Please review the MTSS Lead Updates for the week of 9/14.

Principals, please review the advisory for PE, Art, and Music.  

ACTION FOR SCHOOL LEADERS: Review the master schedule and staffing assignments to ensure adherence to state and location requirements.  Communicate to teachers, parents, and students, any schedule adjustments that are necessary to return to full compliance.   

Questions can be sent to Dr. Amy Maples, maplesa@scsk12.org.

As we kick off the 2026-2027 Literacy Commitment, our focus is on ensuring implementation is clear, consistent, and proactive. 

First Step: 

Attached are the English and Spanish Third-Grade Literacy Commitment Welcome Letters for schools to share with families and use during Parent-Teacher Conferences. 

Third Grade Fall Welcome Letter 2026-2027 - 09.01.26 (Spanish).docx 

Third Grade Fall Welcome Letter 2026-2027 (English).docx

If your school’s Literacy Commitment Lead has changed, please update this information in the Leadership Launchpad.

Coming Soon:

· Literacy Commitment Lead Huddle Dates & Times

· Literacy Commitment Toolkit

· Updated MSCS Literacy Commitment Webpage

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our students and families informed, supported, and prepared. If you have any questions, please email Porsha Dixon, dixonpm@scsk12.org.

To support planning and scheduling, please review the SEA Professional Learning dates below. All sessions will be held virtually, and SEAs will have two attendance options for each session: 9:30-10:30 a.m. or 1-2 p.m. Please ensure SEAs have access to a quiet location and device to fully engage in the learning. Attendance is required for all SEAs, and participation will be tracked for each session.

SEA Professional Learning Dates

· September 30, 2026

· October 7, 2026

· October 28, 2026

· November 10, 2026

· January 13, 2027

· January 27, 2027

· February 10, 2027

· February 24, 2027

· March 24, 2027

Please reach out to Heba Sammour at sammourh@scsk12.org if you have any questions.

Please be sure to review Student Government (Policy 6065). This policy applies to middle and high schools. ​

Each school shall establish an elected student council. The council shall be governed by its own constitution, which shall be approved by the school principal. Defining the council’s jurisdiction shall be a joint and cooperative effort of the council, students, and the student government constitution.

Please provide the contact information for your school's Student Council or Student Government Association by Friday, September 25, 2026.

Sign-Up Link: MSCS Student Council and Student Government Advisors 2026-27 – Fill out form

PLZ Information Student Council Advisor Training | Student Government Association & Student Council Advisor Workshop

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Course #47247; Section # 92621

Location: Central High School, 306 S. Bellevue, Memphis, TN 38104

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Billy J. Walker, II <Walkerbj@scsk12.org>.

The Office of Student Experience is pleased to invite your school to participate in the 2026 Student Leadership Workshop on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the University of Memphis Student Center.

Theme: Ignite Your Impact: Where Student Leaders Shape Tomorrow

This conference will bring together student leaders from across the District for a day of inspiration, learning, and collaboration. Students will explore leadership, mental wellness, advocacy, and community engagement while developing the skills needed to make a positive impact in their schools and communities.

Event Details

• Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
• Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Location: University of Memphis Student Center
• Transportation: Provided and bus schedule will be sent after confirmation of attendance. 

What We Need From You

• Select 10 students who demonstrate leadership potential or would benefit from this experience.
• Assign one staff member to serve as the group chaperone.
• Complete the registration form by September 23, 2026

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/0zp1kFb337  

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Tarol Clements < CLEMENTSTP@scsk12.org> and Dr. Billy J. Walker, II < WALKERBJ@scsk12.org>. 

The SY26-27 Growth & Achievement selection window is open in PLZ.

School Leader Action Required

Building leaders should collaborate with teachers to ensure an achievement measure is selected that aligns as closely as possible to each educator's primary teaching assignment.

Please ensure:

• All required Growth & Achievement selections are completed by October 2, 2026.
• Educators receive support in identifying the most appropriate achievement measure.
• Evaluators monitor completion progress throughout the selection window.

