October 23, 2026
SEAs participated in Session 3 of the SEA Impact Series, focused on Data to Action on October 21. The session emphasized moving beyond identifying student needs to using data to make instructional decisions that support student growth.
During the session, SEAs focused on:
· Using student data to form instructional groups.
· Matching instructional supports to identified literacy needs.
· Determining appropriate resources based on student needs and grade level.
· Planning targeted tutoring and intervention support.
· Monitoring student progress and adjusting support over time.
Leadership Look-Fors:
· SEAs grouping students based on common instructional needs.
· Small-group instruction aligned to student data.
· SEAs utilizing appropriate resources and materials to address identified needs.
· Students receiving targeted support based on specific literacy skill gaps.
· Evidence of progress monitoring and adjustments to instruction.
This Month's SEA Commitment: SEAs identified one area of focus:
· Forming groups intentionally.
· Using data before instruction.
· Monitoring student progress.
· Adjusting support based on student needs.
· Celebrating student growth.
Thank you for supporting the implementation of data-informed instructional decision-making in your building.
Questions? Please contact Heba Sammour at sammourh@scsk12.org.
Please review the October 19 MTSS Lead Updates.
Personalized Instruction is the individualized learning path i-Ready builds for each student based on their i-Ready Inform results. We also call Personalized Instruction “MyPath” (grades K-5) and “i-Ready Pro” (grades 6-12). Personalized Instruction is delivered with fidelity when usage and pass rates meet recommended guidance. Teachers and school leaders should monitor this using the Personalized Instruction Report in iReady.
Usage: Students should have 30-49 minutes per week, per content (ELA and Math).
Pass rate: Students should aim for a pass rate of 70% or better YTD.
Join Melanie Nelson, Curriculum Associates PL Specialist, on November 2 at 4 p.m. for office hours if you need support with personalized instruction.
As a reminder, please continue to share with new teachers and remind novice teachers about the Getting Started guidance video available within the MSCS Teacher Resource page. This resource will assist with ensuring that all instructional staff are aware of how to access the curriculum, lesson plans, and additional resources for effective instruction. The beginning of each quarter is a great time to continue highlighting this resource as staff may have shifted placements or new teachers have been onboarded.
Questions? Contact Dr. Amy Maples or a member of the Curriculum & Instruction Department.
School Leaders,
The districtwide Digital Citizenship completion window is open through October 28, 2026. All K-12 schools are expected to participate as we work toward our goal of 93% student completion.
Please review the Digital Citizenship flyer for teacher roles, student access steps, and grade-band courses. Schools may schedule the Canvas lessons for a time that works for them and use the Digital Citizenship Completion Report to monitor student progress.
Thank you for your partnership and support.
Thank you for your active engagement during September Leadership Development Week. Your contributions helped make it a meaningful and impactful experience.
As a follow-up, please find the shared resource folder for your continued reference and support: Sept Final Agendas (leaderboard).
Questions? Contact us at performanceandleadership@scsk12.org.
The deadline to complete NIE Goal Setting Conferences in PLZ has been extended to November 6, 2026.
As a reminder: NIE Employees must select their evaluator first in PLZ, in order for the evaluator to have access to their NIE plan. In addition, the evaluator must be NIE Certified.
Questions? Contact EPS@scsk12.org.
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, please register in PLZ for Course #50057.
The deadline to complete certification and certify as an NIE Evaluator for SY26-27 is April 9, 2027.
Questions? Contact EPS@scsk12.org
Advancing Professional Practice Through Evidence and Reflection School leaders, please encourage teachers familiar with the Professionalism Rubric to attend this PD opportunity. Participants will deepen their understanding by analyzing evidence, reflecting on professional practice, and using the rubric to support continuous professional growth.
WHEN: Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 4-5 p.m.
Register in PLZ: Course# 50664
Questions? Contact ESP@scsk12.org
The Fall Student Perception Survey will be administered October 26 – November 6, 2026. The District’s goal is to achieve 95% or more completion among eligible students and teachers. Please work with your Survey Site Coordinator to ensure students have the time, technology, and support needed to complete the survey.
For questions, please contact the Employee Performance and Support Office at 901-416-2475 or eps@scsk12.org, or reach out to LaToya Rogers at rogersld@scsk12.org.
All portfolio educators should log in to TeachAll and select collections by Friday, December 4, using their state single sign on. Educators may reach out to their Content Advisor or the District Portfolio Lead, Floresha Smith, to receive their State SSO.
All point A assessments should be completed/not uploaded for all students by Friday, December 4, to support purposeful sampling.
Questions or concerns? Email 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
For questions or support, please reach out to eps@scsk12.org.
District Team, it is that time of year again!
Every day across Memphis-Shelby County Schools, exceptional educational leaders step up to inspire classrooms, transform school cultures, and drive relentless academic growth for our students. Now, it’s time to elevate and honor the visionary leaders who embody what it means to lead with excellence, equity, and impact!
We are officially opening nominations for the Principal of the Year and Supervisor of the Year awards!
Do you know an administrator or central office supervisor whose transformational leadership, dedicated mentorship, and unwavering commitment deserve district-wide recognition? We want to hear from you!
