CSD and Decatur Rec Reminds ‘Rents of Important Registration Dates

Decatur Metro | January 31, 2012 | 10:18 am

Have kids?  Need to find something to do with them when you’re indisposed?

You may want to take note of these registration dates posted on the CSD website and published in the Winter 2012 Playbook included in your most recent Decatur Focus.

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14 Responses to “CSD and Decatur Rec Reminds ‘Rents of Important Registration Dates”

  1. At Home in Decatur says:
    January 31, 2012 at 10:39 am

    Great that Decatur Rec is getting the news out like this about After-School programs. Busy parents can forget. And these programs are one of the joys of living in Decatur and being in CSD.

    • New Scott says:
      January 31, 2012 at 11:21 am

      We have a son going into Kindergarten in the fall. Does this mean that there’s a lottery we’ll need to enter if we want him to take part in the after school program? I think we do want that but I’m not even totally sure what that is. Would this be something I’d ask on my tour next week? Sorry to be so clueless but this is our first go-around with schools here. PA is completely different.

      • At Home in Decatur says:
        January 31, 2012 at 12:25 pm

        My unofficial answer: YES re entering the lottery–you must actively sign up to enter because your son is new. Current after school students are automatically entered into the lottery if I understand the procedures correctly. (Contact Decatur Rec Youth Programs for the official answer.) It cannot hurt you to sign up other than you might lose a small deposit if you decide not to do Animal Crackers. You can pull out any time and all you lose is whatever your last biweekly payment was.

        Your school tour may or may not cover the topic. CSD and Decatur Rec are two distinct entities although they are starting to partner with one another more and more.

        The four most commonly used after school programs (other than the program at the Community Center which is for Decatur Housing Authority residents only), are Animal Crackers, First Baptist, Color Wheel, and Boys and Girls Club. Animal Crackers is a warm, friendly program with fairly stable staffing. The best feature is that it’s on-site and seamless if the lottery gives you a spot at your own school. (And don’t worry if you don’t get a spot intitially–one often opens up over the summer.) A lot of northside families also like First Baptist–I’ve seen kids go to back and forth between Animal Crackers and First Baptist depending on where their friends were going. Some kids love the van ride! Color Wheel is a wonderful arts-based program but often has a long waiting list (get on it now!), is more expensive, and tends to have more girls than boys. I don’t know much about the Boys and Girls Club. I think there’s music-based after school program in town now too but I don’t know anything about it.

        One of the best things about the organized after care programs is the chance for your child to get physical and social activity after school. My kids have made as many friends over the years in after care as they have in their classrooms.

        • New Scott says:
          January 31, 2012 at 12:59 pm

          Thank you so much for the information! I’ll get on it and get as many details as I can. I was also thinking about the YMCA because it’s not far from our house or the school (Clairemont). I love what you said about Animal Crackers though. I’d also be interested in the Art program and a music program would be great too. I’m not sure about First Baptist because I’d need to investgate whether they’re open to families of all kinds, not just hetero-2 parent ones.

          Looks like there are options, but maybe you have to get a little bit lucky to get in where you want.

          Thanks again very much!

          • At Home in Decatur says:
            January 31, 2012 at 1:09 pm

            Re First Baptist: As far as I know, the after care program is not about religion or social values other than the basics like sharing and saying “thank you!”. I know for a fact that some same sex families have used it and were happy. But always investigate and talk to recent users….things can change.

            The one downside of after care programs: homework. Not all of them are good at making sure the kids do their homework. It varied by site and over time. Often, parents have to remind staff because younger children are wishful thinkers and often answer the question ‘Have you done your homework?” with a hopeful, if inaccurate, yes! And when they get old enough to have “projects”–life gets harder. You cannot espect after school programs to help your children build a clay pueblo or a styrofoam model of a cell or film a Spanish cooking project. (Broadcast here when you get to that point–I probably have an extra or two of any CSD class project in my attic somewhere.)

