More kids than ever before are taking part in afterschool programs. There are different  reasons for this, but a big part of the increased popularity of these programs is that most families have working parents, and these parents are looking for constructive activities to keep their kids involved once the school day ends.

One study by the Afterschool Alliance showed that about 75 percent of survey respondents said they had peace of mind when their kids were in an afterschool program. Parents like to know their children are in a safe, supervised environment, and that they doing something interesting, fun and educational.

The role of the onsite coordinator

With so many kids enrolled in afterschool enrichment programs, it’s important for schools to find ways to keep programs running smoothly, even with this ballooning enrollment.

At Flex Academies, we do this by assigning an onsite coordinator to every school using our afterschool programs.

The onsite coordinator’s job begins as soon as students are dismissed at the end of the school day. He or she is responsible for getting students to the right rooms for their programs, making sure all the vendors are prepared to begin instruction, and monitoring each class to make sure everything is going well before helping with dismissal at the end of the program. As the children leave for the day, the coordinator makes sure the adults who are picking up the kids are the ones who are supposed to be picking up, so that all kids get home safely.

Having one designated person focused on these responsibilities is a huge help for the schools. Without this designated onsite coordinator, schools would have to add these responsibilities to the already full plate of a teacher, administrator or volunteer.

Parents also enjoy having one contact person they can approach with questions about the program. Many of our onsite coordinators have bonded with the students and families they serve, which makes for a better program experience for everyone.

Perhaps most importantly, in making sure students and vendors are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there, the onsite coordinator provides an extra layer of safety that parents and administrators have come to rely on for peace of mind.

The use of an onsite coordinator to keep afterschool programs running smoothly and safely is just one more way that Flex Academies provides outstanding value to schools.