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After-school

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For your convenience...

• Registration forms
• A+ directory worksheet

Welcome

Welcome to the After-School Plus (A+) Program. A+ is the outcome of a joint effort of former Governor John Waihee's Subcabinet on Early Childhood Education and Child Care (chaired by Governor Ben Cayetano who was Lieutenant Governor at that time), the Board of Education and the State Department of Education in 1989.

The A+ Program brings affordable after-school child care services to children in public elementary schools whose parents work, attend school or are in job training programs, so that the high incidence of latchkey children is reduced.

The program provides a safe, secure and nurturing environment for children after school and offers a rich variety of activities for the children.

We, the A+ staff, appreciate your support as we provide a program that fits interests and needs of children in a happy and stimulating environment. We hope you will feel free to communicate with us at any time regarding your children's adjustment and progress in the A+ Program.

About the Program

The program will start immediately after the close of the school day. Children should report to the base site for the A+ Program at their school. The first 45 minutes or so will generally let the children wind down after school. Children will check in, receive directions from A+ staff, be given time for snack, be supervised on the playground or in informal socializing groups, or they may begin homework.

The free play/snack time will be followed by enrichment, physical development/coordination activities and time to complete homework. Enrichment will include activities from such areas as arts, crafts, drama, music, and dance. Physical development/coordination activities will consist of physical fitness activities, sports and games.

Character development themes will be introduced to children in large group settings usually on Wednesdays when more time is available because of early school dismissal. This time may include presentations on crime protection, drug abuse, pedestrian safety, etc., as community resources are available.

The A+ Program will not be an extension of the regular school day. While some structure is necessary for order and control, activities will be offered in a comparatively informal setting where children are given the opportunity to choose from a variety of activities.

Children will be encouraged to use after-school time to complete homework assignments. Where difficulties are encountered, A+ staff will be available to help. Peer assistance will also be encouraged.

While the program is operated by the Department of Education (DOE) and not required to be licensed, State licensing standards were used as a guide in designing the program. The use of DOE facilities means that building and safety standards are met. Staff will be hired at each site so that the 20 to 1 children to staff ratio required for licensing is not exceeded. New employees will be subject to local criminal history checks, and will receive both pre-service and in-service training. The A+ Program will provide more than custodial care. It will offer an array of stimulating, enriching and enjoyable activities designed to engage children's interests and keep them active both mentally and physically.

Theoretically, the children to staff ratio may reach 20 to 1. In actual practice, however, it is expected that ratios will average considerably below this. Part-time enrollment -- where children enroll in the program for fewer than five days a week -- will contribute to lowering the ratio.

Program Goals

• To provide after-school supervision for children in a stimulating and caring environment.
• To reduce the number of latchkey children.
• To enhance the relationship between home and school in collaboratively meeting the needs of children.
• To improve the physical fitness of children.
• To better utilize school facilities.

Eligibility & Selection

All latchkey children enrolled in public elementary schools (K-6) are eligible to participate in the program if they are living with both parents who are employed, a single parent who is employed, parents working in the A+ Program, and parents attending colleges, universities, or other types of schools or engaged in job training programs during the hours of A+ operations.

In schools where enrollment is restricted because of staff shortages, students may enroll in A+ Programs at other schools if:

• Space is available at other schools;
• The Principal of the receiving school and the Site Coordinator approve; and
• Parents assume responsibility and make arrangements for their child's transportation to the alternative A+ site.
  

In restricting enrollment, no child will be discriminated against on the basis of religion, sex, or ancestry.

Reasonable Modifications

The program shall be made available to all eligible children. For those disabled students who are identified by the parent or are known to the A+ program staff to have special needs, reasonable accommodations as are necessary may be made to afford the student an opportunity to participate. The A+ program is not part of the student's individualized education program (IEP). To request reasonable accommodations:

1. The parent makes the request to the Site Coordinator;
2. The standard request form is completed to obtain information about the child and his/her needs;
3. The Site Coordinator and the Principal discuss the request and make their recommendations to the District A+ office and the District Educational Specialist for Special Education;
4. The District Office will determine/approve if a special needs aide or other accommodation is required and will so inform the A+ Site Coordinator and/or Principal;
5. The A+ Site Coordinator will follow appropriate procedures to secure the aide/modification; and
6. The District's determination as to the disposition of each case shall be final.

