[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6075968,"mediaKeyId","2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30","parentId",2978268,"title","Sycamore students showcase Titanic model, biliteracy awards, cars fundraiser and tech projects","audioSeconds",1421,"startMs",142000,"endMs",1563000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30&start=142&end=1563","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30/thumbnail_142000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6075968/Ohio/Sycamore-students-showcase-Titanic-model-biliteracy-awards-cars-fundraiser-and-tech-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075968-8f6c2362dae9c0b4d15253e99a31b008/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420324&Signature=OuR-Kd66UnEZCRNQIL1Lh0jZTcDBkMV-sKuLm9-6ZZ7Dchx5WXXQBYKhH2irVqem68bFuFrCySLXkcABzZdAzcjkQJQG7Ff6UAziNGBXNQbfGxYYMQVPVEgihzuEshSHigjpQhmdQ2gg3ttdes8C9QHsdhgtsH56I7gnqyp82cWgUSlZADEEyKMmWg4BhTLR0Baf3t~OjcH6YCzMhzS7yT5TGl~3ZiW1lGIfGiUJBBmE4U-VBHz3sKG0E5s4TREZkdde-Amvx5~lXcPsPCHe1PGGHTtERMsWDSFyqtxdNp9VeF-pdYo5IMyXOiwf8DOWEk~62KZUJq2v6z47GGZw6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sycamore Community School District","date","2025-04-13T15:26:14.113Z","article","Students from across the Sycamore School District presented projects and were recognized during Tuesday’s meeting, ranging from elementary model-building to high-school apps and international outreach.

Fifth graders from the E. H. Green Intermediate red team described a class project that produced five scale replicas of the Titanic and several students explained the mathematical proportional reasoning used to construct the models. Students noted details including wiring that represented Marconi operators and accurately scaled windows and funnels.

Sycamore High School presented a large set of student recognitions. The district reported annual success on the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy: the presenter read a year-by-year count in which Sycamore placed in the state’s top five since the seal’s 2018 inception (2018: 26; 2019: 59; 2020: 16; 2021: 68; 2022: 52; 2023: 44; 2024–25: data not yet available). Teachers and administrators invited dozens of students to the dais to be recognized for earning state seals in languages including Korean, Russian, Chinese, French and Spanish.

Sycamore High seniors and staff also described a student-led Cars & Coffee event scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The student organizer, Parker, told the board the goal is “50 plus cars” and to raise $5,000 for the Dragonfly Foundation through sponsorships, shirt sales and on-site donations; staff said sponsorships had already raised $3,850.

Other student work honored included a peer-developed program that uses Nintendo Wii systems to deliver physical-activity programs to students with intellectual disabilities in schools in India; presenters said the program now runs in six schools and has reached about 750 children and that the students were invited to speak at the United Nations about their work. Students also described software projects: a Sycamore team’s app for special-education alphabet learning was selected to represent the district in the Congressional App Challenge, and a student team presented “ScholarSeek AI,” an AI-driven scholarship-search chatbot that scouts and updates local scholarship opportunities.

Administrators and trustees praised the students’ work and thanked teachers and families. Meredith Blackmore, who introduced the Seal of Biliteracy candidates, and Mr. Hahn, the high-school engineering teacher, were named during the presentations.

Ending

Trustees congratulated students and encouraged community members to attend the Cars & Coffee fundraiser and other student exhibitions. Several board members commended the district’s world-language and STEM programs for sustained student achievement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sycamore Schools Board of Education Meeting April 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Fifth graders, high-school students and teachers presented student work across the district, including a scaled Titanics model, dozens of state Seal of Biliteracy recipients, a student-run Cars & Coffee fundraiser for charity and student software projects selected for the Congressional App Challenge and Tech Olympics.","taxTitle","Sycamore Community City, School Districts, Ohio","taxId",61490,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6075973,"District proposes consolidating half-day kindergarten into two schools for 2025–26 to address space and staffing",812,2592000,3404000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30&start=2592&end=3404","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30/thumbnail_2592000.jpg","/articles/6075973/Ohio/District-proposes-consolidating-half-day-kindergarten-into-two-schools-for-202526-to-address-space-and-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075973-661733a007ca66c83fb4304c34e3f751/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420324&Signature=J-74fjbXWVZgXq1qyo--~5uMPNXkyu67KcibzLTkxQcArWtm1utGqpWWgvD-sYrUM-jkFRAqWe9bDEs3QGMUHh57ZH0coa7Yf5Gv8TD2Vkw3B0aNuQmdQjTIUVH8t9aQIQCLjxA1sICe2ZWb2hN6XuwcklYDBJBVGIZKImRLqEP1NWXCK2-GSNEnavB9Ob5yifiykOaajQ-ENklqOMKTLA3uvvmGh7ovNu1oOuAy7VDGPjjNJAy~nUYyUena8P1Syvq9xaq7Xb5~ubepAYStis6Q5HsJjBUsW3zux~3PNKFTOu2-6VmFfEwLybwrQJxWPm0Z95jy~9Mf7aJRZUzi2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff presented a preliminary plan on Tuesday recommending that Sycamore consolidate half-day kindergarten for the 2025–26 school year at two sites: Mapledale Elementary and Sims Elementary.

The presentation, given by a district staff member, said registration data through early April showed uneven demand across the district. The snapshot provided at the meeting listed total registered kindergarteners by building as: Blue Ash 106, Mapledale 95, Montgomery 78 and Sims 85. For the half-day program specifically, the counts were 23 at Blue Ash, 9 at Mapledale, 13 at Montgomery and 12 at Sims.

