Poll: Does your child’s school offer an after-school program?
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In our last poll, we asked if you planned to vaccinate your child against the H1N1 virus. More than 1,000 of you responded. Thirty-four percent said ‘yes;’ 46 percent said ‘no.’ And with the flurry of controversy surrounding the vaccinations, it came as no surprise that 18 percent of you are still on the fence.
The New York Times echoed these sentiments, reporting that fewer than 50 percent of New York City parents have granted schools permission to vaccinate their kids. Vaccinations began this week at small elementary schools and will begin on Nov. 4 and 9 at larger schools. The city’s weekend clinics for middle and high school students will also open in early November.
The Times also weighed in on after-school programs in an editorial titled, “Home Alone.” Citing Afterschool Alliance’s recent study, America After 3PM, the editorial points out that after-school participation has increased markedly since 2004, but not fast enough to keep up with the growing number of “latch-key kids”– estimated at nearly one quarter of our nation’s students.
The study also found that more than 18 million parents would enroll their children in after-school programs if they were available.
In this week’s poll, we’d like to know if your child’s school offers an after-school program. Vote now!
How well does it serve your children? How could the program be improved? Let us know in the comments.
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My children’s school does not offer an onsite after school program, and I desperately wish it did. They school tried, but for financial reasons it did not happen. What that has meant for parents is that we have to seek after school care at community agencies such as the Children’s Aid Society, the ACT program and the Police Athletic League. They all offer very good programs, but it would be ideal for the kids to be able to stay within the same building.
Comment by DR — November 1, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
No, my daughter’s school offers nothing and its really a shame as it gets more imporatnt in
middle school where they become more independent and likely to get into mischief. They really should offer interesting structured programs or get the parents to raise money to do so.
Comment by mela london — November 3, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
My child goes to ymca as an after school and she loves it.one becasue its at her school and two because her friends go.
kiara melon- November 3,09@ 7:30
Comment by kiara melon — November 3, 2009 @ 9:43 pm