As property taxes continue to rise in communities around the state, homeowners are asking what they are getting in return for their dollars. Any program that combines the resources of government agencies to provide services for the community will enhance each agency's public image. An after-school program for children of working parents is a natural.

Throughout the nation, there is a growing need for child care for school-age children. The increasing number of two-paycheck, dual-career, and single-parent households means that the six hours of elementary school covers only a portion of the time many parents are away from their children. Working parents need help with child care before and after school, and during school holidays and vacations.

Many park districts in Illinois are trying to meet this need by providing programs either as a cooperative venture with school districts, town governments, or by themselves.

During the school year 1989-1990, the Dundee Township Park District ran a small pilot project, an after-school program. The maximum number of children throughout the year was 15. The program was housed in the new Recreation and Fitness Center in the Rainbow Castle portion of the facility. By the spring of 1990, the child care center was operating near capacity, and it was realized that this service would have to be moved to another location.

A proposal was presented to School District #300 to use selected elementary sites. The after-school program, A Circle of Friends, would be a cooperative venture between the Park District and the School District. The Park District would provide the program and staff; the School District the buildings and custodial services.

School District administrators took the proposal to their Board and received approval. Principals were informed of the program and asked to call the Park District if they were interested. Of the ten elementary schools in the District, the Park District was asked to visit seven schools.

Each school site presented a different set of variables, from dismissal times to room availability. Likewise, the Park District presented the following program needs:

1. Two different base locations within the school, i.e., gym/classroom space.

2. Convenient storage space, preferably a large cabinet to keep all materials and supplies for the program.

3. A telephone in the base room. The Park District would run an existing school line into the room and provide a plug-in phone.

4. Accessibility for pickup by parents at the end of the day, i.e., a classroom at the end of the building or one with a door to the outside.

5. Use of media center or a TV. and V.C.R.

8 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * May/June 1994

once a week.

6. Alternative arrangements if areas such as the gym were in use for school events.

After these needs were worked out for each site, the elementary school was included in the fall brochure of Park District offerings. Three schools had enough enrollment to begin a program by the start of school. Within two weeks, a fourth school was opened. In January, the fifth site was started.

At some schools there were not enough children to warrant running the program. These children were picked up at their schools and transported to a base site. A contract was made with the Dundee Township Park District Senior Center for use of the van and drivers for one and one half hours daily.

A key element in the success of this program was the establishment of a payment system. Payments were made weekly and not taken by the site staff. A person was hired for the collection of payments and implementation of a monthly billing schedule, which was placed on our computer system. Parents could mail in their payment or drop it off at the Recreation Center desk.

The school-age program has continued to grow each year. The Park District runs after-school care in six elementary schools and accommodates children from a seventh school with the Senior Center van. Request for service in private schools for next year has come into the Park District.

Most of the changes in the Circle of Friends have come about in the program itself. At all of our sites we are dealing with a range of children from kindergarten to fifth grade. The staff has learned that children must be treated according to their developmental and individual needs. There are times when children are age-grouped for certain activities, such as special art projects or games; at other times they can mix freely.

One of the most difficult areas in school-age care is working with older children; in our program, those in third through fifth grade. These children would rather be home on their own, but parents and staff know it is safer for them to be in the program.

To challenge the older children with activities that meet their interests and developmental levels, an activity instructor was added to the program. This staff person spends an hour a week at each site playing organized games with these children, i.e., basketball, floor hockey, whiffle ball. The Park District also arranges to take each site to our indoor pool on a regular basis. Recently a trip to some of the local McDonald's restaurants was organized. We have added Kids Clubs at some locations where children spend an hour a week in an activity or interest of their choice with a smaller social group. Children can participate in their club for four weeks and then sign up for a new one.

In order to meet the needs of working parents, the after-school staff arrives prior to all early release times at each site. On school holidays and vacations, the Park District offers a full-day program, based at the Recreation Center called The Schools-Out Club. A variety of trips and outside activities is planned to make sure everyone has a good time.

A number of park districts in Illinois are providing before and after school programs with school districts in their area. The combination of the two tax supported public agencies, combining their resources to provide a needed community service, is the way to show taxpayers they are getting something of value for their tax dollars!

Maureen Metcalf is the Child Care Supervisor at the Dundee Township Park District. She is Chair of the School Age Child Care Committee and a member of the IPRA Recreation Programming Section. *

Illinois Parks & Recreation * May/June 1994 * 9