April 13, 2025
Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,
Happy Sunday! I hope that you and your family are enjoying the beautiful weekend. Last week was National Assistant Principal week! Ms. Sisk and Mrs. Victor are amazing educators and leaders on the campus. I am so grateful for the dedication and commitment to the SSMS community. Their hard work and passion for students doesn't go unnoticed! Please help me in celebrating them!
Just a quick reminder that this Friday, April 18th, is a district holiday. All campuses and district office will be closed. We hope you enjoy the extended weekend.
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
STAAR Testing
All tests will start promptly at 9am. PLEASE have students to school on time. Please avoid these dates for appointments. Students will be required to stay in the testing environment until the test has concluded. They can read or sleep when they finish the test. Please DO NOT plan on picking your child up when they are finished. This is extremely disruptive to others still testing, and it is logistically difficult for staff when we are in a testing environment. Per Texas Education Agency, students may not have phones or Apple watches on their person during the test.
Please partner with us during STAAR testing to put SSMS's best foot forward. This data is important data for us as educators, and it is also how the State and community view our school. Let's work together to give our students the opportunity to do their absolute best.
Please see the schedule for STAAR tests here.
Leader in Me - MRA Survey OPENS TOMORROW
Starting on Monday, April 14, the Measurable Results Assessment (MRA) survey will open for all parents, staff, and students. The MRA is a tool that we use to annually collect, analyze, and report student, staff, and school-level outcomes related to the focus on improving leadership, culture, and academics. It helps us identify our strengths and weaknesses, develop goal-centered improvement plans, and monitor progress toward school improvement. There are three surveys; one for families, one for students, and one for staff.
We hope that you will participate in our FAMILY MRA survey so we can use the feedback to make our school an even better place for students and families. It is anonymous and should only take 5 minutes.
Click HERE to access the FAMILY SURVEY.
If you have any questions about the surveys or wish to see a list of questions, please contact your student’s counselor, assistant principal, or principal.
Play It Safe - Access to Video Library
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. In honor of this month, Play It Safe is offering free access to all of the child safety videos. These are the same videos that the counseling department presents to students who have parental consent to attend the child safety lessons. However, the video access does not include access to the script. For more information click on this flyer.
2025-26 INCOMING 7TH GRADE TEXAS IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
Texas school immunization requirements are determined by the state legislature and set by the Texas Department of State Health Services, in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency.
All incoming 7th graders are required to have two immunizations:
1. Tetanus, Diphtheria and Acellular Pertussis-containing vaccine (Tdap): 1 dose within the
last 5 years to be valid.
2. Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV4): 1 dose of the quadrivalent vaccine on or after a student's
11th birthday to be valid.
or
Reasons of Conscience Exemption
If your child has already received these immunizations, you may drop off, fax (512-858-3699), or email (blair.smith@dsisdtx.us) the updated record at any time.
Please note: We can only accept a record from an electronic health record system if it includes the clinic's contact information and the provider's signature/stamp. A screenshot or print-out from your child's patient portal does not satisfy this requirement.
Your child’s immunization status is available for you to view in Skyward. Go to Family Access and click on the ‘Health Info’ tab located on the left side of the page.
Class schedules will not be released and students will not be allowed to start on the first day of school, August 13th, 2025, until an updated immunization record has been provided. Thank you for your understanding.
Please contact me with questions.
--
Blair Smith, RN, BSN
Nurse|Sycamore Springs Middle School
512-858-3604
Fax 512-858-3699
SSMS PTA Updates:
Please join us for the DSISD Board of Trustees Candidate Forum on Monday, April 14 from 6:30 - 8:00pm in the Center for Learning and Leadership (300 Sportsplex Drive) in the Live Oak Room. All candidates for the DSISD Board of Trustees have been invited by the DSISD Council of PTAs. Submit questions for the candidates here. For inquiries, please contact: advocacy@dsisdcouncilpta.org
It seems as if allergies and germs are around every corner, and our SSMS Teachers are either dangerously low or out of supplies to keep our kiddos comfortable. If you would like to send in tissues and/or disinfecting wipes, please bring them in, send them with your student, or you can send them easily through our "Sniffles, Tigers, and Germs, Oh My!" Amazon Wishlist. Thank you for supporting our school!
