School Initiatives
Five-Year Master Plan
Teacher Induction Program
The Blue Ribbon Plan
Adopt-A-School (AAS)
Our Children – Our Future
MCS Reads!
Memphis City Schools has received much local and national press for its commitment to educational reform and its school initiatives. Learn more about some of these programs below and by exploring the links provided.
Five-Year Master Plan
The Memphis City Schools Five-Year Master Plan is an effort to improve the
education of district students in three target areas: academics,
facilities and transportation. By enhancing these areas, the district
hopes to augment its abilities to educate students to compete in the
global economy. * For more information on each segment of the Five-Year Master Plan, please visit
http://www.mcsk12.net/MasterPlan/MCS_ACAD_FINAL.pdf for the academic
plan,
http://www.mcsk12.net/MasterPlan/MCS_FacPlan_FINAL.pdf for the
facilities plan, or
http://www.mcsk12.net/MasterPlan/MCS_TRANS_FINAL.pdf for the transportation plan.
Teacher Induction Program
Memphis City Schools offers a comprehensive induction program to support new educators. The First Steps to Excellence Induction Program is designed to expand educators’ repertoire of effective classroom strategies, support their transition into the education profession and Memphis City Schools, and retain good teachers in the Memphis City Schools district.
The teacher induction staff in collaboration with district and school personnel provides three distinct support components - orientation, mentoring and professional development and networking opportunities - for beginning educators to develop positive, successful classrooms for students. MCS has also partnered with the New Teacher Center at the University of Memphis to provide some new teachers with intensive, one-on-one support to ease the transition into teaching.
For more information, please click here.
The Blue Ribbon Plan
The Blue Ribbon Plan was created to promote academic achievement and positive student behavior. The plan takes a proactive rather than reactive approach to soliciting positive student behaviors. The Blue Ribbon Plan involves the following:
•Training principals and teachers on proven strategies for improving student behavior
•Creating School-wide Discipline Committees at every school that include parents
and community members
•Equipping principals and teachers with a Behavior Intervention Manual that will outline
effective classroom management and intervention strategies
•Strengthening and increasing the In-School Suspension Program
•Strengthening of the Student Support Teams (programs for students with repeated
behavior problems)
•A sharp focus on data that is reported every 20 days to monitor the program’s effectiveness
•The development of a new Student Conduct Guide
•Reorganizing the Safe and Drug Free Schools’ staff so they will more directly
address school needs
For more information, click here.
Adopt-A-School (AAS)
Memphis City Schools realized 20 years ago that successfully preparing our students for their future cannot be done without collaborative efforts from educators, parents, community members and business leaders.
AAS Partnerships was established for the purpose of bringing community and business partners together to help Memphis City Schools prepare students for successful futures. These partnerships are collaborative relationships between schools and a businesses or organizations designed to enhance students' overall educational experience.
It is estimated that in the 1999-2000 school year, one-fifth of Memphis City Schools partners reported contributing more than $1 million in time and money to the district. Some of the things partners do to assist schools are:
•mentor students
•support special programs through speakers, supplies or finances
•provide student/teacher incentives
•tutor students in specific subjects
•beautify school campuses
•share knowledge and expertise
•assist teachers in the classroom
•provide job shadowing opportunities for students
For more information, please click here.
Our Children – Our Future
Our Children – Our Future is the district’s premier volunteer tutoring program. It provides opportunities for community members, business leaders, MCS parents and relatives to make a difference in the lives of the city’s children. Tutors undergo training to learn tutoring techniques and procedures and, once trained, are paired with students in kindergarten through 12th grade to focus on improving reading and math skills. This innovative program enrolled 476 volunteers last year and these tutors were credited with helping improve standardized test scores and academic performance at 30 Memphis City Schools.
For more information, please click here.
MCS Reads!
Memphis City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Carol R. Johnson, has focused her efforts on accelerating academic achievement by improving literacy. As part of this focus, Memphis City Schools began a new campaign called Memphis City Schools Reads that encourages students, teachers, parents and community members to read at least two books a month.
Each month the MCS Reads campaign introduces a different theme, ranging from “Create Your Own Book Club" month to “Community Readers in the Classroom" month. Each school is asked to develop creative ways to incorporate each month’s literacy theme into school life so students and employees will find fun ways to read two books a month.
Memphis City Schools partners and sponsors, including the Memphis Grizzlies and Redbirds as well as many local restaurants are participating in the program, donating reward incentives for students who complete MCS Reads requirements, as well as for their parents and teachers.
For more information, please click here.
