How does your DCPS or charter handle aftercare enrichment classes for low income kids?

[Anonymous]

We are at a Title I elementary that is trying to improve the afterschool activities by adding more enrichment classes (classe that would be open to both aftercare kids and non-aftercare kids). Right now we have a few activities that are essentially free for our school (eg subsidized Girls on the Run). But the school is gentrifying and there's a lot of interest in more classes that would not be free--eg MadScience and BricksforKidz. The dilemma is how to make these classes available to any kid who wants to take them.

How does your school handle it? Does the PTA subsidize a few slots in each class for low income kids; if so, how do they select the kids (by who signs up first)? Does the PTA use a sliding scale?

Any advice would be much appreciated. I checked out Springboard's aftercare program at some schools and saw that they offer enrichment classes for an additional cost. I wondered if they're only for families who can afford them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Any advice would be much appreciated. I checked out Springboard's aftercare program at some schools and saw that they offer enrichment classes for an additional cost. I wondered if they're only for families who can afford them.

They are at our school.

[Anonymous]

What's the deal with Springboard at Ross? I hear folks were unhappy. Is Springboard the one who put together Ross' aftercare visits to JCC / JCC pool?

[Anonymous]

This is a huge conundrum. What works in your favor is that you are (still) Title I and therefore (a) have an afterschool coordinator and (b) qualify for many enrichment programs DCPS contracts with. Robotics, business club, tennis, etc. To fully capitalize on these, build strong relations with your afterschool coordinator and help him/her be entrepreneurial about getting those to your school.

Other options are as follows: None are great, and all would greatly benefit from DCPS disbursing "per needy pupil afterschool subsidies" to schools rather than categorizing schools as "you have" or "you don't" have a DCPS program. (non-Title I schools will be in the latter category):
- Bank on afterschool clubs (teachers should be available to run one or the other club as part of their community engagement, but parents are needed to help out for sure)
- Contract individual offerings and fundraise to offer scholarships
- Help an afterschool coordinator take hold at your school that is amenable to contracting with experts here and there (ideally leveraging daytime partnerships) while rolling those costs into general tuition costs (and offering a sliding scale on that)

[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone. PP, you sound like you know the situation well. We did get a new DPCS aftercare coordinator this year and he has brought in some new programs for Title I schools. To go beyond that, we have been thinking of some of these things already (eg more classes/clubs run by teachers) and now I feel we're on the right track. I do think these teachers should be paid something (by PTA and/or families who can afford it).

[Anonymous]

Springboard and JCC at Ross are completely separate.
For enrichment at a Title I school with OST, consider having PTA subsidize any families who qualify for FARMS. If the PTA can afford it, consider 100% subsidy for Free lunch and 50% for reduced lunch.

[Anonymous]

Do all Title I schools have an aftercare coordinator funded by DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do all Title I schools have an aftercare coordinator funded by DCPS?

Yes, they do. Yours may be off site, serving two or possibly more schools. They're part of the Office of Out of School Time. It's all very thinly staffed this year but the people they do have are good and committed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Springboard and JCC at Ross are completely separate.
For enrichment at a Title I school with OST, consider having PTA subsidize any families who qualify for FARMS. If the PTA can afford it, consider 100% subsidy for Free lunch and 50% for reduced lunch.

That's a hard sell at schools where the PTA is run by SAMs... It's a good idea though. What does work, however, is to tap the PTA to help put special fundraisers for afterschool care and maybe help manage those funds.

[Anonymous]

How about asking the more affluent parents to sponsor a child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about asking the more affluent parents to sponsor a child?

If you do that, please have the affluent parents pay into a general pot. It would be beyond awkward and embarrassing for Susie to know that her family is specifically sponsoring her friend Johnny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about asking the more affluent parents to sponsor a child?

If you do that, please have the affluent parents pay into a general pot. It would be beyond awkward and embarrassing for Susie to know that her family is specifically sponsoring her friend Johnny.

You could offer everyone who signs up the opportunity to donate money for scholarships. Our tee ball program offers scholarships and there is always a way to donate when you register. They suggest $25, which we always do and it covers about a third of a registration for another child.