Fine Arts, Physical Education (Elementary), Pre-K, and World Language (French and Spanish) educators will submit Student Growth Portfolios for SY2025-26. The updated deadline for all submissions is 5 p.m., May 8. For important updates regarding the Portfolio process, please click HERE.  

TEAM Student Growth scores have been released. Portfolio educators may check TN Portfolio for scores. 

Please contact the District Portfolio Lead, Ayodele Hall via email for any questions or to report any issues.

According to Tennessee State Board of Education Policy5.201, all educators must be evaluated annually by a certified evaluator.  

For SY2025-26, there are three options offered in attaining TEM Certification:  

- Returning Observers   

• Self-Paced (Canvas) - Manual Registration ONLY

- New Observers 

• Canvas Self-Paced
• 2-Day Live Virtual Session

Course numbers and date information can be found HERE.  

 *Note: ALL Returning Observer participants must complete their TEM coursework and calibration by  September 30th.  

- RETURNING NIE Evaluators that were previously NIE Certified during SY24-25, NIE Recertification is NOT REQUIRED for SY2025-2026. Team members can select you as their NIE evaluator in PLZ.

- NEW NIE Evaluators  

For SY2025-26, there are 2 options offered in attaining NIE Evaluator Certification.  

• Self-Paced (Canvas)
• Live/Virtual Session

Course numbers and date information can be found HERE.  

Questions/Concerns? Send an email to eps@scsk12.org.  

STUDENT CONGRESS: 

Please be sure to review Student Congress (​Policy 6061).​ 

August 2025: Principal and staff student recommendations​ Each HS must have a minimum of 2 representatives (9th – 12th)​ Each MS must have a minimum of one 8th grade representative​ Deadline: Friday, August 29, 2025​ ​ 

Sign up Link: https://forms.office.com/r/b40w4smEsy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish the district-wide Student Congress as a mechanism for increasing students’ voices in the District; enhance the educational experience of students; and allow the Board to gain greater insight into educational needs from the student’s point of view.

SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 - Student Congress Retreat 8a.m.-1p.m.

STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Please be sure to review Student Clubs and Organizations (Policy 6064).​

Each school shall distribute a list of available clubs and organizations inthe student handbook or equivalent. 

The list shall include: ​ 

• The names of the clubs and organizations, including any abbreviations or acronyms; ​
• The mission and purpose of the clubs and organizations; ​
• All financial requirements associated with membership in the club or organization; and ​
• The procedures for providing informed written consent by parents and/or legal guardians for minor students to join or participate in those organizations.​

Student Clubs and Organizations allow for students to be connected to their school through a club or extracurricular activity. Each school is requested to host their own Student Clubs and Organization sign-up opportunities within the first month of school to allow students to select clubs, organizations, etc. These days may be structured through lunches, activity periods, homerooms, English classes, etc. to ensure access for all students. 

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

​Please be sure to review Student Government (Policy 6065).

This policy applies to middle and high schools. ​

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.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Billy J. Walker, II <Walkerbj@scsk12.org>.

At the start of another successful school year at MSCS, I would like to share a few important reminders from the Special Populations team. Our mission is to support the district in removing barriers for students who are experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or from migratory backgrounds. In accordance with federal guidelines, these students must be enrolled immediately and provided with the necessary support to access a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Homeless Students 

To ensure timely support, all McKinney-Vento referral forms have been uploaded to SharePoint. In order for services to be initiated, a completed referral must be submitted to our office. Once received, a team member will contact the parent or caretaker within 48–72 hours. Please use the SharePoint link below to access the referral forms.

MSCS Displaced Referral Forms.pdf

Backpacks and school supplies were purchased last school year for each student identified as homeless and delivered to schools. Please ensure these materials are distributed accordingly.

Additionally, to comply with McKinney-Vento awareness requirements, each school must have one English and one Spanish McKinney-Vento poster displayed at all times. If you need additional posters, please email Vequitia Barnes at barnesvl@scsk12.org.

Also, the dispute resolution form is available on SharePoint, https://scsk12.sharepoint.com/sites/SpecialPopulations-Displaced.

Foster Care Students

Students in foster care must be enrolled immediately, even if they do not have the required documents at the time of enrollment. The DCS case manager or designee should provide a School Enrollment Form and an Education Passport. If these forms are not available, please have the case manager complete a records release form so the necessary documents can be obtained from the previous school of attendance.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Karen Ball-Johnson <BALLKF@scsk12.org>.

