The Navigator Newsletter

Sycamore Junior High's Parent Communication

AUGUST 26, 2022

Let's Do This!!

Students and Families,

The time is finally here and we are beyond excited to high five you this week. The teachers are ready and rejuvenated! We're going to kick this year off with a lot of fun and are happy to welcome you back! (Our jobs are not nearly as much fun without you in the building.) All students should report directly to 1st bell on their first day of school. Only 7th Graders report on Monday. Only 8th graders report on Tuesday. All students report on Wednesday. If you have not yet received your schedule, please check the parent portal for information. Students are permitted to carry backpacks to classes, however they are also provided a locker. Locker information is on the student's schedule. Students will be shown where their locker is and how to use the combination lock. One final tip is to consider packing lunches this week due to longer than usual lunch lines at the start of the year. However, if you have questions please reach out to your counselor (names below).

This week some of the front construction has been cleared and it is now a bit easier to navigate the parking lot and sidewalks. The doors into the Cafeteria and the walker/bike rider entrance will be open to students at 7:40am. The cafeteria will be supervised at all times and breakfast will be available. Bus riders will be dropped off starting at 7:40am and will report to the gym, where breakfast will also be available for purchase.

During our listening session and at schedule pickup we received a few questions about Clubs & Activities. General information is included below, however Clubs and Activities will be starting up closer to September and will run on various days depending on the student needs. Requests were also made for parent resources to support children who may be anxious about coming back to school. In this newsletter there is a fantastic resource from our in-house Children's Hospital School Based Therapy program.

This week we had a lot of great time with our teachers. The cheerleaders were on hand to welcome them back into the building in style and kick off our year with a Sycamore cheer! It was awesome. Thank you to all those students.

As always. Go Aves!

Mrs. Schunk (pronounced Shunk)

SJH TRAFFIC PATTERNS for 2022-2023

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Events Coming Up

August 29: First Day/Transition Day - 7th Grade ONLY
August 30: First Day /Transition Day - 8th Grade ONLY
August 31: All Students in school
September 13: Open House: In-Person or Virtual (video) 6:00-6:45pm Last Name A-K & 7:15-8pm Last Name L-Z
September 26: Picture Retake Day

Bell Schedule for 2022-2023

Service Dog at School

Students and Families,

This is to advise that the school is in the process of planning for a Service Dog to attend Sycamore Junior High School with a student in order to accommodate the student’s needs pursuant to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Service Dog is trained to provide service in a manner that does not disrupt the learning environment for others. The 2010 ADA Title II Regulations clearly state that a service animal must be trained to perform work or a task directly related to the area of disability. Under ADA, the service animal must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work, or the individual’s disability prevents the use of these devices. Additionally, we will develop a plan to provide information to all students and staff regarding proper procedures around the Service Dog while the Service Dog is at school.

We respect the needs of all students, families and staff in providing a safe and inclusive educational environment. Please let us know if you have any specific concerns regarding the presence of a Service Dog in our school.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation and support.

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Cincinnati Children's Kid's Guide to "Coping with Coming Back"

Link

Back to School Info

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SJH COUNSELORS CHANGES:

Please note the changes in the counseling assignments going forward:

Mr. Ben Brenner (brennerb@sycamoreschools.org) - Students' last names A-G

Ms. Kristen Suter (suterk@sycamoreschools.org) - Students' last names H-N

Ms. Rachel Morris (morrisr@sycamoreschools.org)- Students' last names O-Z, and ESOL students

2022-2023 Supply Lists/Backpacks

As you start shopping for supplies for next year, please refer to our GENERAL SUPPLY LIST and TEACHER-SPECIFIC SUPPLY LIST.

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MEDICATIONS

It is always best to give medications at home. There are situations your child needs medication during the school day (over-the-counter, inhaler, etc ) please have your doctor fill out the following medication form ( parent and physician signature required ). Please call 513-686-1763 to schedule a time to deliver medication to the School Nurse.

Updated Medication Form

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SJH CLUBS and ACTIVITIES

Sycamore Junior High offers many clubs and extracurricular activities for our students.

Click on the link for information.

Look for announcements/emails about the start of individual club meetings.

Chromebook Warranty Program Updates

We have recently experienced some changes to how our student devices are covered under warranty. To streamline the warranty process for all students, starting with the 2022-23 school year, all students will be allotted $100 of repair, per year, following the fee replacement table below. If repair costs exceed the allotted $100, the remaining costs will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian/student.

Fee Replacement Table:

Important Reminders:

Students must keep the school-issued protective case on the device at all times.

Accidents happen. To better protect Sycamore Chromebooks and reduce the number of devices in need of repair, Sycamore Schools has invested in an “always-on” case. This case should not be removed for any reason. Any damage that occurs when the case is not on the device will be the responsibility of the parent/student/guardian.

Lost/Stolen devices are not covered under the annual $100 allotment.

Lost - full replacement cost is the responsibility of the parent/guardian/student.
Stolen - Devices reported as stolen outside of school require that parents notify the police and provide a copy of an official police report to the school administration. Theft Inside the school requires a letter signed by the parent/guardian stating the date, time, location, and description of the situation.

The manufacturer’s defects and issues will continue to be covered under the manufacturer warranty and will not have an impact on the $100 allotment.

