Little Spartans preschool to expand to full week in Sycamore School District 427

SYCAMORE – Little Spartans early childhood education program will expand to five days per week next school year in Sycamore School District 427, officials announced.

The program is expanding in part because of a recent grant from the Illinois State Board of Education, according to a news release from Sycamore Community School District 427.

The state board’s Preschool for All grant allocates funding to school districts in an effort to increase access to early-childhood education and intervention services.

District 427 Superintendent Steve Wilder said the district will receive funding to support 112 students in the Little Spartans program, and staff are excited to add an additional classroom while expanding programming from four to five days per week.

“The staff of the program is excited to expand our offerings and to be able to offer more students the opportunity to attend preschool in our community,” Wilder wrote in an email to the Daily Chronicle.

Wilder said he believes the district’s preschool program provides students an opportunity to start their academic career with a solid base of knowledge to build upon, according to a news release earlier this week.

An open house for parents interested in enrolling their children ages 3 to 5 in the program will be hosted from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at South Prairie Elementary School. Tuition registration will begin online at 8 a.m. Feb. 14.

The Preschool for All grant also allows the school district to offer the preschool service at no cost to qualifying Sycamore families. Individuals who believe their pupil may qualify for tuition-free preschool can set up an appointment to see if they fit the criteria, according to the release.