Sycamore Springs Middle School

Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,

What an incredible week at SSMS! Football did a fantastic job against DSMS, Volleyball had a complete sweep over Hudson Bend, and our Cross Country team walked away with a ton of metals. Overall, our students have a lot to celebrate!

As we head into the long weekend, I hope you’re able to enjoy some quality time with friends and family. Just a reminder: Monday is a Student/Staff Holiday, we’ll look forward to seeing everyone back in the building on Tuesday, September 8.

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. Monday, September 7, is a student and staff holiday. All schools and district office will be closed. We hope you enjoy the three-day weekend!

2. Parent Permission to Read YA Form for 6th and 7th Grade Students - DSISD Middle School library collections include a “Young Adult” section of books categorized as appropriate for students 13 and up. By signing this form, you agree to let your student read any book in the SSMS collection, including books in our 13+ Young Adult section. If you do not give your student permission to read any book/books in our Young Adult section, do not fill out this form and your student will not be allowed to read from the 13+ YA section. If at any time you change your mind on giving your student permission to read any book from the library, please contact Michelle McCoy at michelle.mccoy@dsisdtx.us for further assistance.

3. This Wednesday join us at Hat Creek from 5:00–9:00 PM for our first Tiger Belle Spirit Night of the year. 🍔🐅 See below for more details!

4. This is the last chance to sign up for SSMS Student Leadership Opportunities.

• Student Council (StuCo) - Interested in joining Student Council or running for an officer position? Applications are due Friday September 11th. Click HERE for the StuCo Officer Application. Teacher Recommendation Form

  -Member Meetings: 1st Thursday of the month during Tiger WIN

  -Officer Meetings: 1st Tuesday of the Month during tutorials at 8:20

• Tiger Leader Lighthouse Team - Want to make a difference in our school culture? Ready to step up as a campus leader? The Lighthouse Team meets daily during Tiger WIN. If you’re interested, pick up an application from Mrs. Johnsey in H104.
• Principal's Student Advisory Committee - Do you have ideas to improve SSMS? Want to share feedback directly with Principal Miller? Apply for the Student Advisory Committee! We meet once a month during Tiger WIN. Click HERE to apply.

5. Looking for a Way to Support SSMS? Consider donating to one of our current campus needs! Help us stock our student game collection with board and card games or fill our Tiger Treat Trolley with snacks and goodies to show appreciation for our amazing staff throughout the year.

🎲 Donate to Our Student Game Collection
🛒 Donate to Our Tiger Treat Trolley HERE

6. Buy your yearbook now for the lowest price. 2027 yearbooks are now available for only $45! However, this is a limited time offer, and will end before you know it! Click HERE. See below for more information about purchasing a student ad.

7. Secondary Grading Information: Have you noticed we have three different categories of grades in our Skyward gradebooks? You will see a Formative category, which accounts for 30% of a student’s final grade, a Summative category, which accounts for 70% of a student’s final grade, and a Practice or PRAC, which does not have a numerical impact on a student’s grade. PRAC, however, is still a very important column for us to monitor. PRAC grades may include ungraded homework, and/or ungraded assignments that were completed in class. Though not graded, PRAC assignments are very important to the learning process! It’s challenging for a teacher to understand a student’s true level of understanding if PRAC assignments are not completed. How can you help as a parent? If you see zeros in the PRAC category, discuss the importance of practice with your Tiger. We don’t want the first data about a student’s understanding to be on the formal assessment! We’ll talk more about the Formative and Summative sections of the gradebook in the coming weeks. As always, thank you for your partnership, Tiger parents!

8.How to Report an Absence: 📋 Need to Report an Absence? If your student needs to miss school, please make sure to send an email using this address: ssmsattendance@dsisdtx.us

• Attendance Questions? Find information about reporting absences, documentation, the 90% attendance requirement, attendance makeup, and more on the DSISD Attendance & FAQ page.

We hope you are enjoying the long weekend! We will welcome students back to school on Tuesday, Sept.8.

