Student Athletes of the Week

This week's Student Athletes of the Week are:

Will Bashford

This week’s Male Athlete of the Week is from the Boys’ Soccer team.  As a starting centerback, Will Bashford has taken the role as a leader on the defense.  His aggressiveness and determination has helped the soccer team keep our opponents scoreless in our first match.  He understands the game and uses his knowledge to help his teammates position themselves on the field. Will’s decisions in regards to distributing or clearing the ball are as intelligent as any high school player.   Will exemplifies respect during practices and games.  When some of his teammates are tempted to not stay focused during practice, he tries to encourage them to be serious and do the drills correctly.  Even at the end of each practice or game, he and many of his teammates will thank the coaches. Coach Tanaka, Coach Brenner & Josh want to thank Will for being a great role model for the team!

Lindsey Stevens

It is my pleasure to award Lindsey Stevens with Athlete of the Week for the 8th grade cheerleading squad.  Lindsey has a positive attitude & she works hard.  She has faced much adversity with an ongoing injury and has worked hard to remain part of the team.  She has a great memory for material, expressive facials and a booming cheerleader voice.  Lindsey is a terrific cheerleader and shows great spirit!

Hannah Bruns

This week's Girls Soccer Athlete of the Week is Hannah Bruns. She is being awarded this because of her super positive attitude, excellent stamina, and the way she always give 110%. She is a true leader on and off the field. Hannah has excellent ball skills and is a very motivated and focused young lady. Coach Knue and Coach Swensen would like to say "thank you" for being a great role model and asset to the team.

This Week in Sports!

You're Invited to Aviator Flight Fest!

It's the 5th annual Aviator Flight Fest!  Dust off those running or walking shoes and join us for the 5K or 10K race. Details and registration can be found at www.aviatorflightfest.com, on twitter and instagram @avesflightfest or on our blog at aviatorflightfest.blogspot.com

Your RSVP should come in the form of your registration for the race or your volunteer sign up.  We can't wait to see you at the starting line!

Announcements August 24-28, 2015

Picture Day will be September 1st. There will be more details coming

Are you someone who likes to sing and dance? Do you want to try something new at SJH? Are you in Band, Choir, or Orchestra? Sycamore Singing Company may be for you! Sycamore Singing Company or SSC is an extra­curricular singing and dancing group here at the junior high. Auditions are coming up soon! In order to audition, you MUST attend one of two clinics that will be held next week​. These clinics will be Monday and Tuesday and will last until 4:00 PM. You must provide your own transportation home, so plan accordingly! See Mr. Callahan in Room 105 today for a more detailed handout!

Sycamore Junior High is pleased to announce this year's fall drama production: "Schoolhouse Rock Jr."   "Schoolhouse Rock Jr." is one of musical theatre's brightest and most innovative shows.  Based on the Emmy Award-winning 1970's educational cartoon series. Schoolhouse Rock uses a variety of musical styles to teacher grammar, math, science, history, social studies and political science while telling the story of Tom, a young teacher nervously anticipating his first day on the job.

Any student interested in this year's play, should attend an informational meeting next Wednesday or Thursday, Sept 2nd or 3rd.  (Attendance is only required at one meeting)  The meeting will be held in Room 105 from 3:15 to 4:00 and is for performer's only.  Backstage crew meeting will happen at a later time.

The play will be presented on Thursday, November 12th and Friday, November 13th. See Mrs. Stein in Room 105 if you have any questions.

Last night The boys soccer team started the season strong with a win over Kings 3-0.  Great teamwork and effort by the entire team helped the defense led by Will Bashford and keeper Bob Wise record the team's first shutout!  Goals were made by Trey Yengo, Timur Tulabaev, and Ethan Lindsey with assists by Will Johnson, Andrew Sulfsted and Will Bashford.

Operation give Back will be starting on Sept. 8th and you can take bus #21starting Sept. 8th

STUDENTS! Varsity Football tickets will be on sale on FRIDAY during lunch.  Tickets are $4 Pre Sale and $7 at the gate.  Don't miss out on your chance to cheer on the Aves to a victory over Mt. Healthy!

