August 4, 2024
Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,
As summer is slowly coming to a close, I would like to officially welcome all our new and returning students to Sycamore Springs Middle School! We have been working all summer getting the building ready for teachers and students to return. New teachers were welcomed to the district last week and returning teachers start tomorrow! We are extremely excited for the 2024-2025 school year and cannot wait for our students to return on August 13!
I would also like to announce that we have a new assistant principal, Lacey Victor! She joined our team last week and is excited to meet everyone during Tigers Ready and on the first day of school.
Below are several important dates and reminders for the start of the new school year. If you have any questions or concerns, email your student's assistant principal or their counselor.
1. Please see the attachment for our SSMS "Back to School" event details! Mark your calendars for:
- New to the District Student Orientation - August 6 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
This is for any student who is new to DSISD or any 6th grader who wasn't able to attend Tigers Rise in May. Please drop students off at the main (front) entrance. You will also pick up your student in the same location at noon.
- Tigers Ready - August 7 from 4:00-7:00 pm
This is an optional event for all 6th-8th graders to get ready for the upcoming school year. This is a come-and-go event. Students will be able to pick up their student ID, walk the their schedule, order a yearbook, join PTA, shop athletic merchandise, drop off UIL physicals, meet the admin, drop off medications/vaccination records, and boys athletics will be doing their pad and helmet fittings. You will need to park in the Maroon Lot (main lot) and enter the building through the main entrance. You will NOT be able to enter the building by the cafeteria or the portables.
- Open House - August 12 from 4:00-6:00 pm
This is another come-and-go event. Students and parents/guardians will have one last opportunity to walk their schedule and get the "lay of the land" before the first day of school. This is a very low-key event. There are no scheduled events and teachers and counselors are not available. It is designed to allow students and families one last chance to walk through the building before the first day of school. You will need to park in the Maroon Lot (main lot) and enter the building through the main entrance. You will NOT be able to enter the building by the cafeteria or the portables.
- First Day of School - August 13 from 9:00 am - 4:15 pm
The building will open at 8:00 am. Students that arrive between 8:00-8:45 am will go directly to the cafeteria. At 8:45 am students will report to class. Please make sure to plan enough time for drop-off and pick-up as there will be a lot of traffic during the first two weeks of school.
2. Schedules will open on August 7th. We are very excited to share that student schedules will be available for viewing on Skyward Family Access starting on August 7, 2024. Please note that as counselors are still working on finalizing schedules, your students schedule could change up until Monday, August 12. Please make sure you are checking Skyward for the most recent schedule. Any changes to your student's schedule after Monday, August 12, will be communicated to your student.
If you would like to request a change to your schedule, please click on the link below and complete the form. Your counselor will process each request as soon as possible. Please note that if your request cannot be made, the counselor will reach out to you. All schedule change requests MUST be submitted by August 11th to guarantee that the request is considered before the first day of school. Schedule change requests will not be accepted via email. You must complete the following link. Schedule Change Link.
3. Please see the attachment for our Assistant Principal and Counselor contact information should you have any questions before the start of school.
4. Don't forget to check the SSMS website for information to check out upcoming events, links to school supplies, and much much more.
5. Student IDs will be available to pick up at Tigers Ready on 8/7 and during Open House on 8/12. Please note that all DSISD secondary schools require all students, faculty, and staff to wear their school ID at all times. The school will provide each student with a lanyard and plastic case when they pick up their ID. Students are able to buy a different lanyard or use a clip to adhere their ID to their shirt. 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.
6. Does your student need to check out a Chromebook? Chromebooks will be available for all students to check out during the first two days of school. See flyer for more information.
7. All incoming 7th graders MUST have their immunizations up to date by August 7th to receive their schedule. Email blair.smith@dsisdtx.us the updated record. For all DSISD medical forms, visit the DSISD Health Services Webpage.
8. Incoming 7th and 8th Grade Parents. If your child is signed up for the UIL Athletic period or plans on participating in any Sports at SSMS please download the SportsYou App and use the following information to join if you haven’t already done so. Please make sure you join the correct page and please remember that SportsYou is a platform for COACHES to post information throughout the school year and seasons.
SSMS Boys Ath.
Access Code - 47M5A286
*Click on this FLYER for more detailed instructions on how to download the app.
SSMS Girls Ath.
Access Code - ZVWK87TW
9. Parking and student drop-off/pick up - Please review our traffic pattern maps and videos to familiarize yourself with where to park, pick-up, and/or drop-off your student before the first day of school.
If you have a student who will ride their bike to school, we recommend practicing the route BEFORE the first day of school so they know exactly where to go and where to park their bikes. All bike racks are located in the front of the building under the main awning.
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.
10. For all bus riders - Parents should check Smart Tag Parent App for bus information or if they are not sure if they registered for the bus. Parents should submit a Bus Service Request or Change Form to change or add a request. Both links are on our webpage. Preliminary bus information is available now, parents should check back for updated times, etc. the day before school as students are still being added to buses as requests come in.
Again, we cannot wait to have everyone back in the building and to meet all our new students! Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Go Tigers!
Sincerely,
Kelly Miller
Principal
Student IDs
Please note that all DSISD secondary schools require all students, faculty, and staff to wear their school ID at all times. The school will provide each student with a lanyard and plastic case when they pick up their ID. Students are able to buy a different lanyard or use a clip to adhere their ID to their shirt. 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.
Immunizations for Incoming 7th Graders
All incoming 7th graders MUST have their immunizations up to date by August 7th to receive their schedule. Email blair.smith@dsisdtx.us the updated record. For all DSISD medical forms, visit the DSISD Health Services Webpage.
