District 2 Councilman Kevin Faulconer, parents and school officials shone the spotlight on after-school needs and issues Oct. 18 during “Lights On After School” in the auditorium at Loma Portal Elementary School.
The event was part of a nationwide call to attention to the importance of after-school programs for children, families and communities.
Loma Portal Klassic Kids, a program of the nonprofit organization Harmonium, Inc., produced the event, during which Faulconer shared his view of Harmonium as a “type of activity that works very well in San Diego.”
Faulconer, whose son attends Klassic Kids, said he appreciates the opportunities children are afforded through the program and gave special commendation to Klassic Kids site director Candy Daniels-Snell.
“I encourage the Point Loma community that the lights stay on and the doors stay open for the after-school program,” Faulconer said.
Klassic Kids is a program designed to keep students safe and healthy, inspiring them to learn and providing support to working families. The program is a licensed childcare program involving more than 700 San Diego school-age children from kindergarten to 6th grade. The program at Loma Portal Elementary serves 70 students with 7 staff members.
“We are proud of our 10:1 ratio here,” said Daniels-Snell. “We want to engage the kids with education and fun at the same time.”
Various art displays and a slide show gave the audience a little insight in the daily procedures of the childcare center.
“Some kids are here at 6:30 in the morning with a granola bar and a juice box for breakfast and they get picked up at 6 at night. We are focusing on health this year and try to provide them with a good breakfast every morning,” said Daniels-Snell.
Advocates said after-school programs need more support and more resources to secure the opportunities of such programs for as many children as possible.
“Donations are desperately needed,” said Daniels-Snell.
Daniels-Snell, who put last week’s event together, invited several providers of after-school care. Information booths were hosted by the Peninsula YMCA, the Optimist Youth Band, Boy and Girl Scouts, the Piano Keyboard Club and the Family Reading Club, where parents can learn strategies to enhance the reading ability.
“I wanted to bring everybody together ” kids, parents and providers,” said Daniels-Snell. “I want the parents to see what is out there. This is a network. It takes a village to make our kids more successful.”