(Links Enrichment, Academics, and Recreation to the Needs of Students)
After School Programs
ContactsOffice: Room 103 John Alford-Leaks Directorjohnleaks@berkeley.net Phone: 644-6280, ext. 32130 La Shonda Roquemore Assistantlashondaroquemore@berkeley.net Phone: 644-6280, ext. 32130 Skyler Barton Sports Directorskylerbarton@berkeley.net Phone: 883-6511 Berkeley LEARNS District Office Phone: 883-6146 |
The King Visionaries Afterschool program is run the BUSD.
We shine a light on the genius in
every child.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Components
Academic Support
The academic component supports academic success by creating links to classroom learning by offering homework support, small group or individual tutoring, and mentoring. The program staff is in continual communication with the classroom teachers to stay informed of students’ academic challenges and strengths, which enable the staff to provide appropriate academic activities.
Recreational Activities
We encourage personal growth through competitive and non-competitive sports by building teamwork and a healthy competitive spirit, developing relationships, and having fun. Through our partnership with the City of Berkeley we are able to offer our elementary school students an enhanced athletic program. The middle school programs include recreational sports and interscholastic athletic teams.
Enrichment Opportunities
The enrichment component offers both traditional and non-traditional activities designed to build knowledge and enhance creative expression. These opportunities are offered by program staff and contracted specialist. The range of classes include: Visual and Performing Arts, Music, Life skills, and Science, and many more. Multiple sessions are offered per year. While participating in this component students have the opportunity to sharpen and/or learn skills and discover new ways to express themselves. We have found that when children are offered the chance to excel in enrichment activities, their self-esteem and confidence soars, which leads to academic success.Community Building
Berkeley LEARNS Programs instill a sense of community among the students that fosters pride in their program, school, and community. Some of the related activities include: community circles, leadership programs, TRIBES, community service projects, and conflict resolution programs. In addition, the programs serve as a resource to families and the community. The programs encourage and value all forms of parent/guardian involvement and offer multiple opportunities for parents/guardians to be involved in their children’s education.
Background
Founded in 1999, Berkeley LEARNS supports the Berkeley Unified School District’s (BUSD) mission of "offering alternative learning experience in a racially integrated, multilingual environment.” The foundation of Berkeley LEARNS After School Programs was designed to address the achievement gap and the corresponding “equity gap.” The programs currently serve approximately 30% of the Kindergarten through 8th grade student population in Berkeley.
Funding
Berkeley LEARNS programs are primarily funded by the California Department of Education After School Education and Safety Programs (ASES) grant, 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants, parent fees based on a sliding scale, and various mini-grants.
Collaboration
The Berkeley LEARNS Programs are a partnership among school staff, parents, guardians, students, and community members. By working together, we can create a program that offers all students the opportunity to be successful. If you would like to participate in the Collaborative process to oversee the Program, or if you would like to help out in the Program in any way, please let the Program Coordinator know.
Eligibility and Enrollment
All BUSD students are eligible to participate in a Berkeley LEARNS After School Program. Students can ONLY enroll at the program located at the school they attend. Students and siblings who are currently enrolled in a program receive priority placement for the following year. Additional spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.Staffing
State and additional funding provide for a basic staffing ratio of one staff member for each group of twenty students. Staff will provide for each child’s individual needs to the best of their ability within this ratio.
HOURS
Berkeley LEARNS After School Programs begin when students are released from school and close at 6:00 pm. The program is open when school is open and closed when school is closed, including all holidays.REGISTRATION
To register your child, please complete registration paperwork, including a complete emergency card. Until registration materials are complete, your student is not enrolled in the Program.
The program receives reimbursement for students who attend five days a week for three hours a day. Full-time enrollees will receive priority in registration. Every effort will be made to accommodate parents seeking part-time enrollment. Drop-in students are not allowed. If would like to change your status from full time to part time you must notify the coordinator a month in advance.
If your child/children will no longer be participating in the Berkeley LEARNS Afterschool Program please inform the Program Coordinator within ten (10) school days.
PAYMENT
Fees are based on GROSS monthly income (before taxes) and family size as follows.
|
Category |
First Child Per Month |
Each Additional Child |
One Day a week |
Each Additional Child |
|
Tier 1 |
$100.00 |
$51.00 |
$40.00 |
$20.00 |
|
Tier 2 |
$75.00 |
$38.00 |
$30.00 |
$15.00 |
|
Tier 3 |
$50.00 |
$25.00 |
$20.00 |
$10.00 |
|
Tier 4 |
$25.00 |
$13.00 |
$10.00 |
$5.00 |
|
Tier 5 |
To be negotiated |
To be negotiated |
To be negotiated |
To be negotiated |
If you are paying less than the full cost, you must show verification of income by bringing a copy of a check stub or the previous year’s tax form to your school program coordinator.
Monthly fees are the same amount each month; the yearly amount is averaged over a ten-month period.
First payment will include your first month’s fee and a security deposit equal to one month’s fee. This deposit will be used to cover your child’s last month in the program, as long as you inform the Program Coordinator that your child is leaving the program in advance. Any request for payment refund will require an original payment receipt. Each payment is due on the first of the month, and can be mailed or delivered by hand to the program office. There will be a $5 charge added to all checks returned unpaid by your bank and the program coordinator may ask that you pay by money order or cash from that point on.
POLICIES
Sign In and Sign Out
Absences
If your child is going to be absent from Berkeley LEARNS After School Program on a specific day, please give the staff advanced notice by either talking to the Program Coordinator before hand, or by calling the Program Office and leaving a message. We must be notified before 12:30 PM on the day that your child will be absent. Notifying staff of your child's absences is important for the safety of your child, and the peace of mind of staff. If your child does not attend the program, and we have not been notified in advance of his or her absence, we will assume that your child is lost, or is in danger, and therefore we will contact the necessary officials.