My device is broken or not functioning correctly - what do I do?

If you have broken your device or it is not functioning correctly, please visit your school’s media center for additional assistance. Our team will troubleshoot the reported issue and if a fix is not immediately available, a loaner device will be provided.

See below for additional information regarding our steps and process for determining any fees associated with Chromebook damage:

CLASS SHIRTS for SALE

Here is the link to order your 2027 and 2028 Class Shirts:

https://rpdiamond.com/products/ols/categories/sycamore-class-shirts

Sycamore Athletic Booster Memberships and All Sports Passes on Sale Now

Support the mission of the Sycamore Athletic Boosters by purchasing a membership at the Green, Aviator, or Gold level. Follow the below link for more information about how the Boosters support Sycamore Athletics and how to join. https://aviatorathletics.org/athletic-boosters-home/

Adult and Student All Sports Passes are available for $103 and $28 respectively. Family Passes offer a discount and are available to Booster Members. These athletic passes allow entry into all Sycamore high school and junior high home athletic contests during the regular season, but not tournament games or post-season play.

SJH Week in Sports

August 29 - September 2, 2022

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SJH Sycamore Select Singers to Travel to Carnegie Hall!!!

Sycamore Junior High Choir students have a very unique and exciting opportunity this school year. We have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, March 22-26, 2023!! The “Sycamore Elite Singers'' will be a select choir of approximately 44-48 students. Students who audition must be in one of our choral ensembles. (Concert Choir, Chorale, Treble Tones, Boy Choir or SSC) A parent meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 7th at 7:00 p.m. in the choir room. The parent meeting will provide an opportunity for parents to learn about the trip, trip costs, rehearsal obligations and audition information. Students interested in auditioning must attend one of two meetings- Tuesday, September 13th and/or Friday, September 14th at 7:15 a.m. in the choir room. Students will receive all audition materials at this time. Students considered for this trip must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. All other pertinent information about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will be presented at the parent and student meetings. Interested students should join the Google Classroom with code drhy7pj for all meeting and audition details. Questions concerning the Carnegie Hall trip should be directed to either JH choir director, Deborah Stein, steind@sycamoreschools.org or Jesse Callahan, callahanj@sycamoreschools.org.

PTO NEWS

Meet the Junior High PTO Executive Board

The Junior High PTO has a new Executive Board. We are looking forward to working with parents, staff, and students this school year. Please feel free to join our Facebook page, Sycamore JH PTO. If you have any questions about the PTO, please feel free to reach out to Victoria Margroum at the email address below.

President - Victoria Margroum

jhpto@sycamoreschools.org

Treasurer - Belinda Busemeyer
VP of Ways and Means - Kathy Mercurio
VP of Programs - Charlene Butcher
Recording Secretary - Jeff Stechshulte
Corresponding Secretary - Debbie Flinchpaugh-Kirby
Ambassador Representative - Cathy Sadler

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It's a Fundraiser, it's a celebration, it's a party!

It’s a fundraiser, it’s a celebration, it’s a party!

Did you hear you can enter your child into a $100 Amazon Gift Card???

Did you miss our information at schedule pick-up?

This is our FUNDRAISER for the SJH PTO this year and we need your help!

WE NEED YOU TO SIGN YOUR CHILD UP ON PLEDGESTAR AS OUR FUNDRAISER HAS BEGUN! Click the QR Code above to sign up:

Or use these instructions:

Using your computer’s Brower:

· Go to http://pledgestar.com/SycamoreJrHigh

· Click “Not Registered For This Year’s Event”

· Enter your name and email address, then click “Submit”

· Follow the instructions on-screen to register Participant(s) and add family and friends

Using your Android or Apple phone or tablet:

· Go to the Apple App Store on IOS or the Amazon App Store on Android and search for “PledgeStar” to download the Family App, or go to http://pledgestar.com/SycamoreJrHigh/downloadapp.html

· On the home screen enter your event code: “SycamoreJrHigh” to locate your event

· Click “Not Registered For This Year’s Event”

· Enter your name and email address, then click “Submit”

· Follow the instructions on-screen to register Participant(s) and add family and friends

When you finish, the system emails pledge requests to your family and friends, and allows them to make secure credit card donations online. You get notified each time a pledge is made, and you can track your pledge progress online.

Call 1-888-598-7510 if you need help.

IF YOU SIGN UP AND SEND OUT 5 PLEDGE REQUESTS TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BY MIDNIGHT ON 8/18, YOUR CHILD WILL BE ENTERED IN A DRAWING FOR A $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD (to be announced on Friday 9/2). You do not need to notify us if you completed this, we will monitor the pledgestar website for this information and to enter your child into the drawing.

Keep looking in the SJH Newsletters for more information/updates on the Glow-A-Thon. The fundraiser will run until Oct 21 - when the SJH will have their “Glow-A-Thon” Event.

Want to help volunteer on the planning committee or at the actual event? Please email Kim.Perkins@msj.edu

This might sound familiar as the PTO trialed a Fun-a-Thon in May of last school year to see if this would be a successful option to replace our main fundraiser of Flightfest. The decision was made to switch from the Flightfest Fundraiser to having an annual A-Thon fundraiser in the fall. So here we are! Our hope is to increase the funds raised while decreasing the amount of work for our volunteers, and still have a fun event for the students to attend.