U-46 to offer new before-, after-school program
A new partnership will provide expanded before- and after-care school programming for all elementary students and families in School District U-46 in August, at the start of the new school year.
Right At School, a national organization that provides high-quality programming, will be offered to families at the district's 40 elementary schools and feature a variety of scheduling options.
Right At School offers a significant expansion over the district's existing program, which currently has waiting lists and is only at select schools. Right at School aims to accommodate all interested families every day school is in session, starting at 6:30 a.m. for the before-school program and until 6 p.m. for the after-school program.
"We're excited to offer this fun and engaging before-and after-school program for students and families," said school district CEO Tony Sanders.
"This will allow elementary students across our district to participate in activities that support and enhance their classroom learning, do homework, and continue to build friendships with classmates."
Right At School addresses some of parents' biggest concerns by eliminating waiting lists and accepting the state's child care subsidy. Parents will be able to work with Right at School to create flexible monthly schedules to support families' busy lives.
Families can choose to schedule that fits their needs, from one day a week to all five days, or anything in between. Drop-in care, which allows parents to only pay for the days on which care is needed, is also an option.
Right at School will also be available during breaks, nonschool days and summer 2021. The district's existing SAFE Program will continue to operate through this school year and summer 2020.
The shift to Right At School will provide families who enroll full-time a savings of five percent compared to the current SAFE program. Other benefits of Right At School include flexibility in enrollment options and a comprehensive enrichment curriculum.
Students will be offered a healthy snack, participate in dynamic enrichment projects, fun fitness activities, student-driven service learning, team building, leadership development and have the opportunity to complete homework every day before the program ends.
Right At School also focuses on social-emotional learning and has been recognized as the national School Superintendents Association's official after-school provider.
Examples of Right At School activities include Icky Experiments, where students experiment with sticky substances to learn chemistry, and the Variety Show, where students rehearse and perform individual talent acts for parents and families.
School District U-46 and Right At School will be hosting a parent information night at 6 p.m. March 18 at Kimball Middle School, 451 N. McLean Blvd., Elgin. More information nights will be scheduled in April.
As part of the transition, Right At School plans to offer priority interviews to current SAFE staff in an effort to provide continuity of personnel to support our students.
Parents are encouraged to visit Right At School's specific School District U-46 program website, www.rightatschool.com/districts/elgin-il/ for more information about next school year's programs.
District U-46 serves families in 11 communities: Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, South Elgin, Streamwood and Wayne, as well as portions of Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, St. Charles, Schaumburg and West Chicago.
In total, the district encompasses 90 square miles within the Fox River Valley and includes communities within Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. More than 38,000 pre-K through 12th-graders attend the 57 district schools and programs.
To learn more, visit the U-46 website or like on Facebook and follow on Twitter.