District 11 expands after-school program at more campuses

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Springs District 11 Board of Education has approved funding to expand its after-school enrichment program at seven more elementary schools.

This program will be offered at little or no cost to the families, giving them a chance to save on after-school daycare. This comes after the District 11 Board of Education approved the funding during a regular meeting.

The expanded program will begin in August. Trailblazer, Adams, Audubon, Freedom, Midland, West, King, and Rudy Elementary Schools will offer a limited number of openings for students in Kindergarten through fifth grades.

Through work with District 11 community partners, students will be able to experience both on-site expert presentations and field trips to local learning extension opportunities.

According to the district, the goal of these programs will be to 'extend low-to-no-cost learning and play opportunities for our students, in a safe and supervised structure, while providing families savings on after-school daycare.'

The district just approved a one-million dollar contingency fund to help make the extra help for parents a reality.

The new after school program will now be available at nine locations across the district.

D-11 says this is one small step to helping build back enrollment for kids in kindergarten up to fifth grade this fall.

"One of our goals is to turn around our declining enrollment student trend, so this is an opportunity for us to hopefully bring families either into or back to D11," said District 11 Interim Deputy Superintendent, Sherry Kalbach.

Since the start of the pandemic -- District 11 has lost more than 4,000 students and that has cost 50 teachers -- their full time positions.

"We know that we have working families, both parents work, it makes it challenging to pick up students at 2:30 or 3:30 in the afternoon," said Kalbach.

The district say this program will give families the opportunity to not only save a few bucks, but also give kids a chance to learn from expert presentations and experience community field trips.

The program will have openings for students at each of the nine locations -- starting this coming fall.

The district also plans on offering after-school positions to staff and hiring part time help.

According to the district, similar programs at Monroe and Twain Elementary Schools have proven to be successful over the past few years.