September 29, 2024
Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,
Happy Sunday! I hope you and your family are enjoying the weekend. It is hard to believe that October is just around the corner. As we inch closer to the end of Term 1, make sure your students are putting first things first and meeting with their teachers if they have missing assignments or questions. The end of Term 1 is on October 11.
This week is also Homecoming Week! Students and staff are encouraged to dress up each day (see themes below). The Homecoming parade, pep rally, and carnival is Wednesday at DSHS, and then the homecoming football game against Austin High is Friday night at Tiger Stadium! Go Tigers!
If you need anything or have any questions, please reach out to your student's teacher, counselor, or administrator.
Go Tigers!
Sincerely,
Kelly Miller
Principal
1. Happy Homecoming Week! Please join us in celebrating this week by dressing up each day.
Monday - Space Day
Tuesday - Super Hero Day
Wednesday - Disney Day
Thursday - PJ Day
Friday - Maroon Out
2. Coffee & Chat w/ Principal Miller - this Thursday (10/3) from 8-9am we are hosting our first Coffee & Chat session for the year. We will review all our upcoming events, get an update on construction, and have some time for questions. We hope you can join us!
3. DSISD Families, NWEA MAP scores are now loaded into Skyward for K-8 Math and ELAR, as well as Algebra I. Instructions for accessing and interpreting MAP scores are included in the Skyward communication. Please reach out to your student’s teacher if you have questions about NWEA MAP scores.
4. On October 1, the 2024-2025 Credit by Exam for Acceleration, Credit Recovery, & Grade Placement Guide, the September 26, 2024 Advanced Academics & Gifted and Talented Parent Meeting presentation, and the credit by exam testing calendar, referral links, and study guides will be available here. The referral deadline is Friday, October 25th, and testing will occur on Saturday, November 11th. Parents of students who register for fall testing will be provided with test day details at a later date. All fall testing results will apply to the 2025-2026 school year. Questions may be directed to Dr. Rhonda Whitman via email or a phone call (512-858-3053). Click HERE to see the flyer in English and Spanish.
5. The DSISD GT Referral window for K-12 opens on Oct. 1 and will remain open until October 31st. Click HERE to access the flyer. Click HERE (on or after Oct.1) to complete the referral form.
6. We are happy to announce that the 2024 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is now open! This is the sixth year that Congressman Roy has hosted a CAC for his district, TX-21. Students middle through high school are encouraged to compete. Attached is a flier with details about the CAC and how to register online.
7. Calling all 7th and 8th graders who want to join us this May on the Close up trip to Washington DC! If you are interested in learning more about The Close up trip to DC, please join us and a Close Up representative on Wednesday, October 23rd at 6pm in the SSMS cafeteria. The trip is scheduled for May 25-29, 2025. For questions, reach out to Coach Hulett at megan.hulett@dsisdtx.us or check out the FAQ. More information can also be found further down in the newsletter.
8. Student Attendance is Critical for Student Success. Our goal for this year is to increase our Average Daily Attendance (ADA) by 1%.
- When students are out, they miss critical learning opportunities that cannot be duplicated. Since we are on a block schedule, missing one day means they actually miss two days' worth of lessons. This adds up and creates learning gaps.
- Please click HERE for information on how to report an absence, attendance office contact information, attendance times, and additional information. To access the Attendance Matters in DSISD flyer, click HERE.
State-mandated Health Screenings
Nurse Smith will be conducting state-mandated health screenings this semester. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) mandates that all children must be screened or have a professional examination for possible vision, hearing, Acanthosis Nigricans, and spinal curvature problems. Please click on this LINK to read the full letter from Nurse Smith.
Round 1 will take place on October 10th and 11th during Social Studies and will involve:
-All of 7th grade: Vision, hearing, and Acanthosis Nigricans screening (marker on back of neck for Type 2 Diabetes)
Round 2 timing TBD (notification will be sent out) and will involve:
-All 7th grade girls: Scoliosis
-All 8th grade boys: Scoliosis
SSMS PTA Updates:
- THANK YOU to all who have already joined our PTA! Your support has helped Sycamore Springs Middle School PTA earn the Head Start Award by jump-starting the year with 75% or more of last year's total membership!
- If you haven’t joined PTA yet, we welcome you to support SSMS students and staff! Your $10.50 membership dues help to keep the PTA running, provides grants to students & staff, provides occasional meals for teachers, and helps to fund campus improvements! Please share ideas, concerns, and experiences to make the school year better for everyone. Scan the QR code or go to joinpta.org to join.
- Let your voice be heard: fill out this Form to suggest future PTA Meeting Topic Ideas for the board to consider.
- The SSMS PTA is excited to open the call for volunteers for two departments that greatly help and influence our staff and students - Workroom Helpers and Hospitality! Both of these opportunities help our staff to feel appreciated and free up time for them to work with students. Please go to our LinkTree to sign up for Workroom Help or other volunteer opportunities!
- Be sure to Like and Follow our Facebook and Instagram - we post information and updates daily, and we’ll show up more often in your feed the more you react to the posts!
