Jumpstart’s Read for the Record raises public awareness about the importance of early-childhood education programs, early literacy, and community involvement for all children of every income level by gathering to read the same book on the same day.  We are requesting that every elementary school join us in setting a new world record in a way that engages our entire community – children, families, and civic leaders – in our schools. 

The 2025 Read for the Record Book is See Marcus Grow by Marcus Bridgewater, illustrated by Reggie Brown. 

The Department of Curriculum & Instruction has purchased a special, paperback edition of See Marcus Grow for our Pre-K through 2nd grade teachers for them to participate with their students on the campaign day – February 26, 2026. In addition, Jumpstart has resources available online for educators, including classroom activities, lesson plans, certificates of participation, registration guidelines, and other pertinent materials. 

Each year, the Department of Curriculum & Instruction recommends one elementary school to serve as a host school for the District celebration of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record campaign. While all elementary schools will participate, dignitaries will receive special District invitations to attend the celebration at the host school and media coverage will be concentrated on that site. 

This year we, are asking schools that are interested in being selected to become the host school to complete the form at https://bit.ly/25RFTRHOSTAPP by Friday, December 5, 2025. One elementary school will be selected from the submitted applications by the Department of Academic Affairs to host the event.

Below are suggestions to assist with planning your celebration:

• Garner the support of faculty and staff for assistance with decorations for Storytime.
• Invite parents and community leaders to participate in-person and/or serve as virtual guest readers on February 26, 2026.
• Encourage whole-school participation. We want every student to hear See Marcus Grow on February 26, 2026, even though the focus is on early literacy.
• Your school will receive a copy of See Marcus Grow for each PreK through 2nd grade classroom.
• Ensure that the books are shared with all Pre-K through 2nd grade teachers.

Let us know what you are planning so we can share!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Alicia Fields, fieldsa@scsk12.org, Library Services Instructional Advisor or Dr. Rahmod Traylor, traylorr@scsk12.org, Educational Support Manager. 

Greetings School Leaders,

On Monday, November 10, Specialized Education Assistants (SEAs) will fully participate in District Learning Day (DLD) with their assigned teachers. SEAs should report to the same DLD location as your school and join all scheduled sessions.

District Learning Day Schedule

• 8 – 8:30 AM | Dr. Richmond’s Video
• 8:30 – 10 AM | 7 Mindsets Session (Join the 7 Mindsets session by clicking the link at 8:30 AM.)
• 10:30 AM – 12 PM | Lesson Internalization
• 12:15 – 1:15 PM | Lunch (on your own)
• 1:30 – 3 PM | Lesson Internalization

Please ensure SEAs know the correct location and are included in your school’s DLD communication and logistics. A reference document with details will be uploaded for your review and sharing.

Thank you for supporting meaningful professional learning for all staff. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Amy Maples or Heba Sammour.

In response to teacher feedback, Curriculum and Instruction Mathematics has updated the Year-at-a-Glance within the Quarter 2 Curriculum Map of all tested grade levels and high school courses. See the new changes ​here​ in the 2025-26 Curriculum Tools.

All Health, Physical Education, and Lifetime Wellness (HPELW) teachers are required to participate in training for the new Physical Fitness Assessment. This session is mandatory for all HPELW teachers to ensure district compliance requirements are met.

Teachers must register in PLZ Course #89796. The training will be held virtually on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. 

This session provides an in-depth overview of the Physical Fitness Assessment process, focusing on the implementation of key fitness components, such as cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition. Participants will review the components used for student skill practice, explore pre- and post-test procedures, and discuss how to interpret and record student data in PowerSchool.

For questions or additional information, please contact Jim Harbin at Harbinj1@scsk12.org, Jeremiah Bland at Blandj@scsk12.org, Dr. Rahmod Traylor at Traylorr@scsk12.org, or Dr. Amy Maples at maplesa@scsk12.org.

Audience: K-12 Science teachers & Administrators

• Curriculum & Instruction Science is now offering Quarters-At-A- Glance for Q2 for K-8 and Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science, and Human Anatomy & Physiology with more to come. They can be found here Curriculum Tools.
• C & I and SAVVAS Learning Company are collaborating to offer K-8 teachers an hour of power support, November 13, 2025 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. TEAMS meeting information on the attached flyer!

