Sycamore Springs Middle School

Hello Sycamore Springs Middle School Families,

We have another exciting week ahead at SSMS! This Wednesday, we look forward to honoring the brave men and women who have served our country during our annual Veterans Day Assembly. This is always a meaningful opportunity for our students to recognize the service, sacrifice, and dedication of our veterans. Immediately following the assembly, our PTA will host a special reception for our veterans in the Sycamore Room. A big thank you to our PTA for helping us make this celebration so special!

We are also excited to celebrate our talented theatre students as they take the stage for Disney's Frozen Jr., November 12–14! Our students and staff have worked incredibly hard to bring this production to life, and we hope you'll join us for a performance.

Our SSMS PTA has also kicked off its annual Great Tiger Giveback fundraiser! Throughout November, families have the opportunity to support the programs, events, and experiences that benefit our students and staff all year long. We are incredibly grateful for our PTA and the continued generosity of our Tiger community. Be sure to check out the details below!

Have a great week, and Go Tigers! 🐯

Sincerely,

Kelly Miller

Principal

1. SSMS is excited to honor our veterans on November 11th!

Event details will be sent to the email address provided to those who registered to attend, so keep an eye on your inbox! We look forward to celebrating our heroes!

2. We’re excited for our second Principal’s Coffee & Chat this Thursday, Nov. 12 at 8:15 am in the Sycamore Room. This is an informal opportunity to connect with Principal Miller, ask questions, and be part of the conversation at SSMS.

3. 🐅 The Great Tiger Giveback | November 1–30 The SSMS PTA is kicking off The Great Tiger Giveback! Throughout November, families can support the programs, events, and activities that make SSMS special for our students and staff. Every donation makes a difference! Donate Here.

4. National School Psychology Appreciation Week! A special shout-out to Mrs. Eri Contreras, our amazing Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP)! Thank you for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to supporting our Tigers. Your work makes a difference in the lives of our students, families, and staff every day. We are so grateful to have you as part of our SSMS family!

5. ❄️ SSMS Theatre Presents Disney's Frozen Jr.! Join us for a magical evening as our talented SSMS Theatre students bring Frozen Jr. to life! Performances are November 12–14 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and FREE for DSISD staff. Come support our amazing Tigers!

6. Toys for Tots - DSHS JROTC Students have partnered with the Marine Corps to raise money and toys for children in the Austin area. All DSISD campuses plus many local businesses are official toy donation sites. Please consider donating a toy. The last day to drop off donations is Monday, Nov. 30.

7.📚 Scholastic Book Fair is Coming! | November 30–December 4. Get ready, Tigers! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to SSMS! Students can shop for their next great read while supporting our school. Visit our Book Fair Website to preview books, set up an eWallet, and learn more!

8. Health Screenings Coming in December - Nurse Smith will conduct state-mandated scoliosis screenings for 7th-grade girls and 8th-grade boys during December. Parents who wish to opt out must notify Nurse Smith in writing by November 16, 2026. Please read the full letter from Nurse Smith for important details.

9. Secondary Grading Information: Why Homework Matters

At DSISD, homework provides students with opportunities to practice skills, reinforce learning, and prepare for upcoming lessons. While homework is an important part of the learning process, not every assignment receives a numerical grade. Some assignments appear in Skyward under the PRAC (Practice) category, which does not impact a student's overall grade.

Homework helps students strengthen their understanding and gives teachers valuable feedback about their progress. However, because students often have access to additional resources and support at home, homework may not always accurately reflect what they can do independently.

How can families help? Encourage your student to develop good study habits by establishing a consistent homework routine, providing a quiet place to work, and helping them stay organized. Most importantly, remind your Tiger that homework matters even when it isn't graded. The goal is to build understanding and prepare for future learning!

9. Attendance Matters: What Does 97% Attendance Really Look Like?

Our Tigers had a great week! SSMS finished Week 13 with 97.1% attendance, exceeding our campus goal of 96.9%! Congratulations to our 6th graders, who led the campus with an impressive 98.3% attendance!

We've talked about Texas's 90% attendance requirement, but what does our campus goal of nearly 97% mean for your family? Here's what that looks like:

• 90% Attendance: At SSMS, 14 absences is the district's threshold for attendance recovery under the 90% rule.

• 97% Attendance: Approximately 5 missed school days throughout the entire year!

