Bush After School Programming: Bush Elementary School third grader, Ingrid Stendahl, recently studied math on her iPad during the YWCA Advantage After School Program.

JPS is lucky to have a great partnership with our local YMCA and YWCA to help our working families. During the pandemic, these organizations have helped provide after school programming for our students, kindergarten through 8th grades. Currently the YWCA runs afterschool programming at Bush and Fletcher Elementary Schools and the Jamestown YMCA runs a Middle School Academy (at the YMCA Teen Center) and elementary after school programming at Lincoln and Love Schools.

The YMCA Middle School Academy for fifth through eighth graders runs daily when they do not have in-person classes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students with in-person classes arrive at the conclusion of class at 12:30 p.m. to spend the remainder of their day. Since Friday is a remote-learning day for all students in the district, the Middle School Academy runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The elementary school programs for both the YMCA and YWCA operate from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

Completing and helping with schoolwork is a big part of the afterschool programming with Chautauqua Striders tutors available for assistance.

Once school work is completed, there are a variety of activities offered depending on the age group (while maintaining social distancing and all COVID-19 protocols) such as: Physical Education, Art, History, and reading at the middle school level and STEM, crafts, physical fitness, trivia, social/emotional learning, math games as well as literacy activities at the elementary school level.   

“We know from working families and the school how challenging it is to provide a great education while also keeping kids and community healthy,” said YMCA Teen Director John Barber. “We are glad to provide a service to working families who are grateful to have a place where their children can build healthy routines that supports their out-of-school time learning. Schoolwork assistance is the priority of the program. We are working to create a great learning environment that reflects the kind of learning they would expect on a school day.”

If a JPS working family is interested in after school programming, please contact Amanda Gesing at 483-7121 or email childcare@jspny.org.