Character Word of the Week!

Respect:  

The strength to show kindness toward others and recognizing their talents.

Challenge: 

Be a person who follows the Golden Rule 

(treat others the way you want to be treated.)

Sycamore Singing Company Clinics and Auditions!

Parents,

Sycamore Singing Company (SSC) clinics and auditions are coming up soon!  SSC is an auditioned Show Choir that rehearses Monday evenings from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, sings on every SJH Choir concert and travels several times in the month of December.  In order to receive an audition slot, students MUST attend one of two SSC Clinics that will be held next Monday (8-31) and Tuesday (9-1) from 3:15-4:00.  Students are only required to attend one, but may attend both.  At the clinic, students will learn the song and dance needed for the audition.  Please keep in mind that students must be in a performance ensemble (choir, band or orchestra) at SJH if they want to audition for SSC.  If you have any questions, please contact Jesse Callahan at callahanj@sycamoreschools.org or (513) 686-1760, ext 2570.

Aviator Flight Fest

40 Days and Counting...

In just 40 days Sycamore supporters will fill the streets to run the 5th annual Aviator Flight Fest.  There is still so much to be done in order for this day to be a success.  Our committee is working tirelessly to create signs, prep games, prepare tickets, and spread the word about this awesome event.  Tomorrow we will start our student involvement, with the first ever STUDENT Flight Fest committee.  Students will be asked to create posters and publications, encourage racers to register, sell raffle tickets, attend events to recruit volunteers and participants, and so much more.  I couldn't be prouder of our students, as the interest amongst our kids to get involved in this event is spreading like a fever.  Our 40 day countdown begins...

WELCOME FROM THE PTO

         Hopefully the school year has gotten off to a smooth start for your child and you.  We know there is a lot of information being sent your way, and it is hard to keep track of all those forms.  The PTO has made an effort this year to cut back on the forms/papers being sent home with your child and instead distributed them during the Device and Schedule Pick Up days.  Many of you have returned those forms and we thank you.  However, if you have misplaced them, or were not able to pick them up, we have links to these for you to print and send back to school.  These forms include Membership, Directory and Hassel Free Fundraising.  Please take a moment to fill these out and return them to school.  The money raised from membership dues and Hassel Free is used to fund all the programs and activities sponsored by the PTO.   Don't forget - with your membership, you will receive a  student directory!   (Please see the Directory Form for information on making sure your student is included.) 

          Our first PTO meeting will be held Monday, September 14 at 10:30 in the Lower Media Center.  This is a great opportunity to find out what is in store for your child this year and to meet our new principal, Mrs. Traci Rea.  We hope to see you all there!

Carrie Gause
Rhonda Augustin
Co-Presidents PTO

Click these links for PTO forms:

Membership Form

Directory Form

Hassel Free Fundraising Form

Become an Athletic Boosters Member!

The Sycamore Athletic Boosters would like to invite you to become a member!

With your membership we can help support our great athletic teams and coaches.

For more info on the Boosters and how to join please go to:

www.sycamoreathleticboosters.com

Fall Drama Production- School House Rock Jr.

Sycamore Junior High is pleased to announce this year's fall drama production: "Schoolhouse Rock Jr."   "Schoolhouse Rock Jr." is one of musical theatre's brightest and most innovative shows.  Based on the Emmy Award-winning 1970's educational cartoon series. Schoolhouse Rock uses a variety of musical styles to teacher grammar, math, science, history, social studies and political science while telling the story of Tom, a young teacher nervously anticipating his first day on the job.

Any student interested in this year's play, should attend an informational meeting next Wednesday or Thursday, Sept 2nd or 3rd.  (Attendance is only required at one meeting)  The meeting will be held in Room 105 from 3:15 to 4:00 and is for performer's only.  Backstage crew meeting will happen at a later time.

The play will be presented on Thursday, November 12th and Friday, November 13th. See Mrs. Stein in Room 105 if you have any questions.

Picture Day!

