LEARNS: Just found out I'm on the waitlist
I saw an older post basically saying that LEARNS waitlists people uncomfortably close to the start of school and then starts admitting more kids. I’m wondering . . . How uncomfortably close are we talking?
I signed up as soon as possible in the spring and just received a waitlist email on Saturday. Any insight about whether their waitlist actually has movement this close to the first day of school?
Jul 30, 2023
Parent Replies
We're in the same boat, currently pursuing other opportunities because with both parents working, we can't afford to be without childcare. So far I haven't gotten a notice of how far down the waitlist we are(I've asked).
I've been in touch with my kids' school's LEARNS coordinator and the school board. They are having trouble hiring for LEARNS this year and spots are more limited than usual. I'm desperately looking for other options for my kindergartener. What school are you at? We're at Cragmont and my 3rd grader got into LEARNS but my kindergartener did not. I have a spot for her at the JCC but cannot get her there bc they don't bus Ks to that program, unfortunately, so I'm totally stuck as I work full time. If anyone is in the same boat and wants to brainstorm or support one another, please contact me.
Thanks,
Amanda
Last summer we found out 1 week before school started that we did not get a spot off of the waitlist. It was stressful. We had also added our kiddo to the waitlist for the City of Berkeley aftercare programs and got a spot a few days after school started. There tends to be a fair amount of movement on the various waitlists within the first couple of weeks of school, though I'm sorry to say that we never got off of the LEARNS waitlist for the entire school year. We're at Malcolm X.
I think I was in the same boat as you last year. It was our first time trying to get into Learns and we got accepted just about 1 week before school started -- In retrospect they had probably made offers to kids who had been previously enrolled in Learns just prior, a few of those kids didn't accept, and then we got an aftercare spot. We were waitlisted for morning care until about 2 weeks after school started.
This year, as a returning student, we got before and aftercare spots offered to us a few days ago. So I would think a few more spots will open up as some 'returning' students may have moved or found other options.
Amanda-- speaking to your situation. I was looking at JCC for my Cragmont daughter as I was scrambling over the summer. It looks to be an amazing program, and there are a few kids each year that go to Cragmont from JCC. I don't have any names to offer for this year, but you might find a nice carpool situation with a parent that has a more flexible schedule and also uses JCC. It might be worth asking Sheyla Flores, the school administrator, if she has any leads to offer on that specific situation, or even repost here specifically looking for a rideshare from Cragmont.
We’re also at Malcolm X. I got on various waitlists, including JCC and the city parks, and my fingers are crossed. I can see how there would be movement during the first few weeks. Hopefully that will be the case this year!
This article about last year is not confidence-inspiring and it sounds like they need to pay people more, bottom line: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/09/19/busd-after-school-programs-staf…