Happy Spring! We hope everyone had a relaxing and fun Spring Break with their families. As we returned to school we hit the ground running and began our final preparations for State Testing. Starting next week and then through April, the window opens for Sycamore students in grades 3rd-5th to take the Arizona Academic Standards Assessment. Although it may bring anxiousness, our teachers are amazing at focusing our students and motivating them to do their very best! Not to mention, our students are prepared and ready!

Please review the testing schedule your child’s teacher has shared with you. Attendance is critical, so please schedule appointments keeping testing dates in mind. Your support is greatly appreciated. The Arizona Department of Education has posted information about AASA on their website. I encourage you to explore the Parent/Student tab and take one of the grade level sample assessments. It provides a clear perspective of the computer-based assessment students will see when they take AASA in the coming weeks.

Sycamore will be enhancing its security fencing around the perimeter of our campus. Beginning on Monday, installation will begin on 8’ wrought iron fencing around our interior campus. The project will be completed in sections so once one section is taken down, the new fencing will be installed to maintain security. Please see the campus map inside the Stinger to see the areas of fencing that will be improved. Perimeter playground fencing will be replaced at a different time. Our current focus is the interior campus classroom buildings. Construction will stop during the high volume traffic times of student arrival and dismissal, and the project will take two weeks to complete. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Mark your calendars with these exciting dates:

• Mother -Son Night: Friday, April 14

• Spring Band, Choir, and Orchestra Concert: Tuesday, April 25 at VTOTA

• Community Fair: Friday, May 12

• Field Day: Monday, May 22

• Kindergarten Promotion: Wed, May 24: AM Kinder: 9:00 am & PM Kinder at 12:30 pm in the MPR

• 5th Grade Promotion: Friday, May 26 @ 8:30 am in the MPR

It’s also that time of year to be thinking about next year. Please look in the May edition of the Stinger for the teacher request process. Teacher requests will be accepted beginning April 28th. Staffing assignments for the 2023-2024 school year will be completed by that time and teacher bios will be placed on Sycamore’s website.

We look forward to a strong finish to our school year! As always, thank you for your continued support.

Ken Graff
Principal, Sycamore Elementary School
520-879-2504

Keep in touch with our school events by downloading your copy of our Stinger Newsletter!