Enrollment Procedures and Reminders

Reminder: Policy 6002 Revisions & Compliance

Please take a moment with your team to review the updated Policy 6002 guidelines:

• General Choice Transfers: Ensure strict adherence to transfer rescission timing (end-of-semester only), mandatory written warning letter procedures, and review grounds for revoked transfers to protect due process.
• Shared Residency: Confirm you have three valid address verification documents on file (excluding promotional mail) and that the required shared residency notice is prominently posted in your front office.

Ensure administrative and front office staff are fully aligned with these requirements.

2026–2027 Registration: Ongoing Support & Push for 100% Enrollment

School is officially underway, but registration is not closed. It’s not too late to get every student enrolled! Registration for all new and returning students remains open via the PowerSchool Parent Portal.

As families continue to arrive, please ensure your front office and registration teams remain welcoming, knowledgeable, and ready to support. Under no circumstances should any family be turned away.

Administrative Action Items:

• Keep registration hours and clear instructions posted prominently at all school entrances.
• Continue hosting or scheduling school-based Registration Nights to assist families who need hands-on help. If your school needs extra staffing or operational assistance, contact the Office of Enrollment and Attendance directly.
• Verify that all Registration Team members have completed their required refresher training in PLZ.
• For questions or dedicated enrollment support, please contact Stacey Davis at daviss2@scsk12.org.

Kindergarten Enrollment & Eligibility Guide

• Age Cut-off: Student must be 5 years old on or before August 15, 2026.
• Registration Deadline: Per state law, new kindergartners cannot be enrolled after the first 30 days of the school year (September 14, 2026).

Homeschool Guidance for Families

• Information & Inquiries: For questions regarding homeschooling options, parents can contact mscshomeschool@scsk12.org.
• Ready to Apply: Families can submit their formal application directly through the MSCS Homeschool Application Portal.
• Re-Enrolling in MSCS: Parents interested in re-enrolling students from homeschool back into the district can view the Re-Enrollment Information Flyer for details and next steps.

Attendance Procedures and Reminders

• With the school year underway, daily attendance remains a top district goal. All staff are encouraged to reinforce consistent presence and keep students engaged.
• Our focus is to increase Average Daily Attendance (ADA), reduce Chronic Absenteeism (CA), and lower truancy rates. Attendance Liaisons will align with truancy prevention, RTI-B frameworks, and counseling services to address barriers early. Explore the MSCS Student Attendance Pact Guide to see how students, families, and staff can team up to make every day count.
• Attendance must be logged daily within the first 10 minutes of each class period.
• All attendance discrepancies must be reconciled by the end of the school day. Clerical staff and attendance liaisons are responsible for entering substitute rosters and placeholder attendance prior to dismissal.

Student Withdrawal & No-Show Reminder

• No-Show Withdrawals: Please clear all attendance entries before processing a no-show withdrawal, and backdate the exit date to August 3, 2026.

• Ensure you select the correct exit code when withdrawing a student, and update any existing codes promptly to maintain accurate records.
• Always include a detailed comment explaining the reason for the withdrawal.
• For questions or guidance, reach out to our office at studentservices@scsk12.org.

Student Absence Form via PowerSchool Parent Portal

• Encourage parents to regularly verify and update their contact details via the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
• Parents can submit and track absence notifications directly from their mobile devices or computers using the Student Absence Form in the portal.  Attendance Pact Guide Infographic.pdf

"Show Up for Greatness" District Initiative

We are continuing the Show Up for Greatness initiative to support our regional service model and tiered interventions:

• Tier 1: Show Up for Greatness
• Tier 2: Every Day Counts
• Tier 3: Be Present. Be Great.

Schools will continue using the Show Up for Greatness tracking application to monitor progress and log student supports. Supports must be logged for every 20-day period, with all entries recorded promptly at the end of each cycle.

Truancy Procedures and Reminders

Administrative Action Items

• Update Team Contacts: Complete the 2026-27 Attendance Team School Contact List promptly to ensure your school receives critical truancy updates and support this year.

Digital Truancy Clearances

The MSCS Truancy Clearance process is officially moving online.

