District Resources

Sycamore Community Schools Special Education Webpage

The Office of Student Services can be reached at (513) 686-1780.

Stacey Spencer is the Executive Director of Student Services.

Misty Belfrom is the Director of Special Education for the district.

Tara Willig is the District Special Education Supervisor.

You can read their bios on Sycamore's Administration page.

Mandy Friend is the district's Parent Mentor / Resource Coordinator. She is a special needs parent employed by the district to assist families whose children have IEPs/504 plans or are being assessed for eligibility for special ed services.

Mandy also maintains the Aves Abilities accounts on Facebook and Twitter. She can be reached by e-mail or by phone at 513-686-1780 x5431.

Preschool Program Website

Sycamore's preschool program serves children ages 3-5 with and without disabilities. Students with disabilities learn in general education, integrated, and self-contained special education classrooms at Symmes Elementary and Blue Ash Elementary. It is a 4-day/week, half-day program with morning and afternoon sessions. Transportation is provided to students who qualify.

Amber Aldrich directs the preschool program and is happy to answer questions by e-mail. If your child is already receiving early intervention (EI) services through Help Me Grow, they can help you plan the transition to preschool.

The Sycamore Transition Programs Website has up-to-date information about Sycamore's Transition Programs, as well as other resources for families.

Sycamore offers a variety of transition programming to students with identified needs in the areas of education, employment, and independent living. These programs help prepare students for whatever comes next for them after high school -- whether employment, community involvement, or further education.

Sycamore High School offers a new, credit-bearing Career Explorations class to students with a need identified in their IEP. Career Explorations students make use of the Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES) Career Lab, which is designed to provide hands-on employment training and assessment in a simulated work environment. The PAES Career Lab program helps both students and their IEP teams identify students' strengths, preferences, and interests as they prepare for further work-study opportunities within the school and in the community.

The district offers several transition opportunities, depending on student support needs and post-graduation goals:

• ▶ STEP (Specialized Transition Education Program) -- based at Sycamore High, focuses on community, volunteering, and guided daily living.


• ▶ TIP (Transition Internship Program)-- based in Blue Ash, focuses on independent living, community, and employment.


• ▶ Aviator Launch -- based in Blue Ash, focuses on employment and independent management skills.

These opportunities are considered as part of a student's IEP process in their senior year, with a focus on overcoming barriers to transition goals. In consultation with their team, students may move among these opportunities as their skills and needs change.

Sycamore also participates in Project SEARCH, a workforce development program for students with disabilities coordinated by Great Oaks. Project SEARCH participants rotate through several full-time internships at major regional employers over the course of their final year before graduation.

Julie Tyahur is Sycamore's Transition Coordinator. She can be reached by e-mail or by phone at 513-686-1770 ext. 3130.