Champions at a DCPS. ECE.

It’s $100 a week which seems super reasonable for care from 3:15-6pm for five days. That’s like 7 bucks an hour.

They have a snack (included in the price), play inside for a while in a PK classroom or the gym, then play on the playground. No screens that I’ve heard of (and my kids are quick to say when there are videos at school, so I think I’d know). Honestly my only “complaint” is that I wish they did playground first because I usually pick up a little after 5, so they only get a short time on the playground.

I’m quite pleased.

If I were you, the only thing that would bug me is the screens.

Ours is free and it feels that way. We often hear about screentime (tv shows, movies) and they’re always plying them with junk food right before pick up. I get that some kids need the food, but it’s not nutritious in any way. There’s no enrichment, which is fine (our DC is in Kindergarten) but I would prefer they spend more time outdoors or have worksheets to color or other activities. I would happily pay for better aftercare but we don’t have another option. Would love a list of schools with no screentime in after care and little screentime during the day. I get using iReady but it seems like we’re constantly hearing about unnecessary screentime throughout the day as well.

We pay $495 for a third-party program at a nearby church. It's all free play, indoor and outdoor every day as long as its not pouring rain or thunder-storming. I've never even seen a screen at the building. I'm less enthusiastic about the daily snacks, which are mostly crunchy chips/popcorn/pretzels, but can live with it.

Free at DCPS! There's some programming, like soccer once a week, and maybe dance/theatre, but mostly it's playground or free time, which i like. No coverage for days off, we don't have half days, and no coverage the day before a holiday (so like on Wednesday before Thanksgiving).

Anonymous wrote:$340/month does not seem that bad to me? for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week?

Yeah seems pretty normal to me. We pay about the same and the aides are kind and consistent (no revolving door of new people). There is no real enrichment but I don’t care about that. Kids need time just to play.

Champions at Bancroft is about the same as PP above. I think it is about $320 per week and we have an ActivePlay option. I don't love it. I wish my kid was outside more than he is, but he likes it and all his friends are there. This year they have 2 classes of his grade and the classes aren't together as much as i would have hoped. Many of his buddies are in the other class and he isn't in the same class in school either, so he doesn't see them as often. Last year they were out on the playground all together, or so it seemed.

Champions at Hyde Addison is $79 a week (3:25-6:00). You can also do a day rate (can’t remember off the top of my head) but it only saves you money if you do 2 days or less. The price of 3 days is the same or more as the weekly rate. I think they do some planned activities and I like that they promise 30-60 minutes minimum outdoors. I don’t think there are screens much or at all, but I don’t think it’s especially structured.

They also have Active Play for “enrichment” that goes from 3:25-4:30 and it’s a once per week class (gardening, sports, legos). It costs $250-300 for one day per week in an 8 week session which while my kid likes the 2 classes we’ve tried, I find the cost is exorbitant so I’m not sure we will do them next session.

We pay nothing. Kids do HW, then go out to the playground. On rainy days they watch tv in the cafeteria. There are also extended day classes you can sign up for. Kid is in kindergarten, school is Whittier.

I hated FLEX when we had them. Not so much a pricing issue (actually, for an external provider, we chose them because they were cheap), but the quality. SO awful.

$340/month does not seem that bad to me? for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week?

We pay a little under $400 a month. Care during PD days and federal holidays is maybe $100 per day? We haven't used that yet.

It does not seem super-enriching BUT the kids like going, they spend time outside (1+ hours if weather is nice), they do little crafts, they don't use screens. There seem to be enough staff to keep a good eye on the kids. We're happy enough with how things are going.

St. Albans. Turndown service and caviar bar.

Under $400/month (maybe $380?), nothing included except I know my kid will be alive when I pick them up. No half days in DCPS but day off camp through them is about $100/day (and ends earlier than standard after-care).

We pay 42 a day and its bare bones BUT I need it, we need it, to stay employed. So I try not to "divide it out" and ask if its worth it. Also my kids dont mind going which makes it more valuable in a way. A few days a week I take one kid out early to do an activity and keep the other one there for my husband to pick up and thats been really nice, I get one on one time with my oldest because we do have after care. Planning to switch it around next semester so everyone gets a little time.

Getting fed up with the cost for value of the aftercare provider, FLEX, at our charter. When our school switched to them last year from another provider, it was billed to us as being more affordable and offering more enrichment/programming. In reality, none of that enrichment is included in the nearly $340/month price tag and half the time I find my ECE kid watching a screen at pick up. Oh, and coverage for all the half days? That'll be a separate charge, too ($36/day). Professional days? Not even clear if there is an option for this any longer, but that was $60/day when it was available last year. School breaks? No care offered, but maybe that's for the best since god knows what they'd charge.

It never cost this much with the prior provider, and while they weren't perfect, we also got more for the money (half days/PD included if you registered for full time). Just trying to get a sense of whether this is just the way it is now.

Who does your school use? What does it cost? What is included?