Meetings occur on a bi-weekly cadence and are facilitated at the TLA, 8:30-11:30 am., on the following dates:

• September 6 and 20
• October 4 and 18
• November 1 and 15
• December 13

Connect with Dr. Maples or Dr. Myracle regarding any questions or considerations.

Please take a moment to provide feedback on the Q1 curriculum map, resources, and the level of support received when interacting with the C & I Science personnel during the 2024-25 school year. 

Use the form link below  

https://forms.office.com/r/sxxsAu06ff

The window for completing Growth and Achievement selections for the SY 2024-25 is open from Sept. 13 through Oct. 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 Oct. 21 through Nov. 4 . 

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

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

Site Coordinator Training Dates: 

• All Site Coordinators should register for one of the virtual sessions in PLZ using course #36827.
• The training dates are Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 2. 

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 6th.  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.

Nominations for the 2024-25 Tennessee Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award are now open! 

Anyone—directors, principals, teachers, parents, students, or members of the general public—may submit nominations by Sept. 16. Certified employees are not eligible for this award.

Classified school employees include any of the following occupational specialties working in pre-K through 12th grade schools/non-profits. Examples are:

• paraprofessionals,
• clerical and administrative services,
• transportation services,
• food and nutrition services,
• custodial and maintenance services,
• security services,
• health and student services,
• technical services, and
• skilled trades.

For more detailed information on the Tennessee RISE Award, please visit the RISE Award website.

With questions, please contact Sarah Brown (sarah.brown@tn.gov).

Please find the link to the MTSS Lead Weekly Updates shared with leads on Monday, Sept. 9.

In this week's issue there are links for all prior publications.  https://secure.smore.com/n/uap67

Announcements:

Mastery Connect reports in the MSCS Compass are no longer available. If you need historical Mastery Connect data, please use the files on the Assessment & Accountability Restricted Sharepoint Site.

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New Releases: 

The Student Attendance Raw Data page has been optimized to allow users to add and remove columns from the data table as needed. This lets you get the specific data points you need. 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 (9/17 and 9/19), we will hold Open Office Hours. So, if you have a question or need support with something, join us.

Next week (9/24 and 9/26), VOH is canceled due to Leadership Development Week, where we will be presenting.

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.

Grade Results will be available for district-wide school usage on Monday, September 16. A Grade Results School Admin. Account has been created for all Professional School Counselors, and they can begin enrolling students and teachers in classes on this date. The Virtual Supports and Online Learning (VSOL) Department will begin hosting trainings for new counselors and school staff twice per week starting Tuesday, September 17.  

Please review the links below to help you engage in strategic planning with your teams on how to use this resource to its fullest potential. For questions or support, contact Rochelle Griffin at griffinrj@scsk12.org.

Full links to the hyperlinked resources:

• Grade Results Advisory:

https://scsk12-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/griffinrj_scsk12_org/ET_PuVa7VAZAged7vzTPQD8B0kZKVRLZ45tdipQsZdIYyA?e=2M9UTY

• Credit Accrual/Special Project Request link: https://forms.office.com/r/wVFT05pYaF

• Training Schedule:

https://scsk12-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/griffinrj_scsk12_org/EUHBvlK_SX1KvtnKBPRyXW8B7Z5SnJ7_zRfkQxw1VZzsKQ

• Grade Results TN Course Catalog:

https://scsk12-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/griffinrj_scsk12_org/EedbvMnDb9RDsMMdSWZhOXgBz-XULE730Zlf89Ck8CsUrA

Enrollment Procedures and Reminders

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

• Children must be five years old on or before August 15th 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 the Enrollment & Attendance office at 416-2989 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.
• To further support our attendance initiatives, C.O.M.E. to Win banners are available for pick-up at the Board of Education, room 256, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily. Please contact Ronnie Brown, Faith Jones, or Tanya Boyce for assistance. 

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.

Mandatory PD Session for School Support Staff: 

Session Title (SUPE Schools Only) PLZ #47228: Understanding your role in supporting

enrollment, attendance, chronic absenteeism and truancy.  

The primary focus of this session will be to review the current enrollment (including homeless), attendance and truancy practices across the district.  We will discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.  

 *Audience:  Attendance, Family Engagement and Truancy Liaisons, GOS, Graduation Coach, Dean of Students

Current Enrollment Numbers: Overview of current enrollment data and comparisons.