That's a difference of nearly two full weeks of instruction!

Our goal isn't just about meeting the minimum attendance requirement. It's about helping our Tigers be present for the instruction, collaboration, relationships, and experiences that happen in our classrooms every day.

As we approach Thanksgiving break, we encourage families to keep this goal in mind when scheduling appointments and planning family trips.

For additional information, visit the DSISD Attendance webpage.

We hope you all have a great week!

As we near the end of the first semester, stress can run high in our students. Learn how stress may affect learning and behavior, and practical ways adults can provide encouragement and support in this newsletter from the DSISD LMHP Team.

Join us Thursday, Nov. 12th from 11:30am- 12:15pm for a Lunch & Learn hosted by the counseling department. This month's topic is: Parenting Strategies for Children with ADHD. Click here to register to get the link. You can also view the recordings of the previous Lunch & Learn on our DSISD Family Learning Lounge youtube page *Recordings from outside agencies will be taken down one month after the presentation date*

We're also excited to share that Terrace Metrics is offering a free, 3-week parent training focused on understanding and supporting children experiencing anxiety, designed specifically for parents and caregivers of students in grades 5-12. The training starts November 10th. Check out this flyer for details and the link to join!

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

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

SSMS is excited to honor our veterans on November 11th! Event details will be sent to the email address provided to those who registered to attend, so keep an eye on your inbox! We look forward to celebrating our heroes!

We’re excited for our second Principal’s Coffee & Chat this Thursday, Nov. 12 at 8:15 am in the Sycamore Room. This is an informal opportunity to connect with Principal Miller, ask questions, and be part of the conversation at SSMS.

The SSMS PTA is raising $25,000 to support student and staff grants, school events, field trips, teacher appreciation & MORE! Just 500 donations of $50 will help us reach our goal, but EVERY dollar makes a difference! **Check email, from Thurs Nov 5th, for more information

Donate Here: The Great Tiger Giveback

Join us for a magical evening as our talented SSMS Theatre students bring Frozen Jr. to life! Performances are November 12–14 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and FREE for DSISD staff. Come support our amazing Tigers!

Nurse Smith will be conducting state-mandated health screenings this semester. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) mandates that all children must be screened or have a professional examination to detect abnormal spinal curvature. Please click on this LINK to read the full letter from Nurse Smith.

Round 2 will take place during the month of December and will involve:

-All 7th grade girls: Scoliosis (Shirts will NOT be removed)

-All 8th grade boys: Scoliosis (Shirts will NOT be removed)

Parent Notification and Opt-Out Information

In accordance with current Texas requirements, these screenings may be conducted using an opt-out process. If you do not want your child to participate, please notify the campus nurse (blair.smith@dsisdtx.us) in writing by November 16th, 2026.

Terrace Metrics is offering a free, 3-week parent training focused on understanding and supporting children experiencing anxiety, designed specifically for parents and caregivers of students in grades 5-12.

Anxiety can significantly impact students' emotional well-being, school experience, and daily lives. This training offers families an opportunity to gain helpful insights, practical strategies, and tools to better support their children.

Training Details:

• Cost: Free

• Duration: 3 weeks; November 10, November 17, November 24 from 8:00-9:00 pm EST/5:00-6:00 pm PST

• Audience: Parents and caregivers of students in grades 5-12

• Topic: Understanding and supporting student anxiety

Join the Zoom here: tinyurl.com/terracemetricsanxiety

Calling all book lovers! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to SSMS, and we can't wait to help our Tigers discover their next favorite book!

The Book Fair will be held November 30–December 4 in the CL&I, opening daily at 8:20 AM. Please note that the fair will close at 12:00 PM on Friday, December 4.

Students and families can shop in person or online, and every purchase helps support our school!

Payment Options: Cash, credit/debit card, or Scholastic eWallet. Families can set up an eWallet ahead of time for easy, cash-free shopping.

Visit our SSMS Book Fair Website to preview books, set up an eWallet, shop online, and find additional information. Thank you for supporting reading and our SSMS library!

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

A special shout-out to Mrs. Eri Contreras, our amazing Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP)! Thank you for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to supporting our Tigers. Your work makes a difference in the lives of our students, families, and staff every day. We are so grateful to have you as part of our SSMS family!

