Extended stays - what are your experiences?

Kate Morgan14 said:No, that's not right. It's only first grade, and they aren't ever going to expand to second grade because they don't have the capacity—they can barely scrape by with the space they have as it is.

Then why does it say online that there are two grades? And is that for after-school care?

At Stenjevec Elementary School, they only offer after-school care for first graders. They’ve been talking about expanding the building for nearly a decade now, but honestly, it feels like nothing ever actually happens.

I'm looking at the website again and it still shows 2014/2015 up top. I checked earlier and it said 2015/2016, and there were two spots mentioning the second grade having after-school care. Plus, two of the teachers had noted it on the class schedule too 😢 😢 😢 😢

rowdypanther12 said:Then why does it say online that there are two grades? And is that for after-school care?

My girlfriend's kid is in 2nd grade—no after-school program at all. They only offer it for the first graders.

Daniel Reed68 said:At Stenjevec Elementary School, they only offer after-school care for first graders. They’ve been talking about expanding the building for nearly a decade now, but honestly, it feels like nothing ever actually happens.

I'm pretty sure our kids are stuck in the same class.🙂

So, I just got some inside info on what after-school programs actually look like at our local school district here in 😁

It’s not all day, every day, but it happens more often than you'd think. My husband went to pick up our little guy the other day, and the teacher wasn't even in the classroom.
And get this—they don't even bother checking the homework, so kids end up spending their whole afternoon correcting stuff that was graded wrong in the first place.

We also found out that basically everyone who has the option is pulling their kids out and enrolling them in schools in the surrounding suburbs instead.

And yeah... 🙂

Is there another school nearby?

Podvežica, Seattle, soldier.

Personally, I’ve always been more in favor of a full-day schedule rather than those after-school programs. If it turns out he actually has to stay for the extended hours, my plan is to just organize things so he can head straight home the second he's done. I'd much rather him get some actual rest at our place instead of just idling away his time there until 4:00 PM, especially since we'll still have to sit down later and go over all his homework anyway.

Since they're already letting them watch cartoons, they might as well grab some couches or loveseats... stop having kids fidgeting on those stiff school chairs😢

Paul Johnson said:Since they're already letting them watch cartoons, they might as well grab some couches or loveseats... stop having kids fidgeting on those stiff school chairs😢

At this rate, they might as well just start installing loveseats and sofas in the middle of every classroom. 😁
Most kids nowadays sit in actual chairs when they watch TV. It’s the same story at my kid's school as it is in my own classroom—nobody is lounging on the floor. It really just comes down to how much the parents have coordinated with the teacher and, frankly, how much square footage they have to work with. Some families are more prepared than others; they'll bring in extra cushions or floor pillows if they want that softer setup, but the standard is definitely sitting upright.

Look, it really comes down to how you structure the day, but let’s be clear: we aren't just sitting kids in front of cartoons all day long. It’s not a thing. For instance, in my house, we barely even touched the TV this week—maybe thirty minutes tops. Honestly, the kids aren't even that hooked on it anymore. We find plenty of other ways to kill time. We stay busy with creative projects, like origami workshops, reading sessions, trips to the local library, or just heading outside whenever the weather isn't acting up. The TV is a last resort, an afterthought. And then there’s the schoolwork. I check every single assignment, every single day. I’m looking after 29 students in this after-school program, so there isn't much room for slacking off.

My little one has 26 classmates in her after-school program. Right now, they leave their books at school from Monday through Friday, and honestly, the system seems to be holding up just fine. We’ve been drilling reading at home—we actually have duplicate copies of the curriculum workbooks so we can practice here too. On the weekends, we go back over things, tightening up any loose ends or fixing whatever she might have skipped in her workbook. It’s a constant cycle of review. The only thing that has me completely stumped is the MTV curriculum. According to her, they haven't even cracked open the workbook yet. She can usually tell me what she needs to do for English—like which parts to color in or what they covered in class—but this religious studies stuff? It’s a total mystery to me. I have no idea what the expectations are.

So, I have a question for the group. What exactly are you all dressing your kids in for school when the weather is acting this erratic? Are we talking leggings? Something thicker? And what goes underneath? Just socks, or those knee-high ones? Honestly, I’m at a total loss here. I have no clue how to layer them so they don't freeze their tails off during recess, yet somehow don't end up sweating through their shirts once they're back inside the classroom. It's a constant balancing act.

It’s basically just like being back in preschool, isn't it?

rowdypanther12 said:It’s basically just like being back in preschool, isn't it?

Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue. I spend half my life second-guessing whether she’s dressed too light or way too heavy (even after spending four years in preschool 😵). If you ask her, she’ll tell you she’s freezing in leggings every single morning, but she hasn't quite reached the point where she needs anything more substantial. It's been a constant struggle since she was in daycare because, clearly, I’ve produced a child who is perpetually freezing yet somehow breaks into a heavy sweat the moment she starts running. I can't afford to overdress her, or she'll overheat 🙄
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And look, I see these kids at school all the time—in the dead of winter, they're walking around in just shorts and socks. Even when there's snow on the ground! You rarely see a kid wearing thermal tights under their sweats or jeans. I don't know what's going on. Personally, I’m wearing layers or thick tights all winter long. I'm a total wimp when it comes to the cold.

frozenrider15 said:Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue. I spend half my life second-guessing whether she’s dressed too light or way too heavy (even after spending four years in preschool 😵). If you ask her, she’ll tell you she’s freezing in leggings every single morning, but she hasn't quite reached the point where she needs anything more substantial. It's been a constant struggle since she was in daycare because, clearly, I’ve produced a child who is perpetually freezing yet somehow breaks into a heavy sweat the moment she starts running. I can't afford to overdress her, or she'll overheat 🙄
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And look, I see these kids at school all the time—in the dead of winter, they're walking around in just shorts and socks. Even when there's snow on the ground! You rarely see a kid wearing thermal tights under their sweats or jeans. I don't know what's going on. Personally, I’m wearing layers or thick tights all winter long. I'm a total wimp when it comes to the cold.

So, maybe just dress her the way you’d dress yourself.😁
Personally, I've never been much for tights, just socks paired with pants or leggings.

But I suppose this is totally off-topic for this thread, so maybe our mods can move this over to the section about clothing and gear.😬

It’s not a joke. Kids staying in after-school programs are basically there all day, so what they wear matters—you can't have them overheating or catching a chill.

Well, if that works, then fine by me.😁

Though, I suppose one really ought to be mindful of how the temperature fluctuates depending on which school you happen to be in.
Back when I was working at an elementary school, the heat was honestly quite eerie; I think they’d have the furnace cranking away at maybe 75 degrees right in the middle of winter, which seems to be the standard for daycare centers, I guess.😁
We all ended up walking around in short sleeves while it was actually snowing outside.🤣
In my current school, though, it's almost the opposite, where we all collectively freeze during the winter months—it can get pretty miserable, really—and then we're all sweltering from the heat once summer rolls around.

Kate Morgan14 said:I'm pretty sure our kids are stuck in the same class.🙂

🤣 it seems that way to me, too.

Is there actually anything in writing regarding the specific duties and responsibilities of an after-school instructor, or what they’re supposed to be doing during those hours?
I’m not asking for myself, but for a colleague. Her kid goes to the after-school program, and honestly, it seems like they just play around and nap all day. Then the kid gets home and still has to tackle homework and studying on top of everything else.
My colleague is thinking about going to the school to have a talk about it, but is there even any point? Is that afternoon teacher actually required to lead activities, or do they follow a curriculum like the morning teachers do? Or is their whole job basically just acting as a babysitter?

Brenda Doyle5 said:Is there actually anything in writing regarding the specific duties and responsibilities of an after-school instructor, or what they’re supposed to be doing during those hours?
I’m not asking for myself, but for a colleague. Her kid goes to the after-school program, and honestly, it seems like they just play around and nap all day. Then the kid gets home and still has to tackle homework and studying on top of everything else.
My colleague is thinking about going to the school to have a talk about it, but is there even any point? Is that afternoon teacher actually required to lead activities, or do they follow a curriculum like the morning teachers do? Or is their whole job basically just acting as a babysitter?

It's definitely not babysitting.
As a parent, my expectation is that the kids get their schoolwork finished while they're in that program.

They are being paid as certified elementary school teachers,
(and they have the degrees to back it up)

If not a single kid is getting their homework done, then something is clearly wrong and it looks like the teacher isn't actually engaging them.
If it's just a handful of kids, maybe she's giving them a pass on certain assignments, and we should probably look into why those specific kids aren't finishing their work.

My colleague is definitely planning on heading down to the school to see what the hell is going on there.

Brenda Doyle5 said:Is there actually anything in writing regarding the specific duties and responsibilities of an after-school instructor, or what they’re supposed to be doing during those hours?
I’m not asking for myself, but for a colleague. Her kid goes to the after-school program, and honestly, it seems like they just play around and nap all day. Then the kid gets home and still has to tackle homework and studying on top of everything else.
My colleague is thinking about going to the school to have a talk about it, but is there even any point? Is that afternoon teacher actually required to lead activities, or do they follow a curriculum like the morning teachers do? Or is their whole job basically just acting as a babysitter?

Well, of course there’s a set curriculum, and naturally, she is obligated to work with the kids following whatever that specific plan and program dictates.