Alternatives to the OUSD school-partnered after school programs?
I'm getting ready for my kid to start TK at Piedmont Avenue Elementary next month. My partner and I need for him to be watched after school gets out until 5 due to work schedules. The school has a free after school program, but space is limited, and they don't tell applicants if they got into the program until a week before classes start, so I'd like to have a backup plan in mind.
Are there alternatives, like a different after school program that we could pay for? Do parents hire caregivers specifically to pick the kid up and watch them at a park for two hours? How do I find these kind of alternatives?
Jul 23, 2024
Parent Replies
Here is a list of things we tried with varying degrees of success:
-- Hired a sitter
-- Enrolled in Studio One (near Oakland Tech) aftercare program but hired or arranged a ride separately (we hired a very expensive person who drove the kid for about a mile to Studio One but she was reliable.) Studio One did have pick-ups from several schools but did not pick up from PAES when we were there. At that time, they said they needed to have a minimum number of kids enrolled in the program from a particular school to add the school to their pick-up route. You can ask them if PAES is a part of their pick-up routine. https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/studio-one-arts-center
-- East Bay Dance Center. They pick up from different schools and it's worth asking them if they'd pick up from Piedmont Avenue Elementary. They picked up my kid from our school although there was only my kid attending and then later another kid joined. There are boys in the program. It's not just for girls. https://www.eastbaydancecenter.org/eastbay_afterschool.htm
-- Club Kesher at Temple Sinai near Sprouts Grocery Store in Oakland. They pick up from local schools, so it's worth a call to find out if they'd pick up from Piedmont Avenue Elementary https://www.oaklandsinai.org/club-kesher
Check out creative Spanish - they walk kids from Piedmont Ave to their after school program. Also, I think studio one has said that if at least 10 families join, they will send someone to walk the kids to studio one (near Oakland tech) for their after school program. Of course, these programs aren’t free but you may be able to get it squared away before school starts!
Check out Studio One in North Oakland. They have an aftercare program that is affordable, flexible, and includes terrific arts classes. Back before Covid, they even used to have a bus that picked kids up from OUSD elementary schools and took them to Studio One. Maybe they still do? We loved it.
Yes, we also knew lots of folks who hired a nanny/babysitter/caregiver to be with their kid from school pick up time until end of work day. This was a great gig for college students or other young adults who weren't looking for full-time caregiving work. Urban Sitter and care.com are great places to connect with those folks. Good luck!