The Hour of Code

The Hour of Code

We live in a world surrounded by technology and we know that whatever field our students choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly hinge on understanding how technology works. In fact, the number of jobs requiring a knowledge of basic coding is expected to grow exponentially (26.5%*) compared to other occupations in our region, by the time our current 6th graders graduate from high school. Research shows children’s ideas/attitudes about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) are generally determined by 6th grade. In Sycamore Community Schools we are committed to increasing opportunities for all of our students to engage in activities that provide awareness and exploration in each of the STEAM areas throughout their twelve grades of development.

This week our students in grades 2-4 are among over two million worldwide spending one hour learning the basics of coding during one of the largest education events in history: The Hour of Code.  Our hope is that by participating in the Hour of Code, our Sycamore students will begin to develop foundational coding skills and heightened interest in participating in Sycamore High School’s nationally recognized computer science program and other related courses in their future.

For additional resources go to Beyond the Hour of Code or Symbaloo Coding Websites and encourage your child to explore additional coding opportunities.

*second only to health care providers according to UC Economic Center

Resources for your Young Readers at Home!

Looking for some resources to help your young readers at home?  Use this link to go to INFOhio with resources for parents on reading, homework, and helping your child use INFOhio resources.  This site can also help your child transition successfully through different stages of education, or prepare for assessments.

Parent Reading Tips

Notes From our Nurse

December Holiday notes for our School Nurse:

December 6th  - December 12th is National Influenza Week: It’s not too late to get your Flu vaccination for this Flu season!  The CDC recommends  Flu Vaccine for all individuals 6 months and older.  Check out http://www.cdc.gov/flu/nivw/nivw-key-points.htm for more information regarding the Flu vaccine and keeping your family healthy this holiday season.

Allergy and Asthma during the Holidays:  Sometimes allergies and asthma are triggered during the winter months.  Here is some helpful information for your family to stay safe and healthy this season http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/lifestyle/holiday/8-tips-for-allergy-free-holidays http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/asthma-library/allergies,-asthma-and-winter-holidays.aspx

When to keep a child home from school: It can be difficult to decide when and how long to keep an ill child home from school. The timing of the absences is often important in order to decrease the spread of disease to others and to prevent your child from acquiring any other illness while his or her resistance is lowered.

If your child has a fever, is vomiting or has diarrhea they must stay home until they no longer have the symptom for 24 hours without the use of medication to control the symptoms.

Check our school illness guidelines  at http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_1300.pdf . The school district health handbook has more information and found on the district website at http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_5453.pdf

Attention third grade parents: Your children will starting Basic Aid  Training (BAT) with our school nurse, Diana Wyrick, RN this week December 8 - 11.  This program is adapted from the The American Red  Cross. The students will learn:

1. Steps for an Emergency Action Plan
2. How to treat for shock
3. Where to call in an emergency
4. How to do Citizen CPR
5. What to do if someone chokes
6. How to treat wounds
7. How to treat animal bites
8. What to do if someone falls
9. What to do if electric shock is suspected
10. How to prevent poisoning and what to do

The students will be asked to share their knowledge with you at home.  Please encouraged them to teach you what they know.

Lice 101 review: Lice cannot jump or fly.  They are transmitted by direct head to head contact with another person with lice or sharing items placed in the hair.  Children should be instructed against sharing hats, clothing or hair items with others.  Children should use their own pillows and sleeping bags when spending the night with a friend. household pets do not transmit lice. Consult the Sycamore Student Health Handbook for more great  information about lice. Here is a link from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding best practices with lice management https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Updates-Treatments-for-Head-Lice.aspx

Please contact our School Nurse, Mrs. Wyrick at 68601713, if you have any questions.

Operation Give Back Drive

The Blue Ash Elementary food and goods drive to benefit Operation Give Back is December 3-9. Our goal is to collect 1,000 items by Wednesday, December 9th.

Operation Give Back provides after- school homework support for designated Sycamore students as well as a Holiday Store for district families who are in need of assistance. 

Thursday December 3rd: Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soaps, lotions)

Friday December 4th: Canned & Boxed Foods (non-perishable)

Monday December 7th: NEW Children's clothing (hats, gloves, scarves, socks) 

Tuesday December 8th: NEW Children's Books and Toys (art supplies, puzzles, games)

Wednesday December 9th: Paper Goods (toilet paper, paper towels, tissues) 

Students can take donations directly to their classrooms. All items will be gathered on our stage where our students can watch them grow daily as we work our way to 1,000 items! 

Safety and Security

Safety and Security will always be a priority at all of our Sycamore buildings. For security reasons we do not share specific response protocol with our community, however we do want to ensure parents that our staff reviews security protocol and practices emergency responses throughout each school year.  We also routinely practice various drills with our students so that they are prepared in the event that we need to take safety measures quickly.

It is very important for parents to know that in the event that we would need to evacuate our building, our students and necessary staff would be transported to the Blue Ash Recreation Center at 4433 Cooper Road. Parents would need to drive to that location to pick up their children.  If parents drive to the school, they will be redirected to that site.  

