Register Now for Sycamore Summer Sports Camp

The Sycamore Athletic Department sponsors camps in a wide array of sports for most grade levels. Go to the Camps & Clinics page on AvesAthletics.com for more information and to register on-line through parent portal!

Cultural Event Date Change

Dear Blue Ash Elementary families,

The PTO Chair of the Cultural Event has decided that it would be best to push the event back to May 20th. This is a Friday evening, which work better for most of our families and it will be a nice end of year celebration for our school! Thursday was not the best night, and this will allow for a bigger and better event, so please mark your calendars for Friday May 20th, 6-8:30 pm! Questions? Contact Kimberly Reese at 513-687-748.

Thanks!

ODE is Asking for your Feedback

Ohio’s learning standards in mathematics, English language arts, science and social studies are five years old. The Ohio Department of Education now is reviewing the standards to update them,if revisions are necessary. To get started, the department is asking educators, parents and other members of the public to review and give feedback on the math and English language arts standards.  

Educators and parents have an opportunity to review and comment on these standards now through April 5 at ohio-k12.help/standards/. On the Ohio Department of Education’s Standards Revision Web page, a one-page overview for parents has been provided by the department.

Blue Ash Testing Information

Please click here  for the Spring Testing Information Letter. The dates are listed below.

BAE Families,

There are several assessments given to students during the spring months.  Third and fourth graders will take AIR assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math.  Additionally, fourth graders will also be assessed in Social Studies.  Below, please find a testing schedule.  

It is our hope that students are well rested, eat a well balanced breakfast and arrive to school on time each day, especially days they are to take an assessment.  

Spring Testing Dates for Blue Ash Elementary

Date	Grade	Test	Amount of Time Needed
April 4-5	4th	AIR-English Language Arts	1 unit @ 90 min Each day
April 6-7	3rd	AIR- English Language Arts	1 unit@ 90 min Each day
April 7-8	4th	AIR- Social Studies	1 unit at 90 min Each day
April 11-12	4th	AIR-Math	1 unit@ 90 min Each day
April 13-14	3rd	AIR- Math	1 unit@ 90 min Each day

Greene 101

Greene 101 Flyer Link

HAVE A HAPPY AND RESTFUL SPRING BREAK!

Garden Construction Volunteers Needed

Hello Everyone!

We have collected approximately 1,000 cartons for our contest!  We will be putting these cartons together to enhance our garden on Tuesday, April 5th.  We will need adult volunteers to help put together our beautiful painted cartons to create beautiful additions to our garden.  We will need help with loading cartons from the building to the garden, cutting, stapling, hanging, digging, planting and other gardening tasks.  If you are interested in helping with this project, please click here and choose your preferred time.  If you are able to bring any tools (staple guns, shovels, twine) please comment in the box next to your name.

Thank you!

Sycamore GEAR

REMINDER: Spring Pictures Tuesday 3/15/2016

Lifetouch will be in the building on Tuesday, March 15. Classes will take a group picture. Individual pictures will also be taken for those that are ordering pictures and come with the money for the order. Please contact your child's teacher if you have questions about their scheduled picture time.

Summer School

It is time to start thinking about Summer School! Teachers are in the process of recommending students that would benefit from this. Summer School will be held at Maple Dale Elementary from June 27 to July 22, 2016. Students will be able to receive Reading/Writing and/or Math instruction during this four week period. Class sessions will be from 8-10 a.m. and 10 a.m.-12 noon. Please contact your child's teacher if you have questions/concerns.
Thank you!

Do you have a fourth grade coming to Greene next year?

Do you have a 4th grader coming to Greene next year? Then check out the Greene101 program happening in August! Greene101 is a great way for your child to meet new friends, learn about Greene School, and gain some valuable skills (like practicing that dreaded locker!) that will help them have a successful 5th grade year! This year, Greene101 is paired with Gear Up For Greene. Pick up your laptop, get your picture taken and turn in all school forms on Monday, August 8th, then bring your new laptop with you Tuesday through Friday and join us in learning about your new school and meeting your teammates! Greene101 runs Tuesday, 8/9 through Friday 8/12. Choose from the 8-10 or 10-12 sessions. Look for registration and transportation information on the summer school page of the district website and register on Parent Portal. 

 
Please contact Andrew Gruber (grubera@sycamoreschools.org) or Ann Marie Brubaker(brubakera@sycamoreschools.org) at E.H. Greene with any questions.

Chuck E. Cheese fundraiser!!

Join your friends from BAE at Chuck E. Cheese on Wednesday, March 16, from 3-9 pm for lots of pizza, fun and games! Each child from BAE will receive 10 free tokens. The BAE PTO will get 15% of the total spent that night.  Hope to see you there!

Chuck E. Cheese

1429 W. Kemper Road

Sharonville, OH. 45246

4th Grade Parents:

Friday March 18th: Student Information Forms are due to Greene office by this date.