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 Boys Athletics Weekly Awards!💪🎉

Please help me in congratulating Rebecca Mckenzie for being our Tiger of the Week! We are so proud of all the hard work and effort you put into athletics!

We are so proud of all our basketball players! We especially want to recognize the following players of the game from this week's game against DSMS!

Please congratulate these Choir Students of the Week!

Please congratulate these Band Students of the Week!

•MARK YOUR CALENDAR: The last SSMS PTA Membership Meeting of 26’ is THIS Friday November 13th at 8:15AM in the Sycamore Room. Join us!

•WE’RE IN GOOD STANDING: Congrats to our SSMS PTA for earning Texas PTA’s Good Standing status for the 2026–2027 school year! This recognition reflects our commitment to leadership, excellence, and supporting our SSMS students & staff. Thank you to our dedicated members! JOIN TODAY: https://www.joinpta.org/

•The winner of the last SSMS PTA Membership raffle for the YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler raffle from Halloween is, Becky Shires! We are at 353 members, and so close to our goal of 425, so join today at JoinPTA – JoinPTA

•HONORING OUR VETERANS: The SSMS PTA invites all veterans to join us for a special luncheon following the ceremony, Wed Nov 11th at 10:25AM, in the Sycamore Room. Help us honor those who have served our country!

•ACTION: We love our SSMS Community for your support of SSMS students & staff! Your PTA donations—both BIG & small—help fund programs, events, grants, & staff appreciations like the upcoming Veterans Day celebration that make SSMS so special. Sponsorships start at $250 and offer great visibility on our social media with over 2K followers! Donate today: Donate to Sycamore Springs Middle School PTA to help us support our students, teachers, and staff.

•ACTION: Help! Open slots available are: Tues 11/10-Fri 11/13 You can help free up teaching time to educate & mentor by simply volunteering to make copies in our workroom WEEKLY. Please, sign up for one or MORE slots that is convenient for you. Sign up here: SignUp.com Mobile

•Save the Date-The SSMS PTA annual Talent Show: Drippin Gold is Thursday December 17th at 6:30PM at SSMS Cafeteria Note: Previews for performers & MCs Thurs Dec 3rd & Tech Run-Through Wed Dec 9th Questions, email: programs@ssmspta.org

•Register NOW at SSMS Spelling Bee Registration to receive the official word list to prepare for the SSMS PTA Scripps Spelling Bee. Date is TBA mid January 27’ in the SSMS Cafeteria. Questions, email: programs@ssmspta.org

•ACTION: RAISE YOUR VOICE FOR TX PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The DS Council of PTAs is seeking volunteers to help prepare for Texas PTA Rally Day Mon Feb 22, 27’! No advocacy experience needed—just a passion for public education! 1st Zoom Meeting: Fri Nov 13 at Noon JOIN THE TEAM: PTA Advocacy Ambassador Committee

•Be sure to Like & Follow Sycamore Springs Middle School PTA on ourFacebookandInstagram We post information & updates daily!

Are you looking for a way to honor a Dripping Springs ISD employee? Whether you are a staff member wanting to recognize a co-worker for a job well done or a parent who is impressed by your child's bus driver for going that extra mile, this is the program for you! Anyone can nominate any DSISD employee through the district's employee recognition program, Tiger Stripes for Staff. Click HERE to leave a Tiger Strip!

The Dripping Springs High School JROTC Military Club is partnering with Toys for Tots and the Marine Corps to help raise toys and money for Austin-area children this holiday season!

Drop off a new, unwrapped toy at any of the following locations through Monday, November 30. Donations can be made online at austin-tx.toysfortots.org.

Drop-Off Locations

• Any DSISD Campus
• DSISD Center for Learning & Leadership
• Belterra
• Caliterra
• Headwaters
• Dripping Springs YMCA
• Patriots Hall
• Stoic Jiu Jitsu
• Crossfit SecondWave

Monday, 11/9

Tuesday, 11/10

Wednesday, 11/11

FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

Veteran's Day Assembly;10:25 in Big Gym, Reception after in Sycamore Room

Thursday, 11/12

Principal Coffee & Chat; Sycamore Room @ 8:15am

Principal's Student Advisory Meeting; Sycamore Room during Tiger Win

DSISD Lunch and Learn (Parenting Strategies for Children with ADHD); 11:30am - RSVP HERE

