A well-supervised and licensed After Care Program is available on site from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM on most days that school is in full-day session.

Please note: There is no care on days with early dismissal.

After Care Participants must be registered students at Little Flower School in Pre-Kindergarten -Grade 8. The rate for 2018-2019 will be $15 per day billed monthly. We do not offer drop-in care; all attendees must be pre-registered. Days do fill quickly so we encourage prompt registration as soon as possible.

There is a registration fee of $35 per child and parents must choose the day(s) of the week they wish to reserve at the time of enrollment. We have a capacity limit per day and generally cannot accommodate temporary switches.

SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019

The After Care Program at Little Flower School is available to meet the regular childcare needs of our families for a safe, supervised place for students to study and play. It is available to LFS students in Grades PK-8 from 2:50-6:00pm on full days of school.

The program is licensed by the Montgomery County Office of Child Care and staffed by LFS teachers and employees. All staff have met the medical, safety, and background check requirements for both the Archdiocese of Washington and the Office of Child Care. We have strict ratios of student to staff based on the ages of the children enrolled.

The 2018-2019 After Care Program will begin on September 4, 2018.

Please note the following details about Little Flower’s After Care program:

REGISTRATION: We have an enrollment capacity of 20 PK-Grade 2 students and 15 Grade 3-8 students per day. Families are asked to choose the days they need care at registration. Subsequent changes can only be made if availability exists. Priority is given to families requiring care all 5 days each week. Remaining registrations are accepted based on the number of days needed.

All attendees MUST be registered in advance. DROP INS ARE NOT AVAILABLE except in emergency situations. It might be possible to register a student for a short time but parents are urged to contact the School Office as far in advance to see if openings are available.

Completed registration forms and a registration fee of $35 per child are due with the completed forms.

DAYS OF OPERATION: The After Care Program follows the same calendar as the school with the following exceptions:

• Any early dismissal day (generally these are faculty meetings that staff must attend)
• Dec. 20 - the day before Christmas Break

Should an will be communicated as soon as possible so families will have time to make arrangements. After Care will end on the last full day of the school year.

The school reserves the right to close the Program should a special need arise. These will be announced well in advance.

IMPORTANT There is no After Care on days with 12:15 PM or 1:00 PM dismissal.

Please look ahead to the half days on the yearly calendar so you can plan accordingly.

INCLEMENT WEATHER: In the event Montgomery County public schools close early or cancel after-school activities for inclement weather, there will be no After Care. (Please note that Montgomery County distinguishes between activities and their after school care which are separately insured by outside vendors. We do not have an outside vendor so we follow Montgomery County activities.) On a closure day we ask that you pick up your children promptly as our staff do need to get safely home as well.

AVAILABILITY: Because of licensing, attendance at After Care each day is limited to pre-registered students. We cannot accept drop-ins. However families registered with the program may have some flexibility in changing days if space is available. That is not always possible. We ask that you please not assume we have room on a given day as many of the days fill to our licensed capacity. Please contact the School Office in advance to request that your child/ren attend After Care on a day they are not scheduled.

ATTENDANCE: When you reserve a day of the week, we will hold that spot for the year unless you notify us in writing otherwise. Charges will be incurred according to the predetermined number of days your child is committed to attend.

We are required to account for all children who are registered with us each day. The After Care staff is notified automatically if a child is absent from school. If your child will not be attending After Care on the day(s) for which he/she is registered, you must send a written note, fax or email the School Office prior to 12 noon. The Office will notify the classroom teacher and the After Care staff of the change. Please do not call with this information. We are required to have written documentation of these absences kept on file so your cooperation with this policy is appreciated.

DAILY SCHEDULE: All children attending After-Care will be dismissed with “Car Riders” and gather in the quadrangle area where they will be met by the After Care Supervisor and student patrols. Our After Care program meets in the school’s Math Room and 4^th Grade classroom. Our schedule for the After Care includes a time for active play, a snack time, and quiet time for homework and/or reading. Play time may be held in on the field, the Quad, the back playground or in the gym depending on weather and other programming in the school. The following is an approximate schedule of activities:

HOMEWORK POLICY: Please remember that your child has been in the classroom most of the day. Play time during After Care is a much needed activity. However during group indoor time, students do work on homework assignments. Please note that After Care staff may not provide assistance at the expense of care to other children.

BILLING & FEES: The After Care fee for 2018-2019 is $15 per day, per child. Bills are prepared at the start of each month and sent home in backpack mail. Fees not paid by the end of that month will be assessed a $15 late fee. If you wish to withdraw your child/ren from the program, please notify the Director in writing or you will be billed accordingly for the next month.

Monthly pricing is based on the school calendar and fees are calculated based on enrollment, not attendance. No refunds will be made for absences due to illness or travel. For example, if your child is reserved for Wednesdays and Fridays, you will be billed for all Wednesdays and Fridays during that month whether your child attends or not. Billing is done on a monthly basis and prompt payment is expected. The School reserves the right to release a student from After Care program if payment obligations are not met in a timely fashion.

SNACKS: A light afternoon snack is provided. Children may bring their own snack from home if they prefer. Water fountains are available in the school building.

CONTACT: All messages for After Care should be sent to the School Office, not the classroom teachers or After Care staff, prior to dismissal. The Office generates the daily roster for After Care and should be aware of any changes. The After Care cell phone number is to be used between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm should you need to contact the After Care staff for any reason. That number is 301-219-7897. Please do not email the staff – all communication between 3:00-6:00pm MUST come through the After Care cell phone.

PICKUP: Pick up is from the Math Room and you must come in and sign your child(ren) out. When arriving to pick up your child/ren, please pull up directly into the Quadrangle area of the school and use the far right doors to enter. Staff will leave a sign on the door if they have moved elsewhere in the building (ie. the Gym or field) If the students are anywhere other than the classrooms used for After Care

All children must be picked up no later than 6:00 pm. A late fee of $10.00 per child will be assessed if you arrive between 6:05 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. and $20.00 if you arrive between 6:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Any late fees will be listed on the next month’s bill. Excessive late pickups may result in canceled enrollment.

AUTHORIZATION TO PICK UP A student will not be released to anyone who is not authorized in writing. Please list all adults who have permission to pick up your child. This may include family members, other school parents, coaches, etc. Requests to add or delete someone from your list may be made – in writing – at any time during the year by sending a not to the School Office or by updating your child’s form directly with After Care staff.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: It is most important to notify the staff if your child will be attending another after school activity during the time they are scheduled to be in After Care. This especially includes any lessons, tutoring, CYO activities etc. as they are not scheduled through the school. All students must check in with After Care at 2:50 PM and then proceed to their activity from there. After Care will be expecting them to return unless you notify them otherwise. If your child returns to After Care from the activity, please notify an adult in charge of the activity to bring your child brought to the After Care Room. After Care staff is not able to leave the other children to pick up from activities in other parts of the building.

BEHAVIOR: We expect appropriate behavior from the children after school. This includes respect and cooperation at all times. We follow the same code of conduct and discipline as found in the School Handbook. We want this time to be relaxing and enjoyable for all. You will be contacted if your child’s behavior is inappropriate. The school reserves the right to cancel the enrollment for any child who does not abide by the rules or may cause harm to others in the programs.

EMERGENCY FORM: An emergency form must be on file with the Director of the program. This form must be filled out completely at the time of registration. Please share any necessary information such as allergies or medical conditions which would be required to insure a safe environment for your child.