District staff noted the board’s prior guidance that a half-day section should contain a minimum of 15 students to be fiscally viable. With that threshold in mind and with limited classroom space at Blue Ash, staff recommended moving Blue Ash half-day students to Mapledale and Montgomery half-day students to Sims. The recommendation is designed to free room at Blue Ash for intervention and special-education needs and to allow more efficient staffing by concentrating half-day sections at two sites.

The superintendent and staff emphasized this is a recommendation, not a permanent change, and that the decision could change if registration trends shift between now and the start of school. The superintendent told the board that pending registrations are treated as enrolled for planning purposes, and that staffing decisions were being scheduled to support posting positions next week if needed.

Board members asked about transportation and family impact. The district said it will provide transportation for half-day kindergarten students assigned to the centralized half-day sites. By contrast, families choosing full-day programs at a school other than their home school historically must transport their child themselves; the district said that practice would continue unless the board decides otherwise.

Staff also recommended keeping a fourth full-day section at Montgomery despite enrollment that would normally justify reducing it to three sections; the recommendation seeks to preserve capacity for families who choose full-day tuition options but comes with a risk that low enrollment could increase per-class costs.

Ending

Administration will finalize staffing and notify families in a consolidated communication so parents can make informed choices before open houses and before staffing is posted. The board did not vote on the recommendation at Tuesday’s meeting and asked staff to proceed with routine planning and to return any major changes for board review.","District staff presented enrollment data showing uneven half-day kindergarten demand and recommended housing half-day sections at Mapledale and Sims for 2025–26; the board discussed transportation, staffing, and risks but did not take a formal vote.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6075978,"Sycamore board adopts resolution after hours of public comment calling for transparency and safety reviews",601,4175000,4776000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30&start=4175&end=4776","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978268-70a973885172f3d35ee48085b6f82a30/thumbnail_4175000.jpg","/articles/6075978/Ohio/Sycamore-board-adopts-resolution-after-hours-of-public-comment-calling-for-transparency-and-safety-reviews","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075978-6c16a48498371cfebde8148d7d8a37e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420324&Signature=lRlVXFyg1mEym-Edzx6B9LsMnHMkpZXr8ENRsrYg6DSqYY5HwGupGeYjm-4ND50aIpc-ArJAGFPra-a6n6xVY0wE2dMiS-cQz1Z4qyaIsJKnHjhQ7LDKTiZp5Z1eWOYx2uuibwn3GrAtopIsXGt3trRwMRwI2CKWPKRJbL4Lr6ClgZBqMqGH-mpG2IYN1ps2QrDEiEgSUJ1U8H3pLdo7kDW9E7dztGXOssRHBC-bOZE9TOrGMvBh9Y~pyAge~l~zw1W40d4saZgimjZVpLEaILnU2zB9U6ydn1781r7RoRO9ZFmKxREtteTgztg1lQFC9hZRzU6pmPd-rALu6jR-WQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sycamore School District Board of Education on Tuesday adopted a resolution aimed at addressing community concerns about staff discipline, school safety and transparency after more than a dozen public commenters spoke during the meeting.

The board’s unanimous adoption of the resolution followed public remarks that included calls for clearer disciplinary records, better event security and stronger ethical safeguards. Members of the public also urged the board to hold a town-hall style discussion of potential state and federal budget impacts on the district’s programs.

Elana Gildan Blasner Dadel, who described herself as a safety and emergency-preparedness consultant, told the board, “Most events that take place on school property do not have any security presence,” and said she had observed unlocked doors and unsecured areas at district events. D. Jackson, a long-time resident and former booster president, asked directly, “Where is the leadership and where is the accountability?” Kelly Bruntz told the board she had lost trust after reviewing campaign contributions and meeting minutes; she said, “My trust has been breached as there appears to be something rotten in the state of Denmark.”

Board members cited the volume and intensity of public comment in explaining the resolution. The board and administration said they will pursue a combination of policy review, additional community communication and leadership development work for board and district leaders. The superintendent said legal counsel is assisting the district as staff review policy language required by new state and federal guidance.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution to approve actions addressing community concerns: adopted (mover: Dr. James; second: Mr. Harris). Roll call: 4 ayes, 0 no; one board member absent but submitted written support.
- Policy JFEB (release time for religious instruction): approved after second reading (mover: Dr. Steger; second: Dr. James). Roll call: 4 ayes, 0 no; one absent.
- Student meal pricing for 2025–26 (small increases to cover rising food and labor costs): approved. Roll call: 4 ayes, 0 no; one absent.
- Personnel consent agenda and the district’s February financial report: approved (routine motions). Roll call: all voting members present voted aye; one member was absent and provided a written statement of support for the resolution earlier in the meeting.

Board members emphasized that the resolution is intended to be a living document. In discussion before the vote, trustees asked that the superintendent and staff return specific policy proposals to the policy committee for review, and several trustees supported additional team-development work for the board to rebuild trust.

The board also voted to move several standard business items—contracts, change orders, purchases and field trips—forward as part of the consent agenda. The superintendent noted that the district will continue reviewing policies required by recent state law changes and by guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and will return proposed wording to the board for public discussion.

The meeting record shows the district plans to post the adopted resolution and the underlying documents to the board portal and website so community members can review the text and follow up with the policy committee.

Ending

The board set a near-term schedule of committee review and said it will consider additional public forums and updates. One absent board member sent a brief statement of support for the resolution and called it a starting point to rebuild transparency.","Following extended public comment focused on security, ethics and accountability, the Sycamore School District board voted to adopt a resolution committing to policy review and community-facing actions; the board also approved several routine items including a policy on release time for religious instruction and modest meal price increases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sycamore students showcase Titanic model, biliteracy awards, cars fundraiser and tech projects

District proposes consolidating half-day kindergarten into two schools for 2025–26 to address space and staffing

Sycamore board adopts resolution after hours of public comment calling for transparency and safety reviews