Most families are familiar with PCSD's Afterschool program options -- but not as many are aware that there is also an option for BEFORE school care.
Before School started with seed funding provided by a PCEF Classroom Grant. The pilot ran in the 2021/22 school year, and is now a part of Afterschool offerings - and available for any families who need it.
McPolin Elementary School is the location each morning, and students are able to arrive as early as 7 o’clock. They participate in enriching activities until classes begin at 8:10 a.m.
For more information, please connect with Michelle Coy at mcoy@pcschools.us. Tuition is $100/month (with a $25 scholarship rate) and the school has room for up to 25 students. Registration for the 2023/23 school year opens April 17, 2023.
“For many years, educators worried about students who were dropped off early, and a number of teachers had to figure out care for their own children at the start of the day," said Todd Klarich, Director of Community Education for Park City School District. "Before School is a great fix for those issues, and also solves the dilemma for some students who have to wait on buses for school doors to open.”
Concern about children outside, unsupervised in the elements, inspired Michelle Coy, Program Coordinator for Community Education, to create the Before School pilot, which is facilitated by a coordinator and an aide at each school. The teams work with school teachers to track each child’s progress.
“We partner with each child’s daytime teachers on specific areas of focus for each child,” said Michelle. “Then, we work to provide cognitive academic support, social-emotional learning, and healthy lifestyle enrichment activities.”
“The Classroom Grant from PCEF was key in getting this pilot off the ground,” Todd added. “The funding from the grant will pay for staff and supplies for students.”
And, because the Before School pilot is able to step into the footprint of PCEF’s incredibly successful Afterschool Program, it provides a way to leverage space, equipment, curriculum, and materials already developed and allocated.
“Creating a safe, enriching space for students before school was a need that kept rising to the surface,” said Abby McNulty, Executive Director of Park City Education Foundation. “The pillars of the program align perfectly with PCEF’s mission to inspire all students to reach their academic and life-long potential, so it was a smooth process for the Classroom Grant Committee to approve funding for the Before School proposal.”
Classroom Grants, PCEF’s longest-running program, brings dozens of innovative teacher ideas to life every single year.
