After School Program - Kingswood Academy

Our program focuses on variety, in the form of child-directed, child-centered activities. A great deal of enjoyment and learning takes place during sports, fine arts, games, and field trips that enriches the children’s out-of-school hours.

Exposing children to a variety of activities will ensure that they are well rounded and will build strong community relationships. We teach our children physical education programs including yoga and zumba in our large on-site gymnasium! We have 5 playgrounds and 2 acres of property at our 1535 Ryan Street Centre and one playground with 12 acres of gorgeous natural beauty at our 1530 Ryan Street location. We have many plans for trails and forts at the Ryan Street Centres. We also enjoy visiting the city parks which are close to both locations. All of the above mentioned field trips and new programs are included in the after school fees.

In addition to being a time for developing talents and hobbies, it is a time for children to receive academic support outside of the school day. Our staff will be available to explain homework problems to the children and assist with any difficulties. Our staff members are able to assist with French or English homework.

We pick up at Evergreen, Northrop Frye, and Magnetic Hill at 1:30pm and 2:30pm. Le Sommet busses our children directly to us.

If you require after school care, please register early as entrance to our after school program is not automatic if you attend Kingswood Day School or Montessori School. However, Kingswood children are always given priority entrance.

Social and Emotional Development

In our After School setting, children have plenty of situations in which to learn in a social context. They are allowed to explore freely with the support of our teachers and other children. These social interactions increase all children’s intelligence, academic success and emotional stability.

The personal and social development of young children lays the social and cognitive groundwork that fosters a love for school, engages the children in the process of learning, and supports future success in school and in life. The After School Program focuses on who the children are as individuals and supports and encourages them to reach their full potential. In partnership with the home, the program plays a vital role in developing social competence by providing the tools and knowledge that children will need in order to play a constructive role as citizens. The activity centers used throughout the room allow for the children to make personal choices on how they learn. This encourages the children to become independent learners and take pride in their growing skills.

Outcomes:

demonstrate a sense of identity and a positive self-image;
understanding the diversity in individuals, families, schools, and the wider community;
exhibit independence, self-regulation and a willingness to take responsibility in learning and other activities;
develop an ability to use problem-solving skills in a variety of social contexts;
identify and use social skills in play and other contexts;
demonstrate an awareness of their surroundings.

Approaches Toward Learning

To supplement the learning that takes place during school hours, this after school care time must allow the children to learn through alternative means. Interacting with the real world in fun, creative, and challenging ways complements formal learning.

We will:

Let children develop their senses through the use and interactions of all the senses. Let them taste, touch, see, hear, and smell all that is available to them.
Help them learn to be motivated learners. Give them objects and materials that they can control so they can learn cause and effect and self-control.
Encourage them to be active learners and problem solvers.
Foster their internal motivation.
Help them develop their attention spans and resist distractions.
Play games that require attention and visualization.
Have them read out loud and speculate how the scene and characters look and feel.

Language Development

Children need time to develop knowledge of language and words through use and practice. The after school class provides a literacy enriched environment. The classroom offers rich and varied material and hands-on activities to encourage talking, reading, writing and viewing media texts. Our program is designed to stimulate child discussion and provide an atmosphere to motivate the students to attempt new and challenging tasks at their own rate. Whole group lessons as well as small group and independent activities allow for a variety of settings for the children to participate in. This allows them to become confident in themselves as readers and writers as well as gaining a sense of pride amongst their peers.

In order to enhance the instruction they are receiving at school, we will:

Encourage the many social activities that children love to engage in.
Allow them plenty of time to communicate with their peers, and encourage interactions among the multiple age groups.
Teach them poems and rhyming songs.
Make up games that require lots of physical activity as well as communication.
Recognize that many fun activities children willingly engage in, such as dramatic play, singing and dancing, encourage language development.
Communicate by talking and by listening and speaking to others for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts;
Demonstrate understanding and critical awareness of a variety of written materials that are read by and with the teacher;
Use reading strategies that are appropriate for beginning readers in order to make sense of a variety of written materials;
Communicate in writing, using strategies that are age appropriate;

Cognition and General Knowledge

Children can be taught causal reasoning (if I do this, then that will occur). But if they physically experience the results of their actions, the connection between the cause and effect will be much stronger. The many activities they engage in will allow children to experience this type of causal reasoning.

By playing and interacting regularly with others of different backgrounds, children have time to develop an understanding of how their actions affect others.

Physical Well-Being and Motor Development

Physical well-being and motor development are an important part of children’s success in school. After School time can strengthen their learning achievements as children are generally encouraged to make use of their whole bodies during this time. They have time to run and play, and release pent-up emotions and energy. They are able to connect with other children. They are able to make a physical connection and understand their relationship to other things and other people in a less structured and formal environment.

The students are provided with physical education time every day where they will learn and practice skills appropriate to their age. This activity time also assists the students in learning how to work as a team, how to share, as well as gaining confidence in themselves as they watch their physical skills improve over the year. We also educate and discuss with the student the effects of physical activity, proper nutrition, and proper hygiene as well as the effects of unhealthy choices. During this time students establish a positive attitude toward health, safety and physical activities.

Outcomes:

demonstrate an awareness of health and safety practices for themselves and others and a basic awareness of their own well-being;
participate willingly in a variety of activities that require the use of both large and small muscles;
develop control of large muscles (gross-motor control) in a variety of contexts;
develop control of small muscles (fine-motor control) in a variety of contexts