Sycamore District Newsletter - September 2026

District Newsletter September 2026   Important Dates September 7: No School | Labor Day September 9: Board of Education Meeting | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m. September 14: Community Conversations | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m.  September 15: Community Conversations | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m. September 21: Community Conversations | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m.  September 22: Community Conversations | Blue Ash Elementary Cafeteria | 6:00 p.m.  September 23: Board of Education Meeting | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m. September 28: Community Conversations | Virtual | 7:00 p.m. September 30: Community Conversations | Virtual | 11:30 a.m.   Community Conversations: Just the Facts We invite you to join us for Community Conversations: Just the Facts - a series of informational sessions focused on our district’s academics, programs, athletics, extracurriculars, and finances. These events are an opportunity to learn more about Sycamore Community Schools and ask any questions you may have. In the meantime, you can find more information about our November ballot issue on the district website.   Aviators & Innovators: An Alumni & Business Breakfast In an effort to expose our students to a variety of career paths, we welcome Sycamore alumni, business professionals, and community partners from across Greater Cincinnati to join us at Sycamore High School on Thursday, October 8 for Aviators & Innovators: An Alumni & Business Breakfast. Whether you own a business in the Sycamore community, work for an organization elsewhere in Greater Cincinnati, or are a Sycamore graduate looking to reconnect, we’d love to have you join us. During the event, you'll have the opportunity to learn more about what's new in the district, connect directly with talented students eager to hear about your industry, and network with other professionals.   Breakfast will be provided, and an optional tour of the high school will follow the event.   When: Thursday, October 8, 2026 | 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM *Optional tour of the high school at 9:30 AM  Where: Sycamore High School | 7400 Cornell Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242 Please register via our RSVP form no later than Monday, September 28. You're welcome to bring a colleague. Additional details will be emailed to all registered guests closer to the event. Thank you for your support and partnership!  Click Here to RSVP   ParentSquare & StudentSquare Information for Families We are now using ParentSquare as our district-wide communication tool. All district and school-level notifications, including weather-related closures, emergency alerts, and newsletters, will be sent through this platform. You can access ParentSquare via a web browser or by downloading the free ParentSquare mobile app.  ParentSquare Tips Completing Forms: Need help completing a form in ParentSquare? Review these step-by-step instructions on how to do it on a web browser or in the mobile app.  Sending Messages: Need multiple parents/guardians to see replies from a teacher at the same time? Make sure to select Group Conversation instead of a Direct Message. If you add another parent/guardian to a Direct Message with a teacher, they're included like a BCC, so they will see your initial message, but they won't see the teacher’s replies. Starting a Group Conversation creates a single, shared thread where all replies are visible to everyone, like being CC'd on an email. How To Start a Group Conversation (Web Browser):  Go to Messages.  Click New Message and select Group Conversation.  Type in and select the staff member's name, the other parent/guardian's name, and, if desired, your student's name (only applicable to grades 5–12). Type your message and click Send. Everyone in the group conversation will be able to view and reply to all responses in the message thread.  Click here for additional instructions on how to send a Group Conversation message, and click here for Frequently Asked Questions.  StudentSquare Tips Adding a Phone Number: Students in grades 5-12 automatically have their Sycamore email addresses linked to StudentSquare and can use that email address to log into their accounts. School email serves as the primary channel for all StudentSquare notifications. If you would like your student to receive mobile notifications, they can download the free StudentSquare app. Students can also add a phone number to receive text alerts by following these steps in a web browser: Click your name in the top right and select Manage account.  Click Edit Account.  Next to Phone, select add and enter the phone number.  Hit save.  ParentSquare & StudentSquare Support For more information on ParentSquare, including how to activate your account, how to adjust your notification and language settings, how to report an absence, and how 5-12 students can use StudentSquare, visit our district website. You can also view our ParentSquare family guide and StudentSquare guide on our website. If you need additional assistance, please email helpdesk@sycamoreschools.org.  ParentSquare Webpage   Niche Ranks Sycamore Among America’s Top School Districts Sycamore Community Schools has officially placed in the top 2% of school districts nationwide in the 2026 Niche Rankings. Along with this national recognition, the district earned an A+ overall grade, ranking: #5 Best School District in the Cincinnati Area #10 Best School District in Ohio Niche calculates its annual rankings using statistical analysis of U.S. Department of Education data alongside verified feedback from students, guardians, and residents. Thank you to our hardworking staff, inspiring students, and supportive community for ensuring we continue to achieve great things together!   