Click here for Hour of Power Support

Click here for Quarter 2 Informational Flyer

Contact: 

Terilyn McChriston, Ed.S 

Curriculum and Instruction K-12 Science Manager

mcchristontj@scsk12.org

Attend a FREE webinar centered around targeted strategies to support ELL students. 

Find registration information in the attached flyer. 

Date: November 12, 2025

Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Link to Join Zoom Meeting:
https://savvas.zoom.us/j/84051829210?pwd=OVkqVDIrEzOlJgvTPee5yGQ9gMa1SY.1

Use this link to access the MTSS Lead Weekly Updates for the Week of November 10, 2025.

The District Spelling Bee is back! 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 MSCS Spelling Bee will highlight our spectacular spellers in grades 1-8. But first, they’ll need to win your school’s spelling bee by Friday, January 23, 2026. Now is the time to identify your Spelling Bee Coordinator and plan for e-x-c-e-l-l-e-n-c-e.

Sign-Up Here: Spelling Bee Intent to Participate 2025-26

If you have questions about how to get started, join us for a virtual meeting on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.

For more information about the Scripps National Spelling Bee, visit spellingbee.com/enrollment to learn more and register your school. Participation in the Scripps Bee is NOT required for participation in the MSCS Spelling Bee.

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 14, schools across the U.S. will honor Ruby Bridges with Walk to School Day. The initiative recognizes Ruby's historic steps and encourages students to take part in 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, students 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)

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>.

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>.

Urgent Guidance on Student Enrollment and McKinney-Vento Compliance

Memphis is currently facing a critical shortage of affordable housing, resulting in increased homelessness and a rise in the number of transient families across our district. As schools continue to welcome new students, it is imperative that we uphold the rights of children and youth experiencing housing instability. In accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, all schools must immediately enroll students once a parent/guardian, caretaker, or youth discloses their current living situation, regardless of the availability of documentation. Schools and district staff are not permitted to request proof of homelessness, shared residence documents, or any other paperwork as a condition of enrollment for students experiencing homelessness.

Please ensure that all enrollment personnel have ready access to the Homeless Referral Forms and any other required enrollment or support forms related to McKinney-Vento services. Once a parent, guardian, caretaker, or youth completes these forms, they must be scanned and submitted promptly to the Office of Special Populations at jacksonc10@scsk12.org for review and to initiate any additional supports or services available to the family. Also, please remember the following:

• Unaccompanied youth and 18-year-old students may enroll without a parent, guardian, or caretaker.
• Kindergarten-aged youth may enroll after district and state deadlines.
• Homeless and unaccompanied youth may not be denied enrollment or withdrawn for lack of immunizations.

Your adherence to these guidelines ensures our compliance with federal law and, most importantly, guarantees that every child in Memphis-Shelby County Schools has immediate and uninterrupted access to education during this time of increased housing instability.

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

Should you have any questions, please contact Dr. Karen Ball-Johnson <ballkf@scsk12.org> or Dr. Erin Y. Luster <lusterey@scsk12.org>.

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. ​​K-5 ESL Course Codes​​. ​​6-8 ESL Course Codes​​. ​​9-12 ESL Course Codes​​. 

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, contact Michael Cortez, cortezl@scsk12.org, or 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  

November 12 - November ESL Monthly Meeting for all ESL Teachers, Virtual on Teams, 8:15 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. 

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

The 2025 TN Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TNTESOL) Annual Conference and Business meeting will take place at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel and the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, from November 13-15, 2025. ESL Teachers, with their principal’s approval to attend the conference, have received free registration. Please note, like any other ESL teacher absence, the Office of Multilingual Learners is not responsible for securing or paying for a substitute teacher. 

November 21 - MTSU ELL Collaborative; Hybrid. Registration will close November 17, 2025, at 9 a.m. or when seats are filled.  Please see the website for registration details. 

December 2-4 – ELLevation IMPACT Conference, 11-5PM ET. Free, 3-day virtual conference celebrating the power of collaboration to help English learners thrive! Speakers include notable leaders in the field and sessions cover topics such as literacy, policy, and collaborative assessment. Please click the link to register.   

