Greetings Elementary and K-8 Principals,

The Literacy Commitment work is well underway with the next undertaking being completing the exemption process for third grade students. 

Exemption Qualifiers: A student meeting one of the listed exemptions below may be promoted without further action.

• Students who are English Language Learners (ELL or EL) with less than two years of ELA instruction.
• Students who were previously retained.
• Students who have a disability that impacts reading (as recorded/documented by the District and/or the TDOE).
• Students with a suspected disability that impacts reading.

Training sessions to receive guidance on exemption rules and how to use the application to submit student exemptions will be held during the days and times listed below. Please use the link to register for your preferred session date and time. While only principals have access to the exemption application, you may also invite an additional staff member on the registration form to hear information that will be shared during the session.

• Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM
• Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
•  Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM

Training Session Registration Link: Literacy Commitment Exemption Training Sign-Up

If you have any questions, contact Stephanie McClain at mcclainsl@scsk12.org.

Thank you for your collaboration.

Principals,

As communicated through the CUFD, the Physical Activity Compliance Report from the Department of Education will be open in ePlan February 3 through February 28. Building principals are responsible for submitting data for their school related to integration of K-12 physical activity integration into the academic school day as well as physical education requirements for elementary students.

Guidance for completing this brief report is available on the ePlan homepage, as well as user access forms should you not have access to our district, and a link to office hours every Tuesday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. CST, 10:30-11:30 a.m. EST.

Please click the links below:

FY25 PA Compliance Guidance Principals (1).pdf

ePlan User Access_PAComp_2025_Principals (1).pdf

Dr. Patricia Duncan Bafford Ed.D. BSN RN, RTc

Director, Health Services for Student Wellness

Office of Education Services

2930 Airways  Blvd.

Memphis, TN 38116

(901) 416-7377 Ofc

(901) 416-2424 Main

(901) 489-8329 Cell

baffordpd@scsk12.org

The Council of the Great City Schools is accepting applications for the 2025 CGCS-Bernard Harris Scholarship Program. Four scholarships for two males and two females --- $5,000 each --- will be awarded to two African American and two Hispanic students on behalf of the former NASA astronaut, physician and businessman, Dr. Bernard Harris. Applicants must be currently completing their senior year of high school in a member district of the Council of the Great City Schools and be accepted for full-time enrollment at a four-year college or university in the next academic year and pursuing a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM).

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MARCH 31, 2025

Do you know a 2025 school graduate who could benefit from the CGCS-Bernard Harris Scholarship? Help spread the word by sharing the following flyer! https://bit.ly/CGCSScholarshipApp25

Curriculum and Instruction Mathematics Manager

Antronette C. Brown

brownac@scsk12.org

Curriculum and Instruction Science Manager

Terilyn McChriston

mcchristontj@scsk12.org

• DLM/KITE reports will be emailed to principals each Friday starting February 14, 2025, sharing the students percentage of the assessment completion.
•  Virtual Open Lab for Alternate Assessment will be held 2 times a day Monday, Wednesday and Friday until May 16, 2025.  Start Date: Monday, February 10, 2025.
• Principals, please encourage your teachers to start the assessment as soon as possible.

The DEADLINE to complete ALL NIE Mid-Year Conferences in PLZ is February 7th. 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

• ALL required fields should be completed in its entirety before finalizing.   
• The Goal Setting Conference should be completed within 30 days of an NIE employee’s hire/contract start date AND should be completed BEFORE completing the Mid-Year Conference in PLZ.
• 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 Mid-Year Conference Tutorial 
• NIE Evaluator Step Guide 
• NIE Employee Step Guide

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

The spring Student Perception Survey window is February 24th - March 7th.  

For SPS support, Building Site Coordinators should contact the following:

For eligibility questions, contact the district lead, Courtney Skipper at skipperc@scsk12.org.

For technical support, contact Panorama at support+shelbycounty@panoramaed.com

Thank you for your submission of additional mentors for your school. Please see important dates and information shared with mentors included below:

Collaborative Assessment Log (CAL) Due: Today, February 5, 2025.

First Spring (1 of 2) Informal Observation Due: On or before February 21, 2025. 

 *Mandatory* New Teacher Mentor Monthly Meeting (Virtual) Tuesday, February 11, 2025 @ 4:30 p.m. Link to join is embedded in the agenda sent to mentors via email as well as found here: February 11, 2025 New Teacher Mentor Meeting

In the event you still need additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Latisha Kimbrough at brownlc@scsk12.org.

Thank you in advance for your attention to these updates!

February 2025 District Learning Day follows a school-based format, featuring sessions encompassing a whole group address, school-based professional learning, instructional planning, and deliberate practice. Teachers whose departments elect to meet with them may attend their professional learning sessions in lieu of school-based learning for a full day or a half day.

