We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Memphis Grizzlies STEM Forward initiative, a new grant program designed to support K-12 educators within Memphis Shelby County Schools as they bring innovative STEM projects to life in their classrooms. Through this initiative, the Memphis Grizzlies aim to empower forward-thinking educators and inspire the next generation of problem solvers, creators, and leaders in STEM.

The STEM Forward grants will provide crucial funding for teachers to develop hands-on STEM projects that engage and challenge students, preparing them for success in a technology-driven world. We believe that fostering curiosity and skills in STEM today will help shape a brighter future for our community and beyond.

Key Dates for the Memphis Grizzlies STEM Forward Initiative:

• Application Period: October 28 – December 6, 2024
• Winner Notification: January 6 – 10, 2025
• Project Completion Deadline: April 30, 2025
• Project Evaluation Submission: May 17, 2025

Educators from all K-12 levels are encouraged to apply and share their visionary project ideas that will inspire and engage students.

For more information about the application process, please visit our website www.grizzlies.com/stemforward, or reach out to me. We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas Memphis educators will bring forward to benefit our students!

We would like to highlight student engagement through the mock elections, whether they focus on the upcoming Presidential election or other topics that you may have chosen for the project (e.g., Student Councils, other relevant student interest topics). If you have artifacts like pictures, student work products, short videos, sample ballots, etc. that you would like to share, please be sure to share them with us by adding a few to the folder linked below by Oct. 31. 

Link to Upload Artifacts: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SF_ZemOYheHhUvb-PDwJAyD-uAwbqW8j?usp=sharing

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 15. 

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/OWH24

Student Club and Organization categories have been set up in the Student Program module of PowerSchool. Once inside the module, leaders will find that clubs and organizations are listed by general category, (e.g., Art, Mentoring, STEM/STEAM) instead of by the specific names provided in at the start of the year and for Quarter 1. Please be sure to update this information in PowerSchool by Friday, November 22. 

Link to Step Sheet: Assigning Student Programs to Students in PowerSchool

Principals, please use this link to identify MTSS Lead/Co-Lead for your school.   Many of you have made staffing changes and adjusted roles and responsibilities so we want to be sure we are communicating weekly with the right people to oversee RTI2A and RTI2B.  If you do not have any changes, it is not necessary to complete the Microsoft Form again.

Please refer to the MTSS Lead Weekly Updates for the week of 10/28/24.

Previously published MTSS Lead Weekly Updates are linked below for quick reference.

Week of 10/21/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/h4e80

Week of 10/14/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/13sg4y

Week of 9/30/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/tdxvqp

Week of 9/23/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/ztbwj

Week of 9/16/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/tzuhs

Week of 9/9/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/uap67

Week of 9/3/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/stvnk

Week of 8/26/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/anxyu

Week of 8/19/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/hq6au

Week of 8/12/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/r13s8

Week of 8/5/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/pjxyd

Week of 7/29/24 https://secure.smore.com/n/gukw69

Students in grades K-8 took the iReady Reading and Math Diagnostic Assessments in August along with select students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in Tier 2 or 3 intervention courses along with some students with IEPs.  Once students take the Diagnostic Assessments, the iReady platform develops a Personalized Instruction path for students.  School Admin, MTSS Leads, and classroom teachers can actively monitor how students are doing with their personalized instruction path as it relates to minutes per week and lesson pass rates.  Check it out on your iReady dashboard!  

If you need assistance with understanding personalized instruction within iReady you can search “personalized instruction” from iReady Central found in the Help tab.  If you would like to schedule training for your school, please reach out to our Curriculum Associates PD Team Elaine Price, eprice@cainc.com or Lorene Essex, lessex@cainc.com .  

Math Teachers,

Curriculum and Instruction Mathematics has developed sentence stems to support implementation of MSCS High-Impact Strategies. Incorporate sentence stems as appropriate for a math lesson’s literacy-based focusing activity or closing activity. 

Literacy-Based Sentence Stems.pdf

The extended deadline to complete all NIE Goal-Setting Conferences in PLZ is November 8th.  NIE Employees will need to select their evaluator first, in order for the evaluator to have access to their evaluation. 

All fields should be completed in its entirety before finalizing.

Questions? Contact the Evaluation and Satisfaction 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  21 -November 4.

Questions? Contact the Evaluation and Satisfaction office by phone,  at 901.416.2475 or via email at eps@scsk12.org. 

The deadline to complete 100% of TEM Announced Observation #1 is December 6th.  School Administrators (Principals, VP, and APs), Network Leaders, and Assistant Superintendents may access their school's data using the following link: 

• Evaluation KPI Dashboard SY2024-2025

Registration for SY24-25 NIE Evaluator Certification is still open. Please reference the PLZ course number below.

• Self-Paced (Canvas) – PLZ Course #36779

Questions? Contact the Evaluation and Satisfaction office by phone,  at 901.416.2475 or via email at eps@scsk12.org. 

November District Learning Day (DLD) will be school-based. Please note the following details:

Departments Meeting Virtually or Off-Site:

Full Day Sessions (8:00am - 3:00pm):

• Pre-K
• DEE: Clue
• DEE: OT + PT
• DEE: SLT
• Family Engagement
• HPELW
• Library Services
• Mental Health
• Multilingual Learners
• Orff Music
• Secondary Music/Dance
• Theatre
• Visual Arts
• World Languages
• Optional Schools and Advanced Academics – International Baccalaureate

Afternoon Sessions (1:00 pm - 3:00 pm):

• KK-12 English Teachers
• DEE: AFS, BIC, FS
• Homebound
• DEE: Preschool
• DEE: Hearing Impaired
• DEE: Homebound, IR, STEP, DT, VI
• Optional Schools and Advanced Academics – AP and Pre-AP

MTSS Leads:

K-8 MTSS Leads must register and attend one session in addition to their school-based learning and planning. Available session times:

• 8:30 am - 10:00 am
• 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
• 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Action Required:

• Register for your DLD courses by Friday, Nov. 1.
• For registration support, email: performanceleadershipdevelopment@scsk12.org.

We look forward to a productive day of learning!