The After School Enrichment Program (ASEP) provides a safe, healthy, nurturing and enriching environment for our diverse student base. In our program, school-age students are given the opportunity to develop social and academic skills while their families go to work, school, or seek employment. Our staff is qualified, experienced, and works hard to ensure students get the most from the program.
ASEP has three different after school options: ASEP Comprehensive Enrichment Program (Monday-Friday 1:50pm-6:00pm), Language Immersion Program (Monday-Friday 1:50-6:00pm), and After School Clubs (Monday-Thursday 1:50pm-3:00pm). Spots are limited, so incoming students should apply sooner rather than later–do not wait until the first day of school! Vacation and summer camps are also available. For more information, please call (415) 863-2737.
ASEP Comprehensive Enrichment Program
(Monday-Friday 1:50pm-6:00pm)
Theme-Based Learning and Academic Alignment
Although ASEP has utilized a Theme Based Learning curriculum for the past 3 years, this year we took a very new approach. After meeting with day school teachers to determine which specific standards, skills and concepts to focus on, we’ve developed a year’s worth of hands-on academic curriculum. Each 6 week theme includes activities that are aligned with day school in the areas of science, social studies, math, and language arts. After School Programs that are aligned with school day curriculum can support student learning and attack the achievement gap by offering additional support to struggling students. Aligned curriculum complement and reinforce learning that takes place in the classroom in a new exciting way. ASEP is a leading innovator in this movement and has been recognized as a “model program” by both SFUSD and DCYF regarding Academic Alignment.
Sample themes:
K: Animals – All About Me! – Back to School – Good Citizens in Action
1st: Seeds Grow – 7 Continents – Stages of Matter -Animals
2nd: Rocks Rock!- My Community- Gardening
3rd: Rock Cycle- Our Solar System- Stages of Matter
Literacy Infusion!
Teachers strive to incorporate literacy into all activities they facilitate, but every Monday there is time put aside for “Kidzlit”. “Kidzlit” is a literacy program designed to enhance reading and writing skills through fun interactive books and reading comprehension activities. Of course, all books are also aligned with the class’s current theme!
SPARK
On Tuesdays and Thursdays ASEP teachers provide students with healthy recreation opportunities through ASEP’s SPARK program. The SPARK program is based on non-competitive P.E. activities that encourage children to be physically active and fit.
Homework Hour
ASEP has partnered with Creative Out Of School Learning to help develop unique homework stations for each grade level group that are designed to reinforce student’s day time academic learning and help them finish their homework Monday through Thursday.
Health and Wellness Program
Formed in 2009, the goal of ASEP’s Health and Wellness Program is to empower the 300 children and families of ASEP to make healthy choices through nutrition education, hands on interactive experiences and exposure to wellness resources. Our program’s vision “Healthy Children, Healthy Parents, and Healthy Community” is carried out through nutrition education from our staff and community wellness organizations. Children learn the importance of eating healthy, getting enough physical activity, and how they can positively affect their school environment, family and community as a whole through guest speakers, field trips and peer-to-peer education.
Snack Squad
Now in its third year our cornerstone Snack Squad program enables the Health and Wellness program to send our message out into the community through our children. Six 4th and 5th graders work together for 6 weeks learning practical skills for eating and living healthier through nutrition education, working in our vegetable garden, guest speakers from the wellness community, peer to peer education and hands on experience with planning, preparing and serving healthy snacks. We provide them with an opportunity to be leaders as well as experience what it is like to have the responsibility of making healthy nutritional choices, not only for themselves but also for the After School Community. The kids are exposed to organizations, resources and experiences such as visits to community gardens, Rainbow grocery, Addis Light food education program, Power Play and local restaurants that will allow them to learn to make healthier nutritional and physical activity choices. Snack Squad gives them the opportunity to pass info on to younger students through peer-to-peer education and Physical activities and play.
Field Trip Fridays
Every Friday (weather permitting) we take students on educational and recreational field trips to local attractions, which include but are not limited to: Crissy Field Center, San Francisco Main Public Library, Ice Skating, local museums (such as Exploratorium, Academy of Science, De Young, MoAD, etc.), and local parks.
Art and Academic Enrichment Classes
This year we are excited to offer a total of 6 Art and Academic Enrichment classes, which will be hosted in three 10 week sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Fridays, those students who are not attending a field trip will go to their designated art enrichment class for an extended period of time – 1 ½ hours. Throughout the year, students will be provided with three opportunities to individually select and prioritize their art enrichment classes through a student choice form. Art classes are focused on process and exploration rather than creating an end product. The following are the current art enrichment classes we offer to students on Wednesdays and Fridays:
- Visual Art/Mural Project – Fred Alvarado
- Spanish – i-Immersion
- Tree Frog Treks
- Capoeira – Tammy Chang
- World Dance – Andrea Cortes-Juarbe
- Beatboxing- Carlos Aguirre
Community Partnerships
This year ASEP is excited to welcome back returning program partners Mission Science Workshop, Girls on the Run, and the newly renovated Harvey Milk Center for Recreational Arts.
Language Immersion Program
(Monday-Thursday 1:50pm-4:00pm)
We have partnered with i-Immersion to offer after school Spanish and Mandarin immersion classes to McKinley students. i-Immersion uses a complete immersion teaching method to ensure that children learn a new language in the most authentic and accelerated manner possible. They are committed to having young learners acquire a second, or even third language in the same ways they acquired their “native” language: through play, discovery, problem solving, information gathering, creative arts and more. For more information, visit the i-Immersion website: www.i-immersion.com
After School Clubs
(Monday-Thursday 1:50pm-3:00pm)
Science Club (Monday and Wednesday 1:50pm-3:00pm)
A fun hands on biology experience! Led by UCLA Biology major Ms. Lehr, students will learn about cells, animals, plants, terrain and conservation!
Art Club (Tuesday and Thursday 1:50pm-3:00pm)
Kids have tons of fun exercising their creative expression through various mediums such as drawing, painting, paper-mache and arts/crafts!
Chess Club (Tuesday and Thursday 1:50pm-3:00pm)
Taught by the not-for-profit organization, Academic Chess, this club will allow students to practice their problem solving, analytical and logic skills all while having fun playing chess!
Soccer Club (Monday and Wednesday 1:50pm-3:00pm)
Combining the “Team Up for Youth” curriculum and their own, coaches have students focus on non-competitive drills and basic skills to get them ready for the big game!