February 2025 DLD Guidebook.pdf *View only. Please check back for updates through Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

February District Learning Day Schedules

MSCS Departments (Full Day)
8:00am – 8:30am – Arrival/ Check-in at DLD location sites/schools
9:00am – 11:00am – Professional Learning Content Sessions (MSCS Departments/Schools)
11:00am – 12:30pm – Lunch (travel time included)
12:30pm – 2:45pm – Professional Learning Content Sessions (MSCS Departments/Schools)
2:45pm – 3:00pm – Closing & Next Steps
 

MSCS Departments (Half Day) - Behavior Specialist ONLY

8:00am – 9:00am – Arrival/ Check-in at DLD location sites/schools

9:00am – 12:00pm – Behavior Specialists Professional Learning

12:00pm – 1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm – 2:45pm – Collaborative Planning and Deliberate Practice or MSCS Department Professional Learning
2:45pm – 3:00pm – Closing & Next Steps

MSCS Departments (Half Day) - Professional School Counselors ONLY
8:00am – 8:30am – Arrival/ Check-in at DLD location sites/schools

8:30am – 12:00pm – Professional School Counselors Sessions/Lunch/Dismissal to Schools

*Additional details for the remainder of the day forthcoming. See Guidebook for live updates.

MSCS Departments (Half Day) - Participants begin at school location from 8:00am – 11:30am – School Choice Professional Learning
11:30am – 1:00pm – Lunch & Travel Time
1:00pm – 2:45pm – Collaborative Planning and Deliberate Practice or MSCS Department Professional Learning
2:45pm – 3:00pm – Closing & Next Steps
 

ACTION REQUIRED: To ensure proper credit, register for District Learning Day in PLZ by February 12, 2025.

FULL DAY​

• College, Career and Technical Education – In-person​ (PLZ Course #47683)
• Curriculum & Instruction World Languages – In-person​ (PLZ Course #47684)
• Curriculum & Instruction Social Studies – In-person​ (PLZ Course #47685)
• Fine Arts – Orff Music – In-person​ (PLZ Course #47686)
• Pre-K/Division of Early Childhood - Virtual​ (PLZ Course #47687)
• Proximity Teachers – In-person​ (PLZ Course #47689)
• Secondary Music/Dance – In-person​ (PLZ Course #47690)
• Visual Arts and Theatre – In-person (PLZ Course #47691)

HALF DAY​

• Behavior Specialists - Virtual (AM) (PLZ Course #47692)
• Counseling Services – In-person​ (AM) (PLZ Course #47693)
• Curriculum & Instruction Mathematics – Virtual ​(PM) (PLZ Course #47694)
• Curriculum & Instruction Science – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47695)
• (K-2) Office of Literacy – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47696)
• (3-5) Office of Literacy – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47697)
• (6-8) Office of Literacy – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47698)
• (9-12) Office of Literacy – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47699)
• Family and Community Engagement – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47700)
• Office of Multilingual Learners – Virtual​ (PM) (PLZ Course #47701)
• Optional Schools and Advanced Academics – Virtual (PM) (PLZ Course #47702)

In the event you still need additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Geneva Gordon at gordong@scsk12.org.

Principals - Upload Your DLD Professional Learning Agendas by 02/14/2025: Principals, don’t forget to submit your DLD School-Based Professional Learning agendas by 02/14/2025 using the designated Microsoft Form.

For questions, contact performanceleadershipdevelopment@scsk12.org. 

Dear Principals,

We hope that you have had a productive week. As we continue to strive for excellence in our educational practices, we are pleased to inform you about the upcoming Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) support sessions organized by Performance & Leadership Development. These sessions are designed to provide ILT members with the necessary tools and strategies to enhance instructional leadership within your schools. 

Upcoming Support Sessions:

1. Utilizing ILT Meetings to Differentiate Educator Supports (Make-Up Meeting)

• Date: February 13, 2025
• Time:

4:30pm-5:30pm (Elementary Schools, K-8 Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, CCTE) (TLA Auditorium)

• Location: Teaching & Learning Academy Auditorium/W115-116

1. Save the Dates for Future ILT Support Sessions (In-person meetings)

• March 6, 2025
• April 3, 2025
• May 1, 2025

Documentation Deadlines:

To ensure we are all aligned and prepared for Spring 2025 ILT Stipend Submission, please be reminded of the following documentation deadlines:

• Change of ILT Members: Was due January 7, 2025, with signed ILT Agreement
• Spring 2025 Teacher Log dates should reflect: January 6-May 2, 2025                                     *The ILT Support Session, Data Driven Instruction Cycle that occurred on December 5, 2024, can be included as (1) hour on the ILT Content Teacher Log for the Spring 2025 semester.
• Spring 2025 ILT Teacher Logs and ILT Stipend Excel Sheet: Due by May 2, 2025                 (Any schools submitting documents after this deadline will waive their semester stipends.)
• ILT Semester Hours: ILT Content Lead Teachers must complete and submit to their respective principal by the deadline at least (22) hours per semester conducted and logged outside of the allotted (contractual) school day to be eligible for the semester stipend.
• Mandatory Attendance: ILT Content Lead Teachers must attend all Instructional Leadership Team meetings and all District-level Content Support Session meetings to be eligible for the semester stipend.

Below is a link to our ILT Principal Resource Folder for your reference:

Principal Resources 2024-25

Your timely submission of these documents and attention to due dates is crucial for the success of our collaborative efforts. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at iltstipends@scsk12.org.

Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work. We look forward to supporting you and your ILT teams by working together to achieve our district’s priority goals.

Best regards,

Performance & Leadership Development Team

Please find the MTSS Lead Weekly Updates for the week of February 3, 2025.

We are excited to participate in this year's Do the Write Thing (DtWT) writing program. DtWT is a writing competition where middle school students share how violence has impacted them and propose solutions. We are excited about this year's challenge and look forward to the submission of essays, poems, songs, plays and more! 

Our students will have the opportunity to submit to the local competition and the winning essay will advance to the and national competition in Washington, D.C. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our students' talent and there is no cap on the number of submissions per school. Please share this information with your school teams to encourage participation. 

Local Entry Information (Deadline: 2/28)

Completed packets may be sent to Coe Building Room 164 via MSCS Board Mail. Please be sure to include a summary page with the packet noting the contact person for your school and the number of submissions (see attached sample). Each submission should contain its own cover sheet with the parent/guardian's signature. 

We hosted an optional DtWT Virtual Workshop for teachers on Friday, January 31 from 3:30p.m.-4:30p.m. [Link to Video Recording]

Link to Educator Toolkit: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f445fd275ef214ec0957907/t/66df24f8f65e4f679f4d8df6/1725900029299/DtWT+Educator+Packet+2024-25+%283%29.pdf

Link to DtWT Sample Lesson Plans: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f445fd275ef214ec0957907/t/66857c4c63a7443a678e4083/1720024140799/DtWT+Educator+Resources+for+website.pdf

The Secretary of State’s office is launching the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level and Silver Level awards for Tennessee high schools, which meet student voter registration thresholds.

Gold Level: 100% of eligible students, 18 and older by the next election, are registered to vote. The Secretary of State’s office will gift the school with a commemorative plaque and gift personalized certificates to Student Ambassadors.

Silver Level: 85% of eligible students, 18 and older by the next election, are registered to vote. The Secretary of State’s office will gift personalized certificates to the school and Student Ambassadors.

The award is named in honor of renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley. One of the central figures in the women’s suffrage movement, she worked tirelessly to secure the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote. Learn more about Anne Dallas Dudley and Women's Suffrage in Tennessee on the Tennessee Virtual Archive.

All Tennessee public and private schools as well as home school associations are encouraged to participate in the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program.

Tennessee law allows students who are either 18 years of age, or 17 years of age and will be 18 by the date of the next election to register to vote.

Completed applications will be accepted until March 7, 2025.

Link to More Information: https://sos.tn.gov/anne-dallas-dudley-award

Through the district’s Discovering Memphis initiative to promote and enhance educational opportunities for students and promote cultural enrichment, each school has received funding to provide discounted admission prices for MSCS students field trips. This project aims to enhance educational opportunities for students and promote cultural enrichment through field trips visits to selected Memphis sites.  

Several local partners have agreed to offer a discounted admission price for students who are enrolled in MSCS for field trips to their facilities. This discounted rate will be valid during regular operating hours of each venue, subject to any restrictions imposed by the venue.

MSCS will partner with venues and post-secondary institutions to provide educational opportunities for all students, grades K-12.

      All field trips will be reserved at the school level using fund allocated in APECS (Project IY25). 

       Schools will follow the field trip procedures in according to MSCS Board Policy.

Please review field trip procedures/district’s guidelines for field trip approvals with your staff and ensure that all future requests are submitted in a timely and accurate manner. Please make sure that all required documents such as student roster, parent permission, etc. are completed and you receive ALL green checks. 

Each school shall coordinate with the venue of any planned group visits in advance. This advance notice will allow the venue to adequately prepare for the visit and ensure a smooth admission process.   Schools will be responsible to pay the discounted entry fee via the District's purchasing procedures. 

Should you have any questions, please review the  Discovery Memphis FAQ's.docx and/or contact Janice McDaniel .

Added Field Trip Options: 

• Queen D's Urban Farm (in-school field trip)
• Special Event: Bill Picket Rodeo for Kidz Sake (4/11 10a.m.-12:30p.m.) Note: This is the Friday before the opening of the TCAP. 
• And MORE! If you have any questions, please let us know. 

The Museum of Science and History (MoSH) also known as The Pink Palace is looking for high school students to perform in their Living Black History Museum. On Feb 22, 2025 student participants will come to the museum and portray a famous Black professional in a variety of fields. This is a great opportunity for volunteer hours. Please see the linked document for more details.

Sign-up Here by 2/17:

https://forms.office.com/g/bMRiWrD7Yb  

The Memphis Grizzlies' Read to Achieve Reading Challenge is a six-week program encouraging 3rd-5th Grade students to read outside of the classroom curriculum. The program tips off in February as a part of Black History Month. All elementary schools in the Mid-South region are invited to register for the program.

The challenge will run from February 10, 2025 until March 24, 2025 and is open to elementary students grades 3-5 only. Students will receive a tracker. Students will read a minimum of six books in six weeks to complete the challenge!

• Program Information: Read to Achieve | Memphis Grizzlies
• Link to Sign-Up: 2025 Read to Achieve Program - Formstack