Anonymous wrote:Bar T has abandoned many elementary schools thr-out the county it deems not profitable leaving the parents with no alternative but to be bused or just no care what so ever. Since the rebidding a number of new innovative programs such as Kidsco and Global have come along just to name a few that are causing programs to either improve or lose there sites. This competition and chnge benefits the children of Montgomery county not hurts it!

I agree with this. I only know a little about those programs but a lot of people are less than thrilled with Bar-T. Competition is good.

Bar T has abandoned many elementary schools thr-out the county it deems not profitable leaving the parents with no alternative but to be bused or just no care what so ever. Since the rebidding a number of new innovative programs such as Kidsco and Global have come along just to name a few that are causing programs to either improve or lose there sites. This competition and chnge benefits the children of Montgomery county not hurts it!

Every 5 years there is a rebidding process. We used to love KAH too but it's ether at some schools than others. (we switched schools). They will probably get renewed if it's a well loved program at your school. Do you know when they were last renewed?

Global gardens is half the price.

That letter kind of scares me - we have KAH at our school whom we love, I would freak out if the contract suddenly went to someone else.

Also, I found this letter from the principal

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillees/news/Bar-T%20and%20Global.pdf

Thanks for posting and for the replies -- I am in the same situation. Although I know aftercare will be different, my daughter was at Bar-T camp this summer and loved it.

We looked at the BAR-T aftercare years ago when my DD was starting school. The director of the program was awful. Telling me about how her son almost flunked out of school. Hopefully, they have someone new. We opted for a different solution. Child is not at Poolesville ES now.

Thank you - that is very helpful!

Obviously every location is different, and we don't go to Poolesville, but my child has had both GCC and Bar-T at two different schools and we prefer Bar-T. They have a more structured program with field trips on the days off (i.e. when school is closed and they are there all day), 'clubs' (rotating monthly activity groups), a traveling bball team thats fun, etc. GCC is/was new as an aftercare provider when we used them 2 years ago and just didn't seem to be very experienced at it, didn't have their act together, and had no special activities.

My child is starting at Poolesville Elementary School this year and I would like feedback on both after school care providers (Global Childrens Center and Bar-T) - does anyone have any recommendations?