagues and students, as possible!

Please review the information below about the eCybermission Virtual STEM Competition for students in grades 6 - 9. Through this program, students have the opportunity to identify community problems through hypothesis, research, and experimentation. Teams may also apply for mini-grants to support their work. 

Each team needs: 

• 2-4 students
• An adult Team Advisor
• A community problem to explore or try to solve

Tennessee Department of Education- United States Presidential Scholars Program

HS SENIORS: Apply to participate in the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program by September 23!  Applicants must be nominated by their high school. Find program information, including qualification criteria and application materials here: https://www.tn.gov/education/students/opportunities-for-students.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawE-tJRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZkhVdMnH7fRWbqlYfrAzRZPmrfwU7rx6q53nv68fc3tu_-N6j3sNYpZUg_aem_STno1QFdAGCZNvTQPzw_Pw

Tennessee Department of Education- United States Senate Youth Program

Qualifying high school juniors or seniors can apply to be selected to participate in the 2025 United States Senate Youth Program. Apply by September 23! Qualification criteria, application materials, and more can be found here: https://www.tn.gov/education/students/opportunities-for-students.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawE-tJRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZkhVdMnH7fRWbqlYfrAzRZPmrfwU7rx6q53nv68fc3tu_-N6j3sNYpZUg_aem_STno1QFdAGCZNvTQPzw_Pw

Tennessee Department of Education- Governor's School

Applications for the 2025 Governor's Schools open October 1! Spend next summer gaining knowledge & skills in your field of interest. Submission information and critical deadlines will be posted on each of the Governor’s Schools webpages. More details here: https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/education/districts/instruction/tdoe-governors-schools.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawFFwnBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVAqv5AvSjhoxImnNGr5kDUm80TNcSWoDLjjTywKsciyAOGSNI-jDoI3dA_aem__9bd1YautMz6-Rl_rG9SdA

Do you have 5 minutes? Would you like to win a share of $2 million in Samsung technology and supplies for your students and classrooms? Then hurry and sign up for the 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition that is NOW OPEN to all public school teachers in grades 6-12. You can submit student projects to the 2024-2025 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest for a chance at winning their school $100,000 in Samsung tech products and classroom materials. Click here to apply now! The deadline to apply is October 24.

 

The window for completing Growth and Achievement selections for the SY 2024-25 will open from September 13 through October 4.  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 Evaluation and Satisfaction office by phone,  at 901.416.2475 or via email at eps@scsk12.org. 

The fall Student Voice Survey will be administered from October 21 through November 4. 

School Administrators should complete this form to indicate the site coordinator for their school by September 17. 

The Principal will be the default coordinator if one is not designated. 

Should you have any questions, please reach out to the Evaluation and Satisfaction office: 

Phone: 901.416.2475 | Email,  eps@scsk12.org. 

The TEM TEACHer Training Series is now open for ALL teachers. This series supports educators with identifying teacher and student actions that guide effective instruction at performance levels 3-5 of the TEACH indicators. 

Register in PLZ, course #37107.

Fine Arts, Physical Education (2nd and 5th grades), Pre-K, and World Language (French and Spanish) educators will submit TEAM Student Growth Portfolios for SY2024-25. Point A submissions should be uploaded by December 6.  Final submissions are due by 5 p.m. May 5. 

For important updates regarding the Portfolio process, please click HERE. 

Questions or concerns? Send an email to eps@scsk12.org.

The State is excited to announce that TEAM training is transitioning to the TeachALL platform.

The new platform is easy to access with your Single Sign On (SSO).

• Returning certification was due by August 31.
• Initial certification courses are open from June 3 to March 31, 2025.

**All TEAM evaluator completion certificates should be forwarded to the Evaluation and Satisfaction department via email: eps@scsk12.org.

For more information about TEAM training and certification, please visit the TEAM website.

Contact the State at team.questions@tn.gov should you have any questions or concerns regarding TEAM certification for 2024-2025.

Optional Schools Coordinators, please join us on Thursday, September 12, for our annual OSSP training (details below). We will review a plethora of information and share dates and deadlines to aid in planning for a productive year.   

We look forward to collaborating with you to ensure the continued success of your optional program. If you have questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Katrina Taylor. Thanks!  

To ensure that all MSCS honors teachers comply with state and district requirements that govern advanced courses, teachers must submit honors documentation of compliance each year. Honors Policy Compliance trainings will be held to reiterate policy requirements, communicate the honors compliance process, and discuss best practices on the following dates: 

All new honors teachers should plan to attend one session, and returning teachers are welcome to join for a refresher. Additional information regarding the honors compliance process will be provided to honors administrators at each school, and each honors teacher via email. Please contact MSCS Honors Advisors Terriny Lloyd (416-9867) or Dr. Emily Barbee (416-5839),  via email or by phone if you have questions.

