I would recommend looking on neighborhood list serves. there is a very active one in Takoma. I would post the specific dilema about after and before care on that list serve and see what responses you get. It is yahoo groups. There is also a list serve for the Takoma EC, you might get some info there.

College students. Low end $10 an hour.

OP here: we have a year+ to figure out summer as we will keep our kid in her daycare until PS starts, so I was hoping this thread could focus on aftercare solutions, but I appreciate the summer warnings/suggestions.

I guess I'm more interested in how reasonable is it to expect to be able to cobble together aftercare right away if we can't get into DCPS aftercare? I'm thinking mainly as I consider Takoma, as they only have 10 aftercare spots for 30 PS kids, and no beforecare at all. It's hard because it seems like a great school, but not at all friendly to working parent schedules like other DCPS schools with aftercare for all.

Anyone out there who uses a babysitter for school pickup/afternoon care? If so, what's the going rate for that kind of help, and where do you recommend finding a good person? Sitter City? local colleges?

thanks

There are winter camps and spring break camps - just keep your eyes open.

Our aftercare offers coverage for teacher work days.

Key has a linkage with an afterschool program at Palisades Park (which some kids do who can't get into or don't want to do the regular aftercare).

Another possibility is that sometimes teachers or teacher aides are willing to run little minicamps. Or the PTA will put something together-- or DC Dept of Recreation camps.