PUTNEY — Amelia Struthers wants people to know that “learning happens everywhere, and it happens all the time.”
“I'm concerned that people will see us on the playground and say, 'They're just playing,'” says Struthers, site coordinator for Putney's longstanding OASIS (Open After School In School) program.
Working parents often need safe after-school programs, and research also affirms such programs' positive educational impact.
Struthers notes, “the hours of 3 to 6 p.m. are studied as the most vulnerable hours for children between 8 and 15. That's when we're in operation.”
Program models vary widely around Windham County, engaging recreation departments, the YMCA, local family services, and schools, using funding by federal grants administered at the state level.
In every case, a different group of stakeholders and resources seems to develop a somewhat different model, with the common theme being the school.
One significant resource for many existing programs is the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, supporting after-school programs throughout the United States - an investment totaling more than $1 billion.
Struthers explains that former Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords “created federal funding for 21st Century grants as part of the Education Committee, stating that 'We need to see the lights on at school.'”
At the Vermont Dept. of Education, Emanuel Betz, the program's director, says the focus “extends broadly to anytime outside of the school day.”
Betz, who sees himself as “a resource and supporter of that period of time,” says that the funds support programs for students in kindergarten through grade 12 and for their parents.
“It's an investment in kids at a local level,” he says.
Funding is for “needy communities, who have at least 40 percent or higher free and reduced lunch.”
The program pays for 48 percent; the districts pay the balance. Across the state, districts have raised $10.6 million for the programs.
“Folks have done a great job paying real dollars,” Betz says. “Some communities contribute taxes directly.”
'Peace of mind'
Jason Touchette, a local father, says that OASIS “gives me peace of mind. I totally rely on the program for my job and for Logan to have a safe place to be. She wants to be there.”
Dena Gartenstein-Moses adds, “I could talk at length about how amazing the Putney after-school program is.”
Originally funded and staffed through Putney Family Services and offered to families at a sliding scale of enrollment fees, the program is now completing its third cycle of 21st Century grants.
According to Struthers, the program funds specific “extended learning programs” offered by a variety of local teachers with specific areas of expertise.
OASIS has moved to “a twofold approach - a five-day program for working families from 3:30 to 6 p.m.,” and additional six-week classes in hip-hop dance, cooking, mountain biking, Destination Imagination (which described itself as “an international organization that promotes creative problem solving through group support and cooperation”), a “pillows for Haiti” fundraiser, and other offerings.
These programs are targeted to three groups of kids: from grades K-3, 3-5, and 6-8.
Betz points out that the grants “leverage all those people who have good knowledge and are good with kids. Philosophically, that's part of its success.”
For her part, Struthers believes in “introducing students to the community by working with local artists and organizations,” and has collaborated with Sandglass Theatre, the Putney Food Co-op, and a number of area artists. She hopes to add many more organizations in the coming year.
The 21st Century grant pays for these classes, and Putney Family Services collaborates with Putney Central on the grant proposal writing.
Principal Herve Pelletier is “very dedicated to our program,” Struthers says, but as the district is too small to match the whole grant, OASIS partners with Brattleboro Area Middle School and Brattleboro Enrichment Activities for Middle Schoolers (BEAMS), a nonprofit that serves as the program's fiscal agent.
The grant “includes a lot of reporting on attendance and test scores,” Struthers says. “We have to be accountable for assessing our program.”
OASIS uses the Youth Quality Assessment Program, which Struthers describes as “a rigorous tool where you have observations by parents, teachers and administrators; then you go back and choose an area to work on. This tool is based on safety - not just environmental, but social/emotional.”
Struthers adds that the 21st Century grant recipients are “a tight-knit crew, and we are expected to attend workshops - there is a lot of reporting required.”
BEAMS, under the leadership of program director Betsey Stacey, offers a wide array of programs free to Brattleboro Area Middle School parents, including a daily after-school program and courses through the summer.
BEAMS's community partners include Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Youth Services, Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC), and Experiential Tools.
“Society doesn't do a lot for [middle school kids] and kind of looks at them as the savages of our people,” Betz says.
She contradicts this assertion with a story about a visit to a BEAMS robotics program last year.
“They were focused!” she says. “When you see these kids during the day, you'd never imagine they could focus this well. I think that teamwork, especially for that age, and self-driven programs are essential. You need that time.”