Sycamore Earns Top Statewide and National Honors in U.S. News & World Report Rankings In addition to our recognition from Niche, Sycamore Community Schools achieved exceptional standing in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Out of nearly 18,000 public high schools across the country, Sycamore High School earned an overall scorecard of 97.12 out of 100, placing the school in the top 3% nationally and ranking it #18 in Ohio and #8 in the Cincinnati area. Both E.H. Greene Intermediate School and Sycamore Junior High School placed in the top 2% of all middle school campuses across Ohio.  All four elementary schools - Blue Ash, Maple Dale, Montgomery, and Symmes - are considered to be in the top 4% of elementary schools across the state.  To determine these rankings, U.S. News evaluates public state assessment data, specifically reviewing math and reading proficiency and assessing performance vs. expectations.  This recognition is a testament to the hard work of our teachers, staff, students, and families. By maintaining a strong focus on high academic standards and student support, our schools continue to thrive!   Meet Our School Resource Officers Officer David Roberts Officer Roberts has been with the Montgomery Police Department for two years and is excited to step into his first year as a School Resource Officer. He brings nearly a decade of law enforcement experience paired with a true passion for working with kids.  Prior to his law enforcement career, Roberts served in the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sergeant and is an OEF Veteran. He also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. Outside of work, he spends most of his time with his wife and four children - catching a movie, boating, or traveling for youth sports. He looks forward to building strong connections with students and fostering a safe, positive school environment. Officer Alexis Guilkey Officer Guilkey has dedicated nearly 16 years to law enforcement, beginning with five years at the Ohio State Highway Patrol before joining the Montgomery Police Department 11 years ago.  Throughout her career, she has been fortunate to take on a variety of roles, including serving as a patrol officer, motorcycle unit officer, field training officer, and driving instructor. For the past nine years, she's served as a School Resource Officer - a role she finds deeply rewarding. She also helps with vehicle maintenance and purchases, supports Montgomery’s Safety Village, and presents on key safety topics. Each of these experiences have led to meaningful relationships and have allowed her to grow personally and professionally.    Showcasing & Supporting the Arts Aves Choir Partners with Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra for Special Performance Members of our 2026-27 Select Ensemble and Belle Voci recently partnered with Summermusik and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra for "A Little Afternoon Musik 3: Virtues - A Moral Compass." Our Aves Choir students rehearsed alongside CCO’s professional artists before taking the stage to perform three exceptional pieces featured throughout the program, which highlighted works by Brahms, Price, Purcell, and Rossini. We're proud of these students for their dedication, professionalism, and artistic excellence! Photos Courtesy: Brian Downing Photography Sycamore Grad Returns to SHS with Interactive Art Exhibit Chris Manos from the Class of 2020 has taken his passion for art and design to the next level!  Following his recent graduation from Xavier University with a degree in Graphic Design, his senior thesis artwork is now on display in the lower ramp hallway at Sycamore High School through October 31. Each beautiful and thoughtfully crafted design is paired with scientific information and an accompanying listening element, creating an immersive experience that invites viewers to see, learn, and listen.    Aves Athletics Highlights Coach Tanaka Honored Ahead of Retirement At a recent Boys Soccer game, Coach Peter Tanaka was honored as he prepares to retire following a 34-year career.  Serving our community as a coach, teacher, and math department leader at Sycamore Junior High, we appreciate his decades of mentorship, leadership, and dedication to our students.  Please join us in celebrating his legacy and wishing him the very best in his upcoming retirement! Stay Connected Follow our official athletics pages to stay updated on game schedules, scores, and news: JH Aves Athletics  Go Aves Athletics   Follow Us on Social Media for More Highlights Our students and staff are accomplishing great things every day. Be sure to follow our social media pages for even more highlights and celebrations that aren’t included here!   