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

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.

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.

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>.

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 began 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 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.

Again this year, the Student Experience team has partnered with the I Am a Voter Collaborative on Voter Education, Registration, Mobilization & Reform to bring opportunities for voter engagement to our students. National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, September 16, and will serve as our kick-off to this year’s effort. Shout out to Fairley HS, GW Carver Academy, Fairley HS, Hamilton HS, Hollis F. Price Middle College HS, Invictus Academy, Melrose HS, and White Station HS for leading the way with drives over the next couple weeks! 

As a reminder, we are required to host at least one school-based Voter Registration Drive each year. For these efforts, we coordinate with the Shelby County Election Commission to ensure support and compliance. With the next local election scheduled for May 5, 2026, we’ll be registering all students who will turn 18 before the end of the school year to ensure they are ready to participate in our democracy.

This is also a time to celebrate! We are proud to recognize several high schools that earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Award from Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett for achieving outstanding student voter registration benchmarks:

Gold Level (100% of eligible students registered):

-Raleigh-Egypt School

-Compass Midtown High School

Silver Level (85%+ of eligible students registered):

-Booker T. Washington High School

-Central High School

-Medical District High School

-Whitehaven High School

Congratulations to these schools for your leadership in civic engagement!

We encourage all high schools to participate in this year’s voter registration efforts and aim high; your students could be next to earn this honor.

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How to Register to Vote

Online Voter Registration:
Students with a Tennessee driver’s license or state ID can register online at www.shelbyvote.com/register-vote or by scanning the QR code below.

By Mail:
Download and print the voter registration application here: Tennessee Voter Registration Form (PDF)

GoVoteTN App:
Students can download the GoVoteTN app at govotetn.com for easy access to voter information and online registration.

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Let’s work together to ensure that every eligible student is registered and ready to vote. Thank you for your continued commitment to civic engagement and leadership in your schools.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. We're glad to help!

SUPPORT FOR HOMELESS STUDENTS: ASSISTANCE WITH PROGRAM FEES

If you have students experiencing homelessness who are being asked to pay fees to participate in school programs, please know that our office can assist with covering those costs. This also applies to cap and gown fees for high school graduation.

To request payment, please follow-up with the school’s Financial Secretary to coordinate submission of a completed Payment Request Form along with a detailed description of the fees.

For additional information or assistance, please contact Karen Ball-Johnson at ballkf@scsk12.org or call 901-416-7393.

Please ensure your teachers record the attendance of parents/guardians at the parent-teacher conferences that were just held. An ECollect form titled “Fall 2025–2026 Parent Conference Attendance Form” has been created in PowerSchool for entering this information. Step-by-step instructions for entering the attendance can be found here. Teachers will only need to submit the simple form for students who had a parent or guardian attend. Please have them enter the information by the end of the day, Monday, September 15.

Please DO NOT change any student's name in PowerSchool. Changes made to a student’s name, in PowerSchool, are the responsibility of the Department of Student Information Services. School personnel should send the official documentation (listed below) of the name change via Ivanti (https://mscs-support.scsk12.org) for correction.

Official documentation includes:

• Certified copy of Birth Certificate
• Court Order
• Adoption Papers
• Other Official Court documents

NOTE: The SSN card is NOT an official document used to verify a name change.

The Department of Assessment and Accountability will be hosting follow-up professional development sessions on Performance Matters formative assessment for Building Testing Coordinators on September 23-24. Both sessions will be virtual, and both sessions will cover the same content, so BTCs only need to attend one session. 

Please note that the course will not become available in PLZ until Monday, September 15. The course name is MSCS Fall 2025 Performance Matters Follow-Up for Building Testing Coordinators. On Monday you will be able to find the course in PLZ by searching for course number 49076. There are two options:

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 – 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Greatness Grows Here

Office of Enrollment and Attendance 

Attendance Procedures and Reminders

Here Today, Ready for Tomorrow: A Plan for Boosting Attendance

As we continue to celebrate September Attendance Awareness Month, we know increasing regular student attendance is a team effort. We all play a part in creating a welcoming environment. While we consistently face attendance challenges, we've noticed a significant drop in attendance on Mondays and Fridays. A strong start and finish to the week are crucial for keeping students engaged and on track. We encourage you to get creative and implement positive incentives to motivate your students.

