Parents

The hours after school are a critical time for youth. Quality after-school programs help keep students safe, healthy and inspire them to learn. Quality after-school programs also help working families and save taxpayers money. Here’s how:

Safety: Students who are on their own and unsupervised after-school are more likely to engage in risky behavior such as smoking, using drugs and alcohol and becoming sexually active. Additionally, they are more likely to become victims of crime or accidents (National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center and the Afterschool Alliance).

Health: After-school programs can and do play a role in promoting healthy lifestyles for youth. A study of after-school programs shows that obesity was significantly lower among program participants (21 percent) compared to non-participants (33 percent) (Mahoney J., Lord, H., & Carryl, E., Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005).

Learning: Quality after-school programs improve student grades and test performance, increase school attendance and improve homework completion and quality. Students who participate in after-school programs are also less likely to repeat a grade (U.S. Department of Education, National Dropout Center).

Helping families: Parents miss an average of eight days of work per year due to a lack of after-school care. Decreased worker productivity related to parental concerns about their children in after-school hours costs businesses up to $300 billion per year (Community, Families and Work Program at Brandeis University, 2004, and Catalyst and Brandeis University, 2006).

Saving money: Funding after-school programs is a smart, long-term investment for our communities and state. Every dollar invested in after-school programs saves taxpayers approximately $3 in reduced crime and welfare costs (Rose Institute at Claremont McKenna College).

Quality after-school programming includes an array of safe, structured programs that provide school-age youth with supervised activities designed to encourage learning and development outside of the typical school day.

Common elements of successful out-of-school time programs include:

• Strong management, quality staff
• Low staff-to-student ratio (1:15)
• Attention to students’ safety, health and nutrition
• Strong family involvement
• Enriching learning opportunities
• Links with school curriculum and school teachers
• Evaluation of program effectiveness
• A clear mission
• A supportive emotional climate
• Collaborative partnerships with the community and law enforcement
• All programs that provide regular (not drop-in) care are required to be licensed by the State of South Dakota Department of Social Services. Licensing standards help assure the health and safety of children. To learn more visit the Department of Social Services (link: http://dss.sd.gov/childcare/licensing/)

After-school programs in South Dakota are as unique as the students they serve.

There are many different providers of programs. Public schools, religious organizations, private schools, YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs are among the most prevalent providers in the state.

There are different types of programs including drop-in/intermittent, licensed and accredited. Licensed programs are those that provide regular care to children. Drop-in or intermittent programs are not required to be licensed. National accreditation, which is optional, assures a program has met more rigorous standards and is optional.

Programs serve students before school, after school, during summer vacation and some offer weekend programming.

Programs are held in a variety of buildings including schools, community centers, churches, program-owned buildings and armories.

Most programs offer a variety of activities including arts, career preparation, character education, community service, cultural enrichment, family activities, health and wellness, homework help and tutoring, mentoring, physical activity, reading science and technology.

Some programs offer state and nationally recognized programs and curriculum such as:

Destination Imagination

First Lego League

SD Cooperative Extension Service

SD Discovery Center GEMS Kits

State Historical Society Education Kits

SD Department of Health Curriculum

SD Game Fish and Parks Education Kits

Search the South Dakota Afterschool Partnership Directory* for a list of programs in your area.

Think about the type of program that would best serve your child, including activities offered, program quality, location, days and hours of service and cost.

Make an appointment to visit the programs that interest your family.

Look for the following things on a site visit:

• Are the students busy with activities suited to your child’s interests and needs?
• Is the staff engaged in activities and conversation with the students?
• Does the program seem clean, safe and organized?

Questions to ask on a site visit:

• What training does the staff have to work with school-age children?
• Are staff members trained in CPR?
• How does the program support the student’s education and learning?
• Is there time for students to compete homework?
• Does the program have a relationship with the school(s)?
• What is the staff-to-student ratio?
• What opportunities are there for family involvement?
• How are health and nutrition promoted?
• Is the program licensed or accredited?
• Does the program offer any financial assistance?

To learn more about selecting programs visit the South Dakota Department of Social Services and Child Care Aware.

Programs set their own fees and all programs are different. According to the America After 3 p.m. survey, on average, South Dakota families spend $40 per week for after-school programs.

Contact individual programs for more information on tuition costs and financial assistance that may be available. Also, consider subsidies available through child care assistance. Visit Bridge to Benefits (link) for a confidential screening tool on Public benefits your family may be eligible for.

The South Dakota Afterschool Partnership is interested in learning more about your experiences as a student, parent, teacher, provider, policymaker or advocate on after-school in South Dakota.

Please submit positive stories to be highlighted on this website. If chosen you will be contacted for more information prior to posting your story! To have your program highlighted please email the following information to: afterschool@sdvoicesforchildren.org.

• Your story
• A photo, if possible
• After-school Program Name
• City
• State
• Program contact (name, phone and email address)
• Your contact (name, phone and email address)

You may find the following Web site links/organizations helpful:

Afterschool Alliance An alliance of public, private, and nonprofit groups committed to raising awareness and expanding resources for after-school programs.

Bridge to Benefits Bridge to Benefits is a multi-state project sponsored by South Dakota Voices for Children and the Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota.  It is designed to improve the well-being of families and individuals by linking them to public benefit programs and tax credits.

Child Care Aware Child Care Aware helps families learn more about the elements of high-quality child care and how to locate programs in their communities.

Common Core Standards Initiative Provides a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.

Fight Crime Invest in Kids An anti-crime organization of over 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and violence survivors who look at research about what prevents kids from becoming criminals and puts that information in the hands of policymakers and the general public.

Make It Stick highlights changes in education that are making a difference.

South Dakota Voices for Children the only nonprofit, statewide organization in South Dakota that has as its sole purpose improving the lives of all South Dakota children through program and policy advocacy. South Dakota Voices for Children serves as the lead organization hosting the South Dakota Afterschool Partnership.

Stay informed on Afterschool:

Sign up to receive newsletters and e-mail alerts about state and federal policy issues and the latest publications on research and best practices in the after-school field.

Tell Your Friends: One of the easiest things you can do to support after-school programs is to tell others about why your community needs these programs. Public support and concern can turn after-school into a priority for community leaders and policymakers.

Nearly everyone has a stake in after-school programs:

• Teachers and parents will want to know that after-school programs keep kids safe, improve academic achievement, increase school attendance and support young people’s positive and healthy development.
• Law enforcement and your neighborhood watch will want to know that after-school reduces juvenile crime.
• Your co-workers and employer will want to know that after-school programs can alleviate child care and safety worries of working parents.

Tell Your Leaders: The support of a school board member or superintendent, city council, mayor, governor, legislator or Congressional representative can make the critical difference in the success of after-school in your community. Find contact information for your leaders.

Participate in a Lights On Event! Watch this website for information about Lights On events in South Dakota and visit the Afterschool Alliance to learn more about Lights On Afterschool.

Involve your business: There are many reasons, and many opportunities, for the business community to join the after-school movement. After-school programs support working parents and guardians by providing a safe, enriching environment for youth during work hours. Additionally, after-school programs develop tomorrow’s workforce by teaching them crucial skills. To learn more, please read Business and Afterschool: The Perfect Partnership.

Start an After-school Program: The vision of the South Dakota Afterschool Partnership is that every child of school age will have access to enriching opportunities in a safe and healthy environment during out of school time. You can help the children in your community have access to enriching after-school opportunities by starting a program. The South Dakota Department of Social Services Division of Child Care Services provides technical assistance to start after-school programs.

Invest in our work: Support the work of the South Dakota Afterschool Partnership through a monetary donation.