SCS parents can choose in-person or online instruction for fall
Starting in August, Shelby County Schools plans to offer both online and in-person instruction for students — and parents can choose which option they want.
118 articles by Laura Faith Kebede :
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July 2020
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June 2020
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Memphis students say they want deputies out of schools
Shelby County Schools mostly relies on district-employed school resource officers as security staff. They do not carry guns but have pepper spray, the district said.
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SCS superintendent gets good marks on community relations
Superintendent Joris Ray’s lowest score was in his relationship with district staff, especially in implementing a “rigorous, accurate” employee evaluation system.
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Saturday school is out as SCS lays out options for 2020-21 calendar
Instead, Shelby County Schools’ leaders will consider ideas such as adding an extra hour to the school day, shortening holidays and extending the school year.
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Memphis students to get laptops and tablets starting in August
The school board voted 8-1 at a special meeting Monday to approve $11 million toward a four-year lease for laptops and tablets from Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.
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SCS considers adding 15 days to school year to help students catch up
The district plans to present a proposal to the school board on Tuesday, and estimates a longer school year would cost between $25 million and $30 million.
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May 2020
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Here are the people advising Memphis school leaders on fall return
Superintendent Joris Ray said a plan to return to school could be a mix of in-person and online instruction. It’s still not clear when the 2020-21 school year will start, but Ray said he expects to present a school re-entry plan in early July.
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SCS pauses teacher salary negotiations, citing pandemic’s effect on budget
Teacher association leaders objected to the pause, saying the district was using the pandemic as an “excuse” and that Superintendent Joris Ray’s administration has not explored all options to funnel more money to teacher pay.
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SCS proposed budget reduces staff, but gives teachers a 1% pay increase
Altogether, the budget proposal cuts 220 full-time positions and adds 199 part-time positions. It also sets aside $6 million for the 1% salary increase for teachers and licensed staff such as school counselors and psychologists.
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April 2020
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Memphis plans in-person graduation ceremonies in July
The announcement came about a week after the state released graduation ceremony guidelines. School systems nationwide have grappled with how to honor their graduating students while still adhering to public health guidelines to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
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SCS has plan to help struggling seniors graduate despite school closure
Online classes for seniors at risk of not graduating because of failing grades are scheduled to begin April 20 and run through May 22.
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With classrooms closed, teachers turn to TV to air lessons
Some Shelby County Schools educators recorded their lessons from home facing a computer screen, while others recorded from someone else’s classroom facing a TV camera. At Middle College High School, one classroom has been transformed into a makeshift studio.
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School board met privately to discuss coronavirus issues
The meeting behind (virtual) closed doors appears to violate a state statute governing how public business should be conducted, according to a letter sent to the Shelby County Schools district from a lawyer representing Chalkbeat.
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March 2020
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Joris Ray: School shutdown shows urgent need for take-home technology
So far, the Shelby County Schools district only has 30,000 to 40,000 take-home devices for 95,000 students. Students living in poverty are less likely to have a computer at home, Ray said.
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Coronavirus quarantine revives concerns about cleanliness of schools
“We were told there was going to be some thorough cleaning,” said Jake Pritchard, a fourth-grade teacher at Treadwell Elementary. “That does not appear to have happened.”
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Language barrier adds to coronavirus concerns for Memphis parents
Lori Gilbert, the president of Treadwell Elementary’s parent group, said some Spanish-speaking parents did not get the district’s robocall about a quarantined employee in Spanish until after school started.
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SCS superintendent’s teacher council excludes union leaders
Though Superintendent Joris Ray decided to exclude union leadership to “give other people an opportunity to lead too,” at least 10 schools voted for a union leader to represent them on the council anyway.
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February 2020
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Shelby County Schools strategy chief resigns
Brad Leon is the seventh SCS leader to resign since Joris Ray took the district helm last January.
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5-year low: Only 4 charter schools apply to open in Memphis
If all the schools are approved, they eventually would enroll about 2,100 students, which would make a small dent in the district’s need for 44,000 more “high-quality” seats in various neighborhoods, according to the Shelby County Schools’ analysis.
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More black and Hispanic students may change Memphis’ gifted program
Shelby County Schools started universal screening this year as a more equitable way to select students for its gifted programs. In the first round of testing, 600 students were newly identified as gifted.
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Original member of historic school board won’t seek re-election
The Shelby County Commission initially appointed Kevin Woods to the school board in 2011 as plans for merging city and county school systems got underway.
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January 2020
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Memphis board overrules staff, keeps 3 charter schools open
The decision by the Shelby County School board means about 2,800 students will not have to find another school to attend in the fall.
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Struggling charter schools ask Memphis board not to close them
Shelby County Schools board members heard arguments from district staff and from Memphis Business Academy Middle, Memphis College Preparatory Elementary and Veritas College Preparatory ahead of a Jan. 28 vote to renew their 10-year contracts.
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Charter school growth drives Memphis enrollment increase
Student enrollment at the district’s 57 charter schools is up nearly 14%, to about 18,250 students. That means the share of Shelby County Schools students attending a charter school rose to 16%.
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Memphis recommends closing three charter schools up for renewal
District staff recommended against re-upping operating agreements for Veritas College Preparatory, Memphis College Preparatory Elementary and Memphis Business Academy Middle.
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