SSMS Weekly Update
FEBRUARY 17, 2022
Hello SSMS Tiger Nation,
We hope you've had a terrific week. Remember, there is no school for students on Friday February 18th or Monday February 21st. Teachers will be participating in professional development on both days. School will resume on Tuesday February 22nd. Enjoy your 4 day weekend!
Dan Diehl
Principal
Sycamore Springs Middle School
Academic UIL
Students! Are you interested in participating in this year’s Academic UIL? Events for the 2021-2022 school year will take place on either March 29th (all writing and math contests) or April 2nd (all other contests). We will be traveling to Hudson Bend on March 29th and Bee Caves MS on April 2nd. Transportation on Saturday will not be provided. Teams have already begun forming. Please reach out to the coach (listed below) and let them know you’re interested!
Event Descriptions:
ART is a chance for you to do an Art project of your choice! The sky's the limit! ALL students welcome, even if you have never taken an Art class in your life! (Van Wyngeeren)
CALCULATOR APPLICATIONS is a contest to apply calculator skills to math problems. The problems are challenging in mathematical reasoning and require the application of problem-solving skills toward realistic problems while having fun! (Mathews)
DICTIONARY SKILLS participants will answer challenging questions using the dictionary. All of the answers are right there, but can you find them in time? (Pousson)
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING: Are you great at making things up and talking about anything for a long time? If you are, come and participate in UIL impromptu speaking. Learn to think quickly on your feet about any topic under the sun. (Jensen)
LISTENING SKILLS: Do you like stories? Do you have good note-taking skills? If so, Listening Skills is for you. Listen to great stories, take notes, and then take a test using your notes. Simple as pie! (Lewis)
MATHEMATICS: Do you complete your math assignments quickly? Do you love competing against others to show how smart you are? If you answered "YES," then we need you on the UIL Math Team! (Mays)
MODERN ORATORY: Do you want the power to influence others? Do you like to debate? If so, Modern Oratory is perfect for you. In Modern Oratory you will get to select a topic, research it by looking at both sides and delivering a persuasive speech to make others see things your way. No memorization required! (Steiner)
MUSIC MEMORY: Can you name that tune? Know that performer by just a few notes? Then Music Memory is just perfect for you! We will listen to a set of music and identify who and what it is. (Steiner)
NUMBER SENSE: Are you good at doing math in your head? Do you like solving math problems? If this is your "thing" then sign up today! (Mays)
ORAL READING contest involves reading literature out loud. It allows students to analyze text, grow and develop as a performer, communicate a message to an audience and perform an artistic creation. (Steiner)
READY WRITING is for student writers that enjoy tackling expository writing prompts. Do you like convincing people that your way of thinking is the best? If so, this is the contest for you! (Rill)
SCIENCE: Do you think you're a science wiz and love the challenge of science trivia? If so, please sign up for UIL Science. The UIL Science competition consists of individual students taking a 35 question multiple-choice test within a 45 minute period. (Lewis)
SPELLING: Do your friends constantly ask you to spell for them? Are you a walking Webster's dictionary? If you answered "YES," then Mrs. Rill needs your talents on the UIL Spelling team! (Rill)
Spring Pictures - March 2nd
Order forms will be distributed soon or you can use the link below to order:
Bus Drivers Needed!
PTA Announcements
APEX Fundraiser
Middle school fundraiser coming...for what you ask? Primarily, shade structure. Why don't they build schools in Texas with shade structures already? Here we are--and can only go forward, so please help. It's hard enough, these awkward years, without sun beating down on you/rain drizzled on making your hair frizz ...and it's Texas so sometimes that's all in the same 30 minutes. Please help our sweet students in the coming month!
PTA Membership
CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S SSMS NEWS STUDENT BROADCAST
Upcoming Events
2/21 - Staff Development/Student Holiday
2/23 - Boys Track & Field at Hill Country MS 4:15 PM
2/24 - Girls Track & Field at Hill Country MS 4:15 PM
2/24 - 7th/8th Grade Bands Pre-UIL Concert at DSHS 6:30 PM
2/25 - APEX Color Battle
2/25 - DSISD Bands Evening of Jazz Concert 5:00 PM
3/01 - 7th Grade Track & Field Pre District Meet at DSHS 4:15 PM
3/02 - 8th Grade Track & Field Pre District Meet at DSHS 4:15 PM
3/03 - SSMS Dance Team Tryouts 4:30 PM
3/03 - Pre UIL Choir Concert 7:00 PM
3/04 - Dripping Springs Tiger Orchestra Spring Concert at DSHS PAC 7:00 PM
Staff Birthdays
3/02 - Blair Smith
3/04 - Katie Van Wyngeeren
Sycamore Springs Middle School
Website: https://www.dsisdtx.us/domain/12
Location: 4451 Sawyer Ranch Rd, Austin, TX 78737, USA
Phone: 512-858-3600