Guidance documents and step-by-step resources are available in PLZ under the Resources tab.

Need Assistance?

Employee Performance & Support is available to support schools throughout the selection process.

Phone: 901-416-2475
Email: Support-EPS@scsk12.org

The Office of Employee Performance and Support is excited to offer a new Professionalism Professional Development designed to deepen teachers’ understanding of the Professionalism component of the TEM evaluation framework. 

Foundations of Professional Practice, offered September 24, 2026, is intended for teachers who are new to the Professionalism Rubric or would benefit from a refresher. Participants will explore the rubric indicators, performance expectations, and examples of evidence and artifacts that demonstrate professional practice. 

Register today! 

• PLZ Course#: 50664, Section: 92259

Questions? Please contact eps@scsk12.org. 

The TEM TEACHer Training Series is open for ALL teachers. This series supports educators with identifying teacher and student actions that guide effective instruction at performance levels 3-5 of the TEACH indicators. 

Fall Sessions: 

• Indicators 3 & 4: September 21, 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Indicators 5, 6, & 7: October 5, 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Register in PLZ, course #50609. 

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

Fine Arts, Physical Education (2nd and 5th grades), Pre-K, and World Language (French and Spanish) educators will submit TEAM Student Growth Portfolios for SY2026-27. Please complete the TEAM Student Growth Portfolio Teacher Information form by Friday, September 25.

Questions or concerns? Please email eps@scsk12.org.

All SY26-27 evaluation plans have rolled out successfully and are now available in PLZ.

For employees assigned to NIE or TEAM evaluation plans, an evaluator must be selected before the employee will appear in the evaluator's Staff Evaluation tab in PLZ. School leaders should monitor evaluator selections and follow up with staff members who have not yet completed this step. 

Evaluation Track Assignments

At the beginning of the school year, educators are assigned to one of two evaluation tracks:

Novice Track

Educators are assigned to the Novice Track if they:

• Do not have a prior-year Level of Overall Effectiveness (LOE) score; or
• Have missing or incomplete evaluation components from the previous year, including observations, professionalism, or student growth measures.

Proficient Track

Educators who are expected to generate a Level of Overall Effectiveness (LOE) score during the current school year are assigned to the Proficient Track.

New MSCS Educators with Pending Tennessee LOE Scores

If your school has educators who transferred from another Tennessee district and are expected to receive a SY25-26 LOE score, please encourage them to notify Employee Performance & Support once their score becomes available.

Upon verification of the score in TN Compass, EPS will update the educator's evaluation track, as appropriate.

Future Evaluation Track Adjustments

Evaluation tracks will be automatically updated in mid-January to reflect verified SY25-26 LOE scores.

School leaders may monitor updated track assignments through:

• PLZ
• Evaluation KPI Dashboard

Questions or Concerns

Please review evaluation plans and track assignments for your staff. If you identify discrepancies or have questions regarding an educator's evaluation plan or track assignment, contact Employee Performance & Support for assistance.

The NIE Goal Setting Conference is open in PLZ! 

IMPORTANT: NIE Employees will need to select their evaluator first, in order for the evaluator to have access to their NIE plan in PLZ. In addition, the evaluator must be NIE Certified.

View the flyer below for important information, key dates, and resources to help you get started. 

• SY26-27 NIE Goal Setting Conference Flyer

Goal Setting Conferences are due by October 23, 2026.

Questions? Contact EPS@scsk12.org

The deadline to complete TEM New Observer Certification is Tuesday, March 30, 2027. 

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

Self-Paced Canvas Course PLZ Course #50074 OR 2-Day Virtual PLZ Course #50075 

For questions or support, please email eps@scsk12.org.

Greetings!

Leadership Development Week (LDW) is next week, and we would like to remind you of the key dates and information. Please find the agendas for each session.

