AFTERSCHOOL / FRIDAY PROGRAM
PARENT/GUARDIAN
HANDBOOK
2024-25 School Year
This handbook aims to provide students, parents, and guardians with valuable insight into the ABC After School and Friday program. It contains comprehensive information about program activities, procedures, and policies. Please read this handbook thoroughly and store it in a safe place for easy reference throughout the school year.
ABC strives to create an environment where students can enjoy, grow, and learn. The staff is always open to suggestions and ideas that will help us make your child’s experience in the program beneficial and rewarding. We encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas with us at any time.
Many thanks to our ABC staff for their energy and the outstanding job they do with the students each day. We also extend our gratitude to the parents and guardians for their support and encouragement. The students greatly benefit from the many special qualities that have been contributed to ABC by so many committed and caring individuals!
If you have any questions regarding the content of this handbook, please don't hesitate to call the ABC number at 208-244-0625.
I look forward to the time that we will be spending together.
All my best,
Hannah Mook | Executive Director
PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Executive Director: Hannah Mook
Email: director@abctetonvalley.org
Phone: 208-244-0625
Program Coordinator: Ranetta Kinnery
Email: programs@abctetonvalley.org
Phone: 208-244-0703
Mailing Address: PO Box 716, Driggs, ID 83422
ABC Office Physical Address: 481 N Main St, Driggs, ID 83422
ABC website: www.abctetonvalley.org
PROGRAM LOCATIONS:
Driggs Center, Driggs Elementary School
265 Legrand Pierre Ave, Driggs, ID 83422
Victor Center, Victor Elementary School
255 Elm Street, Victor, ID 83455
District Office, Friday Programming and Summer Camp location 481 N Main St, Driggs, ID 83422
ABC STRUCTURE
ABC is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ABC collaborates with the Teton School District (TSD), which generously provides in-kind classroom space and allows usage of the facility at no cost. We rely on tuition, grants, and donations from the community to sustain our program. These funds help cover our staff wages, materials, supplies, snacks, and organizational expenses.
ABC PROGRAMMING
At our centers, the ABC Program features a designated area where students can access both a classroom setting and an outdoor playground.
The staff at each center consists of a Lead Teacher and supporting teachers. Throughout the year, ABC also engages in volunteer tutoring and instructional services. Background checks are conducted for all staff members employed by ABC.
CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
We understand that schedules can change and that cancellations may happen. If you need to cancel your child’s registration, we will use the following criteria to decide if a refund will be issued.
If a cancellation is made 5 days or more before the class is to take place, a full refund minus a 15% processing fee will be issued.
If a child is absent from school due to a documented illness, parents/guardians must notify ABC on the day of the absence. They will receive a full refund minus a 15% processing fee.
No refund will be issued if a cancellation is made less than 5 days before the start of the class or if an excused absence is not notified.
SCHEDULE OF OPERATION
ABC Afterschool operates on all days that Teton School District is open for students. Our hours are 3:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Students must be picked up by an approved person by 5:30 pm.
ABC Friday Programming hours are 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Students must be picked up by an approved person by 4:00 PM
ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES
Daily Sign-in
ABC After School students must report directly to the program as soon as they are dismissed from their classrooms or their school buses. Students will be considered late if they sign in more than five (5) minutes past their usual ABC arrival time. Three (3) unexcused tardies equal one absence. The safety of each student is paramount to the ABC staff. If a student will not be attending the program as scheduled, it is essential for the student’s parent or guardian to notify ABC staff about the student’s absence from the program.
To prevent miscommunication at our sites, please ensure to call even when an absence has been reported to the school regarding the regular school day.
Daily Sign-out
All students must be signed out by an authorized adult when leaving the program at the end of the day. A student will only be released to a parent, guardian, or an individual listed in the student’s application packet unless the parent or guardian notifies the program in advance of the pick-up time.
If a staff member is unfamiliar with anyone picking up a student, they will request to see picture identification before releasing the student.
LATE PICK UP AND LATE PICK UP FEES
ABC closes at the stated end time. We request that parents, guardians, or others authorized to pick up students: (a) arrive five minutes before the closing time to give students enough time to tidy up and collect their belongings; and (b) if running late, take a moment to call or text the designated coordinator at the provided number so that a staff member can inform the student about the delay.
If a student is picked up more than ten (10) minutes after the scheduled end time, the late pickup will be recorded. After the second occurrence of a late pickup, a fee of $7.00 will be applied for each subsequent incident. The sixth occurrence of a late pickup may result in the student’s suspension or removal from the program.
PROGRAMMING
ABC provides a thoughtfully crafted schedule of activities that are based on evidence-based programs and strategies and focus on: 1) academic support; 2) wellness and life/social skills development; 3) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics); 4) arts programming; 5) physical education programming.
Academic Support/Literacy Instruction
ABC emphasizes the significance of homework in fostering academic excellence and self-discipline. It allocates time each day for students to complete their assignments or focus on developing academic skills. Students are expected to bring their homework to ABC, taking responsibility for retrieving it from their backpacks and working on it during the designated time. Staff members will oversee the homework area and assist students with their work, but they cannot check each student’s homework for accuracy. Parents are strongly encouraged to review their children's homework daily. Students who struggle to meet reading benchmarks will engage in lessons within the program’s differentiated literacy curriculum. Those encountering challenges in other core subjects may be assigned to work with trained tutors.
Students in grades 2 and above who do not have homework and are not working with tutors may use homework time to practice academic skills, explore STEM activities, or read a book.
Life/Social Skills Development
ABC emphasizes the importance of strong social awareness, relationships, problem-solving, and responsible decision-making skills. During this time, students will focus on community building, developing pro-social skills, listening and communication abilities, understanding others’ perspectives, managing anger and aggression, resolving conflicts, making decisions, resisting peer pressure, appreciating culture, respecting differences, and avoiding stereotypes.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
Students will learn the fundamentals of STEM through a hands-on curriculum that equips them with 21st-century skills, including collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.
ART
Students will collaborate with dedicated teachers to explore the creative process through various methods. We employ a process-based approach that encourages students to interact with different art mediums in an explorative manner.
Physical Education
Students will engage in daily outdoor unstructured play and receive weekly PE instruction. This instruction will emphasize team building, physical skills, leisure education, collaboration, and various movements.
Use of Online Resources
Students in ABC may use online programs structured by their classroom teachers. Please note that students will use their emails that they were assigned through the school system in order to login to the ABC computers. These email addresses will not be provided to students for the purposes of sending and receiving email messages.
Personal Items
Since we cannot guarantee the safe return of personal belongings, ABC asks that any personal possessions be left in backpacks during a student’s time in the program. We also ask that students take all belongings with them when they leave the program site each day.
Telephone Use by Students
The staff will be happy to convey messages to students, when necessary, but it is not possible for students to make or receive telephone calls while at ABC. Parents are welcome to call or text the program to speak to the designated staff person about questions or concerns regarding their children.
Daily Snacks and Lunch
Students will receive a nutritious snack when they arrive at ABC in the afternoon. If your child has any food allergies, or dietary restrictions, or prefers different or additional food, please feel free to send a snack with your child.
A healthy lunch will be served during Friday programming and Summer camp.
HEALTH POLICY AND IMMUNIZATIONS
Student's Illness / Accident / Emergencies
If a student is absent from school due to illness, they may not attend the program that day. Generally, a student must have been present at school during the school day to participate in the program. If a student becomes ill or is injured during the program, or displays any of the following conditions, their parent or guardian, or emergency contact person will be notified and asked to pick up the student within one hour of notification:
∙ Contagious disease
∙ Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
∙ Vomiting or diarrhea
∙ Accident requiring medical attention
∙ Head lice
If a student needs urgent hospital attention, staff will call 911, the student will be transported to the hospital by ambulance, and the student's parent/guardian will be held responsible for all costs incurred.
Please report any changes of emergency contact information, employment, telephone numbers, or addresses to the Executive Director as soon as they become available. Although this information will be kept confidential, it will be shared with appropriate staff members to facilitate communication with parents or guardians in emergency situations.
In addition, ABC follows Teton School District’s COVID-19 policies and protocols for preventative health strategies. ABC may follow wellness policies that are more stringent than what TSD calls for.
Abuse and Neglect Policy
The program staff members are mandated reporters and as such, are required to report all suspected instances of abuse or neglect to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Individual Educational Program (IEP)
If your child has an Individual Educational Program, please notify the Center’s Lead Teacher, so we may support your child to the best of our ability.
Abuse and Neglect Policy Cont.
The parents, students and staff of ABC are asked to treat each other with respect, tolerance, kindness, and consideration. Students must exhibit respectful classroom conduct at all times and will be asked to leave a class or activity for inappropriate behavior, including yelling, hitting, fighting, damaging school or ABC property, not listening to ABC staff and deliberately not following the rules. The following procedures will be followed consistently in the event participants behave unacceptably.
a) First offense: an ABC staff member will notify the problem with a student’s parent/guardian.
b) Second offense: an ABC staff member will discuss the problem with a student’s parent/guardian. A student reflection will be completed and documented,
c) Third offense: an ABC staff member will meet with the student and parent/guardian to create a behavior plan. At this time the child may also be suspended from the program depending on the severity of the offense.
NOTE: Serious or disruptive/destructive behavior that interferes with normal program operation will not be tolerated and will result in immediate dismissal with no previous notice to a parent/guardian.
Any inappropriate behavior by a parent, including verbal abuse of a student or staff member or confrontations with staff members in the presence of a student, is grounds for termination of the family’s participation in the program without notice. A suspension or termination decision may be appealed by contacting the Executive Director.
COMMUNICATION
ABC maintains an open-door policy. Please feel free to direct questions or concerns related to any facet of the program to the Executive Director at any time. Voicemail is in place 24 hours a day and will record a message if no one is available to answer your call. If a concern involving a staff member arises, please speak directly to the staff member involved. If the matter cannot be resolved directly with the staff member, the Executive Director will meet with the staff member and arrange a meeting with the staff member and parent to discuss and resolve the concern.
TUITION AND PAYMENT
ABC assesses fees for afterschool and summer programming services. ABC offers a sliding-scale fee based on family income that parents indicate in the enrollment application. Program fees are due at the time of registration through our registration system Active.
In the event that a family cannot pay the program fee up front, an alternative payment plan may be arranged. ABC prioritizes serving all families and doesn't want program fees to be a barrier to program access.
