The District has transitioned to LanguageLine Solutions for on-demand interpretation and translation services. LanguageLine Solutions interpreters are available in more than 240 languages and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to communicate with our multilingual families. Please follow these instructions to access Language Line:    

To access a phone interpreter, please follow these steps:    

Dial: 1-866-874-3972   

Provide: Client ID 666137     

Press: 1 for Spanish – 2 for All Other Languages; If 2, indicate Language   

Provide: School Location Code 

Invitations to ELPA Data Meetings have been emailed to school leaders. Meetings are centered on discussing ELPA test scores, the growth ESL students have made, and how ELPA Performance factors into your school accountability data. If you have not already done so, please schedule your meeting with your ESL Advisor before Monday, Aug. 3, to review your data. 

July 16: ESL 101 Kick-Off for all New and Novice ESL Teachers. K-5 8:30 - 11:30 a.m., 6-12 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., TLA Multipurpose Room

July 23-24: New Teacher Orientation at Southwind High School

July 29: DLD for all ESL Teachers, in-person at Bellevue Baptist Church, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

August 3: Final date to schedule ELPA Data Meeting.

3 NEW LAWS

 ***New***Transfer students in interscholastic athletics effective July 1, 2026 Transfer Students TCA  49-2-901. 

• A middle school student or high school student who transfers from one (1) member school to another is immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at the member school to which the student transfers if:
  • The transfer is the student's first transfer in grades six through eight (6-8) or nine through twelve (9-12), as applicable;
  • and The transfer occurs in the summer between the end of one ( 1) school year and the beginning of the ensuing school year.

***New***Private School Student Participation in Public School Athletics Tenn. Code Ann. 49-50-808  Effective July 1, 2026 

• (a)(1) If a public school established under the jurisdiction of an LEA to serve students in any of the grades six through twelve (6-12) is a member of an organization or an association that regulates interscholastic athletic competition, then the LEA shall permit participation in interscholastic athletics offered at the public school by a middle or high school student who:
  • Is enrolled in a private school that is not a member of the organization or association and that serves fewer than two hundred (200) students in grades six through eight (6-8) or fewer than two hundred (200) students in grades nine through twelve (9-12);
  • Satisfies the eligibility requirements established by the organization or association; and
  • Resides within the geographic boundaries of the LEA.
• (2) A student who meets the requirements of subdivision (a)(1) may only participate in interscholastic athletics at the public middle or high school that the student is zoned to attend, but only in the interscholastic athletic programs that are not offered by the private school in which the student is enrolled.

***New***Athletic Association Open Meetings Compliance TCA 49-2-902(a)

Effective July 1, 2026, please confirm that the LEA does not use public funds to join, become a member of, or maintain membership in an association that regulates interscholastic athletics unless the association's governing board voluntarily complies with Tennessee's open meetings laws. The point of contact is encouraged to review the entire statute for a full understanding of the requirements. 

Internal Deadline: Prior to Membership Approval, Renewal, or Payment of Membership Dues.

LAW REFRESHER

Concussion and Head Injury Safety in School Athletics TCA 68-55-502 

Tennessee law requires all public and nonpublic schools with athletic programs to implement concussion and head injury safety procedures for student-athletes. Schools must educate coaches, athletic directors, athletes, and parents about concussion risks, symptoms, prevention, and the dangers of continuing to play after a head injury.

• Each year, all coaches and athletic directors must complete a state-approved concussion education course.
• Coaches, athletic directors, athletes, and parents or guardians must also review and sign concussion information forms before participation in practices or competitions.
• Schools are required to maintain these training and acknowledgment records for at least three years.
• If a student-athlete exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion, the athlete must be immediately removed from play and evaluated using approved concussion-recognition guidelines.
  • The athlete may not return to the same practice, game, or event in which the injury occurred.
• Before returning to athletic participation or any supervised team activity involving physical exertion, the athlete must be evaluated by a qualified health care provider and receive written medical clearance for a full or graduated return to play.

Internal Deadline: August 1, 2026 (Beginning-of-Season Athletic Safety Readiness) If requirements are not fully in place by the internal deadline, they must be completed promptly and prior to a student initiating practice or competition. 