• Families can submit clearance requests directly via a direct web link or QR code, streamlining the process and reducing campus paperwork.
• Digital clearance posters featuring the link and QR code will arrive on campuses soon. Please display and share these resources with families as needed.

SART Meeting & Truancy Clearance Guidance

As we strengthen our attendance practices, please ensure schools and attendance teams hold SART meetings for all students with five (5) or more unexcused absences in PowerSchool.

When a student receives a Truancy Clearance to enroll, complete the following:

• Conduct a SART meeting with the student and parent/guardian.
• Complete the Parent Student Support Plan (PSSP).
• Record the appropriate PSSP log entry in PowerSchool.

 Access the PowerSchool PSSP Step Sheet

These steps help us address absences, identify barriers, provide support, and accurately document our efforts to improve attendance. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping our students Show Up for Greatness!

Student Support Services Resource Guide

Please save and reference this guide to support your staff, students, and school community throughout the year:

 Office of Student Support Services Resource Guide

A Guide to Proactive Athletic Contest Management 

Strategies to support safe, positive, and well-managed athletic events 

Before the Contest 

• Meet with the Athletic Director to review event expectations and risk factors. 
• Identify contests requiring enhanced supervision (rivalries, playoffs, homecoming, senior nights). 
• Confirm administrator, security, and event staff assignments. 
• Review Emergency Action Plans, severe weather procedures, AED access, and communication protocols. 
• Communicate sportsmanship expectations and facility rules to students, families, and visitors. 
• Coordinate with security, EMS, and facility personnel as needed. 
• Monitor social media for potential concerns and communicate proactively. 
• Assign staff to supervise student sections and engage student leaders. 
• Brief event staff, ticket takers, and security on positioning and crowd control expectations.
• Greet the officiating crew, show them to a secure dressing area, and confirm game protocols.

During the Contest 

• Maintain a visible administrative presence throughout the venue. 
• Position staff and security at entrances, student sections, concession areas, and exits. 
• Welcome spectators and promote a positive atmosphere. 
• Address inappropriate behavior immediately and professionally. 
• Protect officials, players and coaches from harassment or intimidation. 
• Use PA announcements to reinforce sportsmanship and safety expectations. 
• Keep a visible presence near team benches and spectator sections to deter unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Ensure emergency response personnel have clear access to the field or court. 
• Monitor crowd flow and restricted areas continuously to prevent safety issues. 

After the Contest 

• Consider staggered dismissal for high-attendance or rivalry events. 
• Ensure officiating crew is escorted safely back to their dressing or parking area.
• Maintain supervision in parking lots and gathering areas. 
• Monitor post-game interactions between fan groups and teams. 
• Debrief with athletic administration, security, and/or event staff. 
• Document incidents/injuries and identify improvements for future events. 

Key Reminder: Proactive communication, visible leadership, and consistent sportsmanship expectations are the most effective tools for preventing crowd-management issues. 

MSCS High School Game Day is back for another year, and we are excited to once again showcase the outstanding students, schools, and communities that make Memphis-Shelby County Schools special.

Selected schools will be notified if their game has been chosen for this year's High School Game Day experience. Being selected is more than an opportunity to showcase an athletic contest; it is a privilege to represent your school, community, and Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

High School Game Day is designed to tell your story. Coverage may include:

• Live streaming and interviews with key school stakeholders
• Community partner and alumni spotlights
• Coverage of school traditions, programs, and organizations

We encourage you to identify the people, programs, and stories that make your school community unique. This spotlight is an opportunity to share what makes your school special. What story do you want people to know about your school?

Approach High School Game Day as a celebration of your entire community. Compete hard, celebrate enthusiastically, and always respect the game. As you prepare, we ask school leaders and coaches to intentionally engage students and fans around sportsmanship and what it means to represent your school with pride. How we handle both victory and defeat should reflect the character of our programs and, most importantly, the values of our schools.

The MSCS Multimedia and Partnerships teams will work closely with selected schools throughout the process to help make the experience memorable and successful. Bring the energy. Tell your story. Represent with pride. The city will be watching!