Registration

When registering a child for the A+ Program, parents or guardians will be asked to pay by check the first month's program fees and complete:

• An A+ Program Registration Form giving background information on the child, describing departure arrangements and naming persons authorized to pick up the child;
• An Emergency Card;
• A Registration Agreement delineating program policies and expectations of parents and children, to be signed by parents or guardians before a child can be admitted into the A+ Program; and
• An Authorization for Release of An Unaccompanied Child if, after consultation with the Site Coordinator, the child is to be allowed to leave the program on his or her own.
• Note: Some A+ sites managed by private providers may require additional forms. (re: LN/dmacdonald, 050816)
  
• New procedure for DHS families to qualify for free A+ tuition:
  
  
  
  Starting October 1, 2011, families who are receiving food stamps or financial assistance qualify for free A+ tuition and must submit the following:

  • The After-School Plus (A+) Program Registration Form
  • DHS Form 1243-A-Plus Child Care Referral Form and Termination Notice obtained by your case or eligibility worker.
  
  

Hours & Days of Operation

A+ services will be provided on regular school days, beginning after school until 5:30 p.m. The program will not operate when school is closed, including school vacation periods, holidays, and Teacher Institute Day. A+ Programs will also be closed on days when school is open only half a day.

If many parents express a desire for services to be provided until 6:00 p.m., the Site Coordinator may extend program hours if staff schedules and resources can be arranged.

Snacks

Parents are responsible for providing snacks for their children. The nutritional value and perishability of foods should be considered when selecting snacks. Parents may also check with the A+ Site Coordinator for possible snack options that may be available.

Program Fees

Fees

New monthly fee effective July 1, 2011 is $85.00.

Fees are averaged for the school year over nine months, and will be paid on or postmarked before the first school day of each month.

The monthly fee will be charged, no matter how many days a child participates in the program. There will be no refunds for unused days. If enrolled, that child's slot is reserved and the program is staffed accordingly.

Payments

Monthly fees are due and payable at the school (or postmarked if mailed) on or before the first school day of each month. Checks should be made payable to the school, e.g., A+ Program - Kaala Elementary School.

Cash will be accepted. However, checks are preferred. Payments should be mailed to the attention of the A+ Program at the school address or brought in by a parent to the Site Coordinator. Payments should not be sent to school with children. There will be a $25.00 service charge for all returned checks. Cash payments should not be mailed. (re: ksakuda080612)

Original receipts of payment will be issued and sent home with children to their parents. There will be no provisions for refunds once payments are made.

Late Payments

A $1.00 late charge shall be imposed for each school day a payment is overdue.

Termination

If a child's parents/guardians have not paid the monthly tuition within the first five (5) A+ Program days of the month, the child shall be terminated on the sixth A+ Program day. Failure to pay any outstanding fees (e.g., late payment fees, late pickup fees, etc.) by the end of the month shall result in termination from the program. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the A+ District Coordinator. The child may re-enroll the next month if the parent/guardian pays the new month's tuition, all outstanding fees, and a penalty fee of $15 for reinstatement. If there is more than one child enrolled in the A+ program, the family is penalized for a flat reinstatement fee of $15.

Transportation

Transportation to the A+ Program will not be provided as children are enrolled at their own schools. Schools will not provide transportation home from the A+ Program. Transportation arrangements are the parents' responsibility. Parents must notify the A+ Program in advance of how children are to get home.

No modifications resulting in additional cost will be made in school bus schedules to accommodate children participating in the A+ Program.

For children with permission to attend A+ Programs at schools other than their regular schools, parents must make transportation arrangements and assume responsibility for getting their children there. Parents must notify the Site Coordinator of the arrangements made for the child to get to the A+ Program.

Pickup Procedures

Children shall be picked up only by parents or guardians or other persons authorized on registration forms. Parents must give advance permission for any other type of arrangement:

• If the child is to be picked up by someone else that day.
• If the child is to walk, bike, skateboard, take the bus, etc., home, including the time A+ staff is authorized to dismiss the child.
  

