Greetings! Leadership Development Week (LDW) is August 25 - 28, 2025, with the following groups attending on the dates below (agendas linked):

• Monday, August 25, 2025-PLC Coaches and Instructional Facilitators
• Tuesday, August 26, 2025-Principals and Vice-Principals
• Wednesday, August 27, 2025-Assistant Principals and Dean of Students
• Thursday, August 28, 2025-Professional Counselors

August LDW Theme: Greatness Grows from the Ground Up
Focus Quote: "If you want a tree to grow, you have to care for the root, not just the fruit."
🌱 “Rooted & Ready” We suggest participants to wear earth tones (greens, browns, tans).
Core Idea: We’re planting deep systems, not just surface routines.

Professional development on the district’s new formative assessment system, Performance Matters, will occur September 2-5 at the TLA. Each school’s Building Testing Coordinator should sign up for and attend one of these professional development sessions.  Schools also are encouraged to send a second person for training. A maximum of two individuals may attend from each school. 

There are elementary school sessions and middle/high school sessions. When signing up for a session in PLZ, the two representatives from each school should select a session that matches with the grade level of their school. There is one K-8 session on Friday. If a K-8 person is unable to attend the K-8 session, we recommend they attend one of the elementary sessions. All sessions are full-day sessions starting at 8 A.M. and ending at 3:30 P.M. 

To sign up for a session in PLZ, search for course number 48686. The name of the course is MSCS 2025 Fall Performance Matters Professional Development.

Our rollover process for the start of the 2025-2026 school year has been completed for all 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 source 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:
The Literacy Commitment: Promotional Pathways report has been updated and now includes an additional report with Prior Year Promotion data for currently enrolled students. For more on the Promotional Pathways report, click here.

The Greatness Starts with Showing Up (formally known as C.O.M.E. 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. Data for the 1st 20-day period will be available on September 1. See the user guide for more information.

Featured Reports:
TCAP data is now available in the Student Assessment: TCAP Report, Student Assessment: District Quick Report – Summative, Student Snapshot, School Snapshot, and Feeder Pattern dashboards. For the user guides, see: TCAP Report, DQR – Summative, Student Snapshot, School Snapshot, and Feeder Pattern.

i-Ready data can be found in the Student Assessment: i-Ready Report and in the RTI-A Universal Screener Reports. For more info on the Student Assessment report, click here. For more on the RTI-A reports, click here.

Use the Student Attendance dashboard to track daily and meeting attendance, students at-risk for chronic absenteeism, truancy, and PSSP compliance. See the full list of attendance user guides here.

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Upcoming Training Sessions:

Check out our Training Calendar for all upcoming District Trainings.

On Wednesday, August 27, we have Department trainings with:

• Regional Superintendents and Instructional Leadership Coaches
• RTI2-B Support Specialists

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Sign up for Virtual Office Hours!

No Virtual Office Hours this week due to Leadership Development Week.

Virtual Office Hours will resume next week (September 2 and 4). The sessions will be an overview of the Student Attendance: Greatness Grows with Showing Up Report.

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. 

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.
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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. 

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!

Restructuring Plan: Attendance Liaisons

Implementation Strategy:

• Attendance Liaisons will transition to a district-wide service model, managed by the Office of Enrollment & Attendance. Liaisons will be assigned to specific regions to provide support to schools within those areas.
• The work of Attendance Liaisons will be closely aligned with truancy prevention efforts, RTI-B frameworks, and counseling services. This approach is designed to maximize effectiveness in reducing chronic absenteeism and truancy.

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: Show Up for Greatness!

• 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: Show Up for Greatness
• Tier 2: Everyday Counts– 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.

• Kindergarten Age Requirement:
• Children must be five years old on or before August 15 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.

• The Q1 Progress Report period ends Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Q1 Progress Reports will not be mailed. Parents will continue to be able to view the grades in the Parent Portal. The Q1 Progress Report Checklist is available on SharePoint. This document outlines the teacher and school office staff’s responsibilities for verifying and finalizing Q1 Progress Reports.
• Listed below are the Report Card and Progress Report Periods for the 2025-2026 school year.

Per TDOE Rule 0520-01-19 and Program Policy 3.207, all newly enrolled students with a Home Language Survey (HLS) indicating a non-English language background must be screened for ESL services within the first 30 days of school. This year, the initial screening deadline is September 4. After the start of the school year, newly enrolled NELB students must be screened with 14 days of enrollment. Please contact your ESL advisor if you need support with this process.

