In the Press

Memphis Named in Top 5 Cities Where Teacher Pay Goes the Furthest

Teachers and Principal Take Top Honors

Memphis City Schools and New Leaders for New Schools Receive $13.8 Million to Reward Outstanding Principals and Teachers

State of Tennessee Declares Memphis City Schools In “Good Standing”

New UofM-MCS Partnership Aims to Help Urban Middle School Teachers Succeed

Lottery Scholarships Available for Teachers

Memphis Named One of the “100 Best Communities for Young People”.

Keystone and Delano Elementary Among the Top Schools in the Nation

Pre-Kindergarten Programs Expanded

Memphis Named in Top 5 Cities Where Teacher Pay Goes the Furthest

Scholastic’s Instructor magazine named Memphis in its top five of cities where teacher pay goes the furthest. According to the article, salary isn’t the most accurate indicator of how well teachers are doing. It’s the low cost of living in the cities on the list that ensures how far a teacher’s salary will stretch.The average teacher salary in Memphis, adjusted to local cost of living, is $50,797.

 

   

Teachers and Principal Take Top Honors

Teachers Reneé Borden and Myra Govea de Arce and Principal Catherine Battle were awarded top national and state honors for their achievements in education.

Borden, a kindergarten teacher at A.B. Hill Elementary was awarded the Milken Education Award by the Milken Family Foundation. Foundation Chairman Lowell Milken, joined by former NFL player and Milken Board of Trustees member Rosey Grier and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Lana Seivers, presented the award along with a $25,000 prize to Borden during a ceremony at her school on Oct. 11.

 Govea de Arce, a Spanish teacher at Snowden School, was one of 51 teachers to be named an American Star of Teaching by the U.S. Department of Education.

Battle, also of Snowden School, was selected as Principal of the Year by the Tennessee Department of Education during its annual Leadership Conference on Oct. 19.Governor Phil Bredesen presented Battle with the honor as well as a $1,500 prize.

Seivers hailed Battle as a model for “exceptional leadership and sincere interest in the lives of students every day.”

 

Memphis City Schools and New Leaders for New Schools Receive $13.8 Million to Reward Outstanding Principals and Teachers

Memphis City Schools and New Leaders for New Schools announced the launch of the Effective Practice Incentive Fund to provide substantial financial and other incentives to high-performing urban schools and educators in exchange for sharing their effective practices with others.  

The initiative will allow school principals and teachers to learn about best practices from the highest-performing schools.  To make the vision of this Effective Practice Incentive Fund possible, the U.S. Department of Education will partner with private sector and non-profit leaders and Memphis City Schools to create an $18 million fund over the next five years.

“Memphis City Schools’ mission is ‘Academic Achievement #1.’ We know the impact great teachers and great principals can have on student achievement,” said Memphis City Schools Supt. Carol Johnson. “Every child has the ability to learn and we are proud of the outstanding educators who are truly making a difference.  This grant will ensure that exceptional teachers and principals are recognized and rewarded for their outstanding work and that they are encouraged to share their successes with other educators locally and nationally.”

Every educator in Memphis City Schools and in public (including charter) schools across America will be able to participate in the Effective Practice Incentive Fund through observing and learning about these methods as they seek to improve their own performance and keep up-to-date with the latest developments in school and classroom instruction.   

“This groundbreaking initiative builds on the unique partnership between Memphis City Schools and New Leaders for New Schools to recruit and train outstanding new principals,” said Jon Schnur, CEO and co-founder of New Leaders for New Schools. “The Effective Practice Incentive Fund is an expansion of the existing exemplary work in education in Memphis and will ensure the best practices of Memphis’ finest educators are shared locally and nationally.”

 

 

State of Tennessee Declares Memphis City Schools In “Good Standing”

Memphis City Schools has been declared a school district in “good standing” according to No Child Left Behind standards, removing the district from the state’s “high priority” list.

This marks the first time the district has been in “good standing” since NCLB standards were instituted in 2001.

“These academic outcomes prove that the focused hard work and commitment of our principals, teachers, support staff and parents are paying off and our children’s academic achievement is continuing to improve,” said Memphis City Schools Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “We are especially proud of a number of schools that have made dramatic improvements and are now in Good Standing. This reaffirms our belief that all children can learn and that putting the right leadership, teaching strategies and learning resources in place can have a tremendous positive impact in urban schools, even with a significant number of economically disadvantaged students.”

 

 

New UofM-MCS Partnership Aims to Help Urban Middle School Teachers Succeed

The University of Memphis, in partnership with Memphis City Schools, is launching a program to attract more qualified Math and Science teachers to urban middle schools.