If parents want A+ staff to release a child to leave the school on his or her own, parents must sign an "Authorization for Release of an Unaccompanied Child" form, releasing the A+ Program and staff of all responsibility once the child leaves the school.

In completing the form, parents should select release times carefully. During the winter months when it gets dark early, the sun may set before 6:00 p.m. Traffic may be heavier because of workers going home. When a child is released on his or her own, there will be fewer children on the streets than at the close of the regular school day. Upon completion of the form, parents should consult with the Site Coordinator

ID Cards

All persons authorized for child pickup on A+ Registration Forms will provide a picture Hawaii State driver's license or State ID before children are released.

If a parent or guardian needs to have their child picked up by someone who has not yet been authorized for pickup, the parent or guardian must:

• Call the A+ site and provide his or her name and Hawaii State driver's licenses or State ID number so that his or her identity can be verified and
  
  
• Provide the name and Hawaii State driver's license or State ID number of the alternate designated to pick up the child.

Before releasing a child to a designated alternate, A+ staff will require a picture Hawaii State driver's license or State ID to be shown to match up the name and appropriate number with those provided by the parent or guardian.

If a person not previously authorized or phoned in by the parent or guardian comes to pick up a child, A+ staff will not release the child until the parent, guardian or other authorized person has been contacted to confirm the identity of the pickup person and approve the child's release. It is the parent's or guardian's responsibility to notify the Site Coordinator of any injunctions barring any person, formerly authorized, to pick up the child from the A+ Program.

Sign-Out

When a child leaves, he or she must check out with an adult on staff, and the parent or person designated by the parent should sign out the child on a sign-out sheet, noting the time of departure. This procedure is essential for security purposes so that staff will have a check of which children have left.

Late Pickups

If for any reason the child cannot be picked up by the time the program closes, parents or guardians should contact one of the designees previously authorized by them for pickup of their child.

If the child is not picked up within 15 minutes after closing, the Site Coordinator will try to contact the child's parents first and then other persons authorized to pick up the child. Children will only be released to authorized persons.

A $5.00 late pick up fee per child shall be imposed for every 15 minutes beyond the closing time that a child is picked up late (i.e., 1-15 min. late, $5.00; 16-30 min. $10.00, etc.) Chronic late pickups may be grounds for a child's termination from the program.

Absences

If a child is to be absent from the A+ Program, parents must call the A+ Program number to notify A+ staff of the absence prior to the end of the regular school day.

If the child is absent on a day he or she is scheduled to be in the program and the school has received no prior notification, staff will follow up with a call to the parents or guardians or other person designated as a contact in case of emergencies, to verify the child's absence.

If, after a period of time, the parents or guardians are uncooperative with this notification procedure, or the child is habitually truant, it may be grounds for termination of the child from the program.

Illnesses

Sick or moderately sick children should be kept at home where they have the opportunity to rest and are less likely to infect other children. Children kept at home during the regular school day should not be sent to the A+ Program.

If a child becomes ill during the A+ Program, the Site Coordinator (or designee) will contact a parent or other responsible person named on the child's registration form to pick up the child. Staff will have the child rest quietly until he or she can be picked up. Children with communicable diseases excluded from school as required by the Department of Health, also will be excluded from the A+ Program. Once readmitted to school, they may return to the A+ Program.

A+ staff will not take responsibility for storing, holding, dispensing, or administering medication to children.

Emergency Care/First Aid

A+ staff will include at least one person at each site appropriately trained and certified in first aid.

Parents, guardians or other persons authorized by parents or guardians in emergencies will be contacted in cases of serious injury.

The program cannot transport children to out of area physicians, so if staff is unable to locate the parents or an "emergency" contact, staff will secure appropriate treatment at the nearest medical facility.

If the injury or illness requires an ambulance, the child will be transported to a designated site or physician. In all cases of injury or illness, attempts will be made to contact parents immediately and involve them in the decision regarding treatment. An adult staff member will accompany the child to the source of emergency care, if appropriate. The adult will stay with the child until the parent or parent's designee assumes responsibility for the child's care.

The A+ Program does not have medical insurance for your child. Parents or guardians are financially responsible for any medical care or special transportation incurred on the child's behalf.

