The YMCA of San Benito County has teamed up with San Juan School
this school year in an effort to offer after-school activities for
students.
The partnership meets the YMCA’s goal of reaching out to San
Juan Bautista and San Juan School’s goal of keeping students at the
school. Without the extended-care program, students would have to
attend school closer to where their parents work, said Joe Hudson,
principal of San Juan School.
The YMCA of San Benito County has teamed up with San Juan School this school year in an effort to offer after-school activities for students.
The partnership meets the YMCA’s goal of reaching out to San Juan Bautista and San Juan School’s goal of keeping students at the school. Without the extended-care program, students would have to attend school closer to where their parents work, said Joe Hudson, principal of San Juan School.
“Had we not been able to offer this on our site, students would’ve had to transfer to school wherever their parents are employed,” Hudson said. “We brainstormed what we could do to offer this service this school year.”
The YMCA has been looking for a way to open programs in San Juan Bautista, Executive Director Lou Bettencourt said.
“The YMCA of San Benito County is truly a YMCA of the county,” Bettencourt said. “We’re been wanting to get into San Juan Bautista with a quality program. This is a true partnership.”
Last year, the Go Kids Inc. program had 14 families involved. Currently, there are seven kids enrolled – six in kindergarten. Students receive help with their homework, tutoring, receive snacks, play games and sports, and participate in arts and crafts.
Last school year, Go Kids Inc. ran the program, but had trouble getting enough families involved to break even. The program needed 20 students, but it could not find enough of a need to stay open, said Cathy Boettcher, deputy director. Go Kids Inc. instead expanded its program at R.O. Hardin School where demand was soaring.
Cost may have had something to do with that. Go Kids Inc. charged more than $100 a week. The YMCA program costs $52 a week and can be prorated. There are also scholarships available, as there were with Go Kids Inc.
YMCA staff would like to build the program to 20 students and has had positive response from students and parents so far.
“We want to try and build the program up,” said John Barraga, YMCA staff coordinator at the San Juan School site. “A lot of students get lost in the shuffle. So far, the kids have really enjoyed it. They don’t want to go home.”
Kindergartners get out of school around 1 p.m. Other grades are in school until after 3 p.m. YMCA staff meet students at the school’s flagpole and walk them to the site, next door to the school. The extended-care program is open until 5:30 p.m.
“We want kids to be social and interact with other people – to not go home to an empty house, to not go home and sit in front of the TV,” Bettencourt said.
San Juan School fifth-grader Jennivi Zambrano is participating in the extended care program and would be going to a friend’s house after school if the San Juan School program had ended.
“My friend’s mom is a baby sitter. I like coming to this program and doing my homework,” Zambrano said.
Zambrano is one of those students who hates to leave the extended care program at the end of the day, according to her mother Jeanine Perez.
“Usually, she doesn’t like these programs. She’s really finicky,” Perez said. “It’s really valuable because she’s with adults. I know it’s safe. I know they will keep her busy and help her with her homework. I would’ve had to move her to another school.”
Since many parents work outside of San Juan Bautista, offering this kind of program for students is almost necessary.
“For the very young students, there’s no alternative,” Hudson said. “There are a limited number of private, after-school providers in San Juan. If families are working outside of town, this is the only opportunity for them.”
For more information, call Hudson at 623-4538 or Bettencourt at 637-8600.