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us continue to be efficient and effective in keeping our students safe and secure.

CogAT Testing

ANNOUNCEMENT OF CogAT TESTING

All 2nd graders will take the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) the week of December 7, 2015, during the school day. For those students in the other grades, you may request that your child participate in this round of testing. This is in accordance with HB 282, which requires that school districts provide two opportunities for testing to identify students as gifted. PLEASE NOTE THAT SCORES ON KINDERGARTEN and FIRST GRADE TESTS WILL NOT BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR PULL-OUT GIFTED SERVICES.

Parents of 2nd graders do NOT need to request testing since it is an automatic process. However, if your child is not in 2nd grade and you would like to have your child participate in the December administration of the CogAT, use the below link to request testing. In order to decrease disruption to your child's instruction, this testing opportunity will take place on Saturday, December 5, at Maple Dale Elementary from 9:00 until 11:30.  Please note that it is the parents' responsibility to provide transportation to and from Maple Dale.

Click here to request CogAT Testing for December 2015

Blue Ash Outreach

November 9 - 23, 2015

Every year, the parents, staff and students of BAE generously donate canned goods to N.E.E.D.S. (Northeast Emergency Distribution Service) to help those less fortunate.  Once again we will be collecting canned goods to help those in our community have a happy holiday season.

In addition to this collection we will be accepting dog and cat toys, food and supplies in order to support our animal friends as well through the United Pet Fund..

We will collect  these items in our homerooms and front office each day.

Please read below for details regarding needed items for our collection…

NEEDS -

Canned goods such as corn, green beans, peas, baked beans, fruit, pasta, spaghetti sauce, soup, tuna, as well as cereal, peanut butter, jelly, macaroni and cheese, toiletry items such as soap and toothpaste.   *Please no glass containers*

United Pet Fund -

Dog or cat treats, dog or cat food, puppy or kitten food, dog or cat toys (new), dog collars and leashes, stainless steel bowls, kitty litter, blankets, sheets, towels (new or used), dog/cat shampoo.

District Wellness Committee

The District Wellness Committee is looking for more members (both from staff and parents!).  Currently, our members consist of an assortment of teachers, administrators, nurses, health professionals, child nutrition staff and parents with one goal in mind: To help make Sycamore Community Schools a healthier learning environment so that students can achieve all that they set out to achieve during the school day.

The committee has formulated its areas of interest and foundation on the same areas of focus as the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's (AHG) focus.  The AHG is a nationally recognized program that provides amazing, free tools and resources related to student and staff wellness. Sycamore is doing some great things district-wide showing our dedication to the whole child, not just their education, but we can also improve in some areas. 

 
Each year, the committee completes and assessment/inventory to determine in what area(s) are we weak and how can we promote change to make that area a strength.  This is how our annual action plans are formed.  By having a large committee, with varying areas of interest, we are able to do more with less of a time commitment.  We meet as a district team every other month and typically the building level teams meet more often, such as monthly, to ensure their is work being accomplished.

We are seeking more wellness committee members on a building level district-wide and on the district-committee level both at Blue Ash and Montgomery Elementary schools.  Please contact me if you are interested in joining the committee!

If you wish to learn more about the wellness committee, please click on the attachment to see a board presentation given after the wellness committee received the bronze award of distinction from AHG last school year.  (Please note some committee members have changed buildings/positions since this was given). 

The current list of members is on the Sycamore Website, which can be found here: 

http://www.sycamoreschools.org/district/departments/child-nutrition/district-wellness-committee.html

SJH Theater Production

Picture Retake Day

If you missed picture day Lifetouch will return November 13th for picture retakes. 

Reminder conferences/no school

Parent – Teacher Conferences

Thursday October 29^th 4 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Friday October 30^th Conferences NO SCHOOL 

Thursday November 5^th 4 p.m. -8:30 p.m. 

Otis Spunkmeyer Pick up

Cookie Dough/Student Prize Pick Up - November 11, 3:30 - 5:30

Cookie dough orders and student prizes are being delivered to Blue Ash Elementary and will be ready for parents to pick up on Wednesday, November 11, from 3:30 - 5:30.

Thank you to our students and our families that participated in this fundraiser.  Your continued support of our school is very much appreciated!!

Sycamore Lacrosse Academy

Join us for Haunted Fest!

Haunted Fest is October 23rd from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. See you there! 

Get tickets ahead of time!

October 21st 8:30 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. 

October 22nd 3:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Located in our lobby 

Reminder: No School Monday October 19th

Enjoy the long weekend! See you all Tuesday!

National School Bus Safety Week October 19th-23rd

Our bus drivers will be practicing bus evacuations with our students each morning in our parking lot before school.

Due to these drills occurring at all of our buildings, your child's bus may be late to pick them up from their bus stop those mornings.  

Thank you for supporting our drivers' efforts to keep all of our children safe.

Sycamore GEAR Events

Transportation Count week is this week!

If your child regularly rides the bus, please make every effort to have them ride this week.  The data collected about miles traveled and number of students transported is requested by The Ohio Department of Education and is used for funding transportation.

Thanks!

