Finding the right after-school program can make all the difference in a child’s growth, confidence and interests.
That’s why Noozhawk’s ParentNooz After School Activities Guide brings together a variety of local programs that keep kids active, engaged and inspired long after the school day ends.
As part of this year’s guide, we sat down with the people behind some of Santa Barbara’s leading after-school organizations to learn what makes their programs unique.
Through these Q&As, parents can gain insight into each program’s mission, teaching philosophy and the experiences children can expect.
For this feature, we spoke with Danielle Garcia, Business Administrator at Cliff Drive Care Center, about how the organization’s clinics combine skill development, teamwork and empathy to help children navigate life.
Cliff Drive Care Center
Question: What variety of afterschool activities do you offer to students?
Answer: Healthy snacks, arts and crafts, sports equipment, and outdoor play spaces engage the body and the imagination. Homework times and homework help encourage academic development. Our 14:1 child-to-adult ratio allows for one-on-one academic coaching.
Chapel and the integration of Biblical stories provide opportunities for spiritual growth. Another aim is to develop cognitive social skills. We intentionally teach empathy and lead children through conflict resolution.
We build a cooperative environment, actively working against exclusion or playground power dynamics, teaching children how to work through these situations and put themselves in other people’s shoes.
Q: Which age groups can participate in your afterschool programs?
A: Our after school program serves children ages TK through 6th grade (age 12).
Q: In what ways do your activities support children’s developmental growth?
A: We are a play-based center, so we create activities and environments where children can thrive. We work to build rapport and get to know the children individually so that we can gear our activities towards the children in our care and their interests. We also accept children of all abilities, striving to create an inclusive atmosphere where all children can learn alongside each other.
Q: What sets your afterschool programs apart from others in the community?
A: We offer pick up from Washington, Monroe, and Adams Elementary schools to our campus. There is also the option for a parent to drop off from another school. Our program runs according to the school bell schedule, picking up for early release days, and we operate a full day program on most school holidays.
We are closed only for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day, and two in-service days at the end of summer/beginning of the school year.
Q: Could you share a few success stories or parent/student testimonials about your programs?
A: Because Cliff Drive Care Center has an infant center and preschool as well as the school age program, we have some students who have been in our school since they were two years old, and this coming year will have children entering our school age program who began with us in our infant center.
This year, we graduated from our school age program, two children in particular started in our two year old class and moved from program to program until the 6th grade.
Our program is also multi-generational as we have been part of the community since 1963. We have children whose parent or even grandparent attended our after school program when they were a child, and now we get to care for their children in the same program.
As we are a full-inclusion school we support children with various levels of abilities. We also allow support staff from other organizations to come into our program to help work with those children. I think of one of our little girls with Down syndrome who began in our preschool and has continued to thrive in our after school program.
She participates fully in every aspect of the program, from chapel to games to art activities to homework time, and she has many wonderful friends in the program.
Q: What steps do you take to ensure the safety and well-being of children during program hours?
A: Our children are all supervised with no greater than a 14 student to 1 staff ratio at all times. Our children are all in booster seats during all car trips until they meet the requirements from the State of California to be out of a booster seat.
We make sure that children under the age of 5 are never on our play structure because it is designed and built for children ages 5-12. Our children spend the majority of their time outside, assisting us in limiting the spread of illnesses through the program.
Q: What training and qualifications do your staff members have to work with children?
A: All of our staff are CPR/First Aid trained, and we also employ several staff who are lifeguard trained for any time the children are around water. Our staff are also trained in a variety of college level classes that they share with the children, such as English and Math to assist with homework, and Child Development to ensure our program is built to encourage the social, emotional, physical, and mental development of all of the children in our care.
Q: How do you integrate educational components into your afterschool activities?
A: We provided daily dedicated homework time when our staff assist our children with completing their homework. We also have a library of books the children can use to read at any time, and we provide journals for the children for them to practice their writing. Both the library and journals are used specifically on days when the child has no homework to allow them to join their peers in quiet educational time.
Q: Can you walk us through a typical day or session in your program?
A: The children are picked up from Adams, Monroe, or Washington Elementary Schools according to the bell schedules and brought over to Cliff Drive.
Upon arrival, they are checked in, wash hands, and put on sunscreen, and then they go play in free play. At approximately 3:00, the children have afternoon snack, followed by homework time, and additional free play until they are picked up by their families.
Q: How do you help children who may feel shy or reluctant to join in?
A: Our program is diverse with a wide variety of activities provided. Children can enjoy quieter activities such as reading, board games, beading, legos, and art, or they can participate in building with blocks, playing soccer or basketball, and running around on the climber. Reluctant children receive care and support from staff who engage with them in a chosen activity and help them meet other students as well.
Q: How do you keep parents informed about their child’s progress and experiences?
A: We provide regular communication with parents through the Brightwheel app and a monthly newsletter, and parents and staff are able to touch base and communicate about anything regarding their children at pick up daily or by the phone.
Q: Are there any special events, showcases, or seasonal highlights kids can look forward to?
A: We have a Fall Family Festival at the end of October every year which is free for all in the school and community and provides carnival style games for children.
We hold a Christmas concert every December where our children sing and the families come and watch. During Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break, we provide a full day camp with a variety of activities including some field trips.
Q: What is your approach to managing behavioral challenges or conflicts during activities?
A: Our staff actively encourage reconciliation among students and emotional development. We are attentive to any bullying occurring and work actively to prevent it. As a full inclusion program, we work with children of all needs and abilities, including a wide variety of aides and therapists who spend time with students in our care.
We seek to find the deeper causes of any behavioral issues and provide tools and resources for the children to be successful, such as providing headphones to a child with sound sensitivity or listening to the pain experienced by a child and providing love and care.
Q: What enrollment options and pricing do you offer for your afterschool programs?
A: We provide flexible enrollment options, with children attending between 1 and 5 days a week for After TK/K or After School.
After TK/K
5 Days: $1035.00
4 Days: $855.00
3 Days: $665.00
2 Days: $455.00
Drop In/1 Day: $57.00
After School
5 Days: $815.00
4 Days: $680.00
3 Days: $530.00
2 Days: $365.00
Drop In/1 Day: $46.50
Q: How do you gather and use feedback from families to improve your offerings?
A: Our director is open to conversation from parents all the time. We also receive suggestions that we implement if they are in alignment with our program and feasible to implement.
Click here to learn more about Cliff Drive Care Center!