Why are there wait lists?

Wait lists are established when the demand for an Extended Day program exceeds the capacity of that school’s program.  Typically, wait lists are the result of:

• Staffing needs: more staff is needed to accommodate additional children
• Space limitations: additional space is needed to accommodate more children

What does the Extended Day Program do if more staff is needed?

Extended Day continues the hiring process on-going throughout the school year.  When additional staff is needed to accommodate more children, new Extended Day staff is assigned to the specific program.  Sometimes this situation is resolved quickly as new staff is ready to be placed.  However, staff attrition often offsets new hires and causes delays to the process.

What if more space is needed?

When a wait list is established due to space limitations, Extended Day works with the administrators at the school to identify additional space that will allow Extended Day to increase in enrollment.

How many schools will have wait lists?

Extended Day operates 32 programs, in a normal year about 4,300 children are enrolled.  Extended Day typically has wait lists at about five schools, comprising about 200 children.

Which schools will have wait lists?

It is difficult to predict which schools will have wait lists, as enrollment varies from year to year. 

Are there wait lists for the before-school session of Extended Day?

No.  Children registered for the before-school session are guaranteed enrollment in the morning.  A child may be wait listed for the after-school session and still participate before school.

Are there wait lists for Summer Extended Day?

No.

What happens if my child is placed on a wait list?

If your child is placed on a wait list, Extended Day continues to work to enroll your child as soon as possible.  The wait lists are monitored daily and you will be notified as soon as your child can be enrolled.

Why is Extended Day enrollment lower than school enrollment?

The types of activities offered in Extended Day are very different than those during the school day.  And, Extended Day complies with state licensing standards, which require specific square footage per child, depending on the type of activity conducted in each space.  While perhaps 24 children can comfortably be accommodated in an instructional classroom, the same space may not necessarily accommodate 24 children participating in art, drama, dance, or active games, because of the nature of these activities.