On September 16 & 17, 6th graders will receive instruction from the Counselors, as required by Senate Bill 9 and the state guidelines for public schools, to teach lessons relating to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, dating violence and human trafficking. DSISD administration, Board of Trustees, and the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) have selected and approved the curriculum to use for these lessons. The lesson will be presented through ELA classes. The lesson is called It's Harassment. This lesson builds empathy by tackling issues such as appreciation of our differences, bullying, cyberbullying, safe bystander intervention, and flirting vs. sexual harassment. The lesson is approximately 45 minutes in length and includes a video and a script to guide discussions both before and after the video. You may preview scripts and watch trailers at Play it Safe. Counselors are also hosting a parent preview/information session this Tuesday, September 8, 2026 from 9:30-10:30 a.m., in the Pecan room at SSMS.

6th grade parents received an email from Actionaly on September 3rd. This email has the electronic opt-in form for the lesson. You must opt-in your student on this form if you want them to receive the lesson. The deadline to submit your opt-in is September 11, 2025.

Other upcoming lessons are as follows:

Sept 16 & 17-7th Grade only–Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Lesson in History classes

Sept. 23 & 24-6th Grade only--Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Lesson in History classes

**Due to scheduling constraints, 8th grade will receive their Bullying Prevention lesson on October 15 & 28.

Parents, the Counseling Department is hosting Lunch and Learns for Parents again this year! Join us on Thursday, September 17th to learn about Youth Anxiety presented by TCHATT. Check out this flyer to sign-up, for more details, and information on Lunch and Learns planned for this school year.

Have a great short week and Go Tigers!!

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

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

Interested in joining Student Council or running for an officer position? Applications are due Friday September 11th. Click HERE for the StuCo Officer Application. Teacher Recommendation Form

Member Meetings: 1st Thursday of the month during Tiger WIN

Officer Meetings: 1st Tuesday of the Month during tutorials at 8:20

We’re excited to kick off the new school year with a couple of special yearbook opportunities!

Back-to-School Yearbook Special:
Yearbooks are currently available for a special price of $45! This offer is available for a limited time and expires September 18, so now is a great time to reserve your student’s copy. Use the QR code on the attached flyer to order.

Student Recognition Ads
Want to give your student a special shout-out in this year’s yearbook? Student Recognition Ads start at $30 and are available for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Recognition ads are a great way to celebrate your student with photos and a personalized message that they’ll be able to look back on for years to come.

Please see the attached flyers for more information and scan the QR codes or click the links below to purchase your book and ad!

Thank you for supporting our yearbook program!

Consider donating to one of our current campus needs! Help us stock our student game collection with board and card games or fill our Tiger Treat Trolley with snacks and goodies to show appreciation for our amazing staff throughout the year.

🎲 Donate to Our Student Game Collection
🛒 Donate to Our Tiger Treat Trolley HERE

SHAKE up your Wednesday!

Give yourself the night off from cooking WHILE supporting your SSMS Tiger Belles!

Join us at Hat Creek Burger Company for our first SPIRIT NIGHT — grab dinner, treat yourself to a shake, and come see some of our Tiger Belles representing!

Wednesday, September 9th

5:00–9:00 PM
Burgers + Shakes + Tiger Belle Pride!

Going through the drive-thru? Be sure to mention “SSMS Tiger Belles Booster” when ordering, so a portion of your order goes to our dance team!

Check out this month's Roots Newsletter.

This week’s Tiger of the Week showed what it truly means to be a Tiger!

Meet the people who make SSMS special! Each week, we’ll spotlight a member of our Tiger team.

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

Big cheers to our amazing SSMS teachers who earned a shout-out from their peers this week! Your hard work and positivity keep our campus shining bright. We’re so lucky to have the BEST staff around. Thank you for making SSMS the place to be!

Congratulations to the Tiger of the Week!💪🎉

Please congratulate the Players of the Game!!!

For our runners new to the team, the excitement of posting their first meet was contagious. For our veterans, being able to reflect on their growth and improvement from last season was staggering. For all of us, it was phenomenal to have all the miles that we've traveled on the track, the trails and in a bus finally culminate in our first race on the books.

From loading the bus to cheering on every runner to packing out, every member of our team stepped up and represented SSMS XC with pride, kindness and sportsmanship. Thank you. You carry the legacy of SSMS XC in all you do on and off the trail.

A huge shout out to our 12 individual medalists at Smithville. For the 7th grade girls, Tyler M. (1st), Merritt T. (3rd), Sabrina C. (7th) and Zoey T. (8th). For the 7th grade boys, Jude M.(2nd) and Amos D. (5th). For our 8th grade girls, Reagan P. (1st), Finley R. (5th), Scarlet T. (9th), and Alex S. (10th). For our 8th grade boys, Theo M. (2nd).