Parent Notification Letters (PNL) must be sent home and returned by September 9.

We are proud to celebrate students who exited ESL services in the 2024–2025 school year.

Please join us for the Exit Ceremony on Thursday, September 18, from 6:00–7:00 PM at Greater Imani Church, 3824 Austin Peay Hwy, Memphis, TN 38128.

Invitations should arrive at the school within the next two weeks. Please ensure that the parents of the recipients receive their invitation. 

Let’s honor our students' hard work and achievements together!

PDs are offered at the Office of Multilingual Learners (OML) unless otherwise indicated - 3030 Jackson Ave, Memphis, TN 38122

August 25 - ESL Teacher Schedules due to ESL Advisors

September 2 - ESL 101 Work Session for New/Novice ESL Teachers, 4-5:30 PM

September 4 - Screening deadline for newly-enrolled NELB students who enrolled on the first day of school.

September 4 - ELPA21 Standards Training for ESL and Content Area Teachers, Virtual on Teams, 3:30-4:30 PM

September 9 - Deadline for sending home Initial, Continuing, and Transitional Year 1 Parent Notification Letters

September 10 - September ESL Monthly Meeting for all ESL Teachers, Virtual on Teams, 8:15 AM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM

Please find the week of August 25 MTSS Lead Updates.  https://secure.smore.com/n/7tkbp 

Identified MTSS Leads will receive the updates via email on Monday, August 25.

iReady Professional Learning Team is offering a Back to School Raffle for Teachers in grades 6-8 who complete the Online Educator Course titled Supporting Students in iReady Pro 6+.  

There are multiple courses available on-demand, asynchronously for teachers K-12. Credit is awarded in PLZ monthly for courses 1 hour or more.  Email RTI2@scsk12.org if there are questions.

We have officially begun delivering materials for the new Science adoption. Deliveries are starting with student editions, followed by teacher editions, material kits, and other instructional resources. We ask all schools to remain patient as we work to ensure every site receives its full allocation. 

Please note: Each school should already have an appointed textbook coordinator. As deliveries continue, all non-consumable materials will be inventoried in the new textbook automation system. 

All K-12 core content classes should already have access to their digital science materials while schools await the arrival of physical copies. Further updates will be shared as the rollout progresses. 

For questions please contact Dr. Rahmod Traylor, traylorr@scsk12.org  Tiara Oliver OLIVERT4@scsk12.org Dr. Amy Maples MAPLESA@scsk12.org  directly. 

Per Policy #6065, the Office of Student Leadership will offer training for middle and high schools to beginning SGA & Student Council advisors. 

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

Date:            Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Time:            3:15 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:      Central High School (Library), 306 South Bellevue

PLZ Course: 48754

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

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

This policy applies to middle schools 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.

Please provide the contact information for your school's Student Council or Student Government Association by Monday, September 1, 2025. Sign-Up Link: https://forms.office.com/r/kx9gwvLFxV

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

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

Principal and staff student recommendations​: Each high school must have a minimum of 2 representatives (9th – 12th)​. Each middle school 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 8 a.m.-1 p.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 in the 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. 

We are pleased to invite your school to participate in the upcoming Youth Leadership & Mental Wellness Workshop, on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 1 PM at the Renasant Convention Center.

This youth-focused event is designed to empower middle and high school students through a dynamic blend of keynote inspiration, interactive sessions, and peer collaboration.

Conference Theme: "Ready. Set. Grow. Student Leadership"
This year's theme reflects our mission to equip students with the mindset, tools, and confidence to lead with empathy, resilience, and purpose.

The conference will focus on the 5 A’s (Academics, Attendance, Attitude, Athletics, Arts) and include:

• Mental wellness and emotional growth
• Equity and student voice
• Conflict resolution
• Leadership development
• Student-led change and action

What We Need from You:

• Select 5 students from your school (middle and high school levels) who demonstrate leadership potential or would benefit from this experience.
• Assign one non-teacher staff member to attend as a chaperone for your student group.
• Complete the registration form by Friday, September 5, 2025, using the link below:

Registration Form: https://forms.office.com/r/R1jy91cyxs

Transportation:

Bus transportation will be provided for all student groups. Final logistics, including pickup times and locations, will be shared closer to the event date.

We look forward to your school’s participation in this powerful day of learning, growth, and connection. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Thank you for supporting the development of the next generation of youth leaders.

We are excited to invite one teacher from your school to participate in an upcoming virtual training hosted by the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation as part of their nationally recognized Start With Hello initiative.