Remove Barriers of Student-Athletes of Military Families TCA 49-12-301 

• Schools should notify the TSSAA of an enrolled student’s interest in participating in interscholastic athletics
• Failure to do so may result in the student-athlete being ineligible

Sex at Birth Participation in Interscholastic Activity or Event TCA 49-6-310

• Middle and high school shall participate in interscholastic sports teams that correspond with the sex on their original birth certificate

Access to School Sports for Student-Athletes in Foster Care  TCA 49-2-136 

• Requires schools to notify the TSSAA if the student expresses interest in participating and that the school has obtained FERPA compliant written consent from the student’s parent or legal guardian

Coaching Requirements

State Law

• TN Law-Course Certificate - NFHS Coaches Training Free Course: Concussions in Sports (yearly)
• TN Law-Course Certificate - NFHS Coaches Training Free Course: Sudden Cardiac Arrest (yearly)
• TN Law-Course Certificate Heat Illness Prevention (yearly)
• TN Law-Signed Sudden Cardiac Arrest Information Sheet (yearly)
• TN Law-Signed Concussion Information & Signature Form  (yearly)
• TN Law- Athletic Emergency Action Plan (AEAP) & Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP)-created, reviewed and practiced with essential personnel (yearly)
• TN Law-Allergy/Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan Instruction Video, Policy and Resources, Training Video (yearly if you have a student in this category)

District Requirements

• Current CPR/First Aid Certification with AED training (must be from an in-person, hands-on course). MSCS offers free classes in PLZ.
• Non Faculty/Volunteer Coaches must go through FACE for background checks and/or finger printing (yearly)
• ***NEW***MSCIAA Required PD course 2026-27 Building and Maintaining Positive Culture (new course added each year)​
• MSCS COVID-19 Safe Schools Training: MSCS COVID-19 Training (once)

Student-Athlete Required Documentation

• Athlete's Health Record- 
  • Page 1 –
    • Physician Signature (providing clearance, may be located on Page 1 of the Athlete Health Record) - Physicals must be dated April 15 or later.
    • Emergency Contact Information (should be carried to all practices/games by coach)
  • Page 2 - Informed Consent & Assumption of Risk
  • Page 3 - COVID-19 Informed Consent & Risk Acknowledgment Statement
• Signed Sudden Cardiac Arrest Information Sheet reviewed by athletes and parents with signed documentation
• Signed & Initialed Concussion Information Sheet reviewed by athletes and parents with signed documentation

We’re excited to share new updates with our mobile-friendly platform (AfterSchool Memphis) designed to help families easily discover the extracurricular activities offered at our schools.

This tool is part of our effort to make information more accessible while highlighting the many ways students can get involved beyond the classroom. Please review your information on the site to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Use these instructions to update your school’s offerings. Here are the users that were submitted to us to complete this task. If you have any issues, please refer to the Getting Help Section in the instructions. This information should answer the majority of your questions.  

If you need additional support, email afterschoolmemphis@scsk12.org.

Thank you for being a valuable part of this districtwide solution for families. Your support helps promote the amazing programs happening at your school and encourages more students to engage and grow through extracurricular involvement.

TEAM Student Growth scores have been released in the TeachAll platform. Portfolio educators may check TN Portfolio for scores. 

Educators with questions regarding their portfolio score should contact their Content Advisor for score-specific feedback and guidance related to scoring results and content-area requirements.

Grievances may be submitted only for the following reasons:

• Data Accuracy Issues – Evaluation data assigned to the wrong educator. Disagreement with a score is not grounds for a grievance.
• Procedural Errors – Significant evaluation process errors, such as missing required observations or conferences.

Please refer to the Guidance for Grievance for complete procedures and eligibility requirements.

A portfolio will be assigned an Incomplete (I) and the teacher’s LOE (Level of Overall Effectiveness) score will NOT generate for the 2025-26 school year if any of the four collections were not 100% complete by the deadline. These educators will also be assigned to the Novice track in PLZ for SY26-27 and will receive four observations.

Please contact the District Portfolio Lead, Floresha Smith via email (smithf2@scsk12.org) for any questions or to report any issues.

In accordance with Tennessee State Board of Education Policy 5.201, all educators must be evaluated annually by a certified evaluator. To support administrators in meeting this requirement, Memphis-Shelby County Schools offers multiple pathways for obtaining or maintaining TEM Certification for the 2026–27 school year.

