A school in a small community is often home to services that support the school population and their families in a variety of ways. Community programs such as scouts and adult sports use spaces that are available off-hours. Millard Fillmore Elementary School houses a school age (5- to 12-year-olds) child care program, which serves children before and after school.
I spoke with Cheri Kemp, or “Miss Cheri,” recently to learn more about our SACC, or School Age Child Care program. The Auburn YMCA has oversight of this and runs a number of sites around Cayuga County, from Port Byron and Weedsport to Jordan-Elbridge to several sites in the city of Auburn, including the facility at the YMCA.
The YMCA took over responsibility for Moravia's latch-key program more than 10 years ago. It was formerly called Kyd's Porte. Kemp serves the program as our site director and has been here for 10 years. Adrienne Perkins was a long-term substitute and is now the assistant. Sally Marshall occasionally substitutes.
The financial aspect of this is handled by the Auburn YMCA. Families pay bi-monthly or monthly and can choose to use the before or after programs or both. There are scholarships available. The cost for one child attending both morning and afternoon for a month is $215. Families pay $110 per child for just the mornings and $132 for the afternoon. Questions regarding this and the Y's policies can be answered by calling Amy Pedley at 253-5304.
The program hours are from 6:30 to 8 a.m. and 2:30 to 6 p.m. and is open when school is open. If Moravia closes for a snow day or school holiday, the SACC program in Moravia also closes. In that case, parents, if they are able, may take their children to the YMCA in Auburn, for its School's Out program.
School's Out also serves families for scheduled school holidays, such as Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and Spring Break. The YMCA also occasionally sends out flyers for special events and programs going on that are geared to young families.
Kemp described the broad range of activities the children work with each week. Crafts, such as beading, scrapbooking and painting are provided. Each day is structured with homework time and help, crafts and snack time. Playtime outside, when weather permits and gym time are always part of the day, encouraging physical activity.
Most recently, students have completed their self portraits. They traced one another on large craft paper and then explored their interests and talents, showing them as part of their life-sized image. Cloth was cut and added to clothe the “kids.” Last month, parents visited the site during our school's open house and played sleuth as they read “Who Am I?” to figure out which ones belonged to their children.
Kemp communicates with teachers to help students who are having trouble in particular areas in school.
This program certainly helps facilitate that communication. Kim O'Brien, our former building principal, wrote a letter to the YMCA commending Kemp for her outstanding work.
She stated, “Cheri is actively involved in the school lives of the children in the program. We are fortunate to have the program and her in the building.”
She is also in constant communication with parents, often meeting them at the door or scheduling conferences that help to keep families informed. She publishes a monthly newsletter which often includes upcoming special projects or events.
Character Education plays an important role in our YMCA child care program. The mission of the YMCA promotes caring and respect for others.
Each quality of the Y's mission is represented by a color: green for the care of our earth and the environment, blue (true) for honesty, red for caring from the heart and yellow to represent following the golden rule.
Kemp's philosophy states, “There's always room for one more and it's OK to be different.” She remarked, “I enjoy my job. Children are like my own and this, I take pride in.”
While visiting the program, I observed a kindergarten girl who didn't want to leave to go home. Her mom said, “There's no one to play with at home, and she loves it here.”
Pat Kinney is an art teacher at Millard Fillmore Elementary School in Moravia.
The YMCA took over responsibility for Moravia's latch-key program more than 10 years ago. It was formerly called Kyd's Porte. Kemp serves the program as our site director and has been here for 10 years. Adrienne Perkins was a long-term substitute and is now the assistant. Sally Marshall occasionally substitutes.
The financial aspect of this is handled by the Auburn YMCA. Families pay bi-monthly or monthly and can choose to use the before or after programs or both. There are scholarships available. The cost for one child attending both morning and afternoon for a month is $215. Families pay $110 per child for just the mornings and $132 for the afternoon. Questions regarding this and the Y's policies can be answered by calling Amy Pedley at 253-5304.
The program hours are from 6:30 to 8 a.m. and 2:30 to 6 p.m. and is open when school is open. If Moravia closes for a snow day or school holiday, the SACC program in Moravia also closes. In that case, parents, if they are able, may take their children to the YMCA in Auburn, for its School's Out program.
School's Out also serves families for scheduled school holidays, such as Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and Spring Break. The YMCA also occasionally sends out flyers for special events and programs going on that are geared to young families.
Kemp described the broad range of activities the children work with each week. Crafts, such as beading, scrapbooking and painting are provided. Each day is structured with homework time and help, crafts and snack time. Playtime outside, when weather permits and gym time are always part of the day, encouraging physical activity.
Most recently, students have completed their self portraits. They traced one another on large craft paper and then explored their interests and talents, showing them as part of their life-sized image. Cloth was cut and added to clothe the “kids.” Last month, parents visited the site during our school's open house and played sleuth as they read “Who Am I?” to figure out which ones belonged to their children.
Kemp communicates with teachers to help students who are having trouble in particular areas in school.
This program certainly helps facilitate that communication. Kim O'Brien, our former building principal, wrote a letter to the YMCA commending Kemp for her outstanding work.
She stated, “Cheri is actively involved in the school lives of the children in the program. We are fortunate to have the program and her in the building.”
She is also in constant communication with parents, often meeting them at the door or scheduling conferences that help to keep families informed. She publishes a monthly newsletter which often includes upcoming special projects or events.
Character Education plays an important role in our YMCA child care program. The mission of the YMCA promotes caring and respect for others.
Each quality of the Y's mission is represented by a color: green for the care of our earth and the environment, blue (true) for honesty, red for caring from the heart and yellow to represent following the golden rule.
Kemp's philosophy states, “There's always room for one more and it's OK to be different.” She remarked, “I enjoy my job. Children are like my own and this, I take pride in.”
While visiting the program, I observed a kindergarten girl who didn't want to leave to go home. Her mom said, “There's no one to play with at home, and she loves it here.”
Pat Kinney is an art teacher at Millard Fillmore Elementary School in Moravia.
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