December 4 - Learning A-Z: A Professional Learning Community for K-8 ESL Teachers, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. on Teams. 

December 9 - Lexia English PD for K-8 ESL Teachers, 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. on Teams.

December 10 – December ESL Monthly Meeting, 8:15 a.m., 2:30 p.m., or 3:30 p.m. on Teams.  

December 11 – High School Scheduling for MLs, 3-4:30 p.m. on Teams. 

Exceptional Education: A Path to Success: The Department of Exceptional Education is having its Exceptional Education Institute – "Exceptional Education: A Path to Success." There are opportunities for exceptional educators to present, network, and speak with vendors. Join us! 

Saturday, November 15, 2025

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Colonial Middle School 

Register in PLZ. The course code is 48416 . 

A stipend will be provided for MSCS Exceptional Educators. 

Contact Erika Williams (williamsem@scsk12.org) or call 416-0625 for questions or additional details.

https://scsk12.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/DECHSLeaderboardContent/ETK-7IztJIVJiQRavA9PkrUBHUQZSvJz--mhIkh5LREPpA?e=ZnL6kp

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.

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 educators in your building who are new to MSCS educators or need a refresher on the process to attend.  

Participants may register for the Fall Professionalism Training in PLZ using Course #48775.

Date: November 13, 2025

Time: 4-5 p.m.

Platform: Microsoft Teams

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

Growth & Achievement containers are open for educators who transferred schools or were hired after the initial window closed on Monday, November 3. The containers will close Friday, November 21. 

Educators who did not make G & A selections during the initial window may also make selections during this time.   

If you have questions, please reach out to Employee Performance and Support by telephone: (901)-416-2475 or email: eps@scsk12.org.

The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has released 2024–25 Educator Level of Overall Effectiveness (LOE) scores in TNCompass.

To receive an LOE score, all required component scores (depending on the evaluation type) must be present in TNCompass. Components may include:

1. Observation
2. Achievement
3. Growth
4. Professionalism
5. Student Perception Survey.

*LOE Generation/Evaluation Track Update

• Educators identified as Partial Year Exemption (PYE) will not receive an LOE score.
• Evaluation tracks have been updated in PLZ for educators who have generated LOE scores.
• Educators new to MSCS who have generated LOEs should email eps@scsk12.org to have their tracks updated.
• There are approximately 1,200 educators who have not generated LOE scores.  These educators selected achievement measures that have embargoed data.  Scores will be updated when the data is released.

*Best of All 

The “best of” option will apply to AGM-URS (K-2 ELA Teachers—IReady)  scores for the 2024-25 school year.  

• Educator level of overall effectiveness (LOE) scores based on TN-URS data, when available, will be used only if the scores are higher than LOE scores produced with the educator’s selected TVAAS composite growth score.
• Both LOE scores will be displayed in the TNCompass platform, but only the higher of the two will be used.

Due to challenges with CTE data submissions, a “best of” option is available for educators who have selected TVAAS CTE Concentrator or TVAAS CTE as their growth measures for the 2024-25 school year only. 

• The District will select another growth measure from available measures, as determined appropriate for that educator.

All SY24-25 evaluations in TN Compass should be finalized and signed by Personal Identification Number (PIN) by the Educator and Administrator by December 10, 2025.  The process must be initiated by the school Administrator.

If you have questions about missing component scores or other evaluation-related questions, please submit an Ivanti ticket so the EPS team may research the issue. Employees may use this ​​​​step sheet​​​​ ​​for information on how to submit a ticket. 

The deadline to complete TEM Announced Observation #1 is Friday, December 5.

For questions or support with observations, please reach out to eps@scsk12.org.

ATTENTION PRINCIPALS: YOUR ACTION IS REQUIRED.

We are launching the most critical training of the year: Interactive Presentation Framework: Title IX Session for Principals ONLY. This is MANDATORY and focused on moving beyond compliance knowledge to building your operational expertise and confidence in managing risk and supporting students.

ACTION ITEM: REGISTER FOR ONE DATE ONLY

You must register for and attend one of the following high-impact sessions led by Karla Hankins (Office of the General Counsel):

Outcome: You will leave with the foundational skills for a compliant and supportive initial Title IX response, mastering the precise, objective documentation needed to protect our students and our institution.