Returning Observers

An email was sent out in early June for recertification. Administrators who were previously certified as evaluators must:

• Complete the Self-Paced TEM Training in Canvas
• Complete the required Calibration Exercise in PLZ
• Complete all certification requirements by September 8, 2026

Important: If you are still in an eligible role for certification and did not receive the email, please contact EPS at eps@scsk12.org. All Returning Observers must successfully complete coursework and calibration by September 8, 2026, to remain certified for the 2026–27 school year.

New Observers

Administrators pursuing TEM certification for the first time can register for the course below:

Self-Paced Canvas Course

• PLZ Course #50074

2-Day Virtual 

• PLZ Course #50075

Completion of the selected training pathway and all required calibration activities is necessary to obtain TEM certification. All New Observers must successfully complete coursework and calibration by March 30, 2027.

For RETURNING NIE Evaluators that were previously NIE Certified during SY2025-2026, NIE Recertification is NOT REQUIRED for SY2026-2027. Eligible Returning NIE Evaluators will be automatically identified and added as NIE Evaluators in PLZ for SY2026-27.

- NEW NIE Evaluators  

For SY2026-2027, there are two (2) options offered in attaining NIE Evaluator Certification:  

• Self-Paced (Canvas)
• Live/Virtual Session

Course numbers and date information can be found HERE.  

Questions/Concerns? Send an email to eps@scsk12.org.  

July DLD Guidebook

July 2026 District Learning Day follows a school-based and department-led format, featuring sessions encompassing a whole-group address, school-based professional learning, instructional planning, and deliberate practice.

Action 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 Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
• Inform teachers to register for their appropriate content sessions in PLZ.
• All teachers must use the sign-in and survey links to receive credit in PLZ.
  • Link: July 2026 Sign-In and Survey Links.png

Link: School-based Agenda Submission

Office of Enrollment, Attendance, and Truancy Leaderboard

Enrollment & School Choice

2026-2027 School Choice Portal 

The School Choice Transfer portal remains open for the 2026-27 school year. Please continue sharing the following details with families to assist them with the application process.

Application Access

• How to Apply: Families can visit www.scsk12.org from any device to submit their transfer requests.

Who Needs to Apply?

• New Applicants: Students seeking a transfer for the first time.
• Transitioning Students: Students moving up a school level (e.g., rising 6th or 9th graders).
• Note: Current General Choice students staying at their school in good standing do not need to reapply.

School Responsibilities

To support our goals of recruiting, retaining, and reclaiming students, schools are encouraged to host open houses and showcase their programs to families.

2026-2027 Registration: Open for All Students

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is open for all new and returning students. Families can complete the process and update their information at any time via the PowerSchool Parent Portal.

Administrative Actions

• Visibility: Post registration hours and instructions in highly visible areas and at all school entrances.
• Support Events: Schedule Registration Night(s) to assist families. Coordinate with the Office of Enrollment and Attendance if you require additional support.
• All Registration Team members are required to complete refresher training via PLZ.
• For questions or enrollment support, contact Stacey Davis at daviss2@scsk12.org.

Student Health & Eligibility: Immunizations and Physicals

• To ensure students are cleared and ready for the 2026-2027 school year, families needing updated immunizations or physicals can submit required consent to ShotRX Health and Wellness Solutions.
• Please share the link below with your school community: ShotRx901

MSCS Kindergarten Enrollment & Eligibility Guide

Enrollment Requirements

• Age Eligibility: To enroll for the 2026-2027 school year, students must be 5 years old on or before August 15, 2026.
• Registration Deadline: Per state law, new kindergarteners cannot be enrolled after the first 30 days of the school year (September 30, 2026). Previously enrolled students may be accepted at any time.
• Health Documentation: Proof of a physical examination and a complete immunization record must be submitted at the time of enrollment. Students will not be permitted to enroll until these records are provided.

Early Entrance Screening (2026-2027 School Year) 

MSCS provides screening for children who turn 5 between August 16 and September 30, 2026, to determine eligibility for early kindergarten entry.

• Timeline: Scheduling begins May 18
• Process: The Assessment Department will coordinate school-based screenings with parental consent. A registration link will be sent to parents from the department.
• Appointments: To schedule a screening outside of the school setting, please contact the Assessment Department directly.
• Cut-off: Children turning 5 after September 30, 2026, are not eligible for screening and may enroll in the fall of 2027.