Our SycaMORE spirit was exemplified by our manager, Sarah, and Weston, who volunteered to assist as a manager for this meet. Being a “self-timed” meet, your incredible abilities to simultaneously cheer on each of our runners while also recording their times was nothing short of a Herculean effort given the number of runners we had on the course and the speed that they came across the finish line. Thank you for all you do for SSMS XC! Special recognition to Margot who jumped in after her race to assist with capturing the times of our largest division on the course, the 8th grade boys.

As a coach, I hope as your reflect on the day that your memories include the fun of your time with teammates and the pride of accomplishing your first meet of the season. Our season is young and Smithville is our springboard for all that is to come, so let's celebrate and start working toward our next PR.

Finally, a huge thank you to our parents, grandparents, friends and family who went the distance and endured the temperatures to cheer us on all the way to the finish. Your support inspires us.

Happy Trails!

Coach McGilvray

Please congratulate these Choir Students of the Week!

•ACTION: 278 down (and counting), just 147 to go! Down to TWO raffles for YETI Ramblers, and a YETI Roadie 15 Cooler! Scan the QR code or visit JoinPTA – JoinPTA to join in 2mins— let’s Syc ’Em Tigers!

•ACTION: Please, join us for our first SSMS PTA Membership Meeting THIS Friday Sept 11th at 8:15AM Sycamore Room. Mark your calendar for the following dates too: 10/16/26, 11/13/26, 2/19/27, 4/9/27, and 5/7/27 Questions email, secretary@ssmspta.org

•ACTION: Opportunities to volunteer at SSMS are here! You can help free up teaching time to educate & mentor by simply volunteering to make copies in our workroom WEEKLY. Please, consider signing up for one or MORE slots that is convenient for you. OPEN SLOTS: Thurs 9/10, Mon 9/14, Wed 9/16, Thurs 9/17, and Fri 9/18 are available and will be posted weekly. Sign up here: SignUp.com Mobile

•SSMS PTA is excited to participate in the Nat’l PTA Reflections! It encourages students of ALL ages & abilities to explore and be involved in the arts. Students create and submit original works of art in the medium of their choice— dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts — reflecting on a specific theme. This year's theme is "What Culture Means to Me. We would love for you to participate! Rules and entry form here: https://www.txpta.org/reflections-participation

•Mark your calendars! On behalf of your SSMS PTA Council Reps-Rally Day is Monday February 22nd. Take a moment to complete this Advocacy Survey by Wed Sept 9th: Biannual Advocacy Survey

•ACTION: Want to show your appreciation for our amazing SSMS Staff? Here’s how! We’re looking for volunteers to makeup a Hospitality Committee for help with a few student & staff events starting with our beloved Halloweenie in next month! Interested? Email: president@ssmspta.org

•Be sure to Like & Follow Sycamore Springs Middle School PTA on our FacebookandInstagram - we post information & updates daily throughout the school year, and we’ll show up more often the more you react to the posts!

Every Day Counts

School attendance matters! Every day spent in the classroom is an opportunity for growth, learning, and connection.

As we begin Attendance Awareness Month, we want to remind our families that regular school attendance is one of the strongest predictors of student success. Being at school helps students achieve greater academic achievement, build responsibility and strong time-management habits, strengthen social skills, and develop friendships.

Help our Tigers stay on track! Please follow the district calendar when planning family vacations and appointments so our students can make the most of every day at school.

Did You Know?

Missing just two days of school each month can add up to approximately 120 hours of missed instruction over the course of a school year — the equivalent of missing about a full month of instruction!

Parents, the Counseling Department is hosting Lunch and Learns for Parents again this year! Join us on Thursday, September 17th to learn about Youth Anxiety presented by TCHATT. Check out this flyer to sign-up, for more details, and information on Lunch and Learns planned for this school year

In addition to the committees listed above, DSISD is now accepting applications for the School Library Advisory Committee (SLAC) for the 2026-27 school year. Applications for the SLAC will be accepted through Wednesday, September 16.