Sycamore Junior High 

Picture Day

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

During the school day

This day will be only for student who have not yet had their picture taken. Those who had pictures taken at Schedule Pickup on August 12th and 13th will not have pictures taken at this time. If you would like to purchase pictures, you may do so online at mylifetouch.com with the code JC815552Q1, or use a traditional paper form. Paper forms will be sent home with students on Friday, August 28th and electronic copies of this form can be found by clicking here. There are also copies of this form available in the front lobby of the Junior High. Students will receive their pictures in Aviator bell approximately 2-3 weeks after the pictures were taken.

Sycamore Junior High

Picture Re-take Day

Monday, October 12, 2015

During the school day

For students who were not satisfied with the pictures taken previously, this day is a chance to have another set taken. Students will need to bring all previously received pictures with them on this day. Students who have re-takes done will receive their new pictures in Aviator bell approximately 2-3 weeks after they are taken. 

Open House! Wednesday, August 26th at 6:00pm

Sycamore Junior High

Open House-Parents Only

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

from 6:00pm-7:30pm

Please join us at Sycamore Junior High School for an Open House where parents can walk their student's schedule and meet their teachers as well as get information about classes.

Parents will need a copy of their child’s schedule to follow throughout the evening. Schedules will be given to students during seventh bell that day. Please have your child give you a copy of the schedule.

Parents will report to their child’s first bell classroom to begin the evening.

PTO will have spirit wear available in the front hallway. Please check out their booth!

The timeline for the evening is as follows: 

Time	Activity
6:00-6:20	Bell 1-Introduction from Principal/Bell 1 Info.
6:24-6:30	Bell 2
6:34-6:40	Bell 3
6:44-6:50	Bell 4
6:54-7:00	Bell 5
7:04-7:10	Bell 6
7:14-7:20	Bell 7
7:24-7:30	Explore Building

The Class of 2017 is hosting a fundraiser at City Barbeque in Blue Ash this Friday, August 28 all day.​​

Eat at City Barbeque and raise money for our group!

                             Please join us for a special fundraising event.

               25% of your purchase will be donated back to our group!

         Name of group: Sycamore Class of 2017

Date of fundraiser: Friday, August 28th

Participating Location: Blue Ash City Barbeque, 10375 Kenwood Rd.

Good all day on Dine In & Carry Out Orders

Note: If ordering carry out for large groups, please use our Pig Up ‘n Go Menu.

Flyer must be presented at time of order to receive credit for the sale.

Flyers cannot be passed out on City Barbeque property. Fundraiser cannot be combined with other promotions or offers. Not valid on gift card purchases.

Check out our menus and Order Online at www.citybbq.com

 We look forward to serving you to help raise money for your organization!

Sycamore Science Fair

The Sycamore Science Fair is scheduled for Saturday, January 30, 2016 from 8:00am – 1:00pm at Sycamore High School. All students 7th Grade – 12th Grade are invited and encouraged to submit a project. The deadline for submission of the required proposal review is November 2, 2015. The final registration deadline for approved projects is December 10, 2015. Check with your student’s Science Teacher or the the Science Fair website on blackboard for information regarding the Science Fair.

PTO Update

PTO Meetings

Welcome to the 2015-2106 school year at Sycamore Junior High. Carrie Gause and Rhonda Augustin will be your co-presidents of the PTO and we look forward to a fabulous school year!  Thank you to those parents who have already joined the PTO and we encourage all of those who haven't had a chance to do so. It is only $10 and includes your membership plus a school directory.

Please join us for our first meeting of the school year on Monday, September 14th at 10:30am in the cafeteria.  Get updates from Ms. Rea, PTO events and district news. This year the Jr. High PTO will meet on the second Monday of each month (except December and January) at 10:30am in the school media center.

Mark these dates on your calendar:   10/12, 11/9, 1/25, 2/8, 3/14 and 4/11. May’s meeting will be our Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on 5/9 at 11:00am. 

