Kids & Company

We Challenge and Enlighten Kids Daily

Bridget FreiriOctober 08, 2008

Overview

• Enrollment• Services provided

– School year program– Summer program

• Staff• Regulatory Constraints• Rates • Challenges We Face• Communication Campaign• Long Term Goals

Enrollment

Enrollment at Kids and Co. School pop#

Summer 08 46 School Year 08-09 64 408Summer 07 37 School Year 07-08 63 402Summer 06 38 School Year 06-07 63 451Summer 05 41 School Year 05-06 65 480Summer 04 49 School Year 04-05 69 657 (516 net of IHS)

Services• Before School Program

– Check-in– Open at 6:45 am– Breakfast at 7-7:30 am– Before-school homework completion– Low-impact craft projects– Check-out

• Current enrollment: 3-10 kids per day

Services• Kinder Mini-club (increased enrollment for last year)

– Check-in– Services begin at 1:30 pm– Age-appropriate projects:

• Cooking• Cooperative games• Hiking and exploration• Dramatic play• Crafts

• Current enrollment: 7-10 kids per day

Services• Early Release Wednesdays (New Program)

– An additional hour of coverage added this year– Check-in begins at 1:30 on Wednesdays– Activities:

• Library• Homework assistance

– Vicky Ceiro and one staff• Ms. Moore PE play

– 2 half-hour sessions• Computer Lab

– Math EPGY– Type to Learn

• Current enrollment: 3-5 kids per Wednesday

Services• After-School Program

2:45 – 3:00 Check-in & discussion of today’s events3:00 – 3:20 Outdoor play (get the wiggle out)3:20 – 3:30 Snack3:30 – 4:00 Homework Club or Reading Club

includes computer lab

4:00 – 5:00 Planned Activity 3 age-appropriate tiers

5:00 – 6:00 Free Time (homework or play) » Dramatic play, board games, and manipulatives

• Current enrollment: 20 - 36 kids per day

• After-School Program (continued)

Planned Activity Examples:

• Microscope• Pond experiments• Gardening• Water rockets• Making catapults• Cooking skills• Making gak• Holiday-themed activities• Ceramics• Wilderness and Urban survival

Services

•Amphitheater games•Jewelry making•Silhouette painting•Junk art•Outdoor games•Craft projects

Services

Supporting School and Community Activities– In-service days– School breaks

• Christmas break, winter break, spring break• Summer break

– Evening• District meetings• Parent’s night out• District-supported functions – Gala, etc.

• Event enrollment: 10 to 50 Students

Services• Summer Program

– Hours: 6:45 am – 6:15 pm– Swimming 2 times per week– Based on weekly themes– Academic Summer Bridge activities:

• Reading, writing, science, social studies, art– Computer Lab

• EPGY and Type to Learn– Life Skills:

• Cooking, sewing, map reading, money management

• Summer enrollment: 15 - 30 kids per day

Services• Summer Program Theme: Tribal Summer

– Mayan and Aztecs• Discover the advancements and inventions of these

cultures including the vast waterways and aqueducts built to sustain their people. Field trip: Raging Waters

– Nomadic China• Learn the many cultural differences between the nomads of

China and our native Americans. Field trip: Chinatown– Native America

• Survival skills were key to the tribes of North America. Learn outdoor survival, cooking, and first-aid. Field Trip: Henry Cowell State Park

– Aboriginals/Polynesia• Travel to the South Sea, make face masks and learn how to

hula. Field trip: beach

• Infrastructure under this program

Make all breakfasts for Kids and Co Make all lunches/snacks for Kids & Co (summer f.t.) and Title 1 kids Handle all ratio/compliance/safety/first-aid/fire issues Handle all personnel (hiring, firing, training, supervision) Handle all money collection Plan, schedule and execute all activities

For 3 tiers of age groups per dayDeliver participating kids to all on-site extracurricular activities

Writing, Reading, Math, Art, Music, Sports and Drama programs Shop down the hill for all food and suppliesCoordinate with Loma Staff, CT Staff, and on-site activity directors

Services

StaffQualifications: Prior Child Development, Child Recreation, Child Psychology or

Elementary Physical Education experience

• Bridget Youth Director, Kids & Co. - Graduated from CSUN in Recreation Administration. Over 24 years experience in the childcare field, 19 years here at years LPJUSD. I serve on SCCSAC board. Member, Steering Committee, Theatre In the Mountains, LPCF. Scout leader of Loma Weblos Den and in my free time I help at both my children’s schools and work with Habitat for Humanity.

• Kara - is a Licensed Professional Counselor LPC. She holds a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of California at Davis. Kara has spent the last three years in Houston, Texas where she worked as a counselor at Lone Star College and Champions Christian Counseling Center. Her work experience includes working as a clinical counselor at a chemical dependency treatment facility and working as a school counselor at a middle school where she counseled students with personal, social, academic, career, and disability concerns.

• April – has taken classes in Early Childhood Development as well as attended CALSAC workshops. She has been working for Kids and Co for over three years and District Custodian for two years. She serves on the LPHSC board and volunteers in her child's classroom.

• Substitutes: Jill and Alice

Regulatory• Ratios

14:1 ratio required by law7:1 required for field trips (summer)8:1 homework support

• Certifications– Serve Safe certification every 5 years– CPR/First Aid certification all staff – CAL SAC training (two training sessions per

year for all staff)– On-site training/staff coordination

Rates

• Kids & CoAM club 6:45- 8:15 5 day a week per Month $160 3 day a week per Month $55 with Breakfast

Afternoon club 2:45- 6:15 5 day a week per Month $395 3 day a week per Month $295

• Los Gatos Recreation (for comparison)AM club 7- 8 5 day a week per Month $120 3 day a week per Month $73

Afternoon club 2:45- 6:15 5 day a week per Month $408 3 day a week per Month $270

Challenges We Face

• We have families in financial hardship. We need to create a financial assistance program that meets operating cost goals and reduces child care cost for these parents.

• We consistently strive to deliver quality care at competitive rates.

Communication Campaign

• Monthly parent newsletter– With calendar– Distributed to entire school

• Easier access to Kids & Co website– Calendar– Rates– Sign-up forms for upcoming events– Parent’s newsletter

• Kids & Co articles in Mountain Network News

Long Term Goals• As district moves to Modified Schedule, develop cost-efficient

staffing plan and curriculum to meet community needs• Incorporate homework club in a cost-efficient manner to meet

increasing academic demands.• Incorporate evolving technology needs

– with kids– with parents– with district and larger community

• Develop enhanced life skills program• Drive increased usage of Kids & Co. within the community• Identify and secure other sources of outside funding (grant writing)• Coordinate summer camp with Loma/CT curriculum