We are preparing for our annual Fall Break Learning Academy. The FBLA will offer enrichment for 3,000 students in grades K-8. Elementary and Middle school students will receive additional instruction in ELA, Math, Art, Physical Activity and STEM.

If you are interested in your school serving as a site for the Fall and Spring Academy, complete the survey below. To ensure that all students have access to the academy, please note that final sites will be selected based on location.     

Fall Break & Spring Academy Fast Facts    

•     Fall Academy Dates: Monday, October 13-Thursday, October 16    

•     Spring Break Dates: Monday, March 16-Wednesday, March 18

•     Limited Spaces Available (3,000)    

•     Free for MSCS Students    

•     Reading, Math, STEM, Art & P.E. for K-8 students

•     Before and After Care Available

•     Camps in Every Community       

Survey: Fall and Spring Break Academy Host Site Interest Survey

If you have questions regarding the Fall and Spring Academy, contact Stephanie McClain at mcclainsl@scsk12.org.

Before and After School tutoring is projected to begin on Monday, September 8, 2025, for all Memphis Shelby County Schools. The tutoring program is designed to support students' academic needs and accelerate learning.

To begin preparation for the program, please select a Tutoring Coordinator. This is a stipend position that will ensure all components of the tutoring program are implemented with fidelity. Complete the Tutoring Survey here by Friday, August 15, 2025, to identify the Tutoring Coordinator and tutoring days and times. 

 Before and After School Tutoring Fast Facts:     

• Dates: September 8, 2025-April 10, 2026
• Students in grades K-12
• 1:8 tutor-to-student ratio
• Schools can choose either: A) 3 days per week for 1 hour per day or B) 2 days per week for 1.5 hours per day
• Elementary and Middle school students will receive additional instruction in ELA and/or Math
• High school students will receive additional instruction in ACT/EOC Prep
• Staff eligible for Tutoring Coordinator Position: PLC Coach, Instructional Facilitator, Dean of Students, Guidance Counselor, Interventionist, Assistant Principal, Level 4/5 Teacher
• Although tutoring is available to all students based on available tutoring spaces at each site, schools should prioritize available spaces for previously retained, overage for grade, and Below and Approaching students.

 Please complete the survey below:

Tutoring Survey Due Friday, August 15:  2025-2026 Tutoring Coordinator Selection

If you have any questions, please contact Kimberly Hamilton at hamiltonky@scsk12.org or (901) 416-2768.   

We currently have openings for middle and high schools to participate in the Metro Memphis Urban Debate League program. If your school has a certified teacher who is interested in coaching policy debate, please have them complete the following link.  The deadline is Wednesday, August 20.

Link: https://forms.office.com/r/nsRbfttb1B

If you have questions, please contact Denise Swan swand@scsk12.org 

Our rollover process for the start of the 25-26 school year has been completed for most dashboards.

Be aware that with the start of school, some reports (like those in Student Attendance and Student Assessments) may show “No Data” for some fields. This will resolve once that data is available in PowerSchool and other various data systems.
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Need a refresher on which dashboard has the data you’re looking for? Check out the Quick Reference Guide!

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Some non-administrative school staff members may have lost access to Power BI during the summer as part of the yearly maintenance process. This will be anyone who does not get access automatically based on their position title (including teachers).

Principals and APs have access to the MSCS Compass Access App and grant access to the available reports. For more information, click here.
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Dashboard Updates:
Reports with data aggregated at the District, School and Board Member level, now also include Region and ILC. This can be found in various District Quick Reports, like in Student Attendance.

The Greatness Starts with Showing Up (formally known as COME to Win) report has been updated in Student Attendance with the new attendance categories (Gold, Silver and Bronze). Historical data from last year is available. New data will populate after each 20-day period ends. See the user guide for more information.

The Daily Attendance Report has been updated to provide a narrative summary of the attendance for a single day. The summary is only visible for Central Office staff and looks at all schools in the District. See the user guide for more information.
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Upcoming Training Sessions:

Check out our Training Calendar for all upcoming District Trainings.
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Sign up for Virtual Office Hours!

Virtual Office Hours will resume this week - August 12th and 14th. The sessions will be an overview of Navigating the MSCS Compass.

For more information on Virtual Office Hours, check out this flyer! Sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30 PM on Microsoft Teams. 