Frequent absences from the program may result in your child no longer being able to participate in the Program.
Discipline
The program staff firmly believes in treating students with respect at all times. Rules for the program will be explained to the students at the beginning of the year. In general, the program rules are the same as the school rules. This helps the children to maintain their knowledge of what is acceptable on the school grounds, and what is not. Methods of discipline are also consistent with those methods used during school hours. In general, we use conflict resolution practices with the students. This allows the students to take an active part in the discipline process by having them identify the problem, alternatives that could have been used, the consequences of their actions, and possible solutions.
The staff also uses "time out" as a disciplinary technique. We will talk to students to help determine what is bothering them, and to explain why the behavior they used was not acceptable. After the student has been given ample time to cool down and evaluate his or her situation, he or she is allowed to return to the group's activities.
The program staff will communicate with all children in a positive manner. The use of foul language, name-calling, any form of physical punishment, or withholding snack from children will not be permitted. We request that parents also observe these rules when on the school grounds with all children, including their own. This will enable us to keep the principals behind our discipline consistent.
At the beginning of the Program
year, your child will be part of a group process to create a code of behavior
the group agrees to follow during the program hours. Additionally, this handbook includes a
Student Agreement, which we ask you to please review with your child, and
initial correspondingly. This is to
ensure that your child has been made aware of Berkeley LEARNS rules and
procedures before she or he enters the program.
Continued enrollment of each student will depend upon his or her abiding
by the conduct described in the agreement.
Snacks
Snacks are provided every day by BUSD Nutrition Services Department. Please see the BUSD Wellness Plan for more details. Every snack is vegetarian-friendly. If your child has allergic reactions to certain foods, we ask that you notify the staff of those allergies by indicating them on the emergency card and completing an allergy form. If your child needs more snack than the program provides, please send additional healthy (no candy or soda) snacks with your child. Every program welcomes donations of healthy snacks.
Sick Children
If your child appears sick, or complains of sickness while participating in the program, the staff will notify the parent/guardian immediately. We ask that at that time that you pick up your child from the program to prevent the risk of contagion. The Program is not equipped to take care of sick children.
The emergency card in the registration packet is very important if your child becomes ill. In case of an emergency, the form tells the staff which hospital your child should be sent to, and which procedures are not suited to your child's condition. Please be sure to notify the staff of any changes in your child's medical needs, as well as any changes that might occur with your contact numbers, and the emergency contact numbers that you have supplied.
Emergency Procedures
The Berkeley LEARNS Programs follow the district emergency procedures and their schools safety plan. Each program has staff members who are CPR and First Aid certified.
Injuries
If your child is injured, the program staff will take whatever steps may be necessary to ensure that your child receives emergency medical care. This can include, but is not limited to, the administering of emergency first aid or CPR, attempting to contact you or your emergency contact people, calling an ambulance or paramedic, calling your family doctor, and/or having the child transported to an emergency hospital.
Abuse Reporting Requirement
If any member of the program staff suspects that your child is being abused in any way at home, section 11166 of the Penal Code requires us to report our suspicions to a child protective agency immediately or as soon as practically possible, and in writing within 36 hours. A child protective agency can be any one of the following: a police or sheriff's department, a county probation department, or a county welfare department. If the staff suspects that your child has been abused during the program hours, we will notify both the child protective agency, and the parents/guardians of all the children that participate in the program. In our written notification, we will mention the suspected incident without giving the names of the children and individuals involved. The definition of abuse is the infliction of physical, mental, or emotional suffering. This definition includes neglect. All suspected abuse will be reported.
BUSD Complaint Procedures
If you have a concern about the program please contact your program coordinator. Another option is to contact the LEARNS Program Supervisor @ 883-6146. If you would like to make a formal complaint you have the option of following the District’s complaint procedures for parents, residents and students. Please see your BUSD Parent Handbook for more information.
Volunteering for Berkeley LEARNS After School Program
Each family enrolled in the program is required to volunteer a minimum of 10 hours per school year. Attending family pot-lucks, evening meetings, tutoring, offering classes, volunteering on the yard, helping to clean-up at the end of a day, etc. are just a few examples of volunteer activities.
The requirements for volunteering in Berkeley LEARNS After School Programs are as follows:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- If you are not volunteering through an organized volunteer program (i.e. Berkeley School Volunteers), you must be related to one of the students.
NOTE: Berkeley LEARNS After School Programs have the right to turn away any volunteers at any time, without the need to explain their reason for the decisions made.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Program Coordinator, either by calling or dropping by the program office.
Donations
If you would like to donate money, materials, or resources to your program, it will be greatly appreciated. If you are donating money, you can identify which portion of the program you would like to see the money benefit. If you choose to donate to the program, please be sure to leave your name, along with the items/amount that you have donated, with the Program Coordinator.
Evaluations
All parents/guardians and students are expected to participate in the evaluation process of the Program. At least twice a year (Fall and Spring) you will be asked to fill out an evaluation form and may be asked to participate in interviews, detailing your level of satisfaction with the program. This evaluation is very important to the program; it allows us to make improvements for the next year according to the needs that you, the parents/guardians, have identified. When you receive the evaluation forms, we would greatly appreciate your taking the time to answer the questions as fully as possible.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read through this information. If you find any of the information contained in this handbook confusing or incomplete, or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Program Coordinator. Together we can make your child/children’s after school experience safe, happy, and enriching.