Engage and Energize Students

• Start and End Strong: Make Mondays and Fridays especially engaging. Kick off Monday with a fun, collaborative activity or a short class meeting to set a positive tone. On Fridays, wrap up the week with a review game, a fun project, or a "show and tell" of student work.
• Students are more likely to attend when they feel a strong connection to the adults and their peers. Greet students at the door, check in with those who have been absent, and foster a classroom environment where every student feels seen and valued.
• Highlight the "Why": Remind students of how important attendance is for their academic success and social development. When they understand how each day builds on the last, they may feel more motivated to attend.

Offer Incentives

Sometimes, a little extra motivation goes a long way. Consider these ideas to reward students for consistent attendance:

• Offer incentives that directly benefit students' grades, such as extra credit or bonus points on their lowest test or assignment grade.
• A single homework pass is a low-cost, high-reward incentive that students love.
• Reward classes or individual students with a jeans day or the opportunity to listen to music while they work.
• Offer free snacks, a pizza party, or a small prize from a prize box for classes with the best attendance.

Communicate and Collaborate 

• A quick call or email home on Monday to a student who was absent on Friday shows you care and helps parents stay on top of attendance issues.
• Coordinate with other teachers in your grade level or department to offer cross-curricular incentives. For example, a student with perfect attendance in all classes for a week could earn a special reward.
• We can all learn from each other. If you find a strategy that works well for you, please share it with the rest of the staff!

Let's work together to create a culture where being at school every day is the norm. 

Show Up for Greatness: Attendance Monitoring and Recognition

• Our first 20-day school attendance period ended on August 29. Please ensure that all necessary student supports have been documented within the Show Up for Greatness Application App. All administrative staff should have access to the platform link, as this remains a mandatory requirement.
• For any questions, please email us at studentservices@scsk12.org.
• By consistently entering attendance data for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers every 20 days, we can proactively monitor attendance trends and identify where additional support may be needed.
• Gold : 96% or higher
• Silver : 91% to 95%
• Bronze : 90% or less
• Attendance progress will also be reflected in student reports and report cards, ensuring transparent communication with parents and guardians.

Attendance Reconciliation Model for Improving Student Attendance

This initiative establishes a consistent framework for monitoring and supporting student attendance, aligning with MSCS district policies to improve overall attendance rates.

Key Responsibilities

Teachers

• Daily Attendance Recording: Teachers are required to accurately record student attendance in PowerSchool SIS within the first 10 minutes of each class or school day.

Attendance Clerks/Clerical Assistants/GOS

• Daily Verification: Verify teacher attendance submissions and print, review, and file the daily Absentee Report.
• Check-Ins/Outs Management: Monitor and record all student check-ins and check-outs in PowerSchool SIS.
• Parent Note Processing: Collect, enter into PowerSchool SIS, and file all handwritten parent notes.
• Record attendance for absent teachers and placeholders.

Attendance Liaisons

• Process all electronic parent notes submitted via the Student Absence Form.
• Confirm that all attendance codes (e.g., AC, PC) are updated and used correctly.
• Assist schools with the organization and filing of hard-copy documents, including parent notes, absentee reports, and check-in/out sheets.
• Within PowerSchool SIS, verify the correct use of withdrawal codes and comments, monitor "Teachers Missing Attendance" reports, and ensure the proper use of attendance codes.
• Monitor chronic absenteeism and truancy, collaborating with Family Engagement Specialists, Counselors, Administrators, Student Experiences and others to identify and address family-related barriers to attendance.
• Assist with the implementation of the Parent Student Support Plan (PSSP).
• Engage parents in the "Show Up for Greatness" attendance initiative.
• Participate in CompStat report-outs to provide regular updates on attendance data and efforts.

Student Absence Form Available via PowerSchool Parent Portal

• 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.

Keep your Contact Information Updated

• To ensure the safety of all students, staff will verify parent or guardian contact information at every check-in and check-out for all students. This is a critical step in keeping our emergency contacts accurate and up to date.

District Attendance Initiative: Show Up for Greatness!

• Our new attendance initiative is 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 intensify our focus on reducing truancy, schools must prioritize identifying students who are chronically absent, defined as five or more unexcused absences.  Early outreach and intervention are essential to re-engage students before absenteeism escalates.  A Parent Student Support Plan (PSSP) is required for every student who accumulates five absences whether excused or unexcused.  The PSSP serves as a proactive tool to address barriers, strengthen family engagement, and support consistent attendance. 

