|
|||
|
Category Archives: AfterSchool@EVCS Student Work
Making AfterSchool available and affordable for all
If you need AfterSchool to be free, it’s free.But please pay as much as you can!
AfterSchool fees are going up again this year in order to support raising Class Assistant salaries to $15 per hour and to bring back full scholarships for families that need them. Since starting the AfterSchool program in 2012, we have struggled to find the right fee structure to pay for our dual goals: providing high quality, enriching classes with experienced instructors while making the program available and affordable for any family at EVCS who wants to participate. In 2015, the costs of continuing AfterSchool@evcs were mounting. New York State denied our request to pay instructors as contractors and required us to pay thousands in back unemployment insurance. Securing a license from the DOH added costs to our liability insurance. And running this small business entirely with volunteer administrators was problematic, so professional fees were added for payroll management, HR services, and registration software. We raised fees slightly and eliminated the full scholarship for low-income families, asking everyone to contribute at least 15% of the full rate. Eliminating full scholarships has had consequences for some EVCS families who have no means to pay for AfterSchool, and has added to the perception that EVCS is a high-end school not open to everyone in the community. As our school staff and parents have embarked on several diversity initiatives, it has become clear that some prospective families won’t consider EVCS unless our AfterSchool program is free. But without Title 1 subsidies that other schools in the district receive for their after-school programs, we need to find a way to keep AfterSchool from losing money all on our own. A commitment to inclusion was a founding principle of our AfterSchool program, and this spring the AfterSchool Advisory Committee reaffirmed this commitment to provide a free option for families who need it. For EVCS, for our neighborhood, and for public education in general, how we approach inclusion for AfterSchool is inseparable from the broader conversation around these issues. To that end, we are re-adjusting our fee structure to give families more autonomy in determining their own capacity to pay. This year, there are five price points for AfterSchool: Full price: $ 27.50 per class session It’s up to you to decide how much to pay. Please pay as much as you can.We are relying on most families to pay full price, as you have before. These other payment options are available if you need them. And if you need AfterSchool to be free, it’s free, no questions asked. Thank you, PS. AfterSchool class registration will begin Friday at noon. Note that there will be no AfterSchool on the first two full days of school. AfterSchool will begin on Tuesday, September 13. |
Reminder AfterSchool Over This Fri 6/24
Dear Families,
Another spirit-filled and eventful year is drawing to a close. Thank you to everyone who completed the Family Survey. Although we started reviewing results in our last Advisory Committee meeting, we are look forward to sharing some of what we learned next Fall. Big bear hugs to each and every individual who has contributed to AfterSchool (you know who you are – smile). We are a living, breathing organization and we THANK YOU for choosing AfterSchool. We literally can not do it without you.
Look out for updates regarding regular and late registration dates and access to a brochure of classes (likely simultaneous) in July. We are not in session over the summer and concentrate on taking vacation ourselves so feel free to reach out but please be patient as we will be in touch intermittently.
Again, the last and final day of Spring AfterSchool’s semester is this Friday, June 24. Please make alternative arrangements, if you have not already, for childcare on Monday (full day) and Tuesday (**half day!!!**).
Please keep in mind participation in the AfterSchool Advisory Committee (ASAC) next Fall with its six meeting dates to be determined and published no later than October 2016. This is a viable means through which to engage in decision-making as AfterSchool continues to grow and evolve. In addition to treating programming issues, meeting infrastructural challenges, and incorporating feedback from the larger community; I have a feeling there are many exciting changes in the wind at EVCS and in our larger community! And ASAC is where we can weather them together!!!
Enjoy your precious summer days! See you this Fall.
Love and Llight,
Camille, Adriane and devoted instructors and class assistants
Please Weigh-In on AfterSchool @ EVCS
|
||
|
AfterSchool | The Last Long Letter
First up, uber appreciation to our own 5th graders who held a bake sale earlier this month to raise funds for AfterSchool’s long-standing scholarship initiative. How ‘bout them shiny civic apples? Outstanding!
Big broad thank you’s to Melanie Kletter and Larry Mirsky for leading the charge in launching the AfterSchool Family Survey. Please take a few moments to help us improve AfterSchool: http://goo.gl/forms/wTOdgNqTZJLafWJC3. Also to active AfterSchool Advisory Committee members as well as Bradley, James (Bromberg) and evcs’ resident statistician and survey wizard Naumi Feldman for advising me last October in preparation.
Pixelated hugs for photographers and evcs parents Larry Bercow, Julie Harwood, Bill Bourbeau and Jonathan Lefkowitz for capturing some of AfterSchool’s life and spirit. Please scroll down for some good reading under AfterSchool’s Photo Op – Bios section to learn more details about this particular instance of astounding talent coursing through our community.