About Start With Hello:

Start With Hello teaches K-12 students how to recognize the signs of social isolation and empowers them to create a more inclusive and connected school environment. It is part of the SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) Promise Club framework, which promotes youth-led violence prevention, leadership, and a stronger sense of belonging within schools.

Training Details:

Program: Start With Hello – SAVE Leadership Training

Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025

Time: 8:30 AM – 11 AM

Format: Online via Zoom

Zoom Link: Will be provided directly by the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation prior to the session

Stipend: Participating teachers will receive a $100 stipend.

Additional Details:

Teachers who attend the training also will serve as the SAVE Promise Club Advisor for their school, supporting students in implementing Start With Hello initiatives.

Each participating school will receive a bundle of materials and resources delivered directly to the campus to help launch and sustain their SAVE Club efforts.

Action Required:

Please select one teacher from your school who is passionate about student leadership, school culture, or social-emotional learning. Have them register by the August 25 deadline, using the link below:

Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/eeJJUC5ax0

Thank you for supporting this powerful opportunity to create safer, more inclusive, and student-empowered school communities. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Principals,

Thank you for submitting the name of your 2025–2026 Tutoring Coordinator. As a reminder, all schools are expected to implement a before- or after-school tutoring program for the current school year.

We now ask that you and your team begin prioritizing students for tutoring enrollment. Tutoring will begin on Monday, September 8, 2025, for all Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

Student Recruitment and Enrollment

• Tutoring spaces are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Priority must be given to students who were previously retained, are overage for grade, or scored Below or Approaching based on last year’s data.
• Only after exhausting this list may schools extend invitations to Met or Exceeded students.
• Please have your Tutoring Coordinator and team begin contacting families of prioritized students immediately.

Parent Registration: Parents should register students via the PowerSchool Portal under Forms → General Forms. The tutoring toolkit can be found here. The toolkit includes family communication materials (phone script, parent email, FAQ, and flyer). 

Staffing and Tutor Allocations

• Your site’s tutor allocation (maximum certified and non-certified positions) can be found using the link here: 25-26 tutoring allocations
  • Example: If your allocation is 12 (8 certified + 4 non-certified), you may hire any combination of certified and non-certified tutors, but the total may not exceed 12.
• Final enrollment is dependent on your school’s staffing.
• Each school must identify at least one resource teacher to provide tutoring. If unavailable, identified students will be served by a general education teacher.
• Tutoring positions will be posted on the MSCS Careers website by the end of this week. Please encourage teachers and educational assistants to apply.

Program Fast Facts

• Dates: September 8, 2025 – April 10, 2026
• Grades: K–12
• Ratio: 1:8 tutor-to-student (8 students must attend regularly per group)
• Scheduling Options:
  • A) 3 days per week, 1 hour per day
  • B) 2 days per week, 1.5 hours per day
• Instructional Focus:
  • Elementary/Middle: ELA and/or Math
  • High School: EOC/ACT content (grades 9–12)

• Tutor Coordinator Compensation: $2,500.00 Stipend per Semester

• Tutor Pay:
  • Certified/Permit Teacher: $30/hour
  • Non-Certified Tutor: $20/hour

Coordinator Training

• Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2025
• Time: 4:30 p.m.
• Location: Colonial Middle School

The Office of Extended Learning will begin communicating directly with Tutoring Coordinators this week.

If you have any questions, please contact Kimberly Hamilton at hamiltonky@scsk12.org.

Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to student success.

Amazing Principals, 

As part of our intentional focus around SEL, each school will need to identify one staff member (in addition to your school counselor) to serve as your SEL Ambassador. This person will help champion the work, support implementation, and serve as a point of connection between your school and the district SEL team.

Please take a moment to talk with your team and identify someone who is:

• Passionate about student well-being

Respected by their colleagues

• Comfortable leading and modeling social-emotional practices
• Willing to attend a few short trainings throughout the year

Once you’ve selected your ambassador, please share their name using the attached link https://forms.office.com/r/WPGUa6wStY 

Please complete by Tuesday, September 3, 2025.

We’re truly looking forward to the impact this work will have on our schools, our students, and our teams. Thank you for your continued leadership and support.

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Keeping You Informed with RTI²-B Specialists... Virtual Friday Meetings

All RTI²-B Specialists are expected to meet virtually each Friday for a brief overview of expectations, a check-in, and discussion of best practices as we continue moving this important work forward.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Dr. Lori Phillips at phillipslm@scsk12.org.