Key Elementary Aftercare....help!

[Anonymous]

So we are in the waiting list for aftercare at Key Elementary and, according to what I have heard, there is little hope that will change at all this school year. Kiddos are young (5 and 7) and both DH and I work full time with no way of working flexible hours so we are stuck.

If you are, or have been, in a similar situation, what are/was you plan to keep the kiddos safe and sound until the end of the afternoon?

[Anonymous]

Hire an after school babysitter to pick up kids at school and take them home until we got home from work.

[Anonymous]

get an au pair.

pay a stay-at-home mom in your kid's class to take your kids home with hers.

one of you change jobs.

[Anonymous]

We were in the same boat with our older child. Only got into aftercare three days a week, needed five. THe good news for us was twofold: the list does move a little, once the re-registration date passes, and if you are persistent and do lots of followup with the office, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." And once an older sibling is in, arriving younger sibs get preference for all five days.

In the meantime, there is a DPR aftercare program at Palisades Rec Center. Montessori School of Washington, down at the bottom of MacArthur, and the martial arts studio in that building are both very clutch and will take kids just for aftercare hours. I think the martial arts studio actually has some instruction in the art (Hapmudo?) and, at that time, would pick up children at Key. My preKer was too young (and not the martial arts type) so we went with MSOW until we got in to Key aftercare. Last year a dance studio opened up in the little shopping plaza with the Starbucks, and I think they now offer afterschool dance instruction/basic aftercare too.

Good luck, and welcome to Key! You'll love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were in the same boat with our older child. Only got into aftercare three days a week, needed five. THe good news for us was twofold: the list does move a little, once the re-registration date passes, and if you are persistent and do lots of followup with the office, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." And once an older sibling is in, arriving younger sibs get preference for all five days.

In the meantime, there is a DPR aftercare program at Palisades Rec Center. Montessori School of Washington, down at the bottom of MacArthur, and the martial arts studio in that building are both very clutch and will take kids just for aftercare hours. I think the martial arts studio actually has some instruction in the art (Hapmudo?) and, at that time, would pick up children at Key. My preKer was too young (and not the martial arts type) so we went with MSOW until we got in to Key aftercare. Last year a dance studio opened up in the little shopping plaza with the Starbucks, and I think they now offer afterschool dance instruction/basic aftercare too.

Good luck, and welcome to Key! You'll love it.

Thank you so much! Your suggestions are super helpful!

[Anonymous]

Ask any of the school aides if they would like an afterschool babysitting job. They are already at the school and can hang out with them on the playground for a bit and then take them home.

[Anonymous]

I found a stay at home mom from my school (Mann) with a toddler who needed extra revenues . It was a win win win situation for all. One of the K teachers (her daughter teacher) referred me to her, she knew she was seeking a family. Ask the teachers and principal, and other parents, they might know of someone willing to.

[Anonymous]

Since we have Key parents in here:

What are the odds of getting an in-bound child in for PK3/PK4?

We are considering a few Palisades houses and having a child in the next few years. Probably "one and done." We were wondering how many kids without sibling preference get into the pre-K.

[Anonymous]

The DPR aftercare is not available this fall because the rec center is being renovated.

We hired AU students for after school. You can find them through AU's jobcorps system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DPR aftercare is not available this fall because the rec center is being renovated.

We hired AU students for after school. You can find them through AU's jobcorps system.

How much did you pay the AU students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since we have Key parents in here:

What are the odds of getting an in-bound child in for PK3/PK4?

We are considering a few Palisades houses and having a child in the next few years. Probably "one and done." We were wondering how many kids without sibling preference get into the pre-K.

Since Key does not have a PK3 program - you have 0 chance of getting in.

For PK4 - there are IB without siblings on the waitlist this year. I would guess from walking around and looking at the playground there continues to be a trend of young families. You probably have a 50% chance of IB without sibling priority getting in to PK4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DPR aftercare is not available this fall because the rec center is being renovated.

We hired AU students for after school. You can find them through AU's jobcorps system.

How much did you pay the AU students?

Somewhere around $15-20 / hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since we have Key parents in here:

What are the odds of getting an in-bound child in for PK3/PK4?

We are considering a few Palisades houses and having a child in the next few years. Probably "one and done." We were wondering how many kids without sibling preference get into the pre-K.

Since Key does not have a PK3 program - you have 0 chance of getting in.

For PK4 - there are IB without siblings on the waitlist this year. I would guess from walking around and looking at the playground there continues to be a trend of young families. You probably have a 50% chance of IB without sibling priority getting in to PK4.

No PK3. For PK4 - it does depend on the cohort year. There are 39/40 slots (2 classes of 20 kids) - and the past few years about 25 of them have gone to IB sibling preference families. Our DC got in without sibling preference. Some years, even recently, they've gone 15 deep into the waitlist as a number of families who get in change their plans/go with other options.

[Anonymous]

Aftercare update today from the assistant principal at Key:

Good Morning Families,

We have received information from the Jelleff Recreation Center about an after school program that they run and have space in. If your child is 6 years or older, they are eligible. If 10 students from Key enroll in the program, they will send a bus over to pick the students up after school and bring them to Jelleff. They can take a maximum of 15 students from Key. We have applications in the main office.

If you have additional questions, you may reach out to the following person. We are simply the messenger and do not control who is granted access to this program or have any additional details.

Tarayra Staton
Program Director
Jelleff Recreation Center

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
3265 S Street NW Washington, DC 20007
Work: [phone] Cell: [phone]

Have a great Wednesday.

[Anonymous]

Are there any families that are using or have used this aftercare program in the past that can comment on it? Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:Aftercare update today from the assistant principal at Key:

Good Morning Families,

We have received information from the Jelleff Recreation Center about an after school program that they run and have space in. If your child is 6 years or older, they are eligible. If 10 students from Key enroll in the program, they will send a bus over to pick the students up after school and bring them to Jelleff. They can take a maximum of 15 students from Key. We have applications in the main office.

If you have additional questions, you may reach out to the following person. We are simply the messenger and do not control who is granted access to this program or have any additional details.

Tarayra Staton
Program Director
Jelleff Recreation Center

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
3265 S Street NW Washington, DC 20007
Work: [phone] Cell: [phone]

Have a great Wednesday.