Sycamore Springs Middle School
Weekly Newsletter
December 22, 2024
Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,
As the fall semester comes to a close we want to take a moment to express our gratitude and reflect on the incredible journey we've had together. It has been a semester filled with growth, achievements, and memorable moments for our students, staff, and the entire Sycamore Springs community.
We are immensely proud of the accomplishments and hard work demonstrated by our students. Whether in academics, extracurricular activities, or community involvement, their dedication has been amazing to watch.
Our heartfelt thanks go to our dedicated educators who have worked tirelessly to create a positive and enriching learning environment. Your passion for teaching and commitment to the success of every student are commendable.
To our supportive parents and guardians, thank you for your ongoing collaboration and involvement in your child's education. Your partnership is invaluable, and we appreciate the trust you place in us.
The break offers an opportunity for everyone to recharge and return in January with renewed energy and enthusiasm for the second half of the school year. We are excited about the possibilities and look forward to achieving even greater success together. Thank you for being an integral part of the Sycamore Springs family. Your continued support contributes to the success and vibrancy of our school community.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!
As always, if you need anything or have any questions, please contact your student's teacher, counselor, or administrator.
Go Tigers!
Sincerely,
Kelly Miller
Principal
1. The district will be closed for Winter Break from December 23 - January 3. Teachers and staff return on January 6 and 7 for teacher workdays and students return on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
2. Congratulations to all our students who received the Perfect Attendance Award for the first nine weeks! We had 131 students receive this well-earned recognition! Students were presented with their certificates on Thursday, Dec. 19, during lunch.
3. It's Spelling Bee registration time! The Spelling Bee will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at 6:30pm in the SSMS Cafeteria. Register now! You will receive the study list after you register!
4. The Spring Whole Grade and Single-Subject Acceleration program referrals will be available on the district website between Monday, January 6th, and Friday, January 31st. The DSISD 2024-2025 Credit-by-Exam Testing Calendar, Acceleration Guide, and Parent Night Presentation slides are on the same web page. If you have questions about the acceleration process, please contact Dr. Rhonda Whitman, Director of Federal Programs, Assessment, & Instructional Materials.
5. On February 14th, the SSMS Tiger Belles will be hosting a tryout clinic open to all incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who are interested in auditioning for Tiger Belles. Students are encouraged to wear appropriate dance attire and shoes, and to bring a water bottle to the clinic. During the clinic, all participants will receive a tryout packet with application, a QR code to an online parent meeting regarding the organization, and essential information about the official tryout scheduled for February 27th. If for some reason you cannot make the tryout clinic on 2/14/25 please contact Mrs. Robbins at senanu.robbins@dsisdtx.us to get all of the necessary materials for tryouts on 2/27/25.
6. Attention 8th Graders - DSHS has created a Rising 9th Grade Newsletter to communicate all upcoming events. I will include the link at the bottom of my weekly newsletter, but feel free to save the link and check it periodically for upcoming events. Click HERE to access the Rising 9th Grade Newsletter.
7. SSMS Attendance - over the past three weeks our weekly attendance average has continued to decline. We are consistently trending right at or just below our attendance goal. Please help us make attendance a priority. Go Tigers!🐯💛
🎄 Holiday Cheer Alert! 🎄
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for the incredible generosity of our middle school community! This holiday season, we had the privilege of coming together to celebrate and support some of our campus heroes—our 8 custodians and 12 cafeteria workers—who work tirelessly every day to keep our school running smoothly and ensure our students have a clean and welcoming space and nutritious meals.
Thanks to the overwhelming support of over 150 donors, we were able to present each of these 20 amazing individuals with a special gift card as a token of appreciation for all they do. 💝
A HUGE shoutout to Terri Purdy and Kaylea Findeisen for organizing this heartwarming holiday collection. Your dedication and leadership brought our community together in such a meaningful way, and your efforts truly embody the spirit of giving and gratitude. 🌟
To everyone who donated, THANK YOU! Your kindness has made a lasting impact, showing just how much we value every member of our school family. Let’s continue to spread this positivity throughout the season and into the new year!
SSMS PTA Updates:
The SSMS PTA and the SSMS Staff have been so grateful for the help we've received this year! With the new year rapidly approaching, we'd like to extend an invitation to sign up for the 2025 slots for our Workroom Volunteer team. Want to try it out and sign up for one day? We'd love to have you! Pick any day that works for you! Want to sign up for multiple? You can do that, too! The teachers will get so much time back to spend in their classrooms with all of our children and will be able to start the New Year off with a little more ease. Sign up here!
We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who made our 2024 Sugar Shack event a success! The SSMS staff's hearts surely grew ten sizes and were so happy with the treats and the beautiful poinsettias and plants! Stay tuned for information about our next event, Souper Bowl LIX, to be held early February!
Thank you SO much to everyone that has joined SSMS PTA this year! If you haven't joined yet, please consider! It is open all year to new memberships, we appreciate each and every one of you. Go to joinpta.org to join.
Thinking about showing your gratitude to our amazing SSMS staff during the holiday season? You can find the Staff Favorites list here!
WOULD YOU SPELL FOR FOOD? It's Spelling Bee registration time! The Spelling Bee will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at 6:30pm in the SSMS Cafeteria. And you read it right - the prize is a medal, a certificate and FOOD! Gift cards, gift baskets! You will receive the study list after you register! Register now!
We are planning two additional informational meetings this year for our community to learn more about what we're doing this year, ask questions, and listen to a presenter. We want to hear from YOU to determine when these meetings should take place and what topics you want to hear about! Please fill out this Google Form to let us know your thoughts!
The SSMS PTA is offering a new way to see our school in action! In an effort to increase family engagement, we will be doing parent-to-parent campus tours to give you a firsthand view of what our students and teachers do each and every day - sign up here!
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!
Thanks, and happy holidays - I hope y'all have a good winter break!
Dripping Springs Ranch Park is hosting Western Wonderland
Dripping Springs Ranch Park is hosting Western Wonderland until January 5. The event includes a trail of lights, ice skating, live performances, a holiday gift market and more! Visit drippingspringsranchpark.com/westernwonderland for additional information.
Hours
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Christmas Eve: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
New Year's Eve: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
New Year's Day: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
