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Board Procedure #NP410.0, Before and After School Care Programs

This procedure outlines how before and after school care programs are established and the role and responsibilities of the principal, the before and after school care program supervisor and the child care coordinator.

In order to establish opportunities to share information between the school and the before and after school care program, a communication strategy must be put in place in order to ensure two-way communication. The need to build and sustain relationships must be reinforced. Every effort will be made to foster healthy working relationships to support this partnership.

 

1. Definitions

 

1.1 Before and After School Care Program

Before and after school care programs are licensed and operated by independent non-profit or commercial pre-approved agencies. These programs follow the regulations of the Day Nurseries Act and are licensed by the Ministry of Education.

 

1.2 Before and After School Care Program Supervisor

The before and after school care program supervisor is employed by the independent not-for-profit or commercial pre-approved agencies and is responsible for the daily operations of the program located at the school.

 

1.3 Child Care Coordinator

The child care coordinator is a staff member of the York Region District School Board responsible for the establishment and coordination of before and after school care programs in York Region public schools.

 

1.4 Parent Selection Committee

The parent selection committee is composed of the school principal, child care coordinator and parent volunteers who will be using the before and after child care program. The committee reviews proposals submitted by child care agencies and choose one operator to provide the before and after care program at the school.

 

2. Application of Procedure

 

2.1 Establishing a Before and After School Care Program

A survey will be circulated to parents of students for established schools and through holding schools to determine the need for an on-site before and after school care program. A minimum of 15 positive survey responses are required for a program to be established. Parents will be asked to identify their interest in participating on the parent selection committee.

If the survey indicates a need for a before and after school care program, the following steps are implemented.

1. A request for proposal is issued to pre-approved child care agencies.

2. In schools with Full Day Kindergarten, the program must be operated by a not-for-profit organization.

3. A selection committee will review proposals in accordance with established community needs.

4. Site visits to existing programs operated by agencies who submitted proposals.

5. One before and after care program operator is selected to provide service at each school location.

6. A meeting with the principal and the before and after care program operator will be scheduled to discuss licensing requirements.

7. A lease agreement will be created and signed.

 

3. Responsibilities

 

3.1 The Director of Education shall:

1. allocate staff and resources to support the Before and After School Care Programs procedure.

 

3.2 The Principal shall:

1. work with the child care coordinator to determine the need for a before and after care program in their school;

2. forward completed needs surveys to the child care coordinator;

3. promote and maintain communication and collaboration with the before and after school care program supervisor;

4. create opportunities in which the before and after school care program staff can dialogue as part of the school team in order to support shared families;

5. include before and after school care program staff in related professional development opportunities, wherever possible;

6. plan and network as a team to support the use of shared spaces;

7. be prepared to host the before and after school care program in classrooms that are licensed for before and after school care use for a 10-month period;

8. clarify roles and responsibilities of the principal and the before and after school care program supervisor to support the safety and security of all students;

9. ensure the before and after school care program site supervisor is aware of their responsibility to comply with the school code of conduct and the Caring and Safe Schools policy and procedures;

10. support the before and after school care program and ensure actions taken by the before and after school care program supervisor are consistent with Board policy; and

11. be familiar with the content in the Child Care in Schools: A Guide to Creating Effective Partnerships to promote collaborative relationships and strengthen partnerships and for additional resources.

 

3.3 The Before and After Care Program Operators shall:

1. hold a valid Day Nurseries Act license issued by the Ministry of Education;

2. comply with the regulations as set out in Ontario Regulation 221/11, Extended Day and Third party Programs;

3. inform the child care coordinator of any contravention resulting in a provisional license;

4. manage the operations of the before and after school care program;

5. carry insurance in the amount of not less than five million dollars general liability, naming the Board as additional insured;

6. ensure all before and after school care program site staff members are aware of their responsibility to comply with the school code of conduct and the Caring and Safe Schools policy and procedures;

7. provide a program that positively impacts on children’s learning and development; and

8. be familiar with the content in the Child Care in Schools: A Guide to Creating Effective Partnerships to promote collaborative relationships and strengthen partnerships and for additional resources.

 

3.4 Before and After Care Program Site Supervisors shall:

1. share information pertaining to serious occurrences with the principal or designate;

2. communicate on a regular basis with the principal or designate;

3. be aware of and follow all Board policies and procedures;

4. ensure families with children who live within the school community receive priority for enrollment in the before and after school care program;

5. invite the principal or designate to the before and after school care program’s parent advisory committee meetings;

6. meet early in the school year with the principal to share organizational procedures between the school and the before and after school care program;

7. promote and maintain ongoing communication and collaboration with appropriate school staff members;

8. ensure all before and after school care program staff members are aware of their responsibility to comply with the school code of conduct and the Caring and Safe Schools policy and procedures;

9. conduct parent satisfaction surveys on an annual basis and share a summary of the results with the principal and the child care coordinator;

10. ensure that staff evaluations are conducted a minimum of every three years; and

11. adopt quality assessment procedures that support and encompass quality before and after school care programs, including, but not limited to, Raising The Bar, Professional Development and School Age Care Environmental Rating Scale.

 

3.5 The Child Care Coordinator shall:

1. with the support of principals, determine the need for new before and after school care programs in each school location;

2. ensure that all before and after school care program operators and supervisors are aware of their responsibilities throughout the school year;

3. obtain feedback from principals and before and after school care program operators;

4. issue a ten-month lease agreement, including lease costs, to each before and after school care program annually;

5. provide before and after care operators with the option to extend the lease to provide a full-day program throughout the summer;

6. contact before and after school care program operators regarding the continuation of the program during the following school year, in accordance with the timelines in the lease agreement;

7. ensure clear communication with before and after school care program operators about Board expectations;

8. facilitate communication between the Board and before and after school care programs operators;

9. conduct site visits for before and after school care programs to support quality programming, when required;

10. be aware of and follow-up on before and after school care programs that hold a provisional license;

11. ensure that each before and after school care program meets Board requirements;

12. support the consistency of quality programs;

13. build links among community partners, home and schools to ensure a coordinated approach;

14. ensure all appropriate information regarding the operation of before and after care programs is included in the Child Care in Schools: A Guide to Creating Effective Partnerships; and

15. collect statistical information on an annual basis pertaining to before and after school care programs.

 

3.6 The Parent Selection Committee shall:

1. identify community needs to be considered when reviewing proposals;

2. review proposals received for before and after care programs; and

3. select one operator to provide before and after school care programs at the school.

 

4. Legislative Context

Education Act

Day Nurseries Act

 

5. Department

Education and Community Services

 

6. Procedure History

Approved May 2005

Working Document June 2014

Revised March 2015

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