After-School Program Reaches New Program High

The After-School Program at the Martin Luther King School in Yonkers, which serves 75 children, has come a long way in a very short time, thanks to Director Dwayne Cloud, Assistant Director William Turner, and the Council’s Management Consultant Mary Ann Brendler. 

Ms. Brendler worked with the director and assistant director to design and implement a plan to strengthen regulatory compliance and improve program quality.  An initial assessment with the  SACERS (School Age Care Environmental Rating Scale) indicated the improvements needed in space and furnishings, activities and interactions.  The program’s lack of materials made it very difficult to engage the children in any meaningful activity.

Mr. Turner did quite a bit of work to help the program achieve its goals, including creating a materials list and a social contract with the children.  Ms. Brendler delivered training on indoor environmental theory to help the staff create appealing learning environments for the children, including arts & crafts, games, and reading. 

With only $500 in materials, 100 school-age books donated from the Council’s Book Drive, and other donated materials such as Legos, the program was transformed.  When Ms. Brendler returned later to assess progress,  she received the most positive feedback, including that behavioral problems were down and engagement levels were up. 

Mr. Cloud credits Ms. Brendler with helping him and his staff better focus their interaction with the children, teaching them how to get the kids involved in activities and understand how important—and rewarding—their job really is. 

“The kids are so much happier.  They know what to expect, can choose areas of interest, and are eager to finish their homework and get to the activities,” said Mr. Cloud.  “There’s no time to sit there and be bored—that has definitely helped with behavioral issues.”

Mr. Cloud notes that the staff is better equipped and the kids are engaged.  When parents come to visit the program, they are impressed with the activities and see that the kids are busy and involved.

The program continues to improve services for its children.   Shortly after conducting a post-assessment of the program, Ms. Brendler was pleasantly surprised to receive a follow-up report from Mr. Cloud.  He told her he had new staff and more materials.  He requested further training.  When she visited the program after the training, Ms. Brendler was delighted to see that the staff had created a library area; the staff was pleased and proud and the children enthusiastically responsive to the addition. 

“What impresses me most,” says Ms. Brendler, “is they didn’t have to call me back.  The staff wants to continue to improve their program, which has already made great strides. Even small changes can make a significant difference”.

The Council offers training opportunities and free technical assistance to school age and other programs. Please call Mary Ann Brendler at (914) 761-3456 x-172 to find out how your program can benefit from this free technical assistance.