The Navigator Newsletter

Happy Friday Aviators,

It is officially the end of Quarter 1. This is a time that we want to take a few moments to reflect to the start of the school year. We, as a staff, felt that the start of our year was very smooth. We saw little confusion from families and students, and overall saw student positivity which was reflected in academic achievement as well as behaviors. Family nights have been well attended and we've loved having our doors back open to welcome you into the building. We believe this aided in a smooth transition as we were able to build deeper connections.

One change this school year was the approach to our Flex Bell (homeroom). We have observed that the open & flexible format has provided teachers and students the time & space to tackle homework, intervention and enrichment. The feedback overall on the use of flex time has been very positive. We are looking forward to using that momentum to leverage other small system changes that may have a large impact on kids.

We are also continuing to practice and teach our positive behavior language of Be Responsible. Be Safe. Be Respectful. Be a Problem Solver. One way we are modeling this is by addressing a current safety concern that is occurring at dismissal. Due to timing of the buses coming from Greene school, we have been holding students in our courtyard following dismissal until 3:05 when buses arrive. However due to both the limited space and pending colder weather, we have made the decision, for safety reasons, that all students will now be released at 3:03pm. This is 3 minutes later than previous. This change will occur on Monday 10/31 and hope it allows students to report directly to their bus and not be held in one space together. We thank you for your flexibility in allowing this change to occur.

Overall, thank you for a wonderful first Quarter. We are looking forward to Q2! Please reach out with any ideas, feedback, questions, or concerns. We always look forward to supporting students and families.

Happy Weekend!

-Mrs. Schunk, Mr. Meyer, Mr. Cole

• October 31: Dismissal adjustment to 3:03pm (from 3pm)

• October 31: Halloween Dress Up - No Masks, Face paint, or Large Props

• November 4: 1st Quarter Report Cards Posted Online

• November 11: Deadline for CogAT Testing Sign-ups

• November 16: JH Bands Concert 7 pm at High School

• November 17: CogAT Testing (Optional)

• November 21 & 22: Student Personalized Learning Days

• November 25: No School for Thanksgiving Break

Costume Competition

• Lunch time

• 4 categories: Funnies, Scariest, Most Creative, Best Group

• Winners at each lunch and for staff

• Winner gets a large bag of candy

• Lunchroom teaching staff are judges (done at lunch, walk to recess, and recess)

Costumes can be worn

• No weapons or fake weapons

• No masks

• Must follow dress code

• No politically affiliated costumes

• Must be able to sit, learn, move throughout the school without disrupting others, and actively participate in class

Flex Bells are welcome to decorate their door if agreed upon by the teacher and students supply materials

We would love to hear how you felt about Conferences and Glow a Thon.

CLICK HERE to give feedback!

The SJHS Yearbook Club is committed to documenting this school year for YOU! Click HERE for your LOWEST price! The cost is $32/copy. This price will increase to $35 on October 31, 2022.

*Please note, the confirmation email comes from: support@studiosourceyearbooks.com. Last year we had some duplicate orders because it was difficult for people to locate their confirmation.

Questions? Contact Mrs. Melissa Speelman

speelmanm@sycamoreschools.org

Click HERE and find the “Submit Photos Here” button (you must be logged into a Sycamore account to upload)! We want to represent ALL students in this year's historic yearbook.

OPTIONAL TESTING FOR IDENTIFICATION OF GIFTED STUDENTS

You may request that your child be tested on the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT). If you wish to have your child participate in this round of testing, click HERE to sign-up. All requests must be submitted using the google form provided by Friday, November 11th. In order to decrease disruption to your child's instruction, this testing opportunity will take place on Thursday, November 17th, at 7:00 AM at Sycamore Junior High School. Participating students will miss a portion of the first bell due to testing.

Please note it is the parent's responsibility to provide transportation to school on the day of testing. Additionally, please ensure the correct parent email is entered, as this is the email the district will use for communication.

Membership is still open! Click HERE and look for the “Join Yearbook” button!

A reminder that 1st bell begins at 7:57am and that students who are dropped off and arrive after the bell may be counted as tardy.

The student drop off line begins at 7:40am and moves quickly if we have 6-8 students exit their car at a time, always from the passenger side. A great tip is to get their bags in hand as you pull into the lot so the transition can happen as quickly and safely as possible.

There is a new window that the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services is opening on November 1st, 2022, to submit any families that did NOT get their PBET benefits for the summer. This would be for any family that qualified for free or reduced price lunch last school year and had an active sycamore student (this does not include preschool).

IF you believe you should have qualified and did not receive these benefits, please email Kelsey Warren - warrenk@sycamoreschools.org. Provide student names and ID#s in the email.

More information on what pandemic EBT is can be found here.

Map scores will be available in your student's E-Backpack today.

eBackpack

The Sycamore district launched a new feature within the Parent Portal called the “eBackpack.” The eBackpack provides you access to documents posted for your student(s), classes, or school(s). This year we are using it to post student report cards, schedules, and other documents as an electronic .pdf file. Each student has their own eBackpack with documents that are specific to them.

The eBackpack is easy to find under the My Classes module (see the image below). Login Parent Portal and click on a student in the My Students module (see image below). Above their list of classes in the My Classes module will be a link that says “My eBackpack”. It looks like this: Once you’ve clicked on the eBackpack link, a new window will pop up, and your student’s report card and other documents will be there as .pdf files. Please click on the file to view it. While you’re viewing it, you will have the option to download it. Each student has their own eBackpack, so if you have more than one student you’ll need to click on each student in the My Students module to view each student’s documents.

Troubleshooting:

• I don’t see the “My eBackpack” link?

• Do you see any classes for your student? If not, does it say “Requested” next to your students’ name? If it says “Requested” that means you have requested the addition of this student to your Parent Portal account, but it has not been approved yet. Approvals can often take a day or two. Once your request is approved, you will be able to see your student’s classes and eBackpack.

• Do you have any students listed at all? If not, you will need to request that they be added to your account. You can do so by clicking on “Add Student” in the “My Students” box on the left side of the page.

• If you click on “My eBackpack” and you do not see a file there, or you see a file but get an error clicking on it, please submit a helpdesk ticket by sending an email to helpdesk@sycamoreschools.org provide your Parent Portal email address, your student(s) name(s), and describe the issue.

• Parent/Guardian - Did you forget your password? If so, please go to the Parent Portal login page (bb.sycamoreschools.org) and click on “Forgot my Parent Portal Password” to reset your password.

Winter is coming! We will still go to outdoor recess as long as temperatures/rain allow. Students are doing a great job of dressing for the weather and bringing a coat, hat and gloves as needed.

By hitting the $25k threshold with the Glow a Thon, we will have more equipment for them outside including 9 square (the heavy favorite from a student survey).

Indoor recess will entail students staying in the cafeteria. If on those days students want to bring something they can do at the table, that is great--if they have questions they can ask an administrator

Check out this link to view our student created video announcements. Mrs. Jarvis does a fantastic job leading these students to take ownership of their learning while also providing a service to our school community!

By calling or testing the statewide hotline

844-SAFEROH

844-723-3764

you can report anything that is suspicious or endangering you, your friends or school.

Email: jhadmin@sycamoreschools.org
Website: www.sycamoreschools.org
Location: 5757 Cooper Road, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: 5136861760