Before- & After-Care

Before-school and after-school care programs are offered at the following levels: Young Children’s Community, Primary, and Elementary.

Only students enrolled in The Post Oak School may participate in these programs. Before-school and after-school care programs are offered on days when school is in session, and on a number of expanded-year contract days when regular classes are not in session.

After-School Care Sign-Out

All children must be signed out from after-school care. Children with siblings in after-school care are signed out at the location of the youngest sibling. Elementary sign-out sheets will be at the front desk. This procedure is the parent’s responsibility; do not ask your child to do this for you. School employees are required to verify the identity of persons picking up a child from the after-school programs. Children must stay inside the building until they are released to their parent or a parent’s designee.

Early Childhood
Elementary

Early Childhood

Young Children’s & Primary Care Programs

For Young Children’s Community and Primary levels, participation in before-school and after-school programs is on a contractual basis only. We cannot accept young children on a drop-in or hourly basis. These programs fill up quickly, so it is usually necessary to sign up at the time of re-registration in February for the following school year. Priority in re-enrollment is always given to children who are continuing in the program from the previous year.

Full-Day Young Children’s Community (FDYCC) serves the needs of the youngest children (age 14 months to 3 years). This program provides a single, consistent environment from drop-off to pick-up, and is staffed by a trained Montessori teacher and assistants.

At the Primary level, a before-school and after-school program is offered within the regular classroom environment. The emphasis of the program lies in providing a relaxed, familiar environment to meet the practical daily needs of children this age: outside play, snack, and free choice of work or play.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Times

Children with expanded-year contracts that include before-school care may arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. through the Ave. B gate and walk to the back door of the classroom. Do not drop off children before that time; the school doors are not opened until 7:30 a.m.

Drop off for all of your children will be at the youngest child’s environment. For example, if you have a child in Full-Day Young Children’s Community and Primary, you would drop off both of your children in Full-Day Young Children’s Community. The older child will enter the school through the classroom and walk to their designated environment.

For children enrolled in After-Care, service ends promptly at 5:30 p.m. Children may be picked up any time between 3:45 and 5:30 p.m. For your child’s sense of security, and out of respect for the personal lives of Post Oak staff, it is essential that children be picked up on time. If this is not possible for your family, you will be asked to make other arrangements.

Elementary

Elementary Before- & After-School Care Programs

Elementary children may enroll by the year. Families who were previously enrolled in Before- and After-Care are given priority. Drop-ins are only accepted under unusual circumstances and you must contact the front office, with a cc of the Elementary director, if you need to arrange this.

The Elementary before-school and after-school care program is housed in a specially prepared room and provides a relaxed, family-like environment for students. Indoor and outdoor activities include arts and crafts, cooking and snack preparation, board games, puzzles, building sets, reading and class projects, playground sports, and games.

In addition, many children participate in after-school classes (ASEP) that are offered on a once or twice per week basis Monday through Friday from 3:40–4:40 p.m. ASEP class fees are discounted 25 percent for children enrolled in the after-school care program.

On expanded-year contract days, when Elementary children attend After-Care for the full day, they may have outings to local parks or other sites of interest.

5:30 p.m. Dismissal

After-Care teachers are responsible for supervising the dismissal of children who are at school until the end of the day.

Post Oak does not charge a per-minute late fee. However, families who cannot pick up children by 5:30 p.m. will be asked to make other arrangements.

Certification of tuition and fees paid for dependent care programs

For parents requesting tax letters from the Business Office with details concerning tuition and fees paid for dependent care of their children, we will follow the guidelines outlined by the IRS. These guidelines state that qualifying expenses include all daycare until the child reaches kindergarten age. From kindergarten through eighth grade, qualifying expenses include before-care (7:00–8:15 a.m.) and after-care (3:45–6:00 p.m.) charges only. For these purposes, The Post Oak School will consider your child as kindergarten age if they turn five prior to September 1.