Mike Miller, Director of Transportation will be presenting at our PTO meeting this Thursday, October 8 at 9:30.  Please join us!

Safety and Security at BAE

Parents,

We want you to know that the safety and well being of your children is our most important priority.  Therefore, we will be practicing various safety drills throughout the year.  These drills will consist of:

Evacuation drills - leaving the building quickly, safely and quietly.

Tornado drills - sitting safely away from doors and windows.  

Shelter in place practice - sitting quietly in classroom when there is danger outside.

End of Otis Spunkmeyer Sale

October 8 is the end of our Otis Spunkmeyer sale.  Thank you to everyone who has participated!  Delivery to our school will be in early November. We will send out the exact date as soon as the company processes the orders and lets us know the details about pick up.

Flight Fest update

Space Day

i

Otis Spunkmeyer Sale

It is time for our annual BAE Otis Spunkmeyer sale!  

While Otis is known for the BEST cookie dough, this sale also includes Auntie Anne's soft pretzels, Cinnabon baking kits, cheese cakes and other delicious meals and snacks.  

The sale began on September 24 and will end October 8.  All money raised will go toward technology tools/devices and engaging educational resources for ALL students.

Follow us on Twitter as well as our Blue Ash Elementary Blog for updates on the latest at Blue Ash Elementary 

http://blueashelementarynews.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/blueashelem

Sunflower Seed Contest

Can you guess how many sunflowers seeds are in this picture?

This week our students will be estimating how many sunflower seeds are on this sunflower from our garden.  Once their guesses have been submitted, our kindergarten students will take apart the flower and count each seed to get the actual total.

Winners' names will go into a drawing for fun prizes.

See how close you can get!  Answer will be posted on Twitter soon....

Aerial Photography of Blue Ash Elementary

Massey Green AVP, an aerial photography company, will be shooting some marketing videos of our district Tuesday, September 22nd through Thursday, September 24th between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. This filming will be of school properties only and will include the use of a drone at no higher than 400 feet. They plan on shooting during times when our students will not be outside, and will not cause disruption to our school day. We wanted you to be aware in case you see them on our campus during those times.

Picture Day!

A reminder that picture day is coming up! 
Picture Day ID: JC815298Q0
Picture Day is Thursday, September 17. 

Be prepared by ordering online at mylifetouch.com

• No need to send cash or flyer back to school when you order online
• See more options available online
• Use credit card or PayPal on our secure site

Pedidos en español disponibles por internet. ¡Encarga hoy en mylifetouch.com!

Welcome back to school!

Here are some beginning of the School year notes from our School Nurse:

• Emergency contact information and student health information.   Remember to keep Final Forms current throughout the school year. Here is the Final form link http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_5402.pdf  This information is vital in the event your child is sick or having a health concern.  Health conditions can change throughout the school year, please share this information so we  can provide the best care for your child.  Please notify the office and school nurse when you make changes in Final Forms at wyrickd@sycamoreschools.org or jansonj@sycamoreschools.org .
• Important Sycamore School Health Information is found in the Student Health Handbook found on our school district website at http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_5453.pdf
• Illness guidelines are listed on our school district website at http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_1300.pdf
• Information regarding students with food allergies are listed on out school district website at http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_4272.pdf
• Medication procedures for students that may need to take medications (including prescription, over the counter or herbal remedies) during the school day are found at http://www.sycamoreschools.org/documents/contentdocuments/doc_23_5_2801.pdf
• Lice 101: Lice cannot jump or fly.  They are transmitted by direct head to head contact with another  person with lice or sharing items placed in the hair.  Children should, therefore, be instructed against sharing hats, clothing, or hair items with others.  Children should take their own pillows and sleeping bags when spending the night with a friend.  Household pets do not transmit lice. In addition to the district student health headbook, a  great resource for lice information is https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Updates-Treatments-for-Head-Lice.aspx
• Vision and Hearing Screenings are scheduled for October 5, 7 and 12.  All Kindergarten, 1st grade, 3rd grade and all new students new to the district will be screened. It is important for students to bring their glasses if they have been prescribed glasses.
• Remember that kids need sleep.  Encourage your child(ren) to get the necessary rest so that they are ready for learning and fun.
• Breakfast is a must.  Children learn better when they eat breakfast.  Protein is important as well, so add eggs, cheese, or peanut butter to that toast or waffle!
• Water is important too. It helps with fatigue and fighting infection, so water bottles are great to send to school.

If you have question or concerns during the school year please contact:

Diana Wyrick RN, Blue Ash Elementary School Nurse at wyrickd@sycamoreschools.org or 513-686-1713.

Sycamore GEAR

Follow us on Twitter!

Be sure to follow BAE on Twitter to get quick updates with all the latest and greatest at our school! Follow us @BlueAshElem 

Morning Drop Off

Parents, please remember that our student's school day begins at 9:05 a.m. For those of you who drop your children off in the morning, do not do so before 9:00 a.m. Many staff members are in meetings before school, therefore we do not have staff available to monitor students until 9:00 a.m. Thank you for helping us to keep our students safe!