The 15-month Teacher Quality Enhancement (TQE) Program (http://3rs.memphis.edu/) leads to a master of arts in teaching (MAT) degree and initial teacher licensure in Tennessee. Students’ tuition is covered by a grant from the Department of Education in the form of a forgivable loan.

TQE Fellows will share a middle school teaching position in the Memphis City Schools, earning a salary while completing the degree. The program will begin this summer, with 18 students expected to enroll. Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of 15 hours in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth Science.  The application deadline is February 28.

For more information, contact: 3rs@memphis.edu

 

Lottery Scholarships Available for Teachers

Thanks to the Tennessee Lottery, experienced Tennessee teachers are now
eligible for college scholarships. The Tennessee General Assembly this
year passed legislation to provide $2000 scholarships to aid tenured
teachers in pursuing ad advanced degree or certification in a mathematics-
or science-related field. Teachers are eligible for the Lottery Hope
Teacher’s Scholarship program for up to five years. For each year the
award is utilized, recipients of the scholarships must commit to teaching
in that field for two academic years. To find a college or university
offering such programs, visit www.tennessee.gov/education/lic and click on
‘Approved TN Institutions’.

 

Memphis Named One of the “100 Best Communities for Young People”.

“Memphis is receiving the 100 Best honor, in part, because of its strong educational resources. The school system serves as a model reform for the nation. One hundred percent of Memphis schools are accredited. City schools had the most students named as National Merit Semifinalists (22) than any school system in the state for 2004-05….Eighty-three schools were removed from the state’s 2003 No Child Left Behind list, which had 148 “high-priority” schools.”
For more information, visit:
http://www.americaspromise.org/100Best.

 

Keystone and Delano Elementary Among the Top Schools in the Nation

Memphis City Schools has two of the most “academically superior” elementary schools in Tennessee and in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Keystone Elementary School was one of five schools in the State of Tennessee and the only school in West Tennessee to be named a national 2004 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon School. The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private K-12 schools that are either academically superior in their states or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.

Pre-Kindergarten Programs Expanded

Through the leadership of Governor Phil Bredesen and support from both the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Senate, the Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Act of 2005 was established and will allow for 300 new quality pre-kindergarten classes throughout the state, with 26 of them in the City of Memphis. The Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee initiative provides Tennessee’s four-year-old children an opportunity to develop school readiness skills in an environment that fosters the joy of learning and promotes success in kindergarten and throughout the child’s life. For more information, visit:
http://www.mcsk12.net/admin/communications/newsreleases_aug_05.html.

http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/special.announcements/State-Report-Card.pdf

11 MCS Seniors Among 21 in Tennessee Awarded by National Achievement Scholarship Program

Eleven of Tennessee’s 21 high school seniors to be awarded a National Achievement Scholarship this year are from Memphis City Schools. These outstanding African-American students will receive $2,500 from the National Achievement Scholarship Program to use for undergraduate study at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

More than 140,000 students from across the country entered the 2007 National Achievement Program as high school juniors. A pool of 1,600 semifinalists was selected based on their 2005 Preliminary SAT/National

Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) scores. Achievement Scholar award winners are the Finalist candidates judged to have the strongest record of accomplishments and greatest potential for academic success in college.

The National Achievement Program is a privately financed academic competition established in 1964 specifically to honor scholastically talented African-American youth and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding participants in each annual competition.

Below are the names of the 11 Memphis City Schools seniors awarded a 2007 National Achievement Scholarship:

Nabill Z. Abdurehman – Cordova High School

Brittany R. Douglas – Central High School

Autriel E. Galloway – White Station High School

Xavier A. Jones – Mitchell High School

King, Adrian S. – Ridgeway High School

Martin, Nicholas D. – White Station High School

Miller, Eric C. – Whitehaven High School

Westbrook, Gabrielle R. – Ridgeway High School

Williamson, Angelique N. – Central High School

Wilson, Keadrea R. – Whitehaven High School

For more information about the National Achievement Scholarship Program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

 

MCS Leads the State in National Board Certified Teachers

The Tennessee Department of Education announced Memphis City Schools leads the state in the number of National Board Certified Teachers in 2006 with 32 of Tennessee’s 51 K-12 teachers employed as educators in our district.

National Board Certification is the highest certification standard for teachers. The 32 teachers named NBCT educators brings the district-wide total to 89.

“These teachers have voluntarily set a higher bar for their professional growth, which serves as a positive model to both students and colleagues,” state Education Commissioner Lana Seivers said. “I commend teachers who strive to continually advance their knowledge of the profession and find new ways to reach every student they encounter.”

