Sycamore Springs Middle School

Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,

Happy Sunday! I hope you and your family are having a wonderful weekend. Our first week back was AMAZING! The entire building was filled with laughter and smiles as students reunited with their friends and favorite teachers. We are beyond excited for the start of the school year. If you need anything or have any questions, please reach out to your student's teacher, counselor, or administrator. We are looking forward to a fantastic school year!

Go Tigers!

Sincerely,

Kelly Miller

Principal

1. All students should now have their Student ID. If you student hasn't received their ID yet, please have them report to the main office first thing Monday morning so they can either pick up their ID or get a temporary wristband. It is a DSISD secondary schools requirement for all students, faculty, and staff to wear their school ID at all times. IDs MUST be worn around the student's neck or on their shirt and not on their backpack, in their wallets/purse, or on their jeans.

2. Block Schedule - All secondary schools follow an A/B block schedule. Every Monday and Wednesday is an A day, every Tuesday and Thursday is a B day, and Fridays alternate between A and B days. Please see the district A/B Day Schedule to know if Friday is an A day or B day. On A days, your student will go to 1st, Advisory/Tiger Win, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods. On B days, your student will go to 5th, Advisory/Tiger Win, 6th, 7th, and 8th periods. Please also pay attention to which lunch your student has. It could be a different lunch on A days and B days.

3. Meet the Teacher Night is August 26 from 6:00-8:00pm. This is an opportunity for you to meet each of your student's teachers and learn a little bit about the class. You will follow your student's schedule, so make sure to have a copy of it so you know where to go. Click HERE for the tentative schedule for the evening. Please note that you will only visit your students 8 classes, not Tiger Win/Advisory. Parents will skip that class.

4. Bike Riders - please make sure you are using the bike rack by the SSE side or at the new Student Drop-off/Entrance. Bikes may NOT be stored/parked under the front entrance awning this year.

5. Parking and student drop-off/pick up - The first week parking/pick-up/drop-off went great!

Please remember we now have three dedicated student drop-off and pick-up zones:

7. When You Support, Your Teacher WINS! Join DSEF as a sustaining member with a monthly pledge, and your child’s teacher will be entered into a drawing for a $250 Amazon gift card! Visit https://bit.ly/DSEFgift or our website, Dseducationfoundation.org, for more information.

• Meet DSEF Flyer

8. The application window for the DSISD 2025-26 Community Advisory Committees is 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡. Community Advisory Committees serve an important role for the district by helping DSISD stay connected with its stakeholders, giving parents and community members the opportunity to participate in our processes and programs while leveraging the knowledge and expertise within the Dripping Springs community to improve our district. The application window is open until Friday, September 5. Parents and community members will be notified by October 1 if they have been selected for a committee. Apply Here: https://www.dsisdtx.us/article/2358273

9.Student attendance is CRITICAL for student success. 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 (or read the Attendance section below) for more information how to report an absence, attendance office contact information, attendance times and additional information. DSISD Attendance Matters Flyer - click HERE

Please consider the school calendar when planning vacations and/or time away from school, and try to align them with the planned school holidays; 2025-2026 DSISD Academic Calendar. Absenteeism places a tremendous strain on students and teachers as they attempt to make up missed instruction and school work. We love having your kids in school every day, so thank you for your partnership in ensuring their success through their attendance at school!

Lastly, below are some resources and information regarding this goal:

Secondary Attendance At-A-Glance

It was an awesome start to school this week! It’s so great to have the halls full of students again!

Just a reminder about schedule changes:

Schedule changes will only be made during the first two weeks of school if:
– A core class is missing
– A student is in the wrong level of a core class (e.g., On-Level vs. Honors)
– A class period is blank or unassigned
– Two classes are scheduled during the same period

We will not process elective changes during the first two weeks. Elective change requests will be considered beginning in Week 3 on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. Also, remember that a course change request can result in a schedule having to be moved around quite a bit. Please note: We are unable to honor schedule change requests for lunch placement, class placement with friends, or specific teacher requests.

