Our elementary school received a 21st Century grant so they were able to have many after school clubs this year, including reading, gardening, drumming, step team, cheerleading, etc.
Our middle school is trying to get a 21st Century grant also, but while they wait they've had Community Service, Yearbook, Science, Math, Debate, and etc.
Our school has a Winter Enrichment program that runs Feb-March for 5 weeks. It usually gets 250-300 of our students. We have various classes to choose from all run by parent volunteers. Classes include playing basketball, drama, cake decorating, knitting, birdhouse building, scrapbooking, etc. Its a great way to break up the winter and the kids learn something new! The cost is usually only $15.00 for the 5 weeks and its every Wednesday for 1 1/2 hours after school. We also have evening Chess Club that runs 20 weeks in the evening, a bowling club at our local lanes - 10 weeks Friday afternoons, Chorus, sign language club (with our guideance counselor), & intramural sports that run Thurs & Fri in April through May. Some programs are free and others there is a reasonably low fee.
Making a positive difference one project at a time <img src=images/smilies/smile.gif>
I led a Community Services class for our After School Adventures. Of course, holding to the theme, I donated my time. I coordinated activities for the students, doing most of the leg work so they could spend the one hour class time each week doing the actual work. My goal was for them to start with a direct local impact all the way through to thinking globally. So over the six week period we expanded outward:
Week 1 ~ School: Cut and counted Boxtops for PTO Week 2 ~ City: Created original artwork for Community Center ads Week 3 ~ County: Collected and rolled newspapers for County Humane Society Week 4 ~ State: Planted a tree at school and hung educational posters about Illinois Department of Natural Resources Week 5 ~ Country: Made blankets for Project Linus Week 6 ~ World: Trick or Treat for Unicef Bonus Hour: Create original poster for their favorite charitable organization to hang in the school hallways
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."
"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the true perfection of one's character."
We have started to run a mess of these this year, though it is through the school council and not the PTO. Here's what we have done or are working on...
- Language clubs. We started with a French club. The French Honors students at the highschool were willing to come in and run these. We had two classes (one on Tuesday, one on Thursday) so more students could attend (also had many volunteers). We have now started Spanish and plan on having French 2 before the year is out.
- Sports Club. In conjunction with the local YMCA (there was a cost) we ran a couple weeks each of Soccer, Volleyball, etc.
- Tae Kwon Do - I personally take Tae Kwon Do and discussed the idea with my Master, who was willing to have the Dojan's lead instructor provide 5 weeks of basic instruction starting with 1st and 2nd grade and then another 5 weeks with 3rd and 4th. It is great for the business as it may lead to new business, as many parents like to watch the class. Also this type of instruction is not teaching how to fight, it honestly focuses on discipline, respect, fitness, etc.
Our park district runs a couple of dance programs in our gym. We have Mad Science and Young Rembrandts (art class). There's Choices (for at risk kids) the school runs Student Council before school and Newspaper Club after school. The PTO doesn't run any clubs at all.
