Phone/Virtual Support – LanguageLine 

LanguageLine is a district-provided service offering immediate, phone-based interpretation with a live interpreter. All schools should have received posters and instructions on how to access this resource when needed. 

Important: Do not use Google Translate or similar online tools for interpretation or translation, as they may produce inaccurate results. 

For guidance on when other tools—such as pocket translators—may be appropriate, please refer to this link: https://bit.ly/MSCSINTERPRETATIONGUIDANCE 

In-Person Support 

(Requests must be submitted at least seven (7) days in advance.) 

Interpretation Requests for non-Exceptional Education Department meetings: 

Visit the Ivanti Work Orders icon on the Edugoodies website. 

Select Service Catalog 

On the left menu, click ESL 

Choose ESL Interpreter Request  

Document Translation Requests: 
Follow the same steps above and select ESL Translation Request. 

This includes options for translating all general school-based documents except transcripts. 

District-wide translations for Spanish are handled by the Bilingual Communications team within the Communications Department. To request this service, click on Communications on the left menu. 

Transcript Requests: 

Follow the same steps above and select ESL Transcript Analysis Request. 

Please ensure that all ESL students are correctly assigned an ESL and/or ELD course code in PowerSchool. Accurate course coding is required for compliance, as it provides evidence of the delivery model the ESL teacher is implementing. Additionally, assigning the correct course codes also allows teachers to receive monitoring forms in compliance with the TDOE.  

Retention Prevention documentation for Multilingual Learners who have been assigned a failing grade is due in ELLevation on October 22nd. As a reminder, for Multilingual Learners to be successful, ESL teachers must regularly collaborate with their student's content and general education teachers to monitor their academic progress.  

All high schools are encouraged to hold quarterly ESL data meetings in support of the ML Academic Success Assurance Protocol (ML ASAP). Recommended participants include the ESL Teacher(s), PLC Coach and/or Instructional Facilitator, and Content Area Leads. Counselors and Administrators are encouraged to participate as well. The Q2 ESL Data Meeting Template can be found ​​here.​​ For questions, reach out to Mr. Michael Cortez, cortezl@scsk12.org, or Ms. Melissa Basel, delahuntym@scsk12.org.  

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

October 21 – ESL 101, 4:00-5:30 PM  

October 22 – Q1 Retention Prevention Work Samples Due  

October 23 – K-5 Semester 1 Meeting, [Virtual], 4:00-5:00 PM 

November 13-15 – TNTESOL Conference at the Sheraton Hotel and Renasant Convention Center, Memphis  

Do not miss out on these awesome Leadership Development opportunities. Secure your registration in PLZ now! Click here for more information.

Greetings! As we are preparing for Leadership Development Week (LDW) we wanted to remind you of key dates and information. LDW will occur October 27-30, 2025, with the following groups attending on the dates below (agendas will be shared once they have been finalized). 

Monday, October 27, 2025 – PLC Coaches and Instructional Facilitators   

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 – Principals/Vice-Principals 

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 – Assistant Principals and Deans of Students 

Thursday, October 30, 2025 – Professional School Counselors 

October LDW Theme: Pruned to Progress 

Focus Quote: "Anything that grows wild has to be shaped to grow well." 

Suggested Dress/Visual Cue: “Trimmed & Targeted” — Invite folks to wear something sharp: black and white businesswear, fall blazers, or “back-to-basics” professional staples. 

Message: We’re refining our focus and cutting distractions. 

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. 

We’re excited to launch our Regional Teacher Learning Labs, a dynamic opportunity for educators to collaborate, deepen their instructional practices, and engage in meaningful professional learning across content areas and grade bands.

Actions Required: 

1. Complete the Teacher Participation Form
   Please use the link or QR code below to indicate the number of teachers from your school who will attend, categorized by content area:
   • Link: https://forms.office.com/r/TUPT5Ca5wq
   • QR Code:
2. Inform ELA, Math, and Science Teachers
   • All ELA, Math, and Science teachers should register in PLZ by Tuesday, October 21, 2025, according to their geographical region and content area. Share this flyer with teachers.
     • Session Details:
       • Dates:
         • Northeast & Northwest Regions: October 27–29, 2025
         • Southeast & Southwest Regions: November 3–5, 2025
       • Content Areas: ELA, Math, Science
       • Grade Bands: K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
       • Locations vary by region and appear in PLZ. 
         • Teachers should attend their geographical regional school in lieu of the weekly faculty meeting.