Monday May 2nd: Blue Ash Elementary 4th graders have lunch and orientation at Greene.

Tuesday May 17th: Evening Orientation for parents only 6-8 pm.

Wednesday May 18th: Move up day! All 4th graders visit Greene.

Monday August 8th: Gear up for Greene


Music and Art staff from Greene will be visiting each elementary school to give the fourth grade students a presentation of the band, chorus, orchestra and art programs available at Greene. Students will receive a packet of information and forms to bring home to parents to sign up for these programs if your child is interested. The assembly will be March 10th, tryouts March 28th & 29th. 

Sycamore GEAR

Announcement of Spring Optional Testing for Identification of Gifted Students

Although your child may or may not have taken the CogAT in December, you may request that your child be tested on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). If you wish to have your child participate in this round of testing, all requests must be made through the below online link by April 8, 2016. In order to decrease disruption to your child's instruction, this testing opportunity will take place prior to the start of the school day. We have scheduled this 45-50 minute testing session to be administered from 8:15 to 9:15 on April 21.


Please note that it is the parents' responsibility to provide transportation the morning of testing to your child’s building. Additionally, know that Sycamore cannot use kindergarten or first grade scores for gifted placement. 

Click here for the Gifted Testing Request Sign-Up

Student Information Form for 2016-2017

As we plan for next year, we will begin our process of class placements for all students. Our teams of teachers spend a considerable amount of time looking closely at academic abilities, special learning considerations, social interactions, and gender ratios in order to make up a friendly, collaborative groups for each classroom. We balance classrooms, but also keep in mind the need to cluster students with like abilities so that their needs can be met most effectively.

Parent input is also considered as teachers develop the class lists. If you would like to give us your input regarding your child's social needs or learning style, please fill out the form posted on the website click here (scroll down to bottom) or request a hard copy form the school office and return in to the school Attn: Mrs. Combs NO LATER then FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016.

Will you be Moving this Summer?

Please stop in the office to withdraw your child if you plan to move out of the district.

If you move within the district please advise the office with changes in address or telephone numbers.

School Safety and Response

Parents please review the information below from our district office regarding our schools' safety and response plans:

• We have a well thought out and highly scrutinized plan of action in case of an emergency. The plan was developed to advise the district on all types of emergency situations.
• It was developed with the collaboration of the City of Blue Ash Police and Fire the City of Montgomery Police and Fire, Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, Symmes/Loveland Fire Department, and Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency, as well as district stakeholders.
• All district staff members have received intense ALICE training to prepare and react in case of an emergency.

PARENT REUNIFICATION LOCATIONS ARE AS NOTED:
Sycamore High School, Sycamore Junior High School, Edwin H. Greene Intermediate School, Blue Ash Elementary, Maple Dale Elementary, and Montgomery Elementary will all utilize Blue Ash Recreation Center as the reunification site. The back gymnasium will serve as the place for students to wait for their parents to arrive. The front gymnasium is where parents will be placed to wait their turn in picking up their student(s). 

 
Symmes Elementary School will utilize the Living Word Fellowship (9781 Fields Ertel Road) for reunification.

Spring Testing Dates

BAE Families,

There are several assessments given to students during the spring months.  OELPA assessments (formerly known as OTELA) are given to those students in grades kindergarten through fourth that speak English as a second language.  Alternately assessed students, in third and fourth grade, take the AASCD assessment.  Students in grades 1-4 will take the third round (for this school year) of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments in Reading and Math. Third and fourth graders will take AIR assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math.  Additionally, fourth graders will also be assessed in Social Studies.  

Below, please find a testing schedule.  As the schedule pertains to MAP, please see your student’s teacher about their specific testing days and times, as these vary by class and grade level.  

It is our hope that students are well rested, eat a well balanced breakfast and arrive to school on time each day, especially days they are to take an assessment.  

Spring Testing Dates for Blue Ash Elementary

Date	Grade	Test	Amount of Time Needed
February 29- March 11	K-4	OELPA 21 (formerly OTELA)
February 22- April 15	3-4	AASCD (students alternatively assessed/students with disabilities)
March 14th- April 14	1-4	MAP Assessed in Reading and Math	1 to 1.5 hours
April 4-5	4th	AIR-English Language Arts	1 unit @ 90 min
April 11-12	4th	AIR-Math	1 unit@ 90 min
April 7-8	4th	AIR- Social Studies	1 unit at 90 min
April 6-7	3rd	AIR- English Language Arts	1 unit@ 90 min
April 13-14	3rd	AIR- Math	1 unit@ 90 min

4th Grade Parents: Save the Date

Blue Ash Elementary will host a Growth and Development preview night on March 14, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. This is an information meeting for parents only to preview materials used for 4th grade Growth and Development class.

Please contact our School Nurse, Mrs. Wyrick, RN  at 513-686-1713 or wyrickd@sycamoreschools.org  if you have any questions.