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Parents Very Happy with Project My Time – Kids Like Ability to
Choose Activities
continued...
The surveys also showed a need to
increase awareness about Project My Time. Students usually heard
about PMT from teachers, friends, or flyers or posters on school
grounds. Parents got their information through the same
channels, such as by hearing about the program from their
children’s teachers or reading notices distributed by the
school. Teachers and school staff also wanted better
communication from the program.
Market Street recommended that the organizers of Project My
Time:
-
Work to increase awareness of
PMT among students and parents, and deepen knowledge of the
program
-
Identify strategies to
enhance methods and materials for communicating with
stakeholders
-
Consider options for program
hours to address concerns about children walking home after
dark
-
Include a celebration,
performance, or other event for parents and students at the
end and, ideally, the beginning of the program as well
-
Not implement an attendance
policy
-
Maintain and enhance the
high-quality programming
-
Provide homework assistance
and Saturday programs
Organizers of Project My Time are
using the findings to improve efforts to build an
out-of-school-time system in the District. Specifically, PMT
organizers plan to:
-
Focus more efforts to
communicate with school teachers, who are important to
student recommendations and to parents
-
Include more youth, teacher
and parent voice in the selection of providers and include
more independent providers that can adjust to the changing
wants of students
-
Continue to include
high-quality academic service providers in the programming
mix.
-
Ensure academic service
providers have access to information about best practices
and non-traditional methods of supporting student academic
progress that can be used at the PMT sites
-
Alter the program day to make
the later hours optional as well as making Fridays optional.
Earlier ending hours could also be instituted only during
the winter months. Change the session length so that
activity choices are kept fresh
-
Work with city and DCPS
leadership to provide transportation for those who need it
-
Adjust enrollment
expectations to mirror those achieved by well-established
programs in other cities and to account for all the changes
children and schools will experience next school year.
Project
My Time is an initiative of the DC Children and Youth Investment
Trust Corporation. |
