Symmes Elementary School
Newsletter
March 5, 2021
Mark your Calendar
- March 8- NO SCHOOL- Independent Learning Day
- March 15 to March 19: NO SCHOOL - Spring Break
Announcements!
- Highlight and give a Shout out to a Virtual Classroom Grade Level
- Share highlights and or events for the upcoming week
- Share birthdays of face to face and virtual students
- Announce Bee Buck Winners for virtual and face to face
We hope that you can tune in each Friday!
Letter to Parents about AIR Testing Parent
March 3, 2021
Dear Sycamore Families,
After spring break, our 3rd-10th grade students will be presented with the opportunity to demonstrate their progress on grade level standards via the Ohio Computer Based Assessments. This will occur during two 15-day windows. English Language Arts will be assessed March 29-April 19 and Math, Science, and Social Studies will be assessed April 12-April 30. These assessments will be administered on a district-owned computer and may be taken in separate parts, sometimes on separate days. The Ohio Department of Education mandates that these tests be taken in person and monitored by district personnel.
All students in our face-to-face model will take the test in their buildings at some point in time between the aforementioned windows. All virtual students will take the tests on separate days within their grade level buildings or the Virtual Commons (grades 3 and 4) during the same aforementioned window. The district is not able to provide transportation for virtual students in grades 3-8 due to capacity restrictions as a result of current distancing requirements. Information regarding specific dates and times of assessments will be generated by each building test coordinator and/or the Virtual Learning administrator and will be communicated via their newsletters very soon.
While the 2021 state tests will not hold the same level of accountability for districts as they have in the past, the state’s annual assessments provide a snapshot of your child’s progress in their understanding and application of curriculum standards. From a district perspective, these results allow us to benchmark ourselves against similar districts and to identify trends in data that will guide our work with teachers and students. Our teachers have worked diligently to fully prepare your child to be successful on these assessments and in other aspects of their growth and development.
We are so appreciative of the support you provide your children in our partnership together toward academic excellence. If, for some reason, your child will not be able to take these assessments, or if you have any questions regarding district testing logistics, please contact your building administrator. For information regarding the Ohio Assessments, go to http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Reset-and-Restart/Fall-State-Testing
Sincerely,
Karen B. Naber
Assistant Superintendent
Nature Trail Update for Community Members
The construction crews will be starting work on the new stage and retention area to the west of the current gymnasium. Beginning March 13, 2021, the Nature Trail at Symmes Elementary will only be accessible from the walking track entrance. We invite you to continue to use our beautiful nature trail but please be mindful that construction fencing denotes areas that are off-limits to the public for safety. Thank you for being patient with us as we navigate these exciting changes.
Kindergarten Registration Reminder
Time to Order your 2020-2021 Yearbook!
Cost is $16 for a standard cover and $18.75 for a personalized cover. Enter the school code and register as a "New User" to purchase. Deadline to purchase is April 8th. Yearbooks will be delivered in May and limited copies will be available to purchase in person so order online today!
Visit: www.memorybook.com/online-pay/parent-pay/
School Code: 201541
Contact Brittany Haines at bhaines618@gmail.com with any questions.
Free Meals Extended
For all of the families that have been taking advantage of the free breakfast and lunches for ALL Sycamore schools and students this opportunity had been EXTENDED until the end of the 2020-21 school year!
All Sycamore families can enjoy free breakfast and free lunch all school year long.
Click here for more details for face to face families.
Click here for more details for virtual families.
Coming Soon
Drop up/Pick up Reminders
If you drop off or pick up your student please remember the following:
- Use care when entering and exiting our driveway. Please don't block the driveway intersection at Enyart because it eliminates sightlines of vehicles leaving the school lot which is a SAFETY ISSUE and has nearly caused accidents.
- Pull your car up to the car in front of you.
- Turn off their car while you are waiting.
- At pick up, flip your car tag to the white side once all your students are in the car. This is an easy way for the adults helping to know that you are ready to go!
- At pick up, students will enter your car from the CENTER aisle and find their appropriate seat once in the car. Please DO NOT encourage your child to walk around the front (or back) of your car in order to get into your car.
Thank you!
Lost and Found
We accumulate a number of lost and found items. As a reminder, please clearly label all belongings with your child’s last name. To minimize risks due to COVID-19 while attempting to reunite items with their owners, we are following the following process.
Every Friday in our building newsletter we will include a picture of current lost and found items.
If you see an item that belongs to your child, please remind them to claim that item in the cafeteria during their lunch. They can notify any staff member in the cafeteria that they need to claim their item.
If your child forgets, you can email their teacher to ask for help reminding the student.
Your child will have 1 week to claim the item.
After 1 week, all items accumulated in the Lost and Found will be removed from the building.
Here are this weeks' lost and found items:
Virtual Picnics
Here are the dates for upcoming lunches:
*Please only have your child attend their grade level meet so we can more easily manage our numbers.
This is optional for students and is an additional time for us to stay connected. Your child's teacher will share the link to your grade level meeting with you.
We know that there will be some months that we will not be able to get together, but we look forward to seeing you all as often as possible!
3/9/21
3rd Grade from 11:50 am - 12:30 pm with Mrs. Wuebbolt
3/23/21
4th Grade from 11:50 am - 12:15 pm with Mr. Phou
3/30/21
1st Grade from 11:50 am - 12:10 pm with Mrs. Matula
UPDATED Virtual Meal Pick Up Location for Symmes Families
March 10th, 2021 will be the LAST day Symmes Elementary will be a pickup location for virtual curbside meal pick up. Due to construction at Symmes Elementary, all families that currently pick up their virtual meals at Symmes Elementary will need to pick them up at a different location. You will be required to fill out THIS FORM to choose where you prefer to pick up from March 24th,2021 until the end of the school year. You only need to fill out this form once, and the location you choose will be where you pick up until the end of the school year.
Reminders will be going out weekly to families that have registered for virtual meals at Symmes during this school year.
Need help?
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Click here to be connected with Symmes Ambassadors:
https://www.sycamoreschools.org/domain/909
Click here if you want to help other families: