Berkeley Parents Network: Berkeley-Albany YMCA Afterschool Programs

Berkeley Parents Network

Berkeley-Albany YMCA Afterschool Programs

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > After School Programs > Berkeley-Albany YMCA

Kids Club Programs for Middle Schoolers

Kids Club at Malcolm X

Kids' Club Afterschool Programs

YMCA Summer Programs

Kids Club Programs for Middle Schoolers

March 2003

Re: Albany Middle School after school programs

As the director of the Albany YMCA Kids' Club program, I have some information about our own program to share. Most of the children in our after-school Kids' Club programs are K-5th grade, but there are two sites (one each in Berkeley & Albany) for ''older'' kids. The Marin School Kids' Club site is where the 4th-6th graders from Albany go. Typically, there are mostly 4th & 5th graders there, but it is open to 6th graders, too.

The daily program consists of homework time, outside sports/games, crafts, free play, and a healthy snack. Transportation from the middle school to the site is not provided as it is for the elementary kids (so the AMS kids usually walk or parents organize other transportation.) It's not a drop-in program, so enrollment is required and if a child does not show up -without parent notification- the staff call the parents and school in an attempt to track the child's whereabouts. For more info, call the YMCA at 525-1130 or visit the website at www.baymca.org.

I also know that AMS has been providing after-school classes, so you can call the school to ask about those. Good luck next year.

Paula Cooper

Kids Club at Malcolm X

August 2002

I'm looking for opinions on the Kids Club after school program sponsored by the Albany YMCA. My daughter will be going to Malcolm X and Kids Club is at the school site. What do they do with the kids? I would appreciate anything you can tell me about it. Thank you. Berkeley mom

My son currently attends the YMCA Kids Club at Malcolm X. He has participated since kindergarten and he is now in 3rd grade. The program has a fun, caring staff. While we are still adjusting to the losss of one of the teachers due to retirement, the remaining staff members are all very enthusiastic and creative. The teacher/student ratio is wonderful, and the mixed age setting works well there. I think the kids that attend are all just wonderful, and no one thinks twice about playing with younger/older kids. Every day the kids have art activities, physical play (great games such as ga-ga ball, and Star Wars), board games and story times. The kids learn cooperative play, and a homework time is available daily. In the past, the kids put on wonderful plays written and directed by Nancy, and I think that may continue. My son is still raving about the program, and he thinks of it as the highlight of his day. I would like to see a more diverse environment, but I don;t have the answer to that. I think the program is excellent, especially for younger children. My son has made some of his best friends in the program, and he is NEVER bored. Bennett

Kids' Club Afterschool Programs

1998

My son attended after-school programs sponsored by the Albany-Berkeley YMCA Kids Club from 1st-5th grades (1992-1996). The cost in 1996 for 5 days/wk. (2PM-6PM) was around $340.00 per month. This was pro-rated for shorter months (December, Spring Break, etc.). I'm not sure if YMCA operates Kids Clubs at every public school. My son's school (Emerson in Berkeley) had one, but I think that there were some kids who were bussed to Emerson after school from other schools. I was very happy with the programs. The staff was very good and there was a wide variety of activities available to the kids. The Kids Club office was run out of the Albany YMCA, but the only time I ever had to go there was to register him at the beginning of each school year. Randal

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