Official Registration Portal: scsk12.org/registration/kindergarten   

MULTILINGUAL SUMMER REGISTRATION HUBS

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our Multilingual Registration Hubs! This initiative brings district resources directly to our community, making enrollment, attendance support, and school assistance accessible for all families, with a special focus on our multilingual families.

DATES & TIME

• June 9 – July 22, 2026
• 9 AM – 2 PM

LOCATIONS & DAYS

• Tuesdays: Latino Memphis
  • 6041 Mt Moriah Rd. Ext., Ste 16
• Wednesdays: Gaisman Community Center
  • 4221 Macon Rd.

Gear Up for Greatness

An all-school preparation event to align students and staff before Day One. Parents will have the opportunity to get registration support and have their questions answered so every student is ready on day one.

• When: Tuesday, July 28, 2026
• Who: All Schools
• Available Shifts/Times:
  • Morning Session: 7:30 AM – 12:30 AM
  • Evening Session: 4 PM – 6 PM

"Back to Greatness" Block Party & Supply Drive

Our major late-summer community resource event and final school preparation wrap-up! Please heavily promote this to your school communities.

• When: Saturday, August 1, 2026 | 10 AM – 1 PM
• Where: Memphis Sports and Event Center  (995 Early Maxwell Blvd., Memphis, TN 38104)

Key Highlights to Promote:

• Free backpacks, school supplies, on-site immunizations, and school physicals.
• Student registration assistance, Choice Transfers, and bus eligibility information.
• Truancy intervention/prevention support, live music, prizes, food, and various community partners.

Transportation Packets: The mailroom will deliver transportation packets to schools on Thursday, July 23, and Friday, July 24. The packets contain a transportation handbook, card stock, and bus rules. Elementary packets will also include K-1 stickers to be placed on the bus passes of kindergarten and first-grade students. If you do not receive a packet by Monday, July 27, please email the Transportation office at TransAdminSupport@scsk12.org or call (901) 416-6077.

Bus Pass Files: Transportation personnel will begin emailing bus pass files to school principals and their designees on Thursday, July 23, and Friday, July 24. A blank bus pass file will also be provided for schools to issue temporary bus passes for newly enrolled students whose information is not available in PowerSchool. Please ensure that bus passes are printed on the appropriate colored cardstock: pink for elementary schools, lime green for middle schools, and gold for high schools. It is the school's responsibility to ensure that eligible bus riders are issued their bus passes.

Kindergarten and First-Grade Bus Riders: Please ensure the following K-1 procedures are followed at your school:

• All eligible kindergarten and first-grade (K-1) students riding the bus must have an orange K-1 sticker (provided by our office) affixed to the front of their bus pass. 
• Please remind all K-1 parents and guardians that they are responsible for meeting their K-1 child at the bus stop every day or designating someone appropriate to meet them. If no one is present at the bus stop in the afternoon to accept a K-1 student, the child will be returned to their school at the conclusion of the bus route. Contact the Transportation office if additional K-1 stickers are needed.
• School administrators or their designees must identify the correct bus route information for all K-1 students before they board the bus. K-1 students should be assisted onto the bus at the school before the driver starts the route. Please contact the Transportation office at (901) 416-6077 or TransAdminSupport@scsk12.org if you have any questions or concerns.

Bus Seating Chart: Bus drivers will create seating charts, and students are required to sit in the assigned seat each day unless otherwise directed by the driver. School support will be requested if students do not follow the process as directed. This process will help drivers identify bus riders and assist with contact tracing when needed. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the seating chart process, please contact Terry Ellis, Transportation Safety Specialist, at ellist1@scsk12.org or (901) 416-8141.

Field Trip Bus Request: First Student requests a three-day advance notice for buses. The bus cost is $62.93 per hour, with a minimum charge of two hours ($125.86) round trip per bus. First Student’s charges are calculated based on gate-to-gate transportation. 

School Transportation Coordinators: Please provide contact information for two (2) staff members, not including yourself. Email information to TransAdminSupport@scsk12.org no later than Monday, July 27, 2026.

• Name
• Email address
• Cell Number

Transportation Contact Information: All bus questions and concerns should be sent via email to TransAdminSupport@scsk12.org or call (901) 416-6077.

