Our After School teachers are Mary Darling and Joanna Lynam. Teachers can be reached by dialing the school phone number, 733-3164 ext. 106. Please let us know of any food allergies, chronic health conditions or other concerns. Aftercare is a NUT-FREE zone, with the exception of almonds.

The WHWS Aftercare Program is licensed by the State of Washington. Our locations, staffing and other details are guided by various State requirements, including concerns about child abuse and neglect. For planning purposes, we prefer that children be pre-registered for Aftercare. Drop-in spots are available at a higher hourly rate. Pre-registration forms will be available in the office and must be filled out by the first of every month. The pre-registration rate is $6.00/hour. The drop-in rate is $7.00/hour.

The Whatcom Hills Waldorf School Aftercare Program is designed to parallel and reinforce the regular school day and provide a safe, nurturing environment where children can continue to explore creative, active and social endeavors honoring diversity. Children in kindergarten and preschool can attend our early childhood aftercare program while first through fifth graders attend a separate program. Our students in the fifth through eighth grades have successfully used the WTA buses after school. The bus stop is located by the front gate on the corner of Fremont and Austin Streets.

Early Childhood After School Care

The early childhood Aftercare program reflects the young child's need for physical and emotional comfort and gentle guidance. The hours of this program for preschool and kindergarten children are 12:30pm - 4:00pm. We encourage parents of these younger children to pick up by 3:00pm, but if there are kindergarteners needing to stay later than 4:00pm arrangements can be made for them to join the grade-school Aftercare. Due to licensing requirements, preschoolers must be picked up by 3:00pm. To respect the rhythm of the program, children attending should not be picked up before 2:30pm. The early childhood program provides a healthy vegetarian lunch and snack.

Lunch 
Each day there will be a healthy, hearty lunch. Children tend to eat better and are less distracted when everyone is eating the same meal together. Lunch is tailored to the dietary needs of the pre-registered children in attendance each day. If your child has dietary restrictions and will be dropping in please provide a lunch for him or her. Otherwise, packed lunches are discouraged. Menus are posted in Aftercare.

Rest 
Each day the children will have a rest time. Some will sleep; others curl up for a much-needed rest after a long morning of busy, social activity. Older children help prepare snack.

Snack 
After waking up and visiting the bathroom the children will come together at the table for a light snack.

Free-play 
We spend most of this time outside in the kindergarten play-yard, except in the worst of weather.

Gradeschool After School Care

The grade school aftercare program is open to children in grades 1st - 5th. Older children are  welcome on a pre-arranged, case-by-case basis. No children can remain on campus unattended, and are brought to Aftercare by 3:15 PM. The grade-school program will be open until 5:30 pm every evening and will provide a healthy, hearty snack.

Vegetarian Snack
Gluten-free soup, rice & beans, baked potatoes, vegetables, noodles and the occasional healthy treat! Menus are posted in Aftercare.

Play & Create
Weather permitting, we explore and play outdoors. Inside time may include stories, games, making art or seasonal crafts.

Fees

Our Aftercare program is self-supporting. Our rates reflect the balance between the high quality of care we are striving to provide and your budget. We recommend that children be pre-registered for Aftercare, but drop-in is also available at a higher rate. Pre-registration forms are available in the office and must be filled out by the first of every month to qualify for the discount. You can pre-register for one month, or for the whole school year if your schedule stays the same. The pre-registration rate is $6.00/hour. The drop-in rate is $7.00/hour. Once students are signed in by their teacher (within a 5 minute grace period), a charge for one hour of care will be assessed. Rates then are assessed in 15 minute intervals.

Late Pick-up: A surcharge of $6.00 for every 15 minutes, or portion thereof, that our childcare staff is detained after hours will be billed. Cases of chronic disregard for closing time will result in late fees of one dollar ($1.00) per minute past 5:30 pm.

Policies

Your child's teacher should be clearly informed at the beginning of the day if your child is to go to Aftercare. Teachers are required to sign children in. Parents or car-pool drivers are required to sign children out of care with their full, legal signature. Our Aftercare staff maintains these records and turn in the hours to bill on your tuition statement. Continued use of the program is, naturally, dependent upon timely payment of the fees for its use.

The Aftercare teachers maintain the day-to-day operation of the program itself. Any difficulties or concerns regarding the program may be addressed to the teacher or the school administrator. We encourage open communication.

The Aftercare Program uses all the same records that the school does for your child as required by the State of Washington. Please keep us informed of any changes. Our staff is current on first aid and CPR. Sick children are not to be in school or the Aftercare Program. Children who become ill while at school will be cared for and parents called to come for their children as soon as possible. Medications will be given only according to the school's policy. In an emergency, the parents will be contacted first; if unavailable, then the emergency contacts listed, then the child's doctor.