Enrollment Procedures and Reminders

Kindergarten Age Requirement/Cut-Off Date for Entering Kindergarten:

• Children must be five years old on or before August 15 of the current school year to be admitted.
• Five-year-old kindergarteners who have not previously enrolled cannot be enrolled after the first 30 days of the school year, which is September 16, 2024.  Previously enrolled kindergarteners can be accepted at any time.

September Attendance Awareness Month: Be Present, Be Powerful 

• Chronic absenteeism – missing more than 10% of school days – has more than doubled in communities across the country, disrupting the classrooms and impacting students’ academic progress, social development, and overall well-being.  This September, during Attendance Awareness Month, we highlight the importance of attendance and its positive impact on academics and overall student success. Let’s build the habit of good attendance!  

EVERY SCHOOL DAY COUNTS! 

Attendance Procedures and Reminders

• 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 Stacey Davis at 416-7473 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.  Review dates, times, and locations in PLZ.

C.O.M.E to Win Attendance Support Plan

• We are excited to introduce the C.O.M.E. to Win attendance tracking application, a valuable tool designed to enhance our district's ability to monitor and support student attendance. This application offers a centralized platform for district and school-level personnel to manage and track attendance supports for each 20-day attendance period. Please use the following link to gain more information:

Principal Advisory 8.26.24 C.O.M.E to Win Communication Memo to Principals.docx

Student Withdrawal Form

• All student withdrawals will be handled directly at the child's school. The school's clerical staff will process the withdrawal form and complete the necessary procedures. To access the withdrawal form, please visit the following link:

MSCS Withdrawal Form 24-25

Student Absence Form

• Please be advised that the Student Absence Form is available for all parents through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. This online form allows parents to easily notify the school of their child’s absence directly from their mobile devices or computers. Parents can also track the status of their absence submission by returning to the portal.  
• To review and approve student absence forms, please use the password 'aes' to gain access.

To learn how to access student absence forms submitted via the PowerSchool Parent Portal, please use the following link:

Student Absence Form 24-25

• If you have any questions or require further assistance, please don’t hesitate to email us at studentservices@scsk12.org.

Date: Thursday, September 12

Times: 

• High School: 3:30 PM
• Middle School: 4:30 PM
• Elementary School: 5:30 PM

Location: TLA Auditorium

This mandatory meeting is to support any aspiring teacher seeking certification to learn about the requirements as well as the resources available. Please ensure that all teachers who have not previously attended are present. Your aspiring teacher(s) will receive an email from Performance and Leadership Development. Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated as we strive to provide the best opportunities for our aspiring teachers.

Date: Tuesday, September 10

Times:

• High School: 3:30 PM
• Middle School: 4:30 PM
• Elementary School: 5:30 PM

Location: TLA Auditorium

Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) Content Leads' Mandatory Meeting is Tuesday, September 10 at times by grade levels. Your ILT content leads will receive an email from Performance and Leadership Development inviting them to attend this meeting. This meeting will outline roles/responsibilities, stipend information and monthly trainings. Your ILT content leads participation is vital as we discuss important strategies and initiatives for the upcoming school year. If you have any questions, please email performanceandleadership@scsk12.org.

New Teacher Mentor Meeting

Date: Wednesday, September 11
Time: 4:30 PM
Location: TLA Auditorium

We are hosting a new teacher mentor meeting on Wednesday, September 11. Your new teacher mentors will receive an email from Performance and Leadership Development inviting them to this meeting. Roles and responsibilities, stipend information and monthly trainings will be discussed. This session is crucial for ensuring our mentors are well-prepared to support our new teachers effectively. If you have questions, please email performanceandleadership@scsk12.org. Thank you for your cooperation and support.

The Grade Results contract has just been completed, and it will be available to schools very soon. The Virtual Supports and Online Learning (VSOL) Dept. will release information in next week's Leaderboard regarding when students can be enrolled in Grade Results courses, as well as when you can begin signing up for your designated staff to be trained on how to use this resource to its fullest potential. In the meantime, please view this Grade Results Quick Reference and the Grade Results Course Catalog Tennessee course list to help you engage in strategic planning with your team. 

For additional information, contact Rochelle Griffin at griffinrj@scsk12.org.

Announcements:

New User Training Sessions are happening now! Look for Course Code 34810 in PLZ and register today! See this page for more information.

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New Releases:

High School Progress is a new dashboard in the MSCS Compass designed to assist schools in tracking Graduation Cohorts and determining if students are on- or off-track to graduate in four years. Check the user guides for more information!

COME to Win Report is now available! This report provides 20-day attendance information and if students are Champions, Winners or Participants. Note that it will not start populating data for 24-25 until the end of the first 20-day period. Check out the user guide for more information!

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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:   

Check out our Training Calendar for all upcoming District Trainings. 
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This week (9/10 and 9/12), during Virtual Office Hours, we will be covering the new High School Progress Dashboard.

Next week (9/17 and 9/19), we will hold Open Office Hours. So, if you have a question or need support with something, join us.

Virtual Office Hours sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday at 3:30 PM on Microsoft Teams.

Sign up today! For more information on Virtual Office Hours, check out this flyer! 
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Check out our page of new/updated features and 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.