Check out this flyer with information on an upcoming Parent Book Study on the book- “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt. This District-Wide book study is being facilitated by two of our Licensed Mental Health Professionals (LMHPs).

We will continue with our College shirt Wednesdays all year! We hope you all had a great weekend!

Go Tigers!

Ms. Dykhoff, Grades 6-8 last names A-K

Mrs. Zimmerman, Grades 6-8 last names L-Z

With the typical start of school traffic, please expect delays, particularly at the end of the day. Please make sure to follow the traffic flow and student pick-up/drop-off procedures stated below.

🚸2025-2026 SSMS Traffic Flow Map 🚗

Like mentioned above, we now have three dedicated student drop-off and pick-up zones:

🚗 Families Coming from the North (Belterra, Ledgestone, etc.)

Enter the north entrance of the campus from Sawyer Ranch Road. You now have two options:

1. Turn Right to access the New Student Drop-off/Pick-up Zone (new expansion area). This is a one-way lane. After drop-off, the lane curves left into a two-way exit drive back to Sawyer Ranch.

2. Veer Left to loop near the football field and drop-off/pick-up in the Blue Lot behind the school (cafeteria and gym area). After looping through, follow the same exit route.

🚗 Families Coming from the South (Highpointe, etc.)

Enter and exit through the south entrance near the elementary campus. Continue behind the elementary school to the Yellow Lot for student drop-off/pick-up.

Crossing guards will be at the sidewalk from Highpointe and at the top of the hill on the north side of the campus to assist pedestrians and bike riders.

• Bikers from the south should use the designated path, and walk bikes across the crosswalk with the guard.

• Bikers from the north should stay on the Sawyer Ranch sidewalk, walk bikes across the first entrance/cross walk, and use the new sidewalk to the student entrance.

Bike racks are located on the SSE side (for students riding in from Highpointe) and by the new student entrance by the football stadium (for the students riding in from Belterra area). Students will NOT be allowed to park their bikes under the main awning/main entrance like they have done the past two year.

Hays County installed signage and additional visual cues to bring attention to the crosswalk at Sawyer Ranch and White Wash Way. By law, the operator of a vehicle must stop and yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway. Please be on the lookout for our students who are crossing Sawyer Ranch and thank you for your compliance with all driver, pedestrian, bike rider, and bus safety laws.

Personal Communication Devices - Per House Bill (HB) 1481, our district has adopted the required policy that prohibits students from using a personal communication device while on school property during the day from 8 am to 4:15 pm. This means students will need to leave personal communication devices at home or keep devices powered off and stored away (in backpacks, lockers, or vehicles, etc.) during the school day, including passing periods and lunches. Therefore, student will not be allowed to have the following on campus from the time they arrive on campus until the time they leave campus.

The following items are prohibited :

• Telephone;

• Cell phone such as smartphone or flip phone;

• Tablet;

• Smartwatch;

• Radio device;

• Paging device;

• Personal computers

• Bluetooth Earbuds/Headphones

• Or any other electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication

As such, we will be going to a 1:1 model, where every student will be issued a school district Chromebook for use on campus. Chromebooks will be available for all students to check out during the week of school. See flyer for more information. All first week lesson will NOT require the use of a Chromebook.

A Communication Guide for parents and students will be emailed out in a separate email. It will outline our process of how students and parents can communicate with each other during the school day.

From more information on HB 1481, please visit DSISD website regarding Personal Communication Device Policy and/or click on the DSISD HB 1481 flyer in ENGLISH or SPANISH.

All students should now have their Student ID. If you student hasn't received their ID yet, please have them report to the main office first thing Monday morning so they can either pick up their ID or get a temporary wristband. It is a DSISD secondary schools requirement for all students, faculty, and staff to wear their school ID at all times. IDs MUST be worn around the student's neck or on their shirt and not on their backpack, in their wallets/purse, or on their jeans. Students may choose to purchase an alternate lanyard or use a clip to attach their ID to their shirt.

Important: IDs must be worn around the neck or clipped to the shirt. They should not be attached to backpacks, placed in wallets/purses, or hung on jeans.

