Having a safe place for your elementary school-aged child to be during working hours is on the minds of working parents everywhere. If you find one of those and your child actually WANTS to be there? Even better.

That’s what LPS School-Aged Child Care (SACC) programs offer. Dawn Wright, currently the SACC manager at the newly opened Gudy Gaskill Elementary School, expressed her philosophy of running a successful program: “Keep the kids engaged and they’ll want to be here.” She also said, “This is a program that is needed by families, and we want to be able to help parents who need this care for their children. We try hard to accommodate all families and needs.” Mrs. Wright has worked in several LPS SACC programs since she started at Runyon in 1997. 

SACC Success Stories
Some of the biggest success stories coming from LPS SACC programs are the communities they build. Frequently, high school students will return to the SACC program they attended in elementary school because they want to work there. This speaks to the strong relationships students build as part of SACC, and this experience makes them a great fit to fill those roles for younger students when the time comes. Taylor, one of the activity leaders at Gaskill, said, “I can make strong connections with kids who come back every day. Field trips are fun!” The hours are also great for a high schooler who would like a part-time job: no evenings or weekends!

Positive relationships are also built with families. Parents dropping off and picking up their children have an opportunity to get to know the program manager and the activity leaders. It has also been known to happen where a parent walks in and their child is so engaged in an activity that they exclaim, “No! I don’t want to go yet! Can you wait until I finish?” What a great testament to the quality childcare LPS families can access!

COVID also produced some unlikely successes in LPS’s SACC programs. Mrs. Wright started “Snack with SACC” for students to join as their virtual school day ended. This continued the positive relationships the SACC team had with students, and it provided students some company in an unstructured, relaxing (though still online) forum at the end of their day.

COVID also meant that, once students were able to return to our buildings, they couldn’t really take the usual field trips during breaks, so SACC program managers brought the field trips to the students by bringing in guests like magicians, yoga teachers, a team hosting a science assembly, and storytellers. 

Planning for SACC programs is ongoing, and the process for choosing themes and activities for school breaks and making reservations for field trips starts months before the breaks occur. It’s obvious to anyone who talks to a SACC program manager that they are truly passionate about providing a quality, fun program for children: the ideas never stop!

Benefits of On-Site Childcare
On-site childcare at a student’s school comes with significant benefits:

• Students who require medication can receive the care they need from SACC staff who have been trained in medicine administration and have access to the school’s health office. 
• No transportation needed to and from an off-site facility at the beginning and end of the school day.
• A snack is provided after school, and on days when students don’t have school, one is provided in the morning as well.
• Many LPS elementary schools provide after-school enrichment opportunities, and children attending SACC programs can also participate in these.
• Early drop off and late pick up times are convenient for working parents.
• SACC programs are self-sustaining but not-for-profit, making them a uniquely affordable option for childcare.

LPS Heroes and Award-Winning Staff
Dawn Wright, Gaskill’s SACC program manager, was recognized by the superintendent and Board of Education as an LPS Hero at the Board’s August 11 meeting. Mrs. Wright’s hard work and dedication to many, many SACC programs in LPS over the years was brought to district administration’s attention by her former employee, Tim Hernandez. Tim said, “I will be forever grateful for the many opportunities Dawn has provided me to engage the young participants of the programs she’s managed in multiple projects, including cooking, science and math, arts and crafts, and sports and games. I am especially thankful for her giving me many occasions to share my fondest passions–storytelling, face painting, and origami–with scores of children over the years. Dawn Wright represents the best of LPS employees.”

Earlier in 2022, Natalie Kuroda, who works in Sandburg’s SACC program, was chosen as the winner of the Best of Colorado Afterschool Award in the category of “Program Staff.” Ms. Kuroda’s attitude at work is to be happy, work hard, and have fun. Her supervisors, including Sandburg’s SACC manager, LPS’s district SACC coordinator, and Sandburg’s principal, shared that Ms. Kuroda’s attitude is not only contagious to the other staff members but to children as well. Ms. Kuroda is one of those students who attended SACC and came back to work for the program when she was 16. She’s worked there for seven years now, even while going to college to become a teacher.

In April 2021, Jordyn Mackleburger, SACC program manager at Sandburg, was recognized as an LPS Hero by the Board of Education. Ms. Mackleburger leads her quality childcare program and team with a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and integrity. She creates fun, welcoming, and engaging activities for students.

Where to Find More Information
There is information on each elementary school’s website about their SACC program, and pricing, registration information, frequently asked questions, and a parent handbook can be found on the School Age Child Care & Summer Care page of the district website.

Anyone interested in working for a SACC program in LPS should check out the district’s current job postings.