Before/after school care is making a ‘splash’ in the community with St. Paul’s UCC, 1312 Old Swede Road, Douglassville.
SPLASH is a program that offers after school care to students in the third through eighth grades of the Daniel Boone School District. Beginning in the fall, the after school program will expand.
This is the fourth year of the program, but is the first year SPLASH will offer before school care, as well.
Director of Christian Education, Marlene Dadey, said each day at SPLASH is different. ‘We have movie days, and board game days,’ Dadey mentioned of some of the activities the children can participate.
When children arrive, they get a snack and time to work on their homework.
The program provides the kids with numerous options.
The children can socialize with friends, work on the computer, get help with school work, play in the half size gym and game room, have group discussions, or complete arts and crafts.
‘It’s amazing for an eighth grader to want to come back,’ said Dadey. ‘The kids have friends here, it’s comradery.’
St. Paul’s works with the school district’s schedule and will provide special hours of after school care on early dismissal days.
‘SPLASH is some place safe for children to go after school, and have fun,’ said the Christian education director, ‘It’s a link between school and home.’
There are two adult volunteers present at the before/after school care program. Dadey said the program is hoping to expand enough to require a part-time position.
‘The volunteers are members with the church…a lot of them are retired teachers,’ Dadey stated. The volunteers go through a criminal background check before being allowed to work with SPLASH.
The program must also follow state guidelines for day cares.
Bus transportation is provided to students who will attend the before/after school program. Parents are required to pick up their child from St. Paul’s in the evening.
The before/after school program is open from 6:30 – 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 – 6 p.m.