            • MrFixIt says:
              January 31, 2012 at 1:38 pm

              Don’t you think they should be playing outside after 7 hours of school instead of doing homework? I would think they need a break for a few hours.

              • At Home in Decatur says:
                January 31, 2012 at 3:27 pm

                Oh, Decatur Rec programs definitely have a playtime and snacktime when the kids first get there. They have no problem enforcing those procedures! And personally, I see no reason for homework in most of elementary school–we’ve had that discussion here–it frustrates the kids who don’t know what’s going on and bores those who do. Seven hours of school is enough. But given that I have not yet had the guts to tell my children’s teachers that our family conscientiously objects to homework, I hate trying to nag about it while I’m trying to cook dinner and the kids just want to unwind at home or after dinner when they are really too tired to be starting homework. The years that we’ve had after school staff who made sure the kids got a 1/2 hour of homework completed before 5 PM have been heavenly. My kids do their homework much better for program staff or babysitters or just about any other human on earth than they do for me. The periods of time or days that they’ve come directly home to me have made me hate homework with a passion.

            • New Scott says:
              January 31, 2012 at 1:41 pm

              Thanks again so much. That’s a good point about homework and one I hadn’t really thought of. I guess I sort of assumed that even if he comes home and tells me that his homework is done, I’d be checking on it. I’ve learned already, and he just turned 5, that I absolutely need to trust but verify! :-)

              I do appreciate everything you’ve said here. This blog is fantastic and I’ve “met,” through cyber space anyway, some extremely nice people here. We REALLY love Decatur and just keep getting examples of how moving here was the right decision.

              I’m a little concerned about the projects you mentioned because I don’t know how crafty we are. I just make take you up on your offer and have you poke around your attic. :-)

              • At Home in Decatur says:
                January 31, 2012 at 4:52 pm

                My favorite elementary school teachers (and even middle school teachers) keep the school projects in school. They may ask for kids to brainstorm things for their parents to send in as materials or invite craftsy parents to come in and participate. But they do not leave hapless parents wandering The School Box or Michael’s at the last minute desperately asking other shoppers if they have ever made a Minuteman outfit or paper mache relief map of Georgia. There is some rule that a child’s memory of a project that is due in 3 weeks will not fire off until the day before it is due, 20 minutes before the relevant store closes. The older kids have planners but they often say things like “(erase) (smear) rite (smear) 2 ??? neatly”. And don’t think that other parents will help–they want to make sure that they get the red, white, and blue 4″ stick-on letters before The School Box runs out. Secret tip: The Walgreens at N. Decatur and DeKalb Industrial has as good a selection of supplies like foam board, glitter glue, protractors, and presentation folders as anything else open at 11:30 PM on a Sunday. And you are welcome to anything in my attic–if I helped, it looks like a kid did it!

                • New Scott says:
                  February 1, 2012 at 9:26 am

                  This made me laugh while also being very helpful! :-) Thanks

          • FHR says:
            January 31, 2012 at 11:13 pm

            Just wanted to say that First Baptist is absolutely, positively accepting of any and all familes.

            Plus, Meg Clark, afterschool director, and her staff are fabulous.

      • Nicole Kaplan says:
        January 31, 2012 at 7:21 pm

        New Scott,

        If you are zoned for Clairemont, we are having a PTA coffee chat this Thursday at 8:15 in the school library. Feel free to come and learn some more about the school. I’m sure parents can share their perspectives on aftercare as well.

        • New Scott says:
          February 1, 2012 at 9:25 am

          Thanks very much. We are zoned for Clairemont but I’m not sure I can make it tomorrow morning. I’d LOVE to be there but I’m not sure I can get out of some work meetings. I will try though. Thanks again. And thanks again to everyone!

  2. Heather Borowski in CSD says:
    February 1, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Families,
    Here’s a handy website from Decatur Children and Youth Services about the 2012-2013 After School Program Registration and Lottery: http://www.decaturga.com/index.aspx?page=550
    Warm regards,
    Heather Borowski