Starting the second week of school, Assistant Principals will monitor compliance and track students who are not wearing their IDs or who consistently forget to wear them. Consequences, such as lunch detentions, may be issued to students who do not adhere to this policy.

We do NOT allow food delivery services during the school day (Doordash,

Ubereats, etc.) for the following reasons: we cannot have strangers on our campus

flowing in throughout the day and it is disruptive to class time. If a delivery service drops

off anything at school, you will be able to collect it from the AP's office at the end of the

day. Parents/Guardians may still drop off items at the front office. Students will NOT be allowed to leave class to pick up food from the office unless it is during their scheduled lunch time.

Please review the dress code as set in the Student Handbook with your students. We need your help with your student arriving in accordance with the dress code to school.

Student dress standards:

• School issued ID Cards on lanyard/attached to shirt
• The student’s back, bottom, chest, and stomach must be covered.
• Underwear must not be visible.

Students may not wear:

• Tops that are strapless, plunging, or low-cut;
• Sheer or see-through clothing;
• Clothing that has pictures, emblems, or writings that are lewd, offensive, vulgar, or obscene

• Clothing that advertises or depicts tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any other substance prohibited by policy

Students will be asked to change if they are out of the dress code. If they do not have anything to change into, they will receive a change of clothes from the nurse's clinic along with a parent notification.

Click here for the Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct. Information about the dress code can be found on page 49 of the Student Handbook

Over the summer all of our bathrooms have been installed with vape detectors.

In tandem with our campus attendance goals, we will also be monitoring tardies more closely. Below is our process for addressing tardies by class period.

1st Tardy: Conversation 1:1 with Teacher and student
2nd Tardy: Conversation 1:1 with Teacher and student and email/call home
3rd Tardy: Conversation 1:1 with Teacher and student, call home + referral

• 1st Referral: 1 Lunch Detention
  
• 2nd Referral: 2 Lunch Detention
  
• 3rd referral: Parent Conference and Before/After School Detention

If your student needs to miss school, please make sure to:

1. Log into Skyward Family Access (for an all day absence) on your computer or mobile device. Click “Attendance” OR

2. Send an email using this address: ssmsattendance@dsisdtx.us OR

3. Call the Attendance Office at (512)858-3601

For more information regarding attendance, please visit the DSISD Attendance Webpage which includes the steps above as well as other helpful information.

If you need to pick up your student during the school day, please remember these guidelines.

1. Email the attendance office (ssmsattendance@dsisdtx.us), call (512-858-3601), or put in a request in skyward family access.

2. Be sure to include the student's name and what time you are picking them up.

3. All pick-ups are recommended to be before 3:50 p.m. Please allow at least 20 minutes for pickup time.

4. You will need to enter the front of the building to sign your student out. Students will not be released from class until an approved adult is here to pick them up. If you have another adult picking up your child that is not on your emergency contact list in Skyward, please email (ssmsattendance@dsisdtx.us) to let us know they are approved.

5. Make sure to have your photo ID/driver's license ready to show the front receptionist.

6. You will need to bring your cell phone to use the QR code to sign your child out.

Happy Birthday to all our SSMS Faculty and Staff! We ❤️ You! Go Tigers! 🐯

If you student is planning on playing football, please download the SportsYou App and join the SSMS Football group.

SSMS Football 2024

Access Code - WE8WSEEB

*Click on this FLYER for more detailed instructions on how to download the app.

Tryouts for the 2025 season will be held August 13-15, 18th, and 19th during the class period until 5:30pm. Before athletes are able to try out on August 13th they must turn in a district approved physical to the girls coaching staff linked here: https://5il.co/29ts0

Athletes need to bring kneepads and a water bottle. Also please fill out a volleyball tryout interest form linked below.

Volleyball Interest Form:

https://forms.gle/hv4iqowRqPvcj6WZ8

Please make sure to join the SSMS Girl’s Athletics sportsYou page as we will be sending updates and important information throughout the season.

