Preschool Registration

Sycamore Community Schools' preschool program serves children ages 3 to 5 with a wide range of abilities. Classes are inclusive and comprised of children who are developing typically and children identified with special needs.

Preschool Launch Event:

Look out for details about the 2026 Preschool Launch event coming soon. This event is for all new students and families to get acquainted with the program and staff.

Contact Us

If you feel your child may have special needs or if you have questions about the preschool program, please contact Amber Aldrich, Preschool Coordinator.

Email Amber Aldrich

Five-Star Rating

Sycamore Community Schools Preschool has earned the Five-Star Step Up To Quality Award—the highest rating from the Ohio Department of Education. This honor reflects the program’s dedication to quality and child development, exceeding state standards following a two-year preparation and an unannounced review visit.

Please take a look at the P reschool Handbook for our current school year schedule and additional information.

Sycamore’s Step Up to Quality Five-Star Rated Preschool Program

Our program is characterized by hands-on, inquiry-based learning that challenges each student to think and become a problem-solver. This is accomplished through both whole class and small group learning. All preschool learning activities help children build confidence as they learn to live, work and play with others.

Our curriculum is presented through the use of Thematic Units such as "Getting To Know You" and "The Farm" as well as classroom centers. Our curriculum is guided by "The Ohio Early Learning Content Standards."

Preschool Objectives for Development & Learning:

Social & Emotional Development
Approaches Towards Learning
Cognitive Development & General Knowledge
Language & Literacy Development
Physical well-being & motor development

Preschool Locations:

Blue Ash Elementary, 9541 Plainfield Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236
Symmes Elementary, 11820 Enyart Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45150

Preschool lottery form

What you Need to Know..

Sycamore Preschool Lottery for 2025-26

The Sycamore Schools Preschool Lottery for the 2025-26 school year will be held January 13–24, 2025.

Starting January 13, please complete the lottery form to indicate your interest in enrolling your child in one of our Preschool Classrooms for next school year.

Important reminders:

Tuition-paying students must be toilet trained (no pull-ups) both at home and in public.
Students must be residents of Sycamore Community Schools by the first day of school (August 14, 2025).
Students must turn 3 years old on or before September 30, 2025. (Bus transportation is only available for children age 3 or older.)

Families will be notified starting Monday, February 3 if their child has been selected. Selected families must fully register, sign the tuition agreement, and submit a $450 tuition deposit (cash or check) by Friday, February 14 to secure their spot.

A second round of lottery selection will continue as spots open. Once full, families may join a waiting list.

Common Questions

How to Register

New Families to the District

Click here to begin the online registration process in Final Forms.
Select "New Student" and follow the prompts to enter your information.

Current Sycamore Families

Log in to your existing Final Forms account.
Add a new student to your profile.
Once all forms and documents are uploaded, email the district registrar at registration@sycamoreschools.org.
- In the subject line, include only your child’s first and last name.

Is the lottery form considered the student's registration?

Is the lottery selection based upon the order in which interest was made?

If I entered the lottery last year and was placed on the waiting list, do I need to apply again to be considered?

Program Overview

Sycamore’s Preschool Program serves children ages 3–5 with a wide range of abilities, including those with special needs. Our inclusive classrooms combine children with typical development and those with identified special needs to create a rich learning community.

Curriculum and Support:

Guided by Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards.
Balanced daily schedule with whole group, small group, and individual instruction.
Focus on pre-academics, literacy, pre-writing, social skills, and peer interaction.
Responsive Classroom approach fostering safe, joyful, and challenging learning environments.
Speech, physical, and occupational therapy consultations to support individual needs.
Multi-age classrooms with one certified early childhood teacher and at least one assistant.

Program Locations & Schedule

Preschool Locations:

Blue Ash Elementary, 9541 Plainfield Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236 | Phone: 513.686.1710
Symmes Elementary, 11820 Enyart Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45150 | Phone: 513.686.1740

Schedule:

Classes run Monday through Thursday.
Morning sessions: 9:10–11:45 a.m.
Afternoon sessions: 1:20–3:55 p.m.
No full-day classes available.

Bus transportation is provided according to your child’s home elementary school.

Student Requirements & Tuition

Student Requirements:

Must be toilet trained (no pull-ups).
Must be a resident of Sycamore Community Schools by the first day of school.
Must be 3 years old on or before September 30 of the enrollment year.

Tuition:

Tuition for the 2025-26 school year is $3,250.
A $450 tuition deposit is required to secure enrollment after lottery selection.

Early Childhood Support Programs

Head Start

The Hamilton County Educational Service Center operates a Head Start Preschool at Symmes Elementary for children ages 3 – 5 years old. The half-day sessions are taught by qualified early childhood teachers and are intended to help children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Nutritious meals and snacks are provided as a component of this comprehensive program. The program is at no cost to families who qualify by one of the following ways: meeting certain income requirements, receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), receiving Social Security Income, or providing foster or kinship care. For more information and to enroll, call HCESC at 513-674- 4329 or visit http://hcescheadstart.org/.

Help Me Grow

Early Intervention (EI) through Help Me Grow provides early intervention services to parents of eligible children under the age of three with developmental delays or disabilities. Prior to the child's third birthday the Early Intervention team will hold a transition meeting where a representative from Sycamore Schools can be invited to join if the family and team continue to have concerns. The District will determine if a disability is suspected through parent input, previous information from Help Me Grow, and observations. If there is a disability suspected, an Evaluation Team Report will be completed by the school team. If the child is eligible for Special Education services as a preschool child, the IEP team will work with the family to complete and implement an IEP by the child's third birthday. To find out more about the support offered from Help Me Grow or to complete a referral for your child please visit their website.

Community Preschool Options

The new preschool rules state that "In ensuring that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of children with disabilities for special education and related services, a school district shall annually prepare, post publicly, and make available to parents during the evaluation process; a list of the available preschool education service options in the community. This list shall not be limited to service providers within the geographic boundaries of the district but shall include providers outside the limits of the school district boundaries that may be more easily accessible to children with disabilities living within the boundaries of the school district. This list shall inform the discussions and decision on the appropriate placement of each child with a disability." Therefore, the Sycamore Community School District is meeting a mandate in the Ohio Preschool Rules by identifying community preschools, within and outside of the district boundaries which are easily accessible to district families. This posting is not an endorsement of any particular community preschool nor does it constitute a placement decision if a parent elects to send their child to a school included on this list. To conduct your own web search you can utilize this link: 4C For Children

click here for a list of local preschools

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