Magnolia ISD launches new after-school programs

[caption id="attachment_179088" align="alignright" width="220"] The After School Adventures Program and Enrichment Program is opened to all elementary school students in Magnolia ISD.[/caption]

“The main delivery method for everything we do is fun,” she said. “So although they’re engaged in learning activities, everything is hands-on and fun.”

Saker said the program has about 175 participants so far in the 2016-17 school year but anticipates more students will enroll as the program continues. Costs for the program range from $90-$275 per child per month, with options for holidays and professional development days when students would be out of school.

In addition to the After School Adventures, MISD also began offering Enrichment Adventures, a six-week program to provide extracurricular activities to students twice a week.

“Each campus will have a variety of enrichment courses that will be available to parents to register their kiddos,” Saker said. “Basically, that could range from martial arts to robotics to gardening to any type of enrichment program that we can find specifically for their campus.”

Enrichment Adventures also takes place on-site immediately after school.

“Convenience is huge on this one,” she said. “Instead of having to pick them up from school and take them to martial arts,[the program is] right at the school.”

Saker said the district’s new programs will provide an educational alternative for students who would typically watch TV after school.

“When a child is provided with quality outside-of-school time—whether that’s during the summer or school year—statistics do show results,” she said. “Their grades, their performance in school and their attendance increase, so they all correlate.”