• 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.
• Prepare for home outreach visits later this month through Greatness at Your Door 2.0
• Monitor your withdrawal list from PowerSchool

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, Eligible Circumstance transfers and other matters.

Kindergarten Age Requirement:

• Children must be 5 years old on or before August 15 of the current school year to be eligible for kindergarten enrollment.
• Five-year-old kindergartners who have not been previously enrolled cannot be enrolled after the first 30 days (September 12, 2025) of the school year.
• Previously enrolled kindergartners may be accepted at any time.

September Events

• September 19: Greatness at Your Door 2.0 (SW/NW Region)
• September 24: 1st 20-days student recognitions
• September 30: Greatness at Your Door 2.0 (SE/NE Region)

October Events

• October 7: Attendance Liaison Monthly Meeting (All Regions) | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• October 9: Attendance Practices and Processes Training | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: TTC
• October 23: Be Present. Be Great – Parent Meeting (Memphis Sports & Events Center)

Textbook Services has successfully completed deliveries for elementary, middle, and high schools. We are now moving into the next phase, which includes teacher resources and instructional kits. This phase involves the distribution of teacher resource packets as well as instructional kits.

An email will be sent out regarding the inventory of all science materials in the ClassGather textbook automation platform. This message will be shared with all textbook coordinators and posted in the Textbook Services Teams Channel, outlining the proper steps for inventorying all science materials into the new system.

For now, materials may be labeled and distributed, but schools should ensure that a record is maintained for all new materials. Please look for the upcoming email for the Textbook coordinators.

If your school has not yet selected a textbook coordinator, please complete this task in the Leadership Launchpad under the School-Based Directory Operations.

Thank you for your support and patience as we work to ensure every school has the materials needed for a smooth transition to the new Science adoption.

For questions, please contact:

Dr. Rahmod Traylor, traylorr@scsk12.org  

Tiara Oliver OLIVERT4@scsk12.org 

Dr. Amy Maples MAPLESA@scsk12.org  directly

Monthly newsletters for Social Studies K-12 have been shared via Teacher Weekly this week. Be sure to view the professional support offered. Newsletters are in the Supporting Documents folder. Use this link to access the folder: 

2. Supporting Documents

If there is a teacher who needs instructional support in your building, email Sonya Porter at portersb@scsk12.org to schedule support in addition to the building-level support provided. 

Monthly Social Studies Teacher support includes Social Studies Updates K-12 (virtual -September 8), SS K-12 Teacher Support – Monday, September 15 (in person), New Teacher Cohort – Tuesday, September 16 (in person). Please encourage teachers to sign up using PLZ.

The HPELW Department is providing Portfolio Training for all Elementary Physical Education Teachers on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.  

This session will provide an overview of the TN Physical Education Student Growth Portfolio Model, focusing on:

• 2nd Grade: Locomotor Skills
• 5th Grade: Overhand Throw Skills
• Pre- and Post-Test procedures

Note: The Portfolio counts for 35% of a teacher’s LOE Score – making this training essential.

Register in PLZ: Course #48837 – Physical Education Elementary Portfolio Training Labs

For questions, contact:

• Jim Harbin – Harbinj1@scsk12.org
• Jeremiah Bland – Blandj@scsk12.org
• Dr. Rahmod Traylor – Traylorr@scsk12.org

Principals can access the MTSS Lead Weekly Updates for the week of September 15 here.

Reading Horizons has been approved as the dyslexia specific intervention for students in grades K-12 with an ILP-D.  By September 24th, Principals are asked to identify who (MTSS Lead or Interventionist) will participate in the training session as space is limited to one person per building.  Additional information will be provided during September LDW.

School Leaders,

It’s that inspiring time of year once again! We are pleased to announce the launch of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Teacher of the Year nomination process, and we invite your participation in recognizing the exceptional educators within your school community.

We kindly ask each principal to nominate one outstanding teacher who exemplifies excellence in education, inspires both students and colleagues, and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to academic achievement and student growth. Submit your 2025–2026 MSCS Teacher of the Year nomination here by Friday, October 24, 2025.

Your nomination will help us celebrate the dedication and impact of our educators across the district. Thank you for your continued support in highlighting the remarkable talent within your building.

The window for completing Growth & Achievement selections for SY2025–26 in PLZ is September 12-October 3, 2025.