To ensure your teachers are registered and ready to participate, please have them sign up in PLZ using the appropriate session codes below:

• Northeast Regional Support Labs – October: PLZ Code 49391
• Northwest Regional Support Labs – October: PLZ Code 49392
• Southeast Regional Support Labs – October: PLZ Code 49393
• Southwest Regional Support Labs – October: PLZ Code 49394

Your leadership is key to making these sessions a success. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting high-quality professional learning for our educators.

Save the Date: November District Learning Day (DLD)
Date: Monday, November 10, 2025
Location: School-Based with Select Department Pullouts

Dear Leaders,

We’re excited to announce that our November District Learning Day (DLD) will take place on Monday, November 10, 2025. This DLD will be school-based, with a few designated department-led pullout sessions.

As you prepare, we encourage you to leverage trends from your school’s walkthrough data to identify and prioritize professional learning topics that align with your instructional goals and areas of growth. This targeted approach ensures that learning is relevant, responsive, and impactful for your school community.

Consider engaging your instructional leadership teams to analyze recent walkthrough trends and collaboratively determine the focus areas for the day. School-based agendas should reflect professional learning that supports your school’s unique needs.

Actions Required:

• School leaders are to submit agendas outlining their day including professional learning opportunities teachers will engage in for the day using the link provided below. School leaders should submit this form by Friday, October 31, 2025.
  • Agenda Upload Link

Additional details will be shared soon.

Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to meaningful professional learning!

A reminder that All ILT Leads must attend the October 23, 2025, Support Session. See the attached flyer for more information.

ILT Support Session Oct 2025 Reminder.pdf

Dear School Leaders,

As we approach the November 3, 2025 deadline for Flex Day course completion, we ask for your continued support in ensuring all educators are registered and actively engaging in their required Canvas courses.

Below is a snapshot of current registration numbers across key professional learning courses:

Please ensure that your teams are aware of the deadline and have completed all required coursework in PLZ by Friday, November 3 to receive Flex Day credit.

Your leadership is essential in supporting timely completion and maximizing the impact of professional learning across our district. Thank you for your continued partnership and dedication to educator growth.

This correspondence serves as a reminder of federal and state requirements regarding the enrollment of kindergarten students who are experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or from migratory backgrounds.

Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.), the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and applicable state enrollment policies, school districts receiving federal funds may not deny or delay enrollment for students in these protected categories, even if state or local enrollment deadlines have passed.

Key Reminders:

• Immediate Enrollment: Eligible students must be enrolled immediately, even if required documents such as proof of residency, immunization records, birth certificates, or prior academic records are unavailable at the time of enrollment.
• Equal Access: Enrollment timelines and procedures should not create barriers for students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or from migratory families.
• Collaboration: Designated McKinney-Vento liaisons and school enrollment teams should assist families and students to ensure a smooth enrollment process and access to all available supports.
• Transportation and Support Services: Continue to coordinate with the Special Populations Team to ensure compliance and support for the student’s educational stability.

We appreciate your continued commitment to equity, access, and compliance with federal law. Our shared goal is to ensure every student, regardless of circumstance, has immediate access to education and support.

Homeless Student Referral Information

To ensure timely support, all McKinney-Vento referral forms have been uploaded to the Special Populations 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

If you need additional guidance or have questions about enrollment procedures, please contact Dr. Karen Ball-Johnson at ballkf@scsk12.org or 901-416-7393.

Thank you for your dedication to serving our students and families with care and compassion.

We’re off to a great start with implementation of Student Clubs and Organizations again this year. As a reminder, the deadline to upload your list of Student Clubs and Organizations was Friday, October 10, 2025. Each list should include the Name of the Student Club or Organization, a Brief Description, and the Total Number of Students in each. You may use the provided sample template or another format.

Link to Folder: Student Experience- Student Clubs and Organizations

Student Club and Organization categories have been set up in the Student Program module of PowerSchool. Once inside the module, leaders will find that clubs and organizations are listed by general category, (e.g., Art, Mentoring, STEM/STEAM). Please be sure to update this information in PowerSchool by Friday, October 31, 2025.

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

Should you have any questions, please contact Dr. Erin Y. Luster <lusterey@scsk12.org>.

Greetings, Middle School Principals.

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 salute our 2025 National Ambassador from Hamilton K-8 School and our finalists from:

• A. Maceo Walker Middle School
• Colonial Middle School
• Grandview Heights Middle School
• John P. Freeman Optional School
• Hamilton K-8 School
• Mt. Pisgah Middle School

We are excited about this year's challenge and look forward to the submission of essays, poems, songs, plays and more! We are looking for submissions from every middle school this year.

