Eligible Participants

University of Myers is an after school enrichment program for Myers youth in grades K-6.  Eligible participants will include those who are currently receiving services through the Department of Human Services (see Site Manager for details)  The Site Manager for the program and the on-site DHS caseworker will work together to determine each child’s eligibility.  Once a child’s eligibility to participate has been determined, children will be served in the order they applied to be in the program until the program is at capacity.  A waitlist will be maintained for children not immediately eligible. 

Cost

All activities during the University of Myersville are provided at no charge to the families participating.  This includes snacks, lessons, transportation home, field trips and any other program activities.

General Schedule

During the school year, the program will run in five 6 to 7 week sessions.  Students will have to re-enroll for each session.  During these sessions, the program operates from the time school is dismissed until 4:30pm for Kindergarteners and First Graders and until 5:30pm for all other students.  The program will not be in operation on school half days and closures.

Location

The after-school program will be held right at Myers Elementary.  Parents will be notified well in advance if an off-site field trip is being planned.

Transportation

All program students will be bused home at their dismissal time, regardless of the distance of their homes from the school.  Each family will be provided a form to indicate which of the designated bus stops they would like their child dropped off at.  Bus stops for families living in individual residences will be determined by the Taylor transportation department.  Parents/guardians of kindergarten and first grade students must meet their children at their bus stop.  Because of the later time of dismissal, we will be unable to allow children to walk home from the program.

Attendance

Students in the program are required to attend at least 4 out of the 5 days each week.  The first week that a student has more then one absence during one week, they will receive a warning.  The second week that a student has more then one absence during one week, they will be dismissed from the program and their spot will be given to another student.  Individual circumstances regarding absences will be discussed with the site manager.   

Absentees

If your child is absent from school we will assume they are absent from the program for the same reason.  If your children will be attending school but NOT attending our program after school you must notify a program staff person, preferably in writing, before the day of the absence.  If your student is unable to

attend, please contact the program staff at (734) 941-0470.  This will ensure we know all students are safe after school. 

Withdrawals

Parents may withdraw their child from the program at any time as long as the Site Manager is notified.  The child’s spot will be filled by another student on the waitlist and the child will not be allowed to reenroll in that session.

Discipline

The same procedures and rules followed during the school day at Myers will also be adhered to after school during the program.  We will emphasize to the students that they use their life skills during the program and offer positive alternatives to disruptive behavior.  If a student is unable to exhibit appropriate behavior during any given activity, they will be excluded.  If behavior continues to be a problem, a meeting will be set up between the parent and the site manager to discuss the student’s difficulty in the program.  If the behavior problem goes unresolved the student may be asked to no longer participate in the program.  To ensure the safety of all students, any incident involving physical violence will result in an immediate expulsion from the program.

Goals

Each session a calendar will be provided to families of when the program is in operation and when the students will be going on field trips.  There are four main goals of the program as we strive to offer the highest quality programming for your students after school:
 

•      Academic Enrichment: enrichment provided by Myers teachers 3 days a week to supplement the regular curriculum.  This will include interactive, hands-on lessons in all subjects.  We will also focus on homework assistance, tutoring, computer skill development and overall academic achievement. 

•      Cultural/Recreational Enrichment: the students will be exposed to cultural activities, athletics and social skill building. Activities will include student clubs (cards, gardening, scrap booking) and instructed activities (dance, martial arts, sports.)

•      Personal Enrichment: the students will be exposed to a variety of topics designed to assist them as they face different challenges and obstacles.  This may include prevention programs, leadership development and anger management.

•      Parental and Family Support: we will seek to involve parents and families through on-going events and parent enrichment activities, as well as help families access assistance and resources.

Schedule

As a general rule, Monday-Wednesday will be used for academic enrichment with a teacher from Myers Elementary as well as activities and projects of interest to the students.  On Thursdays and Fridays we will bring in different activities and lessons including prevention programs and recreation.  You can expect that the students will have access to a variety of hands on activities, sports instruction, reading and homework assistance, supplemental lessons to compliment their school curriculum, and computer instruction.

Staff

The Site Manager will be accessible to parents and students for any questions or concerns about the program, and will handle all program logistics.  On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays there will be a teacher from Myers Elementary instructing the children.  There will also be two program Group Leaders on site each day as well as 4 tutors to assist in activities and lessons. 

Snack

Each day a snack will be provided to the students directly after school dismissal.  Please be sure to list any food allergies your student has on the registration form.

Field Trips

Field Trips will only occur during the summer.   Please check the calendar for exact dates of field trips.

Parent & Family Involvement

We welcome and encourage parent and family involvement in the University of Myersville.  During each session we will provide a family fun night for the students and their families as well as a parent enrichment night each month around topics of interest to parents/guardians of program participants.  Once the program begins we will also be convening a parent advisory board to offer input into the program.  Outside of these scheduled activities, all program staff will be happy to receive your input and feedback about the University of Myersville. 

In partnership with: Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency and Department of Human Services (DHS)

313-843-2550, ext 208