Sycamore Spotlight: Aviator Alumni Where has life taken you since you walked the halls of Sycamore? Whether you’ve traveled the world, started a business, served in the military, or are pursuing your dream career, your journey is part of our history! We are excited to continue Sycamore Spotlight: Aviator Alumni - a social media series celebrating the incredible paths our graduates have taken. How to Participate: Fill out our spotlight form. Upload a "Then" photo and a "Now" photo. Stay tuned! While we may not be able to feature every submission, we look forward to sharing as many of your inspiring stories as possible throughout the year. Submit Your Information Here   Become a Community Partner for Sycamore Students: Join Our “Human Library” Sycamore Community Schools is part of the CommunityShare network, which connects our educators with community partners who have knowledge and skills to share with our students. Our goal is to create opportunities for students to engage in real-world learning right here in their community. CommunityShare is a digital platform that invites community members to post information about their professional expertise, personal passions, or life experiences. Educators can search the platform looking for community partners who best fit their needs, or partners can look for projects that align with their skills. Think of it as a “human library” where teachers can "check out" a guest speaker or mentor to help bring a lesson or project to life in the classroom. Whether you have experience in a specific industry, an artistic talent, military service, or have traveled the world, our students can learn from you. How It Works If you’re interested in becoming a community partner, visit the CommunityShare website and click “Sign Up." It takes about 10 minutes to create a profile. We highly encourage you to upload a photo to help our educators make a personal connection. You can browse active projects to find a match, or wait for a Sycamore educator to reach out to you directly. You could serve as a guest speaker, a mentor, or a project collaborator. There’s flexibility - you can give as much or as little time as your schedule allows. All community partners will be expected to follow screening and safety protocols when entering our schools/buildings. Learn More About CommunityShare   Check Out the Latest Aves Spiritwear at the Hangar   Help Us Connect Sycamore to the Community Community members who do not currently have students enrolled at Sycamore Schools can sign up to receive the district newsletter! We believe that keeping all Sycamore residents and stakeholders informed strengthens our entire district. If you have neighbors, alumni friends, or family members in the area who want to keep their finger on the pulse of Sycamore, please let them know they can easily subscribe by signing up at the link below! Community Newsletter Sign-Up   Community Flyers

Sunday, Sep 06 2026

Sycamore District Newsletter - August 2026

District Newsletter August 2026 Welcome Back, Aviators! We are thrilled to welcome our students back into our classrooms for the 2026-2027 school year! The start of a new year brings fresh energy, incredible possibilities, and endless opportunities to soar. We can’t wait to see the amazing things our Sycamore community will accomplish together!   Important Dates August 19: Board of Education Meeting | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m. September 7: No School | Labor Day September 9: Board of Education Meeting | Kenwood Learning Commons | 6:00 p.m.   ParentSquare & StudentSquare Information for Families Starting this school year, we are using ParentSquare as our district-wide communication tool. All district and school-level notifications, including weather-related closures, emergency alerts, and newsletters, will be sent through this platform. You can access ParentSquare via a web browser or by downloading the free ParentSquare mobile app.  For more information on ParentSquare, including how to activate your account, how to adjust your notification and language settings, how to report an absence, and how 5-12 students can use StudentSquare, visit our district website. You can also view our ParentSquare family guide and StudentSquare guide on our website.  ParentSquare Webpage   Transportation & Bus Route Reminders Please use our website to check your child’s bus number, stop location, and pick-up/drop-off times. Note: High school stop locations differ from K-8 stops. We appreciate your patience during the first few weeks of school as our drivers adjust to new routes, which may cause minor delays as everyone settles into the routine. Thank you for your understanding!   Bus Route Information   Field Trip Permissions in FinalForms Parents and guardians: You may have noticed a School Field Trip Permission Form in FinalForms. Signing this form gives your student permission to participate in all school field trips for this school year! Teachers will always communicate specific details with you ahead of time, but no additional paper permission slips will be collected for those who have approved the form in FinalForms. If you have any trip-specific questions, please feel free to reach out directly to your student's teacher. Thank you for your support! Click Here to Access FinalForms   Back-to-School Hub Everything you need for a smooth start to the school year is just one click away! We’ve gathered all the essential resources for our families in one convenient hub. Visit our Back-to-School webpage to find: Key dates & schedules Transportation details Student technology information Meal menus & lunch accounts And more! Back-to-School Webpage   Stay Updated: District Calendar From the first day of school to holidays, community events, and the last day of the school year, the 2026-27 Sycamore Community Schools District Calendar is a great resource to keep close throughout the year. Visit our district website to access and download the full district calendar, as well as individual school calendars and our cultural calendar. District Calendar   Showcasing & Supporting