PPS On-site Child Care Resource

As we were chatting about some of the issues around after care for our school-age children (cost, space, quality, and providers, among other things), we added these important programs to the School Connections site.  For those of us relying on these programs, they are an integral part of our children's school experience and yet another provider and program to get a feel for.  So, now you'll find links to eight of the 10 different on-site child care providers on the Schools Connection forum (some don't have web sites).  And better yet, you can 'connect' and discuss them, too - just as you've been doing for individual schools:

1. Vermont Hills Family Life Center
2. Art4Life
3. YMCA
4. Peninsula Children's Center
5. Friendly House
6. Portland Jewish Academy
7. Irvington Extended Day Program
8. Sun Community Program

We hope this will help us assess and compare providers and programs and benefit from the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before us!  The PPS child care web site has important information, as well, that is definitely worth a look.

Comments

[AmyS]

I am in a bind. I just found out the after care provider (Peninsula Child Care) for our school requires 3+ days/week while we need only 2 days of aftercare. Our school is a SUN school but the SUN program does not have the hours or schedule that we need for consistent care. So, what so we do? I've called the PPS office that oversees the Before and After Care program and they can't help, sympathetic as they are. Do we have to pay for 3 days, if they will even let us do that? Is there child care for older kids in this situation? We can't be the only ones...

[AmyS]

Update to last post: I called to register my daughter for 3 days/week only to find out that the space at the school has been reduced to a single room so the aftercare will only accept full-time (5 days/wk) students from the 4 schools they serve at this location. They only have 30 slots and will probably be turning away even families needing full-time care by next week. I am trying to get a full-time spot even though we only need 2 days.

I called the Before and After Care coordinator at PPS to voice my concern and frustration. She is sympathetic but it seems this in not a priority for the school district. Is this outrageous or is it just me?

[ProtestMama]

There is so much pressuere on full-time working parents to have fulltime after-school care. There are very few options like Peninsula that provide good care of a sliding scale. So it's much harder to make part-time child care work when it come sto syncing different families schedules. Most child care subsidies and foundation grants are about providing care so lower-income parents can work, so the centers have to prioritize accordingly, I would imagine.

[elizabeth]

AmyS- Hello there I had the same incident at Sabin so I am wondering if you are at Sabin or another school? I would like to continue the conversation with Pen Child Care/Sabin and PPS. I find it unbeliveable that in a school with 360 +/- students and probably at least 50 incoming kindergarten students (my son is one) that there is only 30 slots available for onsite aftercare. I have been waitlisted since June when I called (for the 2nd time) and was only called back SEPT 3rd to be alerted I could have a full time 5 day a week slot. It was a little too late for me since I needed to figure out care for the school year before Sept 3rd.

As I mentioned I am interested in pursuing this conversation. Let me know if you want to connect offline.

Thanks
Elizabeth