Final September LDW Master Agenda.pdf

LDW will take place September 21–25, 2025, with the following groups attending on the dates listed below:

• Monday, September 21, 2025 – Professional School Counselors
• Tuesday, September 22, 2025 – Principals
• Wednesday, September 23, 2025 – Assistant Principals, Vice Principals, and Deans of Students
• Thursday, September 24, 2025 – PLC Coaches and Instructional Facilitators
• Friday, September 25, 2025 – Central Office Staff

We look forward to a productive week of learning and collaboration. Please review the agendas for your designated day and come prepared to engage in the scheduled activities and discussions.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you next week!

Please review the following key reminders from the MSCS Athletics Board Policy 6051:

• Each school must have an administrator or designee present at every athletic contest.
  • The designated Game Administrator should be someone other than the team's coach(es).
  • For high-profile home games or rivalry matchups, the Principal is strongly encouraged to attend to provide leadership and support.
• Documentation of the following must be maintained for a minimum of three (3) years:
  • Concussion recognition and head injury training
  • Sudden cardiac arrest training
  • Heat illness prevention training
  • Signed Sudden Cardiac Arrest Information Sheets
  • Signed Concussion Information Sheets
  • Annual Heat Illness Prevention Acknowledgments
• Student-athletes exhibiting signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion or sudden cardiac arrest must be removed immediately from participation and may not return to play until they have been evaluated and provided written clearance by a licensed healthcare provider. 
• Non-faculty coaches must complete all required application, fingerprinting, and background check processes. Approval from the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) must be obtained before assignment.
• Ticket reconciliation reports must be completed for all events where admission is charged. Collected funds and reconciliation reports must be submitted for deposit within three (3) days of the event.

You are encouraged to review the complete Board Policy 6051 and accompanying administrative rules to ensure full understanding and compliance with all requirements.

Enrollment Procedures and Reminders

PowerSchool Update: General Choice Transfer Warning Letters 

To better support your parent communications, a General Choice Transfer warning letter is now available directly in PowerSchool Enrollment. Simply select the student, and the system will automatically generate the letter—auto-filling the date, student name, address, and default transfer compliance language. Please see the attached Warning Letter.docx for reference.

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.

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

ADMIN ACTION REQUIRED: PowerSchool Contact & Security Update

Action Needed: Please copy and paste the notice below into your upcoming school newsletters and family communications. Maintaining accurate family contact details in PowerSchool is vital for student safety, critical emergency alerts, and routine school-to-home communication.

Important PowerSchool Updates for Families

To keep student information secure and ensure you receive critical school updates, please note the following guidelines for your PowerSchool Parent Portal account:

• Updating Contact Details (Web Browser Only): To add or update phone numbers, email addresses, or emergency contacts, log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal using a web browser and select the "Update Communication Preferences" tab. Note: Contact updates cannot be made through the mobile app.
• Removing Contacts: For student security, parents cannot delete contacts online. Contact removal requests must be handled directly by your school’s main office staff.
• Mobile App & Daily Monitoring: Download the PowerSchool mobile app for real-time notifications on grades and attendance, and log in regularly to review your contact profile for accuracy.

MSCS Student Attendance Pact Guide

• As the school year progresses, driving daily attendance continues to be a key priority for our district. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to encourage regular attendance and support meaningful student engagement.
• Our focus is to increase Average Daily Attendance (ADA), reduce Chronic Absenteeism, and lower truancy rates. Attendance Liaisons will collaborate with truancy prevention teams, RTI-B frameworks, and counseling services to address barriers early. Please explore the MSCS Student Attendance Pact Guide to see how students, families, and staff can team up to make every day count.

• CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE MSCS ATTENDANCE PACT GUIDE

Action Required: Daily Attendance Compliance

Principals, accurate daily attendance tracking is critical to student safety, truancy monitoring, and our district compliance under MSCS Policy 6014. Please ensure your teaching staff follows these required procedures:

• Teachers must submit attendance electronically in Power Teacher Pro within the first 10 minutes of every class period or homeroom.
• Paper rosters or offline forms are strictly prohibited.
• Office staff and attendance administrators must review and fully reconcile all daily attendance discrepancies before the end of the school day.
• Daily record-keeping is a legal and district mandate. Unsubmitted or falsified attendance directly impacts state funding and places your school out of compliance.