Emergency Procedures For Closing The A+ Program

The A+ Program will follow the regular school procedures for closing school in case of emergencies such as flooded roads, heavy rains, earthquakes, breakdowns in utility services, etc. If school was closed earlier in the day before the start of the A+ Program, the A+ Program will also be closed.

In the event of a site evacuation, children will be taken to a local emergency center. The location will be posted at the A+ site. Efforts will be made to contact parents should evacuation be necessary. A+ staff will remain with the children until they are picked up by parents or other authorized persons.

Discipline

The A+ Program will stress positive discipline. In the event disciplinary actions do not result in the desired behavior, the child may be referred to the Site Coordinator. Parent conferences may be arranged where there are repeated offenses.

If staff is unable to discipline or control a child and all efforts to interest the child have failed, it will be assumed that the child would do better elsewhere and may constitute grounds for termination from the program. For the success of the program, children must be cooperative, not disruptive or abusive to themselves or to others.

If necessary for the health and safety of the child or other participants in the program, a search of a child may be required. Unreasonable force
shall not be used and the search shall be conducted by a member of the same sex.

The parents or guardians of children who are guilty of vandalism or the damaging of school property shall make restitution to the school.

Termination from Program

Students may be terminated from the program for 1) failure to pay the monthly nonrefundable fee (see page 5) or any outstanding fees (e.g., late payment fees, late pickup fees, bad check fees, etc.) by the end of the month; 2) chronic late pickup; or 3) conduct which disrupts the program's activities or jeopardizes the safety and welfare of the program's staff or participants; or 4) or the child is habitually truant.

1. Prior to termination from the program the Site Coordinator at each school site shall meet with the student and the parents of the student to apprise them of the problems and to afford them a reasonable time to take corrective action. In an emergency situation where for health and safety reasons a child is immediately terminated from the program, a follow-up meeting with parents or guardians shall be offered.
2. Prior to the suspension or termination of a student with disabilities from the program because of misconduct, the Site Coordinator shall meet with the student and parent(s) to consider whether the misconduct may be related to the student's disability and, if found to be related, to make such reasonable accommodations as are necessary and to afford the student equal opportunity for participation.
3. After such reasonable accommodations are provided, and if the misconduct of the student with disabilities persists and the student is unable to function in the program, the student may be suspended or terminated from the A+ Program regardless of the student's disability.
4. A student with disabilities can be immediately suspended from the A+ Program if the student's conduct presents a clear threat to the physical safety of self or others, or if the student is so disruptive as to make the immediate removal from the program necessary to preserve the rights of other participants. Prior to readmittance from such a suspension, the Site Coordinator shall meet with parent(s) to determine whether any reasonable accommodations can be provided for continued participation.

Security

Procedures for reporting absences, staff follow-up on unreported absences, and daily sign-in and sign-out requirements are all designed to maintain security for the children.,

Children will be accompanied by staff whenever movement from one area of the campus to another is necessary.

The staff is instructed to be aware of strangers and request that they leave if they have no legitimate reason for being there. Monthly fire alarm drills will be conducted to ensure proper training of children and staff in fire evacuation procedures.

Communication/Consultation With Parents

Notices

A monthly activity schedule for the program will be prepared, posted and modified as plans change, so that parents and children may know ahead of time what their children will be doing each day.

Other notices will be prepared as necessary and sent home with children to their parents.

Conferences

Parent conferences are not required but will be arranged at the request of parents, Group Leaders, or the Site Coordinator.

Parent Participation

Parent involvement is an important component in developing an A+ Program that satisfies parental expectations and fulfills the interests and needs of children. Parents need to get involved and communicate with A+ staff to make their desires known. Parents are encouraged to visit and participate in the program whenever possible, and volunteer if they have special talents or skills they would be willing to share with the children. Contributions of time by people outside the program will provide variety for the children and help enrich the program. Any interested volunteers should notify the Site Coordinator and schedule a time to work with students.

Program Evaluation

Parent evaluation of the A+ Program is an important factor in planning for improvement in subsequent years. Parents will be surveyed toward the end of the school year to solicit feedback.

Tax Credit Number For Child and Dependent Care Expenses

The DOE federal identification number is 99-0266482.

After-School Plus Program
Parent Handbook
Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Support
Department of Education
State of Hawaii
From the DOE brochure RS 09-1510, February 2011

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