DO NOT DELAY: Register in PLZ now to meet this mandatory requirement!

The Fall 2025 Student Perception Survey will close at the end of the day on Friday, November 7, 2025. 

Next Steps:

• Site Coordinators will receive a Roster Verification file to assist with removing students who are no longer enrolled at their site.
• Results for the roster clean-up will be finalized on Friday, November 14, 2025.

For additional support, contact:

• Panorama Support: support+shelbycounty@panoramaed.com
• District SPS Lead, Chiquita Allen-Bradley: allenbradleyc@scsk12.org.

Principals and ILT Content Leads,  

We are excited to share a major update on the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) support schedule and stipend process! 

1. Launching New, Mandatory Support! 

Join us for our next high-impact, mandatory session designed to build capacity for our ILT members: 

• Session: See It, Name It, Do It: Building Teacher Capacity
  • Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025
  • Location: TLA Auditorium/Multipurpose Room
  • Time: (See below for school specific times—we've scheduled by cohort for efficiency!)
    • 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: High Schools, CCTE
    • 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Middle Schools
    • 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: Elementary Schools, K-8

We look forward to collaborating with our ILT members to enhance instructional leadership across the district! 

2. CRITICAL Stipend Documentation Deadline 

To ensure your ILT members receive their Fall 2025 stipends by the end of December, timely submission is mandatory. Please support your team in submitting the following documents: 

• REQUIRED: Fall 2025 ILT Teacher Logs (August 4–December 8)
• REQUIRED: ILT Stipend Bi-Weekly Excel Sheet

The absolute final deadline for these documents is: Monday, December 8, 2025. 

Action Alert: Documents submitted after Dec 8th will waive the Fall semester stipends. 

Find all resources and future dates here: ILT Principal Information. 

Thank you for your collaborative partnership! 

Performance & Leadership Development Team 

This advisory outlines the key steps and responsibilities for school leaders regarding Flex Day requirements, transcript reviews, and support for newly hired teachers or those returning from leave. 

The canvas course window was extended through November 5. Additionally, the canvas grading widow closes on November 10, and teachers will see canvas courses appear on your transcript as early as November 6. 

Step-by-Step Guide for Flex Day Transcript Review 

Step 1: November 6-10 
Action: Monitor grading window activity. 
Responsible Party: Canvas Course Instructors 

Step 2: November 10 & 12 
Action: Teachers retrieve their professional learning transcript from PLZ and submit it to the school leader or principal’s designee. 
Responsible Party: Teachers 

Step 3: November 13-14 
Action: Review submitted transcripts to verify completion of flex day requirements.  

Teachers Writing Lesson Plans earned either 9 or 18 hours – Principals will specifically review transcripts for PLZ course number 49251, titled "Intentional Planning for Impact: Strengthening Instruction Through Effective Lesson Design," along with any additional courses selected to meet the requirements (if only 9 hours were earned). 
Responsible Party: School Leader or Designee 

Step 4: November 14 
Action: Submit names using the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/nKN0TJTEDM. The link will close for submissions on November 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 
Responsible Party: School Leader or Designee  

Step 5: November 17 
Action: Notify teachers and school leaders who did not meet flex day requirements. Provide instructions for reporting to work on November 24-26, 2025. School leaders will receive QR code for sign-in and survey for Flex Day requirements and attendance reporting. Teachers will report to schools to complete canvas courses. 
Responsible Party: Performance and Leadership Development 

Step 6: November 24-26 

Action: Track daily attendance for ineligible teachers during November 24-26 for flex day requirements and payroll purposes. 

Responsible Party: School Leader or Designee 

* Notifications of Canvas course completion will be shared after the grading window closes with schools (2nd week of December). 

Special Communication for Teachers Hired After September 9 or Returning from FMLA 

Teachers who started with MSCS or returned from an approved leave of absence, such as FMLA, after September 9, 2025, are not required to have the Canvas Courses reflected on their PLZ transcript to be eligible for the November Flex Days; however, teachers will need to make up these hours by the end of the year. Teachers who were hired after September 9 or returned from FMLA between September 9 and November 5: 

These teachers are required to complete all courses and should plan to complete courses during the next open window: December 1 – February 3. 

November 2025 DLD Guidebook