SportsYou access code: ZVWK87TW

Please click on this Flyer for more detailed instructions on how to download the app

If you have any questions please email Coach Ballinger at meghan.ballinger@dsisdtx.us or Coach Hulett at megan.hulett@dsisdtx.us

•Our very first SSMS PTA Membership raffle winner for August for a YETI water bottle-Ms. Priscilla Kunz, congrats! We also had a SSMS Faculty winner for a YETI tote-Ms. Connolly Lees, congrats! Our next drawing will be in October for a YETI Hopper Flip! Join TODAY at: JoinPTA – JoinPTA

•Your $12 SSMS PTA Membership helps to keep our PTA running, providing student & staff grants, fund campus improvements, and occasional lunches for teachers just like Monday when your SSMS PTA hosted the SSMS All Staff Luncheon!

•Run for Relief: Supporting Kerr County Flood Victims THIS Saturday Aug 16th at 9AM (doors open at 8AM) at SSMS. Contact Racchel Tabereaux at runforrelief@yahoo.com for more info, to donate items, or to sponsor the event.

•Be sure to Like and Follow our Facebookand Instagram - we post information and updates daily throughout the school year, and we’ll show up more often the more you react to the posts!

Community Advisory Committees serve an important role for the district by helping DSISD stay connected with its stakeholders, giving parents and community members the opportunity to participate in our processes and programs while leveraging the knowledge and expertise within the Dripping Springs community to improve our district.

The application window is open until Friday, September 5. Parents and community members will be notified by October 1 if they have been selected for a committee.

Apply Here: https://www.dsisdtx.us/article/2358273

Our Tigers are competing to help feed local kids in need! Week 2 rankings are in—98 teams are competing, and Vandegrift is currently #6. Let’s rally!

How to help:

• Donate online at Peanut Butter Bowl Online Donation Form

• Select Dripping Springs Tigers

• Every $2 = 1 jar of peanut butter

Your support goes directly to kids in DSISD. Our weekend food program launched today, delivering backpacks to students already identified as needing help. Next week, we’ll expand to more campuses.

Let’s show our Tiger spirit—and feed kids!

Monday, 8/18 - A Day

Tuesday, 8/19 - B Day

Athletics Booster Meeting; 5:45pm in Cafeteria

Wednesday, 8/20 - A Day

8th Grade Assembly; during Tiger Win

Thursday, 8/21 - B Day

7th Grade Assembly; during Tiger Win

Cheer Booster Club Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 4:30pm

Friday, 8/22 - A Day

6th Grade Assembly; during Tiger Win

8/19 - Athletics Booster Meeting; 5:45pm in Cafeteria

8/20 - 8th Grade Assembly; during Tiger Win

8/21 - 7th Grade Assembly; during Tiger Win

8/22 - 6th Grade Assembly; during Tiger Win

8/21 - Cheer Booster Club Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 4:30pm

8/25 - Volleyball Parent Meeting; SSMS Gig Gym @ 5:30pm

8/25 - Board of Trustees Regular Meeting; 6pm @ CLL Board Room

8/26 - 👩‍🏫Meet the Teacher Night, 6-8 pm

8/28 - Football Intrasquad Scrimmage; SSMS @ 7:00am

8/28 - XC Viking Cross Country Invitation; Lago Vista HS @ 4:30pm

8/28 - Volleyball vs DSMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:00pm & 8A/7B 6:15am

9/2 - Fall Pictures; all day

9/2 - 7th Football @ DSMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

9/3 - Fall Pictures; all day

9/3 - 8th Football @ SSMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

9/4 - Volleyball Team Pictures; 3:00pm

9/5 - PTA Board Meeting; Sycamore Rm @ 8:15am

9/11 - Volleyball vs Lake Travis MS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:00pm & 8A/7B 6:15am

9/12 - Football Team Pictures; 7:30am

9/12 - PTA General Members Meeting; Sycamore Rm @ 8:15am

9/12 - XC St. Andrew's MS Invitational, St. Andrew's @ 5:00pm

9/12 - MS Band at Varsity Football Game; 7:30pm @ Tiger Stadium