Something to do
Creating programs that appeal to middle schoolers can be challenging. Susanna Strothman, a Putney Central School eighth grader last year, tells her social group's saga.
“During the year I did basketball and Iron Chef. Otherwise we go to the library 'cause it's the only place to go.”
“We've been kicked out of everywhere else,” she says: “the Tavern green, the General Store, the Community Center, the field across from the Co-op, and the field next to the bank.”
Workers at those businesses asked the youths to leave. “We were kicked out of the library, too, but then we were allowed back.”
Despite OASIS, her overall feeling is, “It's Putney. There's nothing to do.”
Putney Family Services ran a well-attended “tween” program at Newman Hall in Putney for a year, and since then has turned back to 21st Century course offerings to try to pull middle schoolers in.
Still, many congregate at the library in town.
“I expanded the hours every day after school until 6 p.m., and made a strong motion to have the bus stop here after school,” Director Steven Coronella says. “Now it does, which is really nice.”
He feels the middle schoolers have varied reasons for coming. “Some come legitimately to do homework; some come to use the computers. Some come to socialize. It's warm in the winter. It's free.”
Though middle schoolers can be noisy at times, he says that supporting them “takes a village - one place can't be responsible. I hope they're welcome everywhere in Putney, as long as they're respectful.”
Jen Connor administers 21st Century grants at Windham Central Supervisory Union for many schools, including Townshend Elementary School and Marlboro Elementary School.
Gail Chaine, administrative assistant at Marlboro, notes that “with 85 to 90 kids total in the school, we've had to be flexible.”
At first, the Marlboro program was “paid by the town and program fees,” she says, and because of small enrollment, it was reduced to three days per week.
Now, with the 21st Century grant, “students will enroll in six-week sessions.”
She adds that “the federal grant reporting can be a little limiting at times, but it's also a great opportunity.”
In addition to the 21st Century money, Townshend Elementary has also turned to corporate sponsor C & S Wholesale Grocers to help support the effort to raise the school's share.
Many area districts have developed entirely different programs.
In Vernon, the model involves collaboration between the Recreation Dept. and the school, with the strong support of principal Mark Speno.
According to Recreation Department Director Seth Devo, whose office is based at the school, the after-school program has “three staff members who have been there many years, and parents have appreciated that. ”
“We generally have between 15 and 25 kids every day - out of 150 enrolled in the school, we had 52 who participated at some point in the last year,” Devo says.
“We provide a snack, homework time, and help with homework; they go outside, use the gym, and the tech lab in the school also,” he adds. “It's become a really strong program.”
Devo describes the Vernon program model, funded by the town, as “revenue-based.”
“As long as registration fees are equal to cost, the program will continue to run,” he says.
The Meeting Waters YMCA runs its ASPIRE (After School Program for Inspiration, Recreation, and Education) program after school at the organization's facility in Bellows Falls, inviting many surrounding towns.
The licensed school age child-care program “ensures high standards of safety, proper staff training, and an age-appropriate curriculum,” the Meeting Waters website says.
“This licensing also allows parents to access the Child Care Subsidy Program, which provides financial support to parents who are working or in job training programs,” the description continues. “Each day of an ASPIRE program includes physical activity, a nutritious snack, study time and a group project.”
The YMCA staff walks kids from the Central School, and buses them from Westminster Center, Westminster West, and Saxtons River schools.
In Windham Southeast, ASPIRE runs programs right at the Dummerston, Guilford, and Brattleboro schools.
Guilford Central is transitioning from a program funded by the school budget and a sliding scale of fees, which principal John Gagnon says “averaged 12 to 16 kids a day, and provided a much-needed service for working families.”
Essential activities
The educators agree that for parents, finding productive, safe things for kids to do after school is essential.
“We should think at all levels about the value of this time, as it relates to humans,” Betz points out. “Everybody has experiences at this time that have been crucial to us. It allows more time to dig into things and build really strong relationships with peers and teachers and other people.”
“A lot of kids are enjoying school more because they love their after-school program,” she says. “There are positive trends and results in reading and math scores for regular attendees. For 80 percent of kids, grades either stay the same or go up.”
Struthers adds that “programs have to work with principals and school boards, and you have to be so good at advocating for your program, finding the money for it, and getting investments from the school and teachers.”
But in the end, “it's about community involvement,” she says.
“I just watched a bunch of my kids graduate from PCS, and I know them,” Struthers says. “I know them all really well.”