January 26, 2025
Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,
Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your weekend. We have a busy week this week with Track Parent Meetings starting, Tiger Leaders inviting everyone to join them in our annual Kindness Week Challenge, and counselors continuing to visit with classes regarding Choice Sheets for next 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. Parent Pick-up/Drop-Off Reminders - please remember that we have two dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones. One in the Blue Lot (back of the school by the cafeteria and gyms) and the Yellow Lot (on the southside of campus near the elementary side). The Maroon Lot (main lot) is NOT a pick-up/drop-off zone. The Maroon Lot (main lot) is for BUSES ONLY and parents that need to come into the building. If you must use that lot, parent need to park and wait for their student under the awning. Parents must walk their student to their car. NO CARS should pass loading/unloading buses at any time!
Parking and Traffic Pattern Map - click here.
Video of Route Coming from the North
Video of Route Coming from the South
For more detailed information regarding our traffic pattern, parking lots, and bike-rider routes, click HERE.
2. No Tiger Win this Tuesday! Just a heads up that all students will go directly to their 6th period class after 5th period instead of Tiger Win on Tuesday. Students can still use that time to make up work/get caught up. Our 8th grade students will have an opportunity to visit with the HS CTE programs to learn more about all the CTE classes at HS.
3. For 8th Grade Families - DSHS will be hosting several events catering to rising freshmen and their families.
- January 28: CTE programs of study exhibits during 6th period, led by DSHS students
- January 29 - 5:30 pm -7:30pm: Career Technology Education (CTE) Showcase at DSHS - this event allows students to see their CTE options and meet the teachers and students in the program
4. Morning Drop-off Change for Friday, Jan. 31 - This Friday SSE will be taking their school-wide drone photo on Friday morning. They will be blocking off the SSE drive next to their playground from 7:50am - 8:15am. If you drop off your student in the Yellow Lot (SSE side) in the mornings, you may want to switch to the Blue Lot (back of SSMS by cafeteria and gyms). Click HERE to an image of where they are blocking the road. The two red lines on the picture are where they will be stopping traffic.
5. This week is Kindness Week! Please join our Tiger Leaders in our yearly Kindness Week Challenge.
- Monday - Compliment your A-day teachers
- Tuesday - Compliment your B-day teachers
- Wednesday - Tell the cafeteria employees THANK YOU
- Thursday - Hold the door open for 5 people
- Friday - Dress up like JOY (colors you wear when you are happy)
6. PTA Updates - Please check out the PTA section below for upcoming events, learn about ways to volunteer and support SSMS, and read about all the PTA celebrations.
7. Yearbooks are almost sold out! Less than 50 copies remain. Books are available only while supplies last. Order your yearbook here. Yearbook recognition ad deadline is February 13, 2025. Order your Yearbook ad here.
8. Cheer Parent Information Meeting (2/7 & 2/28) - Are you interested in learning more about cheer tryouts and how to be a part of our spirited school community? Come to our upcoming parent meetings on February 7th and February 28th at 5 PM in the Sycamore Room. Get all the details about tryouts, scoresheet, cheer booster club, and more. We can’t wait to see you there!
*It is mandatory to attend at least one parent information session if you daughter is going to tryout for SSMS Cheer.
9. 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.
9. SSMS Attendance - over the past three weeks our weekly attendance average has continued to decline and trending below our goal of 96.6%. Please help us make attendance a priority. Go Tigers!🐯💛
SSMS PTA Updates:
Calling all cooks, calling all cooks! Our SSMS Souper Bowl MMXXV is coming up soon on February 7, 2025! Make the team by bringing in a soup, stew, dish, salad, treat, or other luncheon necessities for our winning SSMS Staff. Bring it in hot by 10am on Friday February 7th - please sign up here!
WOULD YOU SPELL FOR FOOD? Due to weather closures, the Spelling Bee will be held on Tuesday, January 28 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!
- Save the date for Texas PTA's Rally Day on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the Capitol in Austin! Your voice and perspective at Rally Day will contribute to meaningful conversations about policies that directly affect our classrooms and campuses. The day will include:
- Opportunities to meet with legislators to discuss key issues impacting education
- A rally on the Capitol steps to unite and amplify our collective voice
- Informative sessions to equip attendees with tools for effective advocacy and understanding Texas PTA's priorities for the 89th Legislative Session are available here!
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!
The SSMS PTA and the SSMS Staff have been so grateful for the help we've received this year! The teachers 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 appreciate 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.
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!
