Extended Care

Dear Extended Care Parents: 

Welcome to the St. Joseph Extended Care Program! For those new to our Program, this is our 7th year as a state-licensed child care center. We are a before and after school Program serving students at St. Joseph School from grades Kindergarten through 7th grade. For complete details of our rates and offerings, I invite you to check out our Extended Care Policies & Procedures posted on the school’s website. 

I know that you may have many questions, and I’d like to address some of them here. Before I answer some frequently asked questions, let me share a little bit about the Program’s staff. As your Extended Care Director, I personally oversee our Program to ensure that not only does it meet the goals and expectations set out in our Policies, it also meets or exceeds the state rules that govern all child care centers. My degree is in Human Development and Family Sciences with a minor in writing, and I have been dedicated to childcare and education from a young age. Each year, our Program teachers and I fulfill the annual 15-hour training mandated by the state, 8 of which are focused on Early Childhood Education or Child Development. Of the 12 steps in the Oregon Registry Pathways to Professional Development (ORPPD), I am currently at Step 10. 

Jacquelin Davis is both our amazing assistant director and another teacher certified staff member in our program. Jacquelin began teaching with us in 2019 and often worked longer during breaks or subbing in when we needed additional help. Jacquelin has many years of experience working with children and is always working to expand her knowledge in child development and education. She has worked and thrived in a variety of different childcare positions and we are lucky to have her on our team! 

The following are Q&A’s that I anticipate parents will have regarding our Program: 

· When and where do the Morning & Afternoon Programs take place? 

The morning program is from 7:00 am-7:45 am and is held in the room 107 downstairs. The opening times vary depending on need but will never open earlier than 7:00 am per our state license. We are currently not open for our morning program due to low interest, but should enough interest arise we will be open in the morning. Please let me know if your family has an interest in before school care so that we can track parent interest and needs, and open for before school care should enough interest arise.

The afternoon program is from 3:00pm-6:00pm. The children meet staff outside and then go to room 107 for attendance. We typically are in multiple locations in the school after that point, but due to Coronavirus restrictions, we stay in room 107 or go outside to play. 

· What is a typical schedule during a regular school day? 

7:00 - 7:45 — Attendance in Media/Library, reading, socializing, puzzles, games, coloring. Children are escorted to the school and sent into the school building through the front entrance. 

3:00 – 3:15 — Attendance

3:15 – 3:30 — Wash Hands and Eat Snack

3:45 – 4:15 — Recess (outside if weather allows)

4:15 – 4:30 — Transition Inside and Wash Hands

4:30 – 5:30 — Homework Time and 20 Minutes of Reading

5:30 – 6:00 — Free Choice

· Do my children need to pack a PM snack? 

No. Our snacks are provided to the children at no additional cost to parents. Extended Care snacks follow USDA nutritional guidelines. You may always pack alternative snacks if your child has certain allergies or would prefer something other than what is served in the Program. 

· What do you do during Homework Time? 

Homework time is mandatory for our kids unless parents specifically request that they do not want their child completing homework in our Program. Homework time is held in room 107 room where children are provided a quiet space to do their assignments. Teachers, Aides and Volunteers will walk around the room assisting children and ensuring that each child completes his/her work to the best of their ability. It remains incumbent upon our parents to check and review their children’s work so that it is done to the parent’s satisfaction. 

· Does my child get to complete Mathletics assignments or take AR Quizzes in the Program? 

Absolutely! We have Chromebooks for our program that give our kids an opportunity to get Mathletics assignments done and take AR Quizzes. 

· What happens after my child is done with homework? 

If your child is done with homework while other kids are still working on theirs, your child will participate in quiet activities until the rest of the group is done. These activities may include puzzles, board/card games or crafts. 

· What do the children do during Free Choice? 

They are given a wider range of activities to choose from that include both quiet and loud activities (i.e. Legos, Tinker toys, magnetic darts, perler beads, structured group games, etc.). Sometimes they may play in the outside, time, and staff permitting. 

· What happens when all the children in the Program do not have homework? 

Fridays tend to be our slower-paced days with little to no homework. Oftentimes students will play for a longer recess period in the playground or gym. 

· If I have already chosen days my child will be in the Program (i.e. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday), can I just switch them? 

No. The days you chose in your contract are the days we will provide care. Because other children may have taken up the slots that your child will not be with us (using the same example above, i.e. Thursday & Friday), you cannot simply change those days without the risk that our Program will exceed capacity. 

· If my child is not attending on a particular day due to illness/appointments or simply because I’d like to pick him/her up early, do I need to let the Program know? 

Yes. Our policy is to follow up on all absences whether through the school office or through parents to locate the child. 

· What if I pick up my child late? 

Our Program closes promptly at 6:00 pm. At 6:01, late fees will be incurred. Please check our Policies and Agreement for more information in that regard. 

· Where can I call to reach your Program directly? 

Our EC cell phone is 503-931-0820; please be sure that you program this number into your phones just in case you have any difficulty finding us on campus. Your calls will be answered or returned during Program hours only. The cell phone is turned off at the end of the day/Program and kept here at the school until the next day. The director's hours vary throughout the week; to reach her, you may call the school office. If she is unavailable to take calls, you may leave a message on her voicemail. Alternatively, you may contact her via email at agreenwood@stjosephsalem.org

· Can I volunteer in Extended Care? What can I do? 

When Coronavirus restrictions are lifted, of course, you can! Your time volunteering in our Program will count towards your annual PIE hours. Our greatest need is usually during homework time. In previous years, we had a school parent volunteer and a Blanchet student volunteer. If you are interested, please contact our Director for more information regarding background checks and orientation information for volunteers. 

After experiencing our Program, I hope you will see that we strive to maintain a safe and nurturing environment where our children grow to love and respect one another. We foster problem-solving skills, responsibility for actions, and reinforcement to always do our best. I welcome your questions and inquiries into our Program and look forward to having your family join us in Extended Care. 

Sincerely in Christ, 

Aimee Greenwood
Extended Care Director