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New to Power BI? Sign Up for a Power BI New User Training session. Look for Course Code 34810 in PLZ to sign up. Upcoming Dates: 8/12 and 8/19

Refresher Sessions are available for anyone who attended the New User Training previously and wants more advanced skills. Look for Course Code 34812 in PLZ to sign up. Upcoming Dates: 8/14 and 8/21

Need support with pulling data for School Improvement Plans from the MSCS Compass? Sign up for our course. Look for Course Code 48140 in PLZ to sign up. Upcoming Dates: 8/13 and 8/20
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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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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.   

District Fine Arts and World Language Instructional Advisors will begin making school visits to meet principals and classroom visits to provide support and some materials to new teachers. New teachers in each content have been assigned a mentor. Principals will receive email communication from the Fine Arts and World Language Instructional Advisors sharing the name of the mentor, the teacher that receives a mentor, and the days that the mentor will plan visits. 

If there is a new teacher (1-3 years) for the following contents: Orff Music, Visual Art, Theatre, Secondary Music and Dance, please email Sonya Porter at portersb@scsk12.org so that the teacher can receive support. 

Please be aware that Fine Arts and World Language teachers will receive a weekly newsletter from Instructional Advisors. These newsletters will include content information and upcoming professional development. 

Fine Arts and World Language teachers have monthly PLC meetings in which the teachers engage in professional content specific to their content/courses taught. All Fine Arts and World Language teachers in every building attend. Teachers will receive PD credit, and the meetings are listed in PLZ.

We look forward to supporting you this school year!

Please be aware that Social Studies teachers will receive a monthly newsletter from Social Studies Instructional Advisors. These newsletters will include content information and upcoming professional development. 

Social Studies teachers will have monthly PLC meetings (after-school) in which the teachers engage in professional content specific to their content/courses taught. All Social Studies teachers should attend. Teachers will receive PD credit, and the meetings are listed in PLZ.

We look forward to supporting you this school year!

The MTSS Lead Weekly Updates are sent to school leads on Mondays each week.  Beginning this week, I will place the MTSS Lead Weekly Updates in Leaderboard before they are sent to leads rather than after.

Week of 8/4  https://secure.smore.com/n/9kfcv 

Week of 8/11 https://secure.smore.com/n/9bqkve 

We are still in the process of developing the SY26 School Improvement Plans. As you work toward completing your school’s plan by the expected due dates, please be aware of the upcoming work sessions hosted by Federal Programs. These sessions provide an opportunity to work directly with Title I advisors as you enter data and finalize your plan.

Note:  School Improvement Plans for CSI/ATSI/TSI schools will be returned the week of August 11th.

In-Person Work Sessions
Location: The New Teacher Academy
3022 Jackson Avenue, Memphis, TN 38108

• August 12, 2025 – 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
• August 14, 2025 – 12:00 PM–3:00 PM
• August 19, 2025 – 12:00 PM–3:00 PM
• August 21, 2025 – 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
• August 26, 2025 – 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
• August 28, 2025 – 12:00 PM–3:00 PM

Virtual Work Sessions
Facilitated by your school’s assigned Title I advisor via TEAMS (meeting links will be shared via email):

• August 14, 2025 – 9:00 AM–11:00 AM
• August 20, 2025 – 1:00 PM–4:00 PM
• August 26, 2025 – 1:00 PM–4:00 PM

For questions, please contact your school’s Title I advisor or Chrystal Burton at burtoncp@scsk12.org.

Greatness Grows Here.

Office of Enrollment and Attendance 

Attendance Procedures and Reminders

• With the school year now underway, let's prioritize consistent student attendance. We encourage all staff to reinforce the importance of daily presence and continue working collaboratively toward a successful academic year!
• Attendance Liaisons work will be closely aligned with truancy prevention efforts, RTI-B frameworks, and counseling services to ensure a comprehensive, student-centered approach. 

Student Absence Form Available via PowerSchool Parent Portal

• 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.
• Accurate attendance entry in PowerSchool is essential for reducing the district’s chronic absenteeism rate.  In accordance with Policy #6014, teachers must begin recording attendance on the first day of school (August 4, 2025) using PowerTeacher Pro.

• Effective Immediately: The following attendance codes are the only codes teachers should use:
  • U0 – Unexcused Absence
  • FT – Field Trip
• T – Tardy (Middle and High School only)

• Teachers should no longer use the AT – Absent by Teacher code.  