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!
Whole Grade and Single-Subject Acceleration - Deadline May 9
Parents of current DSISD students will have access to the Whole Grade and Single-Subject Acceleration referrals for the June testing window from Monday, April 14th, to Friday, May 9th. The referrals can be found here. This same webpage contains additional resources, including the DSISD 2024-2025 Credit-by-Exam Testing Calendar, Acceleration Guide, and Parent Night Presentation slides.
Credit-by-exam testing is scheduled for the first three weeks of June. In-person exams will be administered at the Center for Learning & Leadership, located at 300 Sportsplex Drive, for current Kindergarten through second-grade students, as they will be paper exams. Online exams will be available for current third-graders and above, allowing them to choose between in-person testing at the Center for Learning & Leadership or remote testing via the UTHS-Remote Proctorio system. Parents will indicate their preferred method of exam administration (in-person or online) in the referrals.
Parents of elementary students interested in single-subject acceleration for their child(ren) are encouraged to review pages 8-9 and 16 of the Acceleration Guide, as the process has changed.
If you have any questions regarding the acceleration process, please contact Dr. Rhonda Whitman, Director of Federal Programs, Assessment, & Instructional Materials.
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Los padres de los estudiantes actuales de DSISD tendrán acceso a las referencias de aceleración de grado completo y de materia única para la ventana de pruebas de junio desde el lunes 14 de abril hasta el viernes 9 de mayo. Las recomendaciones se pueden encontrar aquí. Esta misma página web contiene recursos adicionales, como el Calendario de Exámenes de Crédito por Examen de DSISD 2024-2025, la Guía de Aceleración y las diapositivas de la presentación para padres.
Las evaluaciones de crédito por examen están programadas para las primeras tres semanas de junio. Los exámenes presenciales se administrarán en el Centro de Aprendizaje y Liderazgo, ubicado en 300 Sportsplex Drive, para los estudiantes de kínder a segundo grado, ya que serán en papel. Los exámenes en línea estarán disponibles para los estudiantes de tercer grado en adelante, lo que les permitirá elegir entre la evaluación presencial en el Centro de Aprendizaje y Liderazgo o la evaluación remota a través del sistema UTHS-Remote Proctorio. Los padres indicarán su método preferido de administración del examen (presencial o en línea) en las recomendaciones.
Se recomienda a los padres de estudiantes de primaria interesados en la aceleración de una sola materia para sus hijos que revisen las páginas 8-9 y 16 de la Guía de Aceleración, ya que el proceso ha cambiado.
Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre el proceso de aceleración, comuníquese con la Dra. Rhonda Whitman, Directora de Programas Federales, Evaluación y Materiales Didácticos.
Stop the Bleed Training
DSISD is offering traumatic injury response training to students in grades 7th -12th. This training will educate students on how to respond to a traumatic injury in hopes of saving a life. Parents are welcome to accompany their student and observe the training which is scheduled for May 08, 2025 at 6:00PM. Please RSVP by May 02, 2025 so that accommodations can be made for families interested.
District Looking for Student Volunteers - this summer
We are currently seeking middle school and high school student volunteers to support our Extended School Year (ESY) program for elementary and secondary students with special needs. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain hands-on experience, earn volunteer hours, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Volunteer Dates & Times:
June 2–4 (Monday–Wednesday)
June 9–11 (Monday–Wednesday)
June 16–18 (Monday–Wednesday)
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM each day
Volunteers will assist teachers and support staff in classrooms, help with activities, and engage with students in a fun, structured environment.
Please reach to Becky Hutson, becky.hutson@dsisdtx.us, by Friday, May 9 if your student is either interested in volunteering this summer or if you have any questions.