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: 12/15/25)

• Any form of written expression (e.g. essays, poems, plays, songs)
• Must address the following questions:
  • How has violence affected my life?
  • What are the causes of youth violence?
  • What can I do to reduce youth violence?
• Positive and non-derogatory language
• Fictional writings must be identified as such
• Strong preference will be given to non-fiction writings
• Credit must be given to outside sources
• Writings based upon plagiarism will not be considered

Completed packets may be sent to our office 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. Also, each submission should contain its own cover sheet with the parent/guardian's signature.

In addition to information on https://www.dtwt.org/, please review the MSCS Do the Write Thing Resources Folder.

For more information about the local implementation of the national program, please contact:

Ernest Brooks, II

Associate Deputy District Attorney/Senior Policy Advisor

Office of District Attorney General Steve Mulroy

201 Poplar Ave., 11th Floor Ernest.Brooks@scdag.com

(901) 222-1547 – Office

(901) 222-1300 – Main Office/Reception

(731) 293-4187

Should you have any questions, please contact Dr. Erin Y. Luster <lusterey@scsk12.org>.

It’s that exciting time of year again... Spelling Bee season! We’re encouraging all elementary and middle schools to host a school-level Spelling Bee and give students the chance to showcase their spelling skills and confidence on stage.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee offers excellent resources to help you get started, including word lists, study materials, and step-by-step guides for hosting your school Bee. You can learn more and register your school at spellingbee.com/enrollment. Please note that the registration deadline is in January, so now is a great time to sign up and plan your event.

Even if your school isn’t quite ready to participate in the official Scripps Bee this year, this is a perfect opportunity to begin practicing and building excitement for next year’s competition. The national Bee is open to students in elementary and middle grades.

Thank you for all you do to create meaningful learning opportunities for our students and for helping them build confidence through friendly academic competition!

Should you have any questions, please contact Dr. Erin Y. Luster <lusterey@scsk12.org>.

On Friday, November 14th, schools from all over the US will honor Ruby Bridges with Walk to School Day. The initiative recognizes her historic steps and encourages students to take part of their own forms of activism to bring an end to racism and all forms of bullying. 

Here in Memphis, we’ll also take this as an opportunity to honor our own local Memphis 13, who integrated Memphis City Schools in 1961. 

How You Can Participate 

Each school will have freedom in how they would like to participate. We encourage activities such as hosting a school-wide walk and lessons centered around anti-racism and anti-bullying.  We need a champion at your school to make the event happen!

Together with our Partners, the Student Experience, Coordinated School Health, and Partnerships teams would like to share these Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Resources, which include: 

• An Event Planning Guide that suggests activities to help you determine what would work best for your teachers and students 
• Ideas for engaging middle and high school students
• Digital posters, banners, and social media graphics
• Take-Home and Educational Resources
• Interactive and Student Activities (e.g., Storywalk® Guide, Walk,Bike, and Roll Pledge cards)

We will also host virtual meetings on Monday, October 27 and Monday, November 3 at 4p.m. To share ideas and address any questions. Please register here if you would like to be your school’s champion and our team will contact you.

If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Erin Y. Luster <lusterey@scsk12.org> or Marlon Johnson <JOHNSONM13@scsk12.org>.

The fall Building Testing Coordinator (BTC) meetings will be on Wednesday, October 22 and Thursday, October 23. There are four sessions available, but BTCs only need to attend one of these four sessions. It is important that elementary and K-8 schools choose an Elementary/K-8 session, and middle schools and high schools choose a Middle/High School session. 

New BTCs should also attend a one-hour virtual new BTC meeting on October 28 at 9:00 AM. New BTCs should attend BOTH the regular in-person session and the virtual new BTC session.

All sessions, except for the new BTC session, will be at the Messick HS gym at 703 S. Greer St. Although the official address is on S. Greer, the entrance to the gym parking lot is on Spottswood, just West of the Spottswood/S. Greer intersection. The following sessions are available. To sign up for one of these sessions in PLZ, search for course number 49314.

• Elementary/K-8: Wednesday, October 22 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
• Middle/High: Wednesday, October 22 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM
• Middle/High Thursday, October 23 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
• Elementary/K-8: Thursday, October 23 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM

To sign up for the new BTC course in PLZ, search for course number 49317. New BTCs need to attend an in-person session AND the virtual new BTC session.

The graduation cohort process involves providing documentation regarding students who have left a school’s cohort, and it has a significant impact on schools’ graduation rates. Virtual professional development sessions on the graduation cohort process will be held on Thursday, November 13th from 12:30 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. and Friday, November 14 from 9:30 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. The two sessions will cover the same content, so participants only need to attend one of the sessions. Each high school should send at least one representative. The sessions will be available in PLZ starting Monday, October 20. Search for course number 49318.