🏆 Award Categories
- 🏫Principal of the Year: Honoring building-level principals who demonstrate exceptional instructional leadership, foster a positive school climate, and achieve outstanding student outcomes.
- 💼Supervisor of the Year: Recognizing central office leaders and administrative supervisors who provide extraordinary service, strategic support, and operational excellence across our district.
⏰ Nomination Deadline & Next Steps
- 🗓️Submission Deadline: Thursday, October 29, 2026 (No late submissions will be accepted!)
- 🔗How to Nominate: Submit your nominations quickly and easily using the official submission link below:
👉 CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR PRINCIPAL & SUPERVISOR NOMINATIONS
Why Your Nomination Matters
Great leadership transforms lives. Taking a few minutes to nominate a deserving colleague ensures that high-leverage practice is recognized, celebrated, and replicated across MSCS.
Let’s rally together and give our outstanding principals and supervisors the celebration they have earned. Submit your nominations today!
Daniel L. Jack, Ed.D.
Department of Performance & Leadership Development
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 October LDW Master Agenda.pdf
LDW will take place October 26 -29, 2026 with the following groups attending on the dates listed below:
Thursday, October 22, 2026 - Central Office Staff
Monday, October 26, 2026 – Professional School Counselors
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 – Principals
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 – Assistant Principals, Vice Principals, and Deans of Students
Thursday, October 29, 2026 – PLC Coaches and Instructional Facilitators
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!
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.
This year’s MSCS Spelling Bee will highlight our spectacular spellers in grades 3-8. But first, they’ll need to win your school’s spelling bee by Friday, December 11, 2026. Now is the time to identify your Spelling Bee Coordinator and plan for e-x-c-e-l-l-e-n-c-e.
If you have questions about how to get started, sign up here: Spelling Bee Intent to Participate 2026-27 – Fill out form and join us for a virtual meeting on Monday, October 26, 2026 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 at lusterey@scsk12.org.
As the next phase in our Voter Engagement Commitment, we will be arranging bus transportation for eligible students to Ride to the Polls during Early Voting. Please use the form linked below to confirm your interest in participating in Early Voting during the early voting period (Wednesday, October 14 — Thursday, October 29, 2026). We will work with your school to select the date.
Link to MSCS Ride to the Polls Form: MSCS Ride to the Polls Field Trip (2026) – Fill out form
In order to participate in this field trip, students must:
Be registered to vote in Shelby County, Tennessee, by October 5, 2026.
For more information on verifying voter registration, visit https://web.go-vote-tn.elections.tn.gov/.
To Search By Voter, you will need:
- First Name (required)
- Last Name (required)
- ZIP Code OR Birth Month and Birth Year
Be 18 years old on the day they vote. For example, if a student turns 18 years old on November 3, they would be eligible to vote on Election Day, but they would not be eligible to vote during Early Voting. Please refer to the previously shared school lists of students turning 18 by Election Day and/or download the Basic Student Info Report from PowerSchool.
Have an acceptable ID.
For more information on Voter ID requirements, visit https://sos.tn.gov/elections/voter-id-requirements
- Understand what IDs are acceptable
Any of the following IDs may be used, even if expired: - Tennessee driver license with your photo
- U.S. Passport
- Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
- Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government
- U.S. Military photo ID
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Erin Y. Luster at lusterey@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 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 limit on the number of submissions per school. Please share this information with your school teams to encourage participation.
Local Entry Information (Deadline: 12/15/26)
Middle School teachers are asked to sign-up here: Do the Write Thing 2027 – Fill out form.
- 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.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Erin Y. Luster at lusterey@scsk12.org.
Please review the attached 2026-2027 Principals' Calendar for your scheduled Health & Wellness Day. The screenings include hearing, vision, height, weight, blood pressure, and scoliosis screenings for eligible students. Principal Screening Calendar Semester 1 26-27.pdf
If you have any questions regarding the schedule or the screening process, please contact the Health Promotions Department at 901-416-6432.
Medication Training
Please review the Medication Administration Training for 2026-2027. MedicationTraining.pdf
School Care and Immunization Training
Please review the School Care and Immunization Training Flyer. SchoolCareImmunizationTraining.pdf
Healthy Teams
Please review Healthy Teams for 2026-2027. HealthyTeams.pdf
District-Approved Medical Service Vendors
Please review the list of approved vendors. DistrictApprovedMedicalServiceVendors.pdf
Assigned School Nurse Absence
Please review the information regarding assigned school nurses' absence. Nursing.pdf
2026-2027 Bed Bugs Toolkit BedBugsToolkit.pdf
2026-2027 Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease (HFMD) Toolkit HFMDToolkit.pdf
2026-2027 Head Lice Toolkit LiceToolkit.pdf
Please review the proper procedures for completing the Medical Emergency Log, which must be completed and submitted by the last school day of each month.
Tennessee law requires current 8th-grade students to complete a computer science course and the Class of 2028 to earn a computer science credit. Review the attached flyer for dates, registration details, and contacts. Encourage eligible teachers to register for the FREE Spring 2027 Computer Science Endorsement Pathway (CSEP).
Register here: https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/csep_teacher_registration_form_spring_2027?mc_cid=203fb1ac6b&mc_eid=c59a22e222
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