YMCA To Provide Before- And After-School CARE Program

The school district’s before- and after-school C.A.R.E. program for elementary school students will be run by the Greater Somerset County YMCA starting in the next school year.

The Board of Education approved the contract at its April meeting.

The program provides enrichment programs, homework help and other activities for students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5.

The program will be administered though the Franklin Township YMCA, a “Y without walls” that has partnered with the township’s recreation department in providing programs for several years, according to Y spokeswoman Barbara Russo.

The program locations will stay the same: Conerly Road School, Claremont Elementary School, Elizabeth Avenue School, Franklin Park School, Hillcrest School and MacAfee Road School.

Program times will also be the same, with the morning session starting at 7 a.m. and the evening session ending at 6:30 p.m.

The Y operates 10 after-school sites, seven of which are located in area schools with the remaining three in YMCA branches, according to an informational slide show presented at the board meeting.

All supplies will be provided by the Y, including snacks, activity materials and sports equipment.

Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.

The basic fees for programs at Conerly Road, Hillcrest and Franklin Park schools are:

• Before School Care: $130
• After School Care: $240
• Before and After School Care: $370

The basic fees for programs at Claremont Elementary, Elizabeth Avenue, MacAfee and Pine Grove Manor schools are:

• Before School Care: $180
• After School Care: $190
• Before and After School Care: $370.

Financial aid “is available to anyone who meets the financial guidelines of the program, lives or works in our service area, and has the desire to participate in YMCA programs or services,” according to the slide show.

Estimated out-of-pocket costs for a family of three with a yearly income of less than $30,000 range from $510 to $627; for a family of three with an annual income of $43,000 it’s $1,042 to $1,692 and for a family of four with an income of $60,000 it’s $1,850 to $3,308.

The lower-end range is estimated for families who qualify for subsidies from Community Child Care Solutions plus YMCA Financial Assistance, and the higher-end estimated prices are for families who qualify for subsidies from YMCA Financial Assistance only, according to the slide show.

“We are excited about the potential of this partnership, and we want to thank (schools Superintendent John) Ravally and the Board of Education for their trust in the Y,” David M. Carcieri, President and CEO of Greater Somerset County YMCA, said in the release. “We look forward to serving Franklin Township in the coming school year and beyond.”

“We are pleased that the Franklin Township Branch of Greater Somerset County YMCA will be able to offer before and after care services to our students next year,” Ravally said in the release. “In the coming weeks, the YMCA will be working closely with District staff to insure a seamless transition of the CARE Program. We will also provide the community with information regarding how to take full advantage of all the benefits that the program has to offer.”

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