Thank you for your leadership in keeping your building on track and maintaining 100% daily compliance across all classrooms.

District Advisory: EOY Planning & Senior Protocols (2026–2027)

Please review the following end-of-year timelines and protocols for the 2026–2027 school year. This early guidance is provided to help school leaders align master schedules, plan senior activities, and communicate attendance expectations to families well in advance.

1. Graduating Senior (GS) Protocol & Key Dates

• The official last day of school for seniors is Monday, May 7, 2027.
• The authorized window to utilize the GS (Graduating Senior) attendance code is May 10 through May 20, 2027. This code will be applied for any seniors remaining in the building or completing requirements during this timeframe.
• GS coding updates are managed exclusively by the Office of Enrollment, Attendance, and Truancy in PowerSchool. Schools must not make independent adjustments to ensure state reporting compliance.
• Schools must maintain a logged schedule of all senior events. Any activities scheduled outside the May 10–20 authorized window will not qualify for GS designation.

2. Promotional Ceremonies & End-of-Year Celebrations

• All promotional ceremonies (Kindergarten, 5th grade, and 8th grade) and end-of-year celebrations must be scheduled during the final week of school, beginning Monday, May 17, 2027.

• School leaders must clearly communicate to families that daily attendance remains mandatory through the final day of school. Early disengagement is not permitted, as every instructional day is essential.

3. Attendance Compliance & Family Communication

• Full-day instruction and daily attendance tracking remain mandatory through the final day of school. Early disengagement is not permitted.
• Teachers must record daily attendance accurately in PowerSchool. Falsification of attendance records violates district policy and state law.
• "Senior Skip Day" is strictly non-sanctioned; regular attendance is required of all students through their official end dates.
• High school families (Grades 9–12) will receive automated calls and texts regarding student absences to reinforce real-time attendance tracking through the end of the year.

Action Item for Principals: Incorporate these key dates into your school calendar and parent handbooks. Families will receive a general summary of these expectations later in the school year.

For questions or assistance, please contact the Office of Enrollment, Attendance, and Truancy at 901-416-2989.

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: Everyday 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

Announcement: Upcoming "Be Present. Be Great." District Meeting

Principals, please be advised that the Office of Enrollment, Attendance, & Truancy will host our first "Be Present. Be Great." meeting on Saturday, September 26, 2026. 

Official district notification letters are being mailed directly to families of students who have accumulated 10 or more unexcused absences. No action or outreach is required from your school team. This notice is for your awareness in the event parents contact your main office with questions.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
• Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Location: Teaching and Learning Academy (2485 Union Avenue)

Key Guidance for Parent Inquiries:

• Purpose: To review attendance barriers, connect families with support, and establish an attendance agreement prior to formal court proceedings.
• Exemptions: Families who complete a SARB meeting at the school level or with a Truancy Services representative before September 26 are not required to attend.
• No-Show Policy: Unexcused non-attendance (either prior to or on September 26) will result in a SARB No-Show status and potential referral to Juvenile Court per state compulsory attendance requirements.

Administrative Action Items

• Update Team Contacts: Complete the 26-27 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. 

Reminder: Immediate Enrollment Under McKinney-Vento 

Please ensure students and families experiencing housing instability are enrolled immediately, as required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and district guidelines.

• Allow the student to start school right away—do not delay enrollment for missing residency documents, transcripts, immunizations, or a Truancy Clearance.
• Complete and submit the McKinney-Vento/Displaced Student Referral so the family receives support as quickly as possible.
• A Truancy Clearance should never be used as a prerequisite or reason to delay enrolling a student.

If you have questions about eligibility or procedures, please reach out to Dr. Karen Ball-Johnson or the FACE/Special Populations team.

Student Support Services Resource Guide

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