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Sunday, July 05, 2009

Posted: Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 09:06:35 am CDT

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Fulton schools, groups offer early-release care options
By KATHERINE CUMMINS
The Fulton Sun

As the beginning of the school year draws near, area parents are slowly moving down their list of things to do before the first day of classes.

Bookbag? Check. Pens and pencils? Folders, paper and notebooks? Check. Lunch box? Check. New shoes? Check.

Fulton parents now have one more item to add to their lists; after-school care for early-dismissal Wednesdays.

Although it has only been a few months since the school board voted to release students two hours early every Wednesday from Sept. 3 - Nov. 19 and Jan. 7- Feb. 25., school officials say there already are a number of options for parents wondering what to do with their children for those 112 extra minutes - including school programs.

“Within each elementary building and the middle school there will be something for students to do,” said Bartley Elementary principal Connie Epperson - who also is the district's professional development coordinator. “For example, at Bartley we're going to have recreation time, crafts and game time and literacy time.

“It will all be age appropriate, with kindergarten and first grade together, second-graders with third-graders and fourth and fifth grades together.”

Those programs will be provided at no cost to parents, although if students are there after the regular release time of 3:30 p.m., Epperson said parents will have to enroll them in the BAC-PAC program.

She said the district thought it was important to provide an after-school care option on early release days “as more of a convenience for working families.”

“We felt like there would be a number of families that this would be a hardship for,” Epperson said.

In addition to the school-provided programs, she said various community organizations also are providing options.

“The Callaway County YMCA is offering an after-school program and I've heard some of the local churches have had conversations about doing programs,” Epperson said, noting that the Callaway Arts Council also has expressed an interest - although it has not confirmed anything.

Fulton Schools director of communications Kathy Wright said further information regarding after-school care on early-release Wednesdays will be available soon.

“The principals plan to give out more details at all of the open houses and orientations next Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 25 and 26),” Wright said.

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