What city-run community centers will offer IF there’s a Seattle Public Schools strike

In our area, Alki, Delridge, Hiawatha, High Point and South Park community centers will offer all-day camps as an expansion of current before-/after-school care IF there is a Seattle Public Schools strike. That news and other related info from the city is just in via this announcement:

Today Mayor Ed Murray announced that Seattle Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Associated Recreation Council (ARC), will expand currently scheduled before- and after-school care into all-day camps on September 9, 10 and 11 in the event of a strike by Seattle Public Schools teachers.

“While we still hope that an agreement will be reached to allow school to start on time, the City is making arrangements to provide some relief to impacted families juggling childcare arrangements,” said Murray. “That’s why, for families with children already participating in Seattle Parks and Recreation before- and after-school programs, we will be expanding those program hours for them.”

“The heart of our work here at Parks and Recreation is to support kids and families,” said Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre. “If the strike takes place, we will do just that.”

DETAILS AHEAD:

The day camps, which will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., will take place at 16 designated community centers around the city with capacity for approximately 850 children. They are for youth aged 5 to 12 who are enrolled in regular Parks and Recreation/ARC 2015-2016 school year before- and after-school programs. These day camps will operate only if school is not in session and will operate at no additional cost to families.

Parents or guardians can still register children by phone or at their home community centers.

Registration is first-come, first-served. Before- and after-school program registration paperwork must be completed to be eligible.

Please note: In the event of a strike, preschool programs will be canceled at all community centers for the duration of the strike. Families will receive a pro-rated credit for days missed. Displaced families can call the City of Seattle’s Childcare Hotline at 206-386-1050 for assistance in finding alternative child-care.

· Children will be asked to bring a sack lunch. ARC will provide breakfast snacks and afternoon snacks, and will provide lunches for any children who do not bring one.

· Parents or guardians must drop children off by 9 a.m. or Parks and Recreation will activate the waiting list.

· At day’s end, Parks and Recreation/ARC will release children only to the authorized person, with identification, listed on the registration form.

· Parks and Recreation and ARC will make every effort to accommodate a child’s special needs; however, the 1:15 ratio of child to staff does not allow for the extra attention provided in regular before and after school programs.

The day camps will take place at these centers:

· Northwest Seattle: Ballard, Bitter Lake and Magnolia community centers
· Northeast Seattle: Meadowbrook, Northgate and Ravenna-Eckstein community centers
· Central Seattle: Miller and Queen Anne community centers
· Southwest Seattle: Alki, Delridge, Hiawatha, High Point and South Park community centers
· Southeast Seattle: Rainier, Rainier Beach and Van Asselt (with Jefferson) community centers

In addition, Parks and Recreation’s Teen Life Centers (TLC) at Meadowbrook, Garfield and Southwest community centers will be open two hours earlier than normal from 11 a.m. each day until their regular closing times, available here.

Late Night Recreation programs will operate on their regular schedules at Bitter Lake, Delridge, High Point, Rainier, Rainier Beach, South Park and Van Asselt community centers and at the Garfield, Meadowbrook and Southwest TLCs.

Information about community centers is available here.

Additionally, all locations of The Seattle Public Library are open regular hours and Library staff members are ready to support students and families with resources and programs. Visit spl.org or call 206-386-4636 to find out the nearest library, the hours of operation and scheduled programs.

The *possibility* of a strike was raised by a vote taken last night by educators in the Seattle Education Association, to strike Wednesday if there is no deal with the district. The union and district were scheduled to resume talks today, with a mediator present.

Neighbor September 4, 2015 (5:06 pm)

Hiawatha is already waitlisting for some days at about 2:30pm this afternoon. The email announcing the childcare went out at 12noon.

WSB September 4, 2015 (5:16 pm)

Neighbor – I don’t know who got the e-mail you mention and why and when, but the mayor’s office didn’t send the news release until after 3 pm and I published it as soon as I saw it. – TR

Ok, but... September 4, 2015 (5:19 pm)

Any solutions for working families not enrolled in before and after care?

Worried September 4, 2015 (5:20 pm)

I’ll bet the email was to current families in the summer camp program… so the rest of us are out of luck for childcare if the schools go on strike?

Busrider September 4, 2015 (5:46 pm)

Ymca before and after school will be provided too for full day if there is a strike. I just heard from the y.

Alan September 4, 2015 (6:10 pm)

In the mayor’s statement, he states that the (time ) expansion is for those already enrolled. I don’t think the expectation was that they could do more than fill current openings.

Mike September 4, 2015 (8:06 pm)

I got email from Hiawatha at 10:10 AM that they’d start ” Registration will be done on a first come, first serve basis starting at NOON on Friday September 4th”
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The mayors office is slow as usual. The only people I feel do anything in Seattle are those working at the community centers. I like them, they bust their rears and are on the ball.

flimflam September 4, 2015 (9:53 pm)

huh. aren’t the community centers tax funded? if so, the consequences of the (maybe) strike will be paid for via taxes?

Neighbor September 4, 2015 (10:48 pm)

I got the email at 10:10am but I didn’t checked my email till about 12noon. The email was addressed to “current Hiawatha and Schmitz Park childcare families”. I called right away. Scary. I almost missed getting a spot. I would be in a serious bind without childcare. The available childcare spots are limited to whatever is available at Hiawatha (for Lafayette and Schmitz) which is much less than what the afterschool program could provide. If you didn’t call right away you are probably SOL.

Emily September 5, 2015 (5:35 pm)

Anyone know how to volunteer and help with childcare to expand availability?

DK September 5, 2015 (6:36 pm)

Thank You Seattle Parks and Rec! While I appreciate the teachers struggles and support them, I need to do a shout out to the Seattle Parks and Rec team. I appreciate you being there for me and my kids while the amazing teachers fight for what they deserve. (I recognize not all were able to get ‘in’ and I hope you find something that works OR better yet, the teachers come to an agreement). I would be in a serious bind with out this option.

Mike September 5, 2015 (6:39 pm)

Emily, you could try calling Hiawatha or Seattle Parks Dept. My guess is you’d need to be run through a background check first and that takes time.
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Maybe check with neighbors to see if they need somebody to help watch their kids?
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Very nice of you to offer to help, you might just save a parent their own job.

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