After-School Enrichment
The Santa Monica Family YMCA provides an enriching experience and caring environment fostering positive development and growth for your child. YMCA programs are ideal for developing social skills, making friends, learning about oneself, and acquiring respect for others. Children enjoy fun group activities, homework help, and experiential learning, helping them develop social skills and strong character.
Our YMCA cares about your child’s total development of spirit, mind, and body, emphasizing a whole-child approach to help them grow in the classroom and beyond. The daily Enrichment curriculum incorporates games and activities that promote physical movement, creative expression, and healthy lifestyles.
Mini-Camps and Day Camps are offered during most school holidays. Please see our section on Day Camps for more information. Additional fees are required.
After School Enrichment Parent Handbook
Days & Hours
Monday – Friday
School Out to 6:00pm
All children must be picked up by 6:00pm. After 6:05pm, a $5 late fee applies plus $1 for each additional minute. All drop-off participants may not be dropped off any earlier than 2:00 pm. All carpool participants will be picked up when their school is dismissed. ASE does adapt to minimum days and early dismissals. ASE follows the Santa Monica-Malibu School District Calendar and will provide care on all days school is in session.
Registration
Santa Monica Family YMCA membership is required to participate in the Enrichment after school program. Please note that a Student Information Packet must be completed via CampDocs and will be sent out at the beginning of each school year. A new form must be completed each year. All forms must be completed before child may attend the program. If there are any changes to your child’s forms (change of address, classroom, emergency pick-up, etc.) please inform our program leadership in writing via email at daycamp@ymcasm.org
Fees
Monthly dues will be collected on the 1st of each month* with a one-time $50 registration fee at the beginning of the year. There is a $25 per day late fee ($50 max) after the 5th of each month. To avoid late fees, you may set up automatic payments to be withdrawn from your credit card.
*August’s ASE dues will be collected on the first day of the school year, August 20th. Monthly fees are prorated to your child’s start date. However, there are no refunds or transfer of fees for early withdraws or missed days.
Program Guidelines & Rules
The YMCA is guided by our Four Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibilities. These values shape our program experience, from leadership and staff to expectations for student and parent behavior. Each family will sign a detailed Code of Conduct before beginning the program, outlining rules and expectations to ensure everyone has the best experience possible while in the program. Key rules include:
- Close-toed shoes must be worn at all times to participate in all activities.
- Children should wear clothes they can play and be active in. Programming often involves movement and various art supplies, so we recommend not attending programming in precious wardrobe pieces.
- Participants will model the Four Core Values, and treating others equally regardless of sex, race, religion, and culture.
- Students should not bring toys, trading cards, electronics, or other personal belongings from home to program. Activities are designed to keep your child engaged with the group.
Homework
Completing homework assignments is the responsibility of the participant. Counselors are trained to support children with homework help and will assist students in completing their work during program hours.
Each group will have time for children to do homework, study, read, or participate in academically enriching activities.
It is the responsibility of the parent to communicate with teachers and YMCA staff to ensure assignments are understood.
Medication
Any child taking medication will need a note from their physician. All medication must be packaged in its original container with the prescription and directions.
Legal guardians must sign medical release forms. Program staff will not dispense over the counter medication without appropriate documentations from legal guardian and child’s physician.
Children may not keep medication in their backpack during program.
Attendance Policy
To report a late or absent child, call the YMCA office and leave a message for Joshua Figueroa, Program Coordinator, at (310) 393-2721, ext. 138. Failure to adhere to this policy can cause dismissal from the program. The YMCA cannot deduct, reduce, or pro-rate fees for missed days. All fees are non-transferable & non-refundable.
REPORT ALL ABSENT CHILDREN BEFORE 10AM
Drop Off & Pick-up
It is the responsibility of the parent to organize drop-off and pick-up arrangements for their child. Carpool service is available from most Santa Monica Public Schools for a fee of $50 per month.
All children registered in a After School Enrichment must be checked-in and signed-out every day.
Children being picked up by someone other than their legal guardian must be listed on the emergency pick up form or have written permission from their legal guardian.
All persons picking up a child from program must present a photo ID until recognized by staff.
Carpool
Carpool service is available from Santa Monica public schools for a fee of $50 per month.
It is the responsibility of the parent to inform all children and the school that their child will be picked up by YMCA staff.
All staff will be in uniform when picking up at the school site at the time of dismissal, and will be transported in a YMCA vehicle back to the Y.
Snack Time
Please provide a daily snack for your child.
Snacks and drinks may be purchased at the Y Mart during snacktime. Parents may set-up a pre-paid credit for their child to be used at Y Mart to purchase snack items.
Please note that the Afterschool Enrichment program is a nut-free zone to create a safe environment for students with nut allergies.
Please refrain from packing snacks for your students that include peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts. Sunflower seeds and sunbutter are great alternatives that help create a safe environement for all students and staff.
Extracurricular Activities
Families may enroll their students in additional extracurricular activities at the YMCA. Additional activities include:
It is the family’s responsibility to register for additional programming and notify ASE staff. Afterschool Enrichment Counselors will ensure students arrive to extracurricular programming on time.
Questions? Contact us! Email us at daycamp@ymcasm.org or call at 310.393.2721 ext. 123
Contact Information
Kevin Jandrists
Director of Youth Development
(310) 393-2721 ext. 123
kevin@ymcasm.org
Joshua Figueroa
Day Camp & Afterschool Coordinator
(310) 393-2721 ext. 141
daycamp@ymcasm.org
1332 6th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Culture of Protecting Children: Child Abuse Prevention Policies
The YMCA is deeply invested in helping children and their families learn, grow, and thrive. As such, our organization is committed to preventing child abuse in our community. This commitment means that our organization conducts background checks and extensive training for staff and volunteers and has a strong set of policies in place to ensure our programs are as safe as possible for youth. To learn more about the YMCA’s commitment to eradicating child abuse, please click here.
Child Abuse requires three elements: trust, privacy, and access. The YMCA’s Child Abuse Prevention Policies exist to eliminate opportunities for grooming and abuse to occur, including but not limited to the following:
- Participants will refrain from ANY intimate displays of affection towards others. Side-hugs and high-fives are appropriate, but should be brief. Children in school age programs (4 and up) are not permitted to sit on laps, give or receive piggy-back rides, or be carried by adults.
- Personal space will be respected for each person involved in the program, with staff working to intentionally create a space where it is safe to express boundaries and/or discomfort.
- Jokes of a derogatory and/or sexual nature are not permitted at the YMCA. This includes verbal, written, or visual “jokes.”
- Program staff are not allowed to babysit or give rides to program participants.
- Staff are not allowed to participate in favoritism, including terms of endearment, gift-giving, or other behaviors that create an environment where individual children are singled-out.
- The Rule of 3 guides that staff and children are never in a 1-on-1 situation. This creates an environment where behaviors are always observable, accountable, and interruptible.