Per T.C.A. § 49-1-302(d)(2)(B)(iii) and state board policy 5.201, the achievement measure selected by the educator and agreed upon by the evaluator “shall be a measure aligned as closely as possible to the educator’s primary teaching assignment.”

Educators and Evaluators may view guidance documents in PLZ under the Resources tab for step-by-step support to complete Growth & Achievement selections.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to the Employee Performance & Support team.

Phone: 901.416.2475 | Email:  eps@scsk12.org.

Fine Arts, Physical Education (elementary), Pre-K, and World Language (French and Spanish) educators will submit TEAM Student Growth Portfolios for SY2025-26. Please complete the TEAM Student Growth Portfolio Teacher Information form by Wednesday, September 24.  

Questions or concerns? Send an email to eps@scsk12.org.

The Time Is Now!  The Goal Setting season is here and Non-Instructional evaluations are available in PLZ! All Non-Instructional employees must have a Goal Setting Conference as the first step of the performance appraisal process.  As a reminder, the Goal Setting Conference should be completed within 30 days of the NIE employee’s hire/contract start date.​ 

Click HERE for more NIE Goal Setting Conference details. 

The Goal Setting process is simple: 

1) Select your evaluator. 

2) Enter your goals. 

3) Meet with your supervisor for the Goal Setting Conference. 

4) Finalize AND sign off on the form in PLZ.

ALL NIE Goal Setting Conferences should be 100% complete by October 24 for all NIE personnel.   

For your reference, please see the step guides below. 

• NIE Evaluator Step Guide
• NIE Employee Step Guide
• NIE Goal Setting Conference Tutorial

Please reach out to your EPS advisor if you have additional questions or email EPS@scsk12.org.  

Employee Performance and Support in Partnership with the Peer Assistance and Review team is excited to announce the opening of registration for the TEM TEACHer Training Series in PLZ.  Teachers may register using course #48814.

This series is targeted for new teachers or educators needing a refresher on the TEACH Indicators.  It is intended to support teachers with identifying teacher and student actions that guide effective instruction at performance levels 3–5 of the TEACH indicators.

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

Reminder: All Returning Observer participants must complete their TEM coursework and calibration by September 30.

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

The Fall Student Perception Survey will be administered October 27 -November 7. School Administrators should complete this form to indicate the site coordinator for their school by September 12, 2025.

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

Should you have any questions, please reach out to the Employee Performance and Support Team.

Phone: 901.416.2475 | Email:  eps@scsk12.org.

Greetings! As we are preparing for Leadership Development Week (LDW) we wanted to remind you of key dates and information. LDW will occur September 22 - 25, 2025, with the following groups attending on the dates below: 

Monday, September 22, 2025 – PLC Coaches and Instructional Facilitators   

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 – Principals/Vice-Principals 

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 – Assistant Principals and Deans of Students 

Thursday, September 25, 2025 – Professional School Counselors 

September LDW Theme: Rooted in Rigor
Focus Quote: "You don’t get greatness from good intentions. You get it from intentional actions, done well, over time." 

📚 “Rigor Wear” — We suggest participants to wear their school’s instructional t-shirts or your favorite professional reading gear (e.g., coaching tees). 

Core Idea: We're showing what rigor looks like in our culture and mindsets. 
 
As always, remind your staff of their designated day to attend Leadership Development Week so that we can inform them of current best practices and pertinent information occurring throughout our District.

Data Quality: 

The RTI2-A dashboard is now populating the most recent TNPulse RTI-2 data. If you do not see any RTI-2 plan data in the dashboard, please check your TNPulse B5 report and confirm in TNPulse that students plans are active. 

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Upcoming Training Sessions:

Check out our Training Calendar for all upcoming District Trainings.
 

• MSCS Compass: Power BI New User Training – 9/16
• MSCS Compass: Power BI Refresher Training – 9/18

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Sign up for Virtual Office Hours!

The week’s sessions (September 16 and September 18) will be on the Student Attendance: Truancy Details and At-Risk 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.

Sessions are now available to sign up in PLZ!
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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.   

School Counselors participated in a SchooLinks refresher training and received the Scope & Sequence for this school year. The Scope & Sequence includes the student activity, completion criteria, period, and deadline to help them plan effectively. Please review the Scope & Sequence with your School Counselors and meet with them periodically to support their delivery. 

You may contact your School Counseling Manager with any questions.