Monday, 9/7 - District Holiday (Labor Day)

Tuesday, 9/8 - All Classes

Parent Information Session for It's Harassment SB 9 Lesson for 6th graders; Pecan Room @ 9:30am

Wednesday, 9/9 - Block Day (odd classes)

Thursday, 9/10 - Block Day (even classes)

Volleyball Team Pictures; 3:00pm

Friday, 9/11 - All Classes

XC Team Pictures; 7:15am

Football Team Pictures; 7:30am

PTA General Membership Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 8:15am

SB 9 It's Harassment deadline to Opt-in (for 6th graders)

XC Austin ISD MS Invitational; Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park @ 6pm

9/14 - 7th Football @ LTMS @ SSMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

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

9/15 - Volleyball Night @ DSHS; TBD

9/16 - 6th Grade SB 9 It's Harassment Lesson in ELA Classes

9/16 - 7th Grade Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Presentation in SS Classes

9/17 - 6th Grade SB 9 It's Harassment Lesson in ELA Classes

9/17 - 7th Grade Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Presentation in SS Classes

9/17 - Principal's Coffee; Pecan Room @ 8:15am

9/17 - DSISD Lunch and Learn Anxiety in the School Setting @ 11:30; Register HERE

9/17 - Volleyball @ LTMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm & 8A/7B 6:30am

9/18 - Band Middle School Night; Tiger Stadium @ 7:30pm

9/18 - 🐯Varsity Football Home Game vs. Harker Hights; Tiger Stadium @ 7:30pm 🏈

9/21 - 8th Football @ WHS vs HCMS; 5:00/6:30pm

9/22 - 7th Football vs HCMS @ SSMS; 5:00/6:30pm

9/23 - 6th Grade Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Presentation in SS Classes

9/23 - Terrace Metrics Parent Meeting; Pecan Room @ 9:30am

9/24 - No Tutorials/Faculty Meeting

9/24 - 6th Grade Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Presentation in SS Classes

9/24 - Volleyball vs HCMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm & 8A/7B 6:30am

9/26 - XC St. Andrew's MS Invitational, St. Andrew's @ 7am

9/26 - Volleyball Hays Tournament @ Hays CISD

9/28 - 7th Football @ BCMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

9/29 - 8th Football vs BCMS @ SSMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

9/30 - XC Tiger Invitational; DSHS @ 5pm

10/1 - Fall Pep Rally; during Tiger Win

10/1 - Volleyball @ BCMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm & 8A/7B 6:30am

10/2 - PTA Board Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 11:30am

10/2 - ESports Tournament; Cafeteria @ 4:30pm

10/2 - 🐯Varsity Football Home Game vs. Harker Hights; Tiger Stadium @ 7:30pm 🏈

10/5 - 7th Football vs WRMS @ SSMS; 5:00/6:30pm

10/6 - 8th Football @ WHS vs WRMS; 5:00/6:30pm

10/7 - XC Highland Lakes MS District Meet; DSHS @ 5pm

10/8 - Volleyball vs WRMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm & 8A/7B 6:30am

10/8 - Choir Concert; Cafeteria/Stage @ 7pm

10/9 - Student Holiday/Staff Workday

10/10 - Region Choir Field Trip

10/12 - District Holiday/No School

10/13 - 7th Football @ HBMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

10/14 - 8th Football vs HBMS @ SSMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

10/15 - 8th Grade Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Presentation in SS Classes

10/15 - Volleyball @ HBMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm & 8A/7B 6:30am

10/16 - XC Team Breakfast; 7am

10/16 - PTA General Membership Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 8:15am

10/17 - Volleyball - District B Team Tournament; at SSMS

10/17 - Region Choir Field Trip; AISD

10/19 - 7th Football @ DSMS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

10/19 - Volleyball vs DSMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm & 8A/7B 6:30am

10/20 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 8:05am

10/20 - Picture Retake Day; 9-2pm

10/20 - 8th Football vs DSMS @ DSHS; 4:15/5:30/7:00pm

10/21 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 4:20pm

10/23 - XC Fun Run; 7am

10/24 - Volleyball - District A Team Tournament; at DSMS

10/24 - District Band Auditions; SSMS Gym

10/26 - Girls Basketball Tryouts Begin

10/28 - 8th Grade Safe Schools Bullying Prevention Presentation in SS Classes

10/30 - Student Holiday/Teacher Workday