If you are interested in joining the PTO fill out the form below:

Click Here for PTO Form

New Facebook Page for SJH Parents:
Here's some good news for parents of Sycamore Junior High School ! They can now access information related to the school events and activities on our very own FaceBook Page! 
This can be done in 2 simple ways , you can either search for " Sycamore Junior High PTO " on Facebook search window or click on this link -----> https://www.facebook.com/SycamoreJuniorHighPTO?ref=ts&fref=ts .
Most importantly, to get all the information on the page, you need to have a Facebook account and we request you to kindly click on the " Like" tab .

Coffee with Principal Rea!

This morning (August 21) at 9:30 am the SJH PTO will be hosting a coffee with the Principal. Any parent who would like to meet Ms. Rea, ask questions, or talk to the PTO is invited to come. We hope to see you there! 

Orientation Information

In case we missed you at orientation last week and you have questions about the Junior High, we have included a link below to the orientation slideshow. Also below is a link to a parent survey. We would love to hear your feedback about our start of the year activities! 

We can't wait to see you all tomorrow for the first day of school!

Click Here to see the Orientation Slideshow

Click Here to fill out the Parent Survey

Attention Students with the Last Names O to Z!

Over the summer, one of our counselors has had a name change. 

Ms. Ruggiero is now Mrs. Laudeman! Her new email address will be laudemanj@sycamoreschools.org. 

Please use this new email and name when looking for counseling for students. 

Schedule Pickup and Orientation FAQs:

Frequently Asked Questions about the upcoming Schedule Pickup and Orientation on 

August 12th and 13th

1. Who from my family needs to come to Schedule Pickup and Orientation?
• All students and parents are invited to come to Schedule Pickup. Orientation is for the 7th grade students and their parents, and for students and parents who are new to the district.
2. What if a parent or student is unable to attend Schedule Pickup or Orientation?
• As long as all forms have been completed by both the parent and the student in Final Forms prior to the Schedule Pickup date, either the student or parent can pickup the schedule. The device pickup requires a STUDENT signature so the student must be present in order to get their device.
3. Is there a specific assigned time that my student should come to Schedule Pickup?
• NO. There are no assigned times for Schedule Pickup. Any student and parent is allowed to come throughout the time frame of the event. Many 7th graders choose to come on August 12th between 5 and 6pm so that they can go to Orientation right after. 
4. Do I need to bring cash or a check to Schedule Pickup?


• All fees including those for school pictures can be paid online either through the Parent Portal (for school fees) or through mylifetouch.com (for school pictures- use code JC815552Q0). If you do not want to pay online for any of these fees, we will be accepting cash and check payments at Schedule Pickup and will have paper forms provided for you.
5. What if I do not have a Parent Portal Login?


• Parent Portal is an important place to visit for Parents. This is where your fees are paid, lunch accounts can be managed, and there are links to all important sites such as Final Forms and this Blog. To get a Parent Portal Login CLICK HERE
6. What happens if my student was unable to get their Tdap prior to Schedule Pickup?
• All Junior High Students are required to have a Tdap prior to getting their schedule and device. Many students were able to get these through our elementary schools last spring. If you did not get your Tdap through Sycamore Schools, you will need to bring documentation from your doctor that you have filled this requirement in order to get your schedule or device. We can't release a student's schedule or device to them before they have a Tdap.

A Word from New Principal Ms. Traci Rea!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As the new principal at Sycamore Junior High I would like to welcome you to the 2015-2016 school year! I hope you have enjoyed your summer and are as excited as I am about the year ahead at Sycamore Junior High. It is a true honor to be a part of a district that is rich with tradition! As your new principal, my goal is to continue to provide your children with a learning environment that grows him/her both academically and socially. With the support of our staff, our high academic standards and extracurricular programs will foster the development of a well-rounded adolescent.

There have been many exciting things happening in the building. You will notice the front lobby area has been renovated to increase security and safety for our students and staff. We are also preparing for the One2One Initiative, which will provide every student with a Chromebook to use as a learning tool in the classroom and at home. This will open many new curricular avenues for challenging students while providing them a blended learning curriculum.

