Six-year-olds Micah, left, and Dakota play with kinetic sand together at The Pittsburgh Project on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, in Perry South. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource)
There are lots of programs available in the Pittsburgh area. This resource guide explores different aspects of choosing an out-of-school time program.
by Lajja Mistry, PublicSource
There are hundreds of after-school programs to choose from in Allegheny County, and finding the right one can be challenging.
Each program offers different services or caters to different areas of interest. Some may be focused on arts and sciences, while some might offer only sports activities. Others may offer help with schoolwork.
So how do you choose the right program for your child? What is the cost? How can you manage transportation?
This resource guide helps answer some of these questions and can serve as a starting point to choose a quality out-of-school time program for youth in kindergarten through high school.
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What kind of program should you choose?
After-school programs are not only a place to keep a child safe and engaged while parents are at work, but they also serve as a space for children to hone their skills and interests. Studies have shown that quality after-school programs promote youth development, foster social and emotional learning and can improve academic outcomes.
Organizations working with out-of-school time providers suggest parents look for a program that best aligns with their child’s interests and needs.
“It’s really important to ask the program what their community feel [and] their community interactions are like,” said Karen Dreyer, executive director at Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time [APOST].
She said even though after-school programs might not be the best place for additional schoolwork after eight hours of classes, some can help with homework, taking the burden off parents and addressing pandemic-induced learning loss.
Where to begin your search for an after-school program?
Most programs offer recurring services before school, after school or even during school hours. Here are some places you can get started to find an out-of-school time program:
- Pittsburgh Public Schools [PPS]: PPS partners with nearly 190 after-school service providers and can help connect parents and students with a program of their choice. Parents can then directly reach out to a provider for registration and further steps. PPS works with all partner organizations to build strategies for serving students with special needs.
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