Audience: K-12 Science teachers & Administrators

Science Grants and More.pdf

If you have programs, projects, or ideas that could make a real impact, now is the perfect time to submit them for upcoming grants. These grants can help turn your vision into reality and provide students with experiences that inspire and empower their learning.

Click the blue hyperlink above to get started today … don’t wait!
For any questions or guidance, reach out to Demaria Young at youngd5@scsk12.org.

Contact: 

Terilyn McChriston, Ed.S 

Curriculum and Instruction K-12 Science Manager

mcchristontj@scsk12.org

This is a follow-up to the Onyx content published within the September 26, 2025, LeaderBoard and presented during the September LDW.  To assist in attaining the district's mathematics proficiency goal of 28.1% for 2026, our district is engaging in a spring partnership with the Reconstruction group.  Our middle school mathematics teachers will interact with Onyx, which is a curricular tool that assists in incorporating culturally relevant content effectively and efficiently.

In preparation for the spring semester, middle school mathematics teachers will engage in a 60-minute professional learning session.  Additionally, principals have the opportunity to connect with the Onyx team to deepen their understanding of the implementation expectations.  See the information below for specific dates, times, and Teams links.

The following information has been shared previously via LeaderBoard and remains available for your review:   ​​​
Onyx for Middle School Mathematics​.

Please reach out to Ms. Antronette Brown (brownac), Ms. Nikesha Selmon (selmonny), or Dr. Amy Maples (maplesa) with any questions.

Looking for the Revised Tennessee Science Standards?
The updated standards are now easier to access on the official TN.gov website!

To find them:

1. Visit TN.gov.
2. Navigate to the Education section.
3. Select Academic Standards and choose Science.
4. Follow the links provided in the flyer for quick access to the revised documents.  Revised TN Science Standards.pdf

These standards include grade-level expectations, instructional supports, and assessment guidance to help educators implement high-quality science instruction.

Audience: K-12 Teachers and building admin.

Subject: Science

Contact: Terilyn McChriston, C & I Science Manager; mcchristontj@scsk12.org

Please see the attached flyer for the upcoming professional learning session, “Unpacking a Unit,” with our partners from Curriculum Associates.

Click link.  https://bit.ly/48Cd2w3

Principals, please find the link to the December 1st MTSS Lead Weekly Updates.

The Winter Universal Screening Window will open December 15-January 23. Please consider completing the Written Expression and iReady Literacy Tasks in December and holding the iReady Reading and Math Diagnostics until we return in January to allow for ultimate focus and attention.

Students in grades K-6 should complete the following:

• iReady Reading Diagnostic
• iReady Math Diagnostic
• iReady Literacy Tasks for grade level
• written expression
• screening for characteristics of dyslexia as outlined (Decision Making Crosswalk)

All students in grades 7-8 should complete the iReady Diagnostic for ELA and Math. Those enrolled in a 9-12 intervention course should complete the iReady Diagnostic for ELA or Math as aligned to the enrolled course. This ensures an updated personalized instruction path and allows schools to check progress toward typical and stretch growth.

Principals should complete one Greatness in the Gaps Direct Fidelity Check each month.  Data is reported on the first of the month.  Greatness in the Gaps Direct Fidelity Check Collection Form – Fill out for

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

The ELPA21 Summative testing window is approaching quickly!  All testing devices to be used for the administration of the ELPA21 Summative MUST be updated to the latest version of the Secure Browser by Wednesday, December 17.   

Windows: Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Currently, Cambium's Secure Browser 18 will support all Windows 10 and 11 versions released after May 2025. Windows 10 devices will not be supported for testing in school year 2026-2027.  

ChromeOS: Cambium has introduced a new Secure Browser (Progressive Web App) for ChromeOS for the 2025–26 school year. The current Kiosk app (8.0) for ChromeOS will remain valid during the 2025-26 school year, but only for ChromeOS version 138.  The new PWA will be required starting from version 139 and will continue to be supported on all future ChromeOS versions.  

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  

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 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Teams. 

Attention High School Leaders:
Professional School Counselors can now begin enrolling students in Project Graduation for the Spring 2026 Semester. PSCs may enroll students to complete new courses or recover previously failed coursework.

Most Spring courses will be offered in person at Craigmont, Hamilton, Overton, and Southwind high schools. Students participating virtually must have access to an MSCS 1:1 device or a personal device.

Resources for PSCs and Graduation Coaches, including the course catalog, parent letter, calendar, step sheets, and more are available at Project Grad Loves PSCs 2025-26 (Project Grad Loves PSC's 2025-26 - Home).

