Monday, January 30, to Wednesday, February 15 - World's Finest Chocolate PTA Fundraiser

Thursday, February 2 - 100th Day of School

Monday, February 6, to Friday, February 10 - National School Counselor Week

Monday, February 6, to Friday, February 10 - Super Bowl Spirit Week

Tuesday, February 7 - Kindergarten and 1st Grade "Young Matrons" Field Trip

Tuesday, February 14 - Friendship (Valentine's Day) Parties

Tuesday, February 14 - School Board Meeting, 6pm

Friday, February 17 - No School - Staff Professional Development

Monday, February 20 - No School - Presidents' Day

Tuesday, February 21 - PTA Meeting, 5:30pm

Thursday, February 23 - Science Celebration, 5:30-6:30pm

We are beginning to see several families with negative lunch balances. Please remember that Breakfast and Lunch are no longer provided for free this year. You can use myschoolbucks.com to put money in your child’s account for breakfasts and lunches.

We encourage all families to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application, which can be found on the district website, isdschools.org.

If sending a lunch from home, please remember that soda/pop is not allowed in the school cafeteria.

If you would like to come to school to eat lunch with your child, please call our office at 816.521.5465 to reserve a day and time. We have limited space, and this is a popular activity for our families.

While we welcome families to come to school to eat lunch with their own children, we cannot allow families to eat lunch with children who are not their own, such as friends of their children.

We’ve been counting the days and it’s

coming soon…

Thursday, February 2, 2023

In celebration of the 100th day of school, and to show our

school spirit, we are dressing up like we are 100 years old!

OR, dress up as someone who lived 100 years ago!

No need to purchase a costume, instead find items at home.

Here are some ideas:

Glasses

Shawl

Costume jewelry

Handkerchief

Bowtie

Mustache

Gray hair

Or…

Use your imagination!

Please join us Thursday, February 23rd, from 5:30-6:30, for our Science Celebration! Science City will host an activity in the gym, and 3rd through 5th grade will have activities that you will be able to explore with your family. There will be something for all ages. We hope to see you there!

Symptoms of COVID-19 that would require exclusion:

1. If your child presents with a fever of 100° or greater

2. Or has two of the following symptoms

• Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Chills, Muscle pain, Sore throat, Loss of taste or smell

If excluded for reasons above, your child may return to school if…

• You provide a negative COVID-19 test result or…

• You provide a doctor-confirmed explanation of illness or…

• 5 days have passed from symptom onset and your child has been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

If your child has a confirmed positive Covid-19 test, he or she may return if…

• 5 days have passed from symptom onset and…

• Your child has been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and…

• Symptoms are improving

We encourage your child to wear a mask for 5 days after returning to school after having a confirmed positive Covid-19 test.

If your child has been exposed to a positive Covid-19 case in the home, he or she may return to school if…

• Your child is symptom-free or…(if your child develops symptoms)

• 5 days have passed from symptom onset and…

• Your child has been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and…

• Symptoms are improving

If you plan to drop off or pick up your child through the car rider line, please refer to the guidelines in this document. The document contains dismissal information that applies to all Kindergarten through 5th-grade students.

There are many moving parts to our dismissal practices, and we thank you for your patience in the beginning of the year as new families adapt to these processes. Regarding the car line, we expect it to move slowly at first, but speed up as the year goes. The line will move much faster if everyone honors the posted “Right Turn Only” and “No Left Turn” signs as they turn onto 39th Street.

• If you need to change your child’s normal way of dismissing, please notify our office before 2:30pm so we have time to communicate changes to teachers.

• If you need to pick up your child during the day, please do so before 3:00pm. After 3:00pm, we ask that you go through the car rider line and do not go to the office. Our office is very busy at that time.

As we continue to review our procedures to improve our practices and your overall experience with our school, we have updated our dismissal procedures for walkers.

We will now release walkers from three designated areas depending on which way they walk home. Please review this document regarding parent pick-up areas for walkers.

REPORT BULLYING

Independence School District has partnered with Hazel Health to offer same day Urgent Care visits with a pediatric provider at school or at home.

On-demand health services are provided using telehealth in the nurse’s office or at your home if your student is sent home sick. These visits address many challenges with urgent care, including:

Medical treatment: Conditions like stomach aches, headaches, sprained ankles, asthma concerns, head lice, rashes and many other conditions that often interfere with your child’s learning

Medication: Prescriptions are written for you to pick up at the pharmacy or over-the-counter medication is provided at school when appropriate

Coordination: Hazel providers work with the school nurse and/or your family physician to help your child return to school safely and get the care they need quickly

This is an optional service that carries no cost to families.

Parents, in order to help students, we need your help! Please complete the following so we know your family’s preferences.

Visit my.hazel.co/isdschools to learn more about Hazel Health.

While on the website, complete the consent form to ensure your child has access to care when it is needed OR opt-out if you would prefer not to use this service.

Hello Sycamore HIlls Cougars!

If you do not know me, I am Mrs. Mandee (Mandee Holeyfield). I am the building Family School Liaison or FSL My role at school is to help families overcome obstacles in their lives. Services may include Case Management, Referral for Employment, Counseling, Medical Services, and Community Resources. It may also include Food Stability, Clothing resources, and school communication and involvement. Please contact me at school if you have any questions or need services.

Sycamore Hills is also a very giving place, many families like to make donations. If you have lightly used clothing or would like to donate meals or hygiene items please send them in to school.

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With the holidays approaching quickly, many families may find themselves needing Holiday Assistance. If you feel like your family could benefit from utilizing a Community or School resource for the Holiday's, please contact Mrs. Mandee at 816-521-5465.

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Dear Sycamore Parents,

Sycamore Hills partners with Harvesters to supply small bags of food, Back Snack, for students to take home on Fridays. It has helped many families supplement groceries on the weekends. The bags are passed out confidentially every Friday or on the last school day of the week. If you feel like your family could benefit from participating in Back Snack, please call Mrs. Mandee at Sycamore, 816-521-5465. Thank you!

Seesaw

Join our PTA

Every Cougar Grows

• foster student growth through data-driven responses to students’ needs
• improve our practices through continuous collaboration

Every Cougar Connects

• support students’ social, emotional, academic, and behavioral needs
• make Sycamore Hills a safe place to work and learn for all members of the school community

Every Cougar Counts

• maximize the school experience for all members of the school community
• celebrate our staff and students