New Aftercare Provider at Lafayette

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a parent board for CLS? I know the LAP board disbanded but can a new parent body of some form work to help the situation?

It's a private for profit company that, in effect, has been given a contract to be the monopoly provider. That's not how these things work.

so how do these things work in your opinion?

NP. Parents who enroll their children in a private aftercare are customers of that company-- and can take their feedback to the company's owners and/or stop using the service.

Customers are not that company's advisors or board members.

Right -- which is why several of the other NW elementary schools (including until this year Lafayette) do in fact have non-profit providers with oversight from a parent/"customer" Board. Not trying to dismiss the concerns that previous program was not meeting the need -- just suggesting that it was short-sighted to relinquish oversight of a monopoly provider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a parent board for CLS? I know the LAP board disbanded but can a new parent body of some form work to help the situation?

It's a private for profit company that, in effect, has been given a contract to be the monopoly provider. That's not how these things work.

so how do these things work in your opinion?

NP. Parents who enroll their children in a private aftercare are customers of that company-- and can take their feedback to the company's owners and/or stop using the service.

Customers are not that company's advisors or board members.

Right -- which is why several of the other NW elementary schools (including until this year Lafayette) do in fact have non-profit providers with oversight from a parent/"customer" Board. Not trying to dismiss the concerns that previous program was not meeting the need -- just suggesting that it was short-sighted to relinquish oversight of a monopoly provider.

My hunch is that DCPS would prefer it if none of the schools were using non-profit providers and kept this a more business-oriented relationship. Lafayette may be a harbinger. Or not.

[Anonymous]

Aftercare is a mess. They call parents asking where the kids are, when the kids are either there or at home and they just didn't check their email. Kids are constantly crying. They say that the teachers are so mean. The fact that they are in classrooms bothers me as well. My son said it's just like detention. Ugh. I miss LAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aftercare is a mess. They call parents asking where the kids are, when the kids are either there or at home and they just didn't check their email. Kids are constantly crying. They say that the teachers are so mean. The fact that they are in classrooms bothers me as well. My son said it's just like detention. Ugh. I miss LAP.

LAP is partially responsible for this mess.

[Anonymous]

The fact that a different person has my kid every day is enough for me to pull them out. No thank you.

[Anonymous]

Has the situation improved?

[Anonymous]

Nope. Still pretty bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aftercare is a mess. They call parents asking where the kids are, when the kids are either there or at home and they just didn't check their email. Kids are constantly crying. They say that the teachers are so mean. The fact that they are in classrooms bothers me as well. My son said it's just like detention. Ugh. I miss LAP.

LAP is partially responsible for this mess.

How is LAP responsible for the choices CLS is making?

[Anonymous]

I think the new provider is fine, and it's clear that they are making an effort to be responsive to parent concerns. I do think things have improved in the last couple of weeks--pick-up is certainly better. My kids are happy and I don't have any major complaints.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aftercare is a mess. They call parents asking where the kids are, when the kids are either there or at home and they just didn't check their email. Kids are constantly crying. They say that the teachers are so mean. The fact that they are in classrooms bothers me as well. My son said it's just like detention. Ugh. I miss LAP.

LAP is partially responsible for this mess.

How is LAP responsible for the choices CLS is making?

LAP is responsible for not growing the program to meet the demand of the school community over the last 10 years, acting only in its own interest and those exclusive to the member families, and for not embracing the opportunity (through growth) to maintain its position as a sole provider. All of this is likely through myopic board governance. LAP is therefore partially responsible that a new provider had to be brought on board through less than ideal circumstances, quick decision making and what is perceived as a process lacking transparency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aftercare is a mess. They call parents asking where the kids are, when the kids are either there or at home and they just didn't check their email. Kids are constantly crying. They say that the teachers are so mean. The fact that they are in classrooms bothers me as well. My son said it's just like detention. Ugh. I miss LAP.

LAP is partially responsible for this mess.

How is LAP responsible for the choices CLS is making?

LAP is responsible for not growing the program to meet the demand of the school community over the last 10 years, acting only in its own interest and those exclusive to the member families, and for not embracing the opportunity (through growth) to maintain its position as a sole provider. All of this is likely through myopic board governance. LAP is therefore partially responsible that a new provider had to be brought on board through less than ideal circumstances, quick decision making and what is perceived as a process lacking transparency.

here

+1Million

signed, somebody who left kids at another DCPS after buying a block from Lafayette because at Lafayette there was no aftercare option (100+ kids in waitlist ahead of us with LAP)

[Anonymous]

Pick up is still a disaster and won't improve. It usually takes several calls to locate my kids and I know others have had the same experience.

They move the kids around so much, knowing where they are can sometimes be a challenge.

The CLS-only staff are rude and dismissive, to both the kids and the parents. It appears to stem from inexperience as much as anything else, but the kids are miserable and they shouldn't have to deal with that.

I've watched the CLS staff a few times and they appear to not understand that the kids need to run around. CLS seems to be about keeping them under control. I get the need to keep them safe and maintain some order, but the LAP staff did it much more effectively.

I hope the parents/customers have a chance to provide input if/when the admin revisits this contract. The CLS people clearly don't know what they are
doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
LAP is responsible for not growing the program to meet the demand of the school community over the last 10 years, acting only in its own interest and those exclusive to the member families, and for not embracing the opportunity (through growth) to maintain its position as a sole provider. All of this is likely through myopic board governance. LAP is therefore partially responsible that a new provider had to be brought on board through less than ideal circumstances, quick decision making and what is perceived as a process lacking transparency.

Yup

[Anonymous]

When, oh when will you all get a listserv of your own?

[Anonymous]

I don't have a dog in this fight. But, as a parent bystander watching the aftercare staff on the playground - wow! They are a militant bunch that scream an awful lot. I wouldn't want to have my kids in the program. I have nothing to compare it to as it is our first year at the school. But they don't make a good impression. There are two women in particular that are constantly screaming at the kids for what appears to be minor infractions. Are the kids not allowed to talk when entering and exiting the playground?!?