  Our staff has been hard at work preparing the facilities, curriculum and opening day celebrations to kick off the school year. The upcoming weeks are full of opportunities for your student to be introduced to his/her schedule of classes and tour the school in preparation for the first day. The administrative team looks forward to meeting you and your children at our Schedule Pickup event on August 12th and 13th. This will be an opportunity for you and your student to finish schools forms, get schedules and locker assignments, pick up Chromebooks, get school pictures taken, and explore the building. We also look forward to the chance to spend some time with you at open house on August 26 where you will have a chance to follow your child’s schedule and meet their teachers as well. I am excited for this year and look forward to all the new opportunities it will bring!

Sincerely,

Traci L. Rea

Principal

Schedule Pickup!

Procedure for Device and Schedule Pickup

August 12th 10-7

August 13th 8-5

1. Parents and students are asked to enter the building through the rear cafeteria doors.  For those unfamiliar with the building, enter the parking lot on the west side of the building, nearest the transportation office, and come around to the back of the building. Look for the door marked 29.
2. Once inside, parents and students will move through a series of stations.  These stations are numbered, and we ask that families move through the stations in numerical order.
3. At station 1, the Junior High School staff will confirm all required forms have been submitted.  Prior to arrival parents are asked to complete all forms, including the one-to-one agreement for our chromebook distribution, at www.finalforms.com.  Please be advised that students also need to sign off on these required forms via their email.
4. If all forms are not completed, parents will be asked to step aside to our completion area and complete the required forms.  
5. Once all forms are verified, the Junior High Staff will provide a ticket.  Parents and students will be asked to take this ticket to station 2, where student schedules will be distributed.  Student schedules will be sorted by grade level and last name.  Signs will be posted on each table to guide you to the correct line.  Questions or concerns about schedules need to be directed via email or phone to our counseling staff.
1. Mr. Brenner (brennerb@sycamoreschools.org) for students with last names A-G.  
2. Ms. Rouse (rousek@sycamoreschools.org) for students with last names H-N
3. Ms. Ruggiero (ruggieroj@sycamoreschools.org) for students with last names O-Z
6. Once schedules are in hand, parents and students will move to station 3. At station 3 Chromebook distribution will begin.  
1. At stop “A” chromebook devices will be assigned to the student.
2. At stop “B” students will be asked to logon to their device.
3. If the login attempt was not successful, parents and students will be asked to move to station “C” where our technology staff will be on hand to begin troubleshooting.  
7. After successful login (either at 3B or 3C) students are asked to move to station “4” where student photos will be taken.  From the station 3 area, families will follow the green tape out of the cafeteria, into the hallway, and into the door for the classroom marked “125.”  Photographers will be available to take school photos.  After photos are taken, parents and students are free to exit the building through the cafeteria doors unless families wish to tour the building.
8. Station “5” is to walk the building.  Students and parents are invited to visit lockers and walk schedules.  Please note that our Junior High School staff will be actively working to assist parents and students with schedule and device pick up, so we will not be in the hallways to assist with lockers and locating rooms.  We will be available during parent orientation on August 12th beginning at 7pm to help, and we are also always in the hallways during the first week of school to help students reach their final destination.  

Attention Athletes!

Meet the Coaches Night 

Thursday, August 13th at 6:30 

in the SJH Auditorium. 

 

Parents of all Fall Athletes should plan to attend.  The evening will begin with a presentation by our Athletic Director, Austin Rhoads.  At the conclusion of the presentation, all teams will branch out to meet their coaches to learn about expectations, coaching philosophy, schedules, directions, etc..  If you have a Fall Athlete at SJH, please plan to attend!

Aviator Flight Fest News!

CHANGE OF DATE FOR FLIGHT FEST 2015

The "Queen Bees" have spoken and we listened!  Due to a growing number of distraught racers who are committed to Sycamore Community Schools and want to participate in Aviator Flight Fest, but also wish to run the Cincinnati Queen Bee half marathon, we are moving Flight Fest to October 3, 2015.  What a great move, as we can not only welcome all of our Queen Bee racers, but we get to be a part of Sycamore Homecoming weekend!  Registration is live on RunningTime.net.  

Also be sure to keep up with all Flight Fest information on the Aviator Flight Fest Blog at http://aviatorflightfest.blogspot.com or on Twitter @avesflightfest!