Boys Basketball vs HBMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

Girls Basketball @ HBMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

Frozen Jr.; Cafeteria Stage @ 7pm

Friday, 11/13

XC Fun Run; 7am

PTA Membership Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 8:15am

Frozen Jr.; Cafeteria Stage @ 7pm

Saturday, 11/14

Frozen Jr.; Cafeteria Stage @ 7pm

11/17 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 8:05am

11/17 - Beginner Band Concert; Big Gym @ 6:30pm

11/18 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

11/18 - Boys Basketball Team Pictures; 7:30am

11/18 - Student Club Day - during Tiger Win

11/18 - Girls Basketball Team Pictures

11/18 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 4:20pm

11/19 - DSISD Fall Job Fair; Center for Learning & Leadership

11/20 - Substitute Appreciation Day!!! 🙌

11/23-11/27 - Thanksgiving Break/Student Holiday 🦃🥧

11/30-12/4 - Scholastic Book Fair is Coming! 📚🔖

12/2 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

12/2 - Student Club Day - during Tiger Win

12/3 - Winter Pep Rally; During Tiger Win

12/3 - Talent Show Previews for performers & MCs; after school in cafeteria

12/3 - Boys Basketball @ LTMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

12/3 - Girls Basketball vs LTMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

12/3 -Tiger Belles Winter Showcase; DSHS PAC @ 7pm

12/4 - XC Fun Run; 7am

12/4 - Regional Band Rehearsals and Clinic; AISD Performing Arts Center

12/5 - Regional Band Rehearsals and Clinic; AISD Performing Arts Center

12/5 - Boys Basketball Hays Tournament

12/6 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

12/8 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 8:05am

12/8 - Winter Choir Concert; Stage @ 7:00pm

12/9 - CAC Meeting #2; Sycamore Room @ 7:45am

12/9 - Talent Show Tech Run Through; after school in cafeteria

12/9 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 4:20pm

12/9 - Band Concert; Small Gym @ 6:30pm

12/10 - Principal's Student Advisory Meeting; Sycamore Room during Tiger Win

12/10 - Boys Basketball vs HCMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

12/10 - Girls Basketball @ HCMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

12/11 - XC Fun Run; 7am

12/11 - PTA Sugar Shack! 🍭🍪

12/11 - Choir Caroling Field Trip

12/11 - Girls Basketball Middle School Night @ DSHS Varsity Game

12/11 - Tiger Belle Winter Showcase; Cafeteria Stage @ 5pm

12/14 - Boys Basketball @ BCMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

12/14 - Girls Basketball @ BCMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

12/17 - PTA Annual Talent Show - Drippin Gold; Cafeteria @ 6:30pm

12/15-12/18 - Finals Week

12/16 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

12/18 - Early Release @ 1:10pm (no lunches)

12/21-1/1 - Winter Break - Staff/Student Holiday ❄️🎄

1/4-1/5 - Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day

1/6 - First Day of Spring Semester 🙌

1/6 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

1/8 - PTA Board Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 8:15am

1/9 - Girls Basketball Hays Tournament

1/13 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

1/14 - Principal's Student Advisory Meeting; Sycamore Room during Tiger Win

1/14 - Boys Basketball vs WRMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

1/14 - Girls Basketball @ WRMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

1/14 - Tiger Belle Booster Club Meeting; Sycamore Room @ 5:30pm

1/16 - Boys Basketball Hays Tournament

1/18 - District Holiday/No School

1/19 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 8:05am

1/20 - FCA Meeting; Small Gym @ 8:00am

1/20 - NJHS Meeting; 6th grade Pod @ 4:20pm

1/20 - Spelling Bee🐝; 6:30 pm in Cafeteria

1/21 - Elective Showcase; 5:30-7pm (all rising 6th graders and current 6th & 7th graders invited)

1/21 - Tiger Belles District Showoffs; DSHS PAC @ 7pm

1/21 - Boys Basketball vs @ HBMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

1/21 - Girls Basketball vs HBMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

1/23 - Boys Basketball B Team Tournament @ HCMS

1/23 - Girls Basketball B Team Tournament @ WRMS

1/25 - Girls Basketball vs DSMS @ SSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

1/28 - Boys Basketball @ DSMS; 8B/7A 5:15pm, 8A/7B 6:30pm

1/30 - Boys Basketball A Team Tournament @ BCMS

1/30 - Girls Basketball A Team Tournament @ HBMS