WebQuery: The link will be posted on the Transportation page of the MSCS website under “Find My Bus” on Monday, July 27, 2026.

Important Notice: 

DAIM is in the middle of our Rollover Summer Maintenance Process for the 2026-2027 school year. During this time, most dashboards have temporarily stopped refreshing/updating. 

New users and employees with new school assignments will not have access until this process is complete for the start of school in August.  
 

Featured Updates: 

The Grade 3 Summer Learning Academy (SLA) Adequate Growth post-assessment results and 4th Grade Adequate Growth data are now available in the Literacy Commitment: Promotional Pathways report. Student promotional statuses have also been updated to reflect the latest outcomes based on these results.

Schools should review the 3rd- and 4th-Grade student lists in the Literacy Commitment: Promotional Pathways report to support student registration and planning for the upcoming school year.

The report has also been enhanced with updates to the data table, including revisions to the e-Collect Required column used to track 3rd- and 4th-grade e-Collect compliance and the addition of a new e-Collect Completed column to assist principals. Two new visuals have also been added to the Promotional Pathways report to provide additional insight into student outcomes.

Additionally, the Prior Promotion Report, Literacy Commitment District Quick Report and have been updated to reflect the new metrics.

For questions about the Power BI report, contact daimsupport@scsk12.org.

• Click here to access the full user guide
• Click here for guidance on exporting SLA required and optional student lists, appeal eligibility, and general export instructions.
• Click here for the Prior Promotion Report user guide.
• Click here for the District Quick Report user guide.
• Click here for the Raw Data Report user guide.

----------------------------  

Upcoming Training Sessions: 

Virtual Office Hours will return on July 28 and July 30 with Open Office Hours Q&A sessions. Bring your questions!

For more information on Virtual Office Hours, check out  this flyer! Sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. on Microsoft Teams.  
  
Programming Note: VOH will be bi-weekly in July. We will return to weekly sessions in August.  
----------------------------  

Check out our Training Calendar for all upcoming District Trainings. 

  
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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. 

Dear MSCS School Leaders,

We’re excited to share that your school’s ClassDojo account will be fully rostered for the 2026-27 school year. That means student rosters, staff accounts, and classes will be set up for you automatically.

ClassDojo is a widely adopted tool across MSCS that serves as a communication hub between school staff and parents.  Key features include school-wide announcements, class announcements, and 2-way messaging between school staff and parents.  Additionally, ClassDojo offers automatic translation services in more than 190 languages for multilingual families.

Middle & High School Principals: Please note that ClassDojo has significantly adjusted its platform to offer a feel and functionality that is more appropriate for secondary schools.

Your Action Steps: 

Schedule an individualized consultation with ClassDojo: If you haven’t already, go over this year’s updates and build a strong back-to-school plan for your building.

Remind your staff what to expect with this Mini Slide Deck

Classes will automatically be set up for teachers and students will automatically be added to your directory. Staff should not create classes before July 27. Rostered classes can still be archived as needed if you don’t plan to use them on ClassDojo, or they can be renamed. 

Connect Families: Make sure that your staff has a plan to send a connection invite to new and non-connected families via ClassDojo by August 3. Families are especially responsive to their students’ teachers during this time of the school year!

What’s coming

Students will be added to the directory and classes will be set up for teachers by July 27.

For PreK-8 Schools: New and non-connected staff will be automatically invited to create a ClassDojo account on July 27.

Students will be added into their classrooms by July 28, so families see final class placements close to the start of the new school year. Please do not add students before this date. 

For PreK-8 Schools: New and non-connected families will be automatically invited to create a ClassDojo account on July 28.

If you have any issues or questions, please refer to ClassDojo’s FAQ here or reach out to ClassDojo Support. 

Prefer to learn at your own pace and earn a certificate? Take our asynchronous School Leaders training course here: 👉 ClassDojo School Leader Training

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to making ClassDojo even more impactful for your students and families.

The Federal Programs team will host a professional learning session, Title I Essentials 101 on July 31 to ensure that each PLC Coach is equipped with essential information regarding both current and updated Title I guidelines and requirements.

Session details are provided below. 

Date: Friday, July 31, 2026

Location: Will be shared by your Title I advisor

Meeting Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Expected Outcome: PLC Coaches will demonstrate knowledge of the identified focus areas and know where to access support and resources when needed.