Attendance Patterns: Discussion of recent attendance data, highlighting any notable trends, declines or improvements.

Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: Strategies to support students with frequent absences and improve overall attendance.

Engagement Strategies: Brainstorming effective ways to engage students and families to improve both enrollment and attendance.

Next Steps: Defining action items and setting goals for the upcoming period.

Session Presenters:  Karen Ball, Mildred Avery, Rosalind Stevenson and Thomasena Stuckett

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 18 from 9:00am – 3:00pm

Location:  Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38112 (Auditorium)

Session Title (IGNITE & SOAR Schools Only) PLZ #47229: Understanding Your role in supporting enrollment, attendance, chronic absenteeism and truancy.  

The primary focus of this session will be to review the current enrollment (including homeless), attendance and truancy practices across the district.  We will discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.  

*Audience:  Attendance, Family Engagement and Truancy Liaisons, GOS, Graduation Coach, Dean of Students

Current Enrollment Numbers: Overview of current enrollment data and comparisons.

Attendance Patterns: Discussion of recent attendance data, highlighting any notable trends, declines or improvements.

Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: Strategies to support students with frequent absences and improve overall attendance.

Engagement Strategies: Brainstorming effective ways to engage students and families to improve both enrollment and attendance.

Next Steps: Defining action items and setting goals for the upcoming period.

Session Presenters:  Karen Ball, Mildred Avery, Rosalind Stevenson and Thomasena Stuckett

Date/Time: Thursday, September 19 from 9:00am – 3:00pm

Location:  Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38112 (Auditorium)

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 Oct. 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 27 (the deadline was just extended)! 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!

 Tennessee Department of Education- United States Presidential Scholars Program

HS SENIORS: Apply to participate in the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program by Sept. 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 Sept. 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 Oct. 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

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

From the Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett: Sign-up today for the Tennessee Student Mock Election. The mock election is a non-partisan, educational experience that gives Tennessee students a chance to learn how elected officials are selected. All Tennessee students are welcome to participate.

1) Sign your school up online

2) Review our lesson plans and resources

Topics: Citizenship, Roles of Elected Officials, Campaigning, The Voting Process, State & Local Government, The Constitution, and Colonial Government

3) Gather resources provided by our office

Each participating school will be provided the following resources:

A PDF of a mock ballot that can be printed (which will be sent via email).

"I Voted" stickers (which will be sent via mail).

A Student Mock Election "I Voted" sign (which is available to download).

4) Conduct your mock election

The Secretary of State’s office will provide printable mock election ballots. However, schools may conduct their mock election in whatever manner works best for their students.

5) Report your school's results

Results can start to be reported when the “Early Voting” period begins on Oct. 16 and must be submitted by Oct. 29. Instructions for reporting will be provided to each school’s designated contact via email.

Per Policy #6065, each middle and high school is required to have a Student Government/Student Council. The Office of Student Experiences will offer training for middle and high schools to designated Student Council advisors. 

PURPOSE:   To provide guidelines for the operation of student councils in each of the district’s middle and high schools.
 

1. SCOPE: This policy applies to middle and high schools.
2. POLICY STATEMENT: Each school shall establish an elected student council. The council shall be governed by its own constitution which shall be approved by the school principal.  Defining the council’s jurisdiction shall be a joint and cooperative effort of the council, students, and the student government constitution.
3. General purposes of the council shall be:

1.      To promote better relationships between teachers and students

2.      To provide a communication channel for student opinion

3.      To promote organizational services for students and faculty

4.      To encourage positive attitudes, leadership, and citizenship

5.      To contribute to the total educational growth of students

6.      To train students in the method of problem-solving and decision making

Participants will receive a step-by-step implementation plan to help schools establish a successful Student Council. A calendar of upcoming events (local and statewide) will be provided, in addition to information on fundraising, teambuilding, and community service projects.

Date:              September 24, 2024

Time:              3:30 – 5:00 pm

Location:      Central High School (Library) 306 South Bellevue

PLZ Course #: TBA 

(Will provide course registration when approved) Registration by Sept. 20 for advisors' training.  

Please submit your school's Student Council information by Sept. 17.  https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=lBwpK7Bet0SJ6kuvFuzEqcEP-PJIK7RInmVJoY29gbVUQ05ISUlERVRIWjVUSVZSSVNXWUhGUUVUQS4u