Questions families ask

Sycamore is for children ages 2 to 5. Mornings run 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, three or five days a week, and the school day runs to 3:00 pm. The doors open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 3:30 p.m.

Children spend most of the morning choosing what to do with plain materials: water, blocks, mud, fabric, clay, sticks and paint. Teachers watch, ask questions and bring a new part when play stalls. There are no worksheets, and every child moves at their own pace.

A tour takes about an hour on a weekday morning, while children are playing. You see the rooms and the yard, meet a teacher and ask anything you like. Children are welcome to come along and play.

Tuition depends on your child's room and the schedule you pick: three mornings, five mornings or the school day. We do not print figures here. They are on our enrollment page, and we go through them with you on a tour.

A place is held once we have your enrollment form and a deposit. When a room is full, families join a waitlist for that room, and we offer places in the order families joined.

Yes. Sycamore is licensed by VDOE, the Virginia Department of Education, and you are welcome to ask to see the license on a tour.

A child with a fever, vomiting or a contagious illness stays home and returns after being well for a full day. If a child becomes ill at school, we call you right away.

Children in the threes and fours rooms use the toilet on their own, with a teacher close by if they ask. If your child is still learning, tell us at the tour and we will work out what helps, with no hurry.

A hard day is part of a day with small children. A teacher stays close, says in plain words what is happening, and offers a quiet spot or a hug if the child wants one. We tell families about it at pickup.

Clothes that can get wet and muddy, shoes that stay on outdoors, a spare set of clothes in a labeled bag and a water bottle. On school days, bring lunch from home.