the Arts Sycamore Choir Ensembles Invited to Perform with Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra The Aves Choir Select Ensemble and Belle Voci have been selected to collaborate with Summermusik and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra for their upcoming summer festival program, A Little Afternoon Musik 3: Virtues - A Moral Compass. Professional CCO musicians will rehearse directly with students in Sycamore classrooms before accompanying them live on stage for the Message of Peace segment of the concert. Concert Details Date & Time: Sunday, August 23 at 4:00 PM Location: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 7701 Kenwood Rd Tickets & Discount: Use promo code AVES20 for 20% off adult tickets. Free entry for kids under 13. Visit the Summermusik Event Page for tickets and details. Come support our student musicians! Sycamore Senior Jai’Den Pritchett Takes Center Stage Whether he’s shining in choir or taking center stage with Aves Theatre, senior Jai’Den Pritchett’s dedication to the performing arts is remarkable. We recently sat down with Jai’Den to discuss his passion for the craft, and since filming, he went on to deliver a phenomenal performance singing the National Anthem live at a Cincinnati Reds game! Learn more about what motivates him in the feature video below!   Aves Athletics Highlights Sycamore Junior High Student Earns National Master Title in Chess Sycamore Junior High School student Ashwin Iranian Prabhu Kumar recently achieved a historic milestone in competitive chess, placing second at the Columbus Open tournament. With this performance, Ashwin raised his official US Chess rating to 2213, officially earning the lifetime title of National Master. Adding to his accomplishments, he remains the reigning Cincinnati City Champion after winning the title last September, where he set a record as the youngest city champion in history. Congratulations, Ashwin! Sycamore High School Student Places Top 6 at National Chess Tournament Congratulations to Sunav Adhikari on an outstanding 6th-place finish at the Denker National Tournament of High School State Champions in Michigan. Hosted by US Chess, the tournament invites only one representative per state affiliate to compete at the highest level of high school chess. Sunav demonstrated exceptional strategy, focus, and skill on the national stage. Great job representing our community, Sunav!   Follow Us on Social Media for More Highlights Our students and staff are accomplishing great things every day. Be sure to follow our social media pages for even more highlights and celebrations that aren’t included here!   Sycamore Spotlight: Aviator Alumni Where has life taken you since you walked the halls of Sycamore? Whether you’ve traveled the world, started a business, served in the military, or are pursuing your dream career, your journey is part of our history! We are excited to continue Sycamore Spotlight: Aviator Alumni - a social media series celebrating the incredible paths our graduates have taken. How to Participate: Fill out our spotlight form. Upload a "Then" photo and a "Now" photo. Stay tuned! While we may not be able to feature every submission, we look forward to sharing as many of your inspiring stories as possible throughout the year. Submit Your Information Here   Become a Community Partner for Sycamore Students: Join Our “Human Library” Sycamore Community Schools is part of the CommunityShare network, which connects our educators with community partners who have knowledge and skills to share with our students. Our goal is to create opportunities for students to engage in real-world learning right here in their community. CommunityShare is a digital platform that invites community members to post information about their professional expertise, personal passions, or life experiences. Educators can search the platform looking for community partners who best fit their needs, or partners can look for projects that align with their skills. Think of it as a “human library” where teachers can "check out" a guest speaker or mentor to help bring a lesson or project to life in the classroom. Whether you have experience in a specific industry, an artistic talent, military service, or have traveled the world, our students can learn from you. How It Works If you’re interested in becoming a community partner, visit the CommunityShare website and click “Sign Up." It takes about 10 minutes to create a profile. We highly encourage you to upload a photo to help our educators make a personal connection. You can browse active projects to find a match, or wait for a Sycamore educator to reach out to you directly. You could serve as a guest speaker, a mentor, or a project collaborator. There’s flexibility - you can give as much or as little time as your schedule allows. All community partners will be expected to follow screening and safety protocols when entering our schools/buildings. Learn More About CommunityShare   Check Out the Latest Aves Spiritwear at the Hangar   Help Us Connect Sycamore to the Community Community members who do not currently have students enrolled at Sycamore Schools can sign up to receive the district newsletter! We believe that keeping all Sycamore residents and stakeholders informed strengthens our entire district. If you have neighbors, alumni friends, or family members in the area who want to keep their finger on the pulse of Sycamore, please let them know they can easily subscribe by signing up at the link below! Community Newsletter Sign-Up   Community Flyers

Wednesday, Aug 19 2026