Whether you are a new hire or an experienced English/Language Arts teacher, there are Fall ELA sessions suited just for you!  These PD offerings are available for K-5 Wonders ELA teachers. For additional information regarding the sessions or registration, please access the link below and or Course #49475 in PLZ.

https://bit.ly/4764tKw

Questions? Email OfficeofLiteracy@scsk12.org

Audience: K-12 Science teachers and Administrators

If you are a K-12 science teacher or a science administrator, the following information is for your knowledge regarding TCAP testing and more.

Contact: 

Terilyn McChriston, Ed.S 

Curriculum and Instruction K-12 Science Manager

mcchristontj@scsk12.org

UPDATES:

Science Instructional FOCUS DOCUMENTS: As of 10/16/2025

Physical Science IFD has been released. https://bestforall.tnedu.gov/lessons-and-learning-item?content-id=9109

The remaining subjects are still on track for a 2025 late Fall/early Winter release. 

The IFDs assist teachers with ensuring instruction addresses grade level state standards.

TESTNAV has FREE practice items available:

Here is the link and instructions, for example questions:

https://tn.testnav.com/client/index.html

Go to this link: No login needed

Click on Tutorials

Click on Test practice items

Click the Blue Arrow at the top to advance until you get to the questions

• There are 10: 3rd-grade science practice test questions available
• There are 10: 4th-grade science practice test questions available
• There are 15: 5th-grade science practice test questions available
• There are 15: 6th-grade science practice test questions available
• There are 15: 7th-grade science practice test questions available
• There are 15: EOC practice test questions available

Nominate A Teacher:

Do you know of a deserving science or STEM educator? The TSTA Board would love to have a pool to choose from elementary, middle, and high school. So, if you know someone who is amazing in all three, please send them our nominee submission form link! The more the better. Here is the link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeDQH6gyWXQdbzOYc7lwzQsp0gY3H9KbB4WReItCP7V45ucAQ/viewform

TSTA:

If you are interested in becoming a board member in the future, please fill out this form to indicate your interest.

As a follow-up to the September LDW Literacy Commitment session, schools are required to facilitate a parent meeting with all 3rd-grade parents by November 3, 2025.  The sign-in sheet will serve as documentation that the parent meeting transpired and needs to be uploaded to your school-specific folder within the following OneDrive: 

​3rd Grade Parent Meetings Sign-in Sheets.​ 

As a reminder, the slides presented during LDW are available via the following link:  ​Literacy Commitment for Schools.​ 

Continue to reach out to Dr. Amy Maples, with any questions. 

Please find the MTSS Lead Updates for 10/27.

• TDOE has posted ILP-D Opt Out Guidance in TNPulse Resource Library under User Guides.
• TDOE guidance has been updated to allow for parents to “opt-out” rather than “opt-in” for eligible students to have an ILP-D.​
• Schools should follow these steps in TNPulse.​

1. Complete Record of Decision.​

2. Create parent notification and send to parent in preferred format.​

3. Allow 7-10 days for response.​

4. If parent declines ILP-D, mark parent response appropriately. This will not allow an ILP-D to be finalized and will close eligibility.​

5. If parent provides permission or does not respond, mark parent consent and complete ILP-D as usual.​

For any record of decision done in September or October, please mark/update these according to the guidance above by November 17, 2025.

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 course OR an ESL and 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 was due in ELLevation on October 22. 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 Michael Cortez, cortezl@scsk12.org, or Melissa Basel, delahuntym@scsk12.org.  

The Canvas Course - Co-Teaching for Multilingual Learners - is now live for the Fall B Term! We strongly encourage all co-teachers, content and ESL, to take this course. Please share this information with the co-teachers at your school. 
 

The course opened on October 20 and closes November 3. It will earn 4 hours of PLZ credit. You can register for the course in PLZ using code #89551. If you have any questions, reach out to ESL Advisor Melissa Basel at delahuntym@scsk12.org.

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

November 10 – ESL District Learning Day: DLD will be fully virtual, and attendance will be mandatory for all ESL teachers. Please plan accordingly to allow your staff to attend remotely. Topics will include ELPA 21 Summative test administration, as well as a variety of sessions on instructional strategies and supplemental programs. 

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

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>.

Featured Reports:

• The Student Grades Dashboard will show Q1 Report Card Grades this week. Check out the user guides for more information on these reports.
   

New Metrics Are Available!
New metrics have been added to several District Quick Report pages in the Attendance, Discipline, and High School Progress dashboards.

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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!

• No VOH this week, so we don’t conflict with LDW. We will be back on 11/4 and 11/6 with sessions on the Student Grades Dashboard.
• 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.
---------------------------- 

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.   

Professionalism accounts for 5% of the overall TEM rating for both tested and non-tested educators and must be completed and finalized by both the educator and the administrator to generate an LOE score.

Please encourage new MSCS educators or educators seeking a refresher on the process in your building to attend.  Participants may register for the Fall Professionalism Training in PLZ using Course #48775.

Date: November 13, 2025

Time: 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Platform: Microsoft Teams

For support, contact Employee Performance & Support by telephone: (901)-416-2475 or email: eps@scsk12.org.

The Fall Student Perception Survey window will run from October 27 – November 7.

Site Coordinators should use this link to access SPS resources.

For assistance during survey administration, please email Panorama Support, support+shelbycounty@panoramaed.com or the District SPS Lead, Chiquita Allen-Bradley, allenbradleyc@scsk12.org.

The extended deadline to complete all NIE Goal-Setting Conferences in PLZ is November 7.  NIE Employees will need to select their evaluator first, in order for the evaluator to have access to their NIE plan in PLZ. 

All fields should be completed in its entirety before finalizing.

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

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 - registration for NIE Evaluator Certification for New NIE Evaluators is open for SY25-26. The course number to register in PLZ is #48336.

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

The Leadership Labs are designed to provide intentional, job-embedded professional development to support the growth of Principals, Assistant Principals, Vice Principals, and PLC Coaches. Facilitated by a collaborative team of Instructional Leadership Coaches, School Leaders, and Central Office Leadership, these labs will create a space for leaders to learn, practice, and refine the skills necessary to lead high-performing schools. Click here for more information.

Greatness Grows Here

Office of Enrollment and Attendance

Attendance Procedures and Reminders

Show Up for Greatness: Attendance Monitoring and Recognition

• Please note that our third 20-day school attendance period ends on November 3, 2025. It is a mandatory requirement that all necessary student supports be fully documented within the Show Up for Greatness Application. Please ensure this is completed by the deadline.
• 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.

Approval Required for IEP/504 Transfer Rescissions

• For all students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan whose transfer is recommended for rescission, the withdrawal process requires prior approval from the Office of General Counsel. This measure ensures compliance with all relevant special education laws and regulations before the student can be officially withdrawn.

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 ten 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

• 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.

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: Parent Student Support Plan

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.

• 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 five years old on or before August 15 of the current school year to be eligible for kindergarten enrollment.
• Effective September 13, 2025, five-year-old kindergarteners who have not been previously enrolled can no longer be enrolled for the current school year. (Exceptions will be made for students who are experiencing homelessness or displacement.)

Upcoming Dates and Meetings

Regional Data Review

• Date & Time: November 6, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Location: BOE Auditorium

Attendance Practices and Processes Training

• Date & Time: November 18, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m
• Location: TTC Lauderdale Room