Important Dates:

• Enrollment deadline for Part I courses: January 15, 2026
• Classes begin: January 20–21, 2026

For questions or additional information, contact the Project Graduation Office at 901-416-9041

Please ensure all portfolio educators log in to TeachAll and select their collections by Friday, December 5. Educators must use their state single sign on to log into the platform.  If educators are unsure of their State SSO they may reach out to:

Subject/Grade Specific Content Advisors

District Portfolio Lead, Floresha Smith 

Also, all point A assessments should be completed (NOT uploaded to the platform) by Friday, December 5. 

To view Portfolio Educators that have been rostered, please utilize the Evaluation KPI Dashboard.  If you have questions about the educators listed or realize educators are missing, please reach out to the District Portfolio Lead Floresha Smith .

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

The Evaluation KPI Dashboard may be used to track schools' completion progress.

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

The deadline to complete TEAM Cycle I for Principals, Vice Principals, Assistant Principals, and Deans of Students is Friday, December 19, 2025.  

As a reminder, TEAM Administrators must select their evaluator.

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

The NIE Mid-Year Conference window will open on December 5th.

The deadline to complete ALL NIE Mid-Year Conferences in PLZ is February 13, 2026.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

• ALL required fields should be completed in its entirety before finalizing.
• The Goal Setting Conference should be completed within 30 days of an NIE employee’s hire/contract start date AND should be completed BEFORE completing the Mid-Year Conference in PLZ.
• The Mid-Year Conference is NOT required for NIE Partial plans and will not appear as a container to complete.

Questions? Please reach out to 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. 

Coming Soon!  The approved Universal Reading Screener for MSCS is I-Ready, and teachers who teach ELA in grades KK-2nd will receive individual growth scores from this data, which will account for 35% of their LOE.  When rosters are received from the State, Building Testing coordinators will receive detailed directions for roster verification and next steps.

Fall SY25-26 Student Perception Survey Results are coming soon.  School Administrators will have access to survey data starting Friday, December 5, 2025. Please note the following:

Survey results may be viewed via the Panorama Education Platform.

School Administrators should use their District Single Sign-On to access the platform.

Administrators may sign up to attend a TEAMs session titled Understanding Student Perception Survey Results for Administrators, to better understand school-level results and plan next steps. PLZ Course# 48824 

Attention Principals: All Fall 2025 ILT Documentation is Due December 8, 2025, as (1) comprehensive PDF scanned document to scsiltstipends@scsk12.org. Leaderboard ILT Updates to Principals 12.4.2025.docx

Winter Flex Day 2026: Unlock Your Potential Through Professional Learning
Educators who complete 6 hours of designated Canvas Cadre courses by February 3, 2026, will qualify for the February Flex Day on February 16, 2026. 

Updated Winter Flex Day 2026

Featured courses include:

• Level Up Learning: Gamification Strategies for K-12 Classrooms
• Student Work Analysis

Ensure your hours are reflected on your PLZ transcript by February 8, 2026. For late hires and teachers on leave, additional requirements apply.

School Leaders: Please share this information with your school staff.

Canvas Questions? Contact CadreCanvasSupport@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>.

Nominations are now open for the Memphis Business Journal’s Next Gen program, and we don’t want your students to miss out on this incredible opportunity. Next Gen connects emerging young leaders (ideally juniors) with influential business professionals and top decision makers across Memphis, opening doors to meaningful mentorship, valuable exposure, and even potential summer internships that can shape future careers.

Each high school team is asked nominate up to two well-rounded students who demonstrate promise, curiosity, and a commitment to making a difference in their school and community. These aren’t necessarily the most visible students or those with highest GPA, but those who show early leadership, engagement, and a genuine interest in exploring the world of business.

Selected students will be paired with mentors and welcomed into signature MBJ events, gaining experiences that can truly set them apart. To support your nominees, we ask for a brief testimonial from a school representative and guidance for students throughout the process.

Your participation makes all the difference and we hope to see even stronger engagement this year as we work together to elevate our next generation of Memphis leaders.

Nominations are due Saturday, January 31, 2026. For more information, visit: https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/nomination/89185/2026/2026-next-gen#/

Should you have any questions, please contact Dr. Billy J. Walker <walkerbj@scsk12.org>.

The District's 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  Due: Friday, December 19, 2025

Below are the key dates to keep in mind as you guide your school through this exciting season:

Friday, December 19, 2025

Conclude all Classroom Spelling Bees

Intent to Participate Form Due 

Friday, January 23, 2026

Conclude all Grade 1–8 School-wide Spelling Bees.

Select one overall winner and one alternate per grade band (i.e., 1–2, 3–5, and 6–8).

These representatives will compete in the district-wide Spelling Bee.

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Save the Date for the District-wide MSCS Spelling Bee

If you have questions about how to get started, join us please let us know.

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>.