Codes no longer used:

AT – Absent by Teacher

E0 – Excused Absence

E7 – Excused Absence due to Quarantine of Self Isolation

U6 – Unexcused Absence due to Quarantine of Self Isolation

U99 – Other

REM – Remand to Alt Setting

CT – Contract

T – Tardy (no longer used in Elementary Schools)

Codes renamed:

Old                                                                       New

EPA – Excused Partial Absence                       LEE – Left Early Excused

UPA – Unexcused Partial Absence                   LEU – Left Early Unexcused

• Please ensure your Attendance Liaison and/or Clerical Assistant (General Office Secretary) is familiar with these changes. This information was reviewed during summer training and the July in-service sessions.

New District Attendance Initiative: Greatness Starts by Showing Up!

• This year, the district is launching a new attendance initiative designed to support a regional service delivery model and strengthen tiered interventions:

Tiered Intervention Model:

• Tier 1: Greatness Starts by Showing Up
• Tier 2: Present for Progress – NEW partnership with the Assisi Foundation and Attendance Works
• Tier 3: Be Present. Be Great.

• We are also improving alignment between Attendance & Truancy Liaisons and RTI-B Specialists to maximize effectiveness in reducing chronic absenteeism and truancy.

Truancy Outreach: Greatness at Your Door 2.0

• As we address truancy, our focus will be on students who have not re-enrolled and are marked as no-shows.  These students must be identified early for outreach.

Action Required:

• Export your no-show list from PowerSchool
• Personally contact each family to determine the reason for non-enrollment and offer necessary support
• Prepare for home outreach visits later this month through the Greatness at Your Door 2.0 campaign

Grade Placement: Overage or Unenrolled Students (OAG)

• Students returning to MSCS after an extended absence or who are new to the district but have never been enrolled must undergo grade placement assessment.

Process:

1. Complete the OAG Placement Form: https://forms.office.com/r/UsRH8usW5C
2. If the student is already in PowerSchool:
   • Transfer to Registration School
   • Enroll in age-appropriate grade
   • Add entry comment: “Pending OAG Assessment”
   • Provide parent with PowerSchool credentials
   • Inform parent a placement team member will contact them via email
3. If the student is new to MSCS and has proof of residence:
   • Enroll in Registration School
   • Follow the same steps above

Enrollment Procedures and Reminders

• First impressions matter. Please ensure staff are welcoming, knowledgeable, and equipped to assist with enrollment needs. Most issues can be resolved at the school level. Families should not be turned away.
• District-level support is available. The Enrollment & Attendance Office will assist with complex cases involving school assignments, truancy clearance, special education inquiries, and other matters.
•  Final Enrollment Push: To support remaining unregistered families, the Enrollment & Attendance Office will be stationed at the Board of Education Auditorium from August 4–8, 8:30am. – 4:30pm. Accurate enrollment directly impacts your staffing and budget allocations.

• Kindergarten Age Requirement:
• Children must be five years old on or before August 15th of the current school year to be eligible for kindergarten enrollment.
• Five-year-old kindergarteners who have not been previously enrolled cannot be enrolled after the first 30 days of the school year.
• Previously enrolled kindergarteners may be accepted at any time.

School Choice Transfer

• Please be advised that the application period for school choice transfer options has now closed.
• If you have questions or need further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out the Enrollment & Attendance Office at 416-2989.

Do your forward-facing staff members need to replenish their “toolbox” with easy and practical ideas to provide excellent customer service? Do they want to improve customer confidence in your school as a service provider? We’ve got you! The Constituent Services Department will host monthly sessions of engaging and interactive content for the 2025-26 school year. This month we will explore practical ways to create a more inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment for students, families, staff, and the community. “Creating a Welcoming Environment” will be offered on August 19th, August 20th, and August 21st (participants should attend ONE session). Attendees will earn 1.5 professional development credit hours. For more information, click here.

Course: #48570

Dates & Times:  

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 – virtual via TEAMS at 12:00pm

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 – in-person at 10:00 am

Thursday, August 21, 2025 – virtual via TEAMS at 12:00pm

Location (in-person session):  Teacher and Learning Academy | 2485 Union Avenue | Memphis, Tennessee 38112  

* Virtual TEAMS links will be provided to attendees after registration is completed in PLZ.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Dr. Kemmashela Conner <smithkt@scsk12.org> or Michael Cross <crossmt@scsk12.org>.