National Board Certification candidates undergo a 10-part evaluation process specific to the teacher’s discipline, including performance assessments of teaching strategies and subject knowledge. The certification process  typically takes anywhere from 200-400 hours over a one to three year period and is awarded through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Teacher who earn this distinction receive an annual salary bonus of up $10,000 which is determined by their years of service in the district.

 

Delano Elementary Earns State Distinction for Exceptional Student Performance in 2006

Delano Elementary is one of only six Tennessee schools to be honored with the 2006 Title I* Distinguished Schools award. The program recognizes highly successful schools serving a large population of economically disadvantaged students.

“These schools exemplify that all students have the ability to succeed when given a quality education,” Governor Phil Bredesen said. “The teachers, principals and support staff in these schools have demonstrated exceptional commitment, and the lives of hundreds of students are better for it.”

Delano Elementary was recognized for demonstrating a track record of exceptional student achievement in back-to-back years.

“We are simply about the business of providing a quality education for our students." said Principal Patrice Shipp. "Our goal is to encourage our students to excel academically, become life-long learners and productive citizens.”

This is the third prestigious state or national achievement for Delano Elementary School in the last two years. In 2005, the school was ranked among the most academically superior schools in Tennessee and the U.S. as a national “No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon School.” That same year, Delano was a national finalist for the annual Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards, which recognize schools across the country for implementing innovative programs to support positive educational outcomes.

Shipp attributes much of the school's increased success in recent years to the implementation of a well-rounded educational program that promotes the social, ethical and intellectual growth of the students with emphasis on a strong reading program and technology.

As a recipient of the Title I Distinguished Schools award, Delano will receive a $1,000 award. Shipp said she plans to use the money to purchase new books for her school library.

 

Memphis City Schools and Superintendent Johnson Honored for Music Education

From an outstanding staff of Orff music teachers laying the instrumental foundations at the elementary level and nationally recognized optional studies in vocal and instrumental music to specialized charter programs organized through one of the most famous recording studios in the world and partnerships with some of the largest organizations supporting music in the country, Memphis City Schools has mastered the tune of success when it comes to music education.

For the second consecutive year, Memphis City Schools has been selected as one of the nation’s “Best 100 Communities for Music Education” by the American Music Conference (AMC). The district was recognized based on its actions and commitment to music through budget, staffing, vast variety of educational programs, instructor certification, availability of private instruction and many other criteria.

"Research tells us that music education builds strong bridges to success in school and in life,” says Mary Luehrsen, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for NAMM, the International Music Products Association. “The 'Best 100' survey highlights communities in America that are committed to creating opportunities for music education for children and young people."

Highlighting the year’s efforts toward promoting music and the arts in Memphis City Schools was last week’s ceremony in New Orleans, LA honoring Superintendent Dr. Carol R. Johnson with the VH1 Save the Music Foundation’s Administrator Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education. The national award is given every year to a superintendent who demonstrates unrivaled support for making instrumental music an integral part of the core curriculum in his/her school district.

“Dr. Johnson’s commitment to music education programs throughout Memphis City Schools truly embodies the intent of this award,” said Paul Cothran, Executive Director of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. “Each Memphis City Schools student that is affected by the benefits of music is a testament to Dr. Johnson’s commitment to music education.”

Dr. Johnson has remained a champion for education of music and the arts, leading the resurgence of such programs in the district since arriving as Superintendent of Memphis City Schools in October of 2003. She has continued to defend the need for music education even in the face of adversity and budget cuts.

“There is a mounting body of research that shows students who have a comprehensive education in music and the arts perform better academically,” Johnson stated. “There is no substitute for the learning that music and the arts bring into the lives of our children. The gift is priceless.”

Since 1999, Memphis City Schools’ partnership with VH1 has generated more than $700,000 worth of new musical instruments, and Dr. Johnson’s continued dedication to the mission of the program has also led to new alliances with local Save the Music supporters, such as Amro Music, which assists in the delivery of new instruments to schools, and helped more students take advantage every year.

From Board meetings to official receptions and the large district-wide assembly held each August to launch the new school year, Dr. Johnson seeks opportunities to showcase the talents of both student musicians and the district’s music educators. In the spring of 2006, she worked to have the District’s annual recognition of outstanding alumni transformed into a Gala fundraiser for arts programming, including purchase of new musical instruments, in the district's schools. After expenses, more than $54,000 was raised to support the arts, with $50,000 of that amount going to purchase needed musical instruments in the schools.

To learn more about the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, visit http://www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music/. More information about the American Music Conference and the “Best 100 Communities for Music Education” is available at www.amc-music.com.