St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 has implemented changes and the school day for elementary students will now begin at 9:05am. St. Charles Park District staff anticipate this will require more working families to seek before school care and create a large increase in the enrollment of students in the Before the Bell program.
Taylor Krawczyk, Assistant Superintendent of Recreation for the St. Charles Park District, said last school year the program had more than 50 students in the program. The enrollment figures for the coming school year are already more than double that figure and expected to continue to rise in the weeks prior to the start of the 2024-25 school year.
“We are looking to expand before school care to multiple sites,” Krawczyk said, adding that she is working with staff from District 303 to offer the program onsite at elementary schools in park district boundaries. Additionally, South Elgin Park District and West Chicago Park District maintain similar programs for D303 schools in their boundaries.
To meet the need of increased enrollment in the program, the St. Charles Park District needs additional Site Leaders and Instructors to help facilitate the daily activities. These staff members greet the students, provide pre-packaged breakfast snacks and manage activities from quiet reading to crafts and board games.
“We are there to help the students start their day off right,” Krawczyk said.
Jim LeTang served as site lead this past year and said he loves the opportunity to spend time with the students before their day, whether he’s chatting with them about books or about sports.
“I love talking with them about “Dog Man” stories,” he added.
LeTang said the before and after school programs fit into his schedule, allowing him to work in between taking classes at a community college. Other members of the care team include recent retirees and fellow parents who are looking to work part-time and follow the school district calendar.
“We’re looking for people who can bring energy, patience and have the time to join us,” said Recreation Supervisor Jaz Lara. “We really enjoy what we do, and we have a lot of fun too.”
Applicants must be 16 year of age or older. For Before the Bell, students can arrive as early as 7 a.m. The after-school program at Baker Station runs from the end of the school day at 3:25 p.m. to 6 p.m. for students.
For more information and to apply to work as a Site Leader or Instructor, contact Jaz Lara at 630-513-4331 or at jlara@stcparks.org.
