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Date: 8/21/2015
WESTFIELD – Roots Learning Center will offer a new afterschool program this fall for students 5 to 14 years old.
The learning center provides a regular program, which serves children from six months to 5 years old. The new afterschool program will include swimming twice a week, board games, a place for students to read and do homework and other activities.
Elli Meyer, lead preschool teacher at Roots Learning Center, said the program is an opportunity to help out parents.
“We’re going to help with homework and work hand in hand with parents and teacher to help kids get homework done,” Meyer said. “We want to help parents so they don’t get home late from work and still have to do homework. We want to try and take some weight off their shoulders.”
The idea for the afterschool program came when parents of currently enrolled children said how great it would be if they could drop their older children off at the same place. That idea set things in motion, Meyer said.
“We realized there was a need for a place for the siblings of the children already here,” she said.
Meyer and Director Stephanie Anderson said in addition to being able to help the families at home, the teachers at Roots Learning Center are able to continue connecting with the children and their parents.
“We build bonds with the families, and we have a limited five years of their lives and it stinks that they move on,” Anderson said. “We see them out, but it’s nice to extend our time with each other and extend the Roots family.”
Meyer said the staff is looking forward to seeing the children progress as the years in each program go on.
“I think we’re most excited to keep the kids with us and to be able to watch them grow further as they grow older, but also to keep the parents here because we really are so close. It’s an exciting step for us,” she said.
Anderson said the goal is to continue this kind of atmosphere for the students.
“We’re really like a family. We hope the afterschool program gives a family environment where the students can do homework and have a homey environment before their parents get out of work,” Anderson said.
The afterschool program will run from 3 to 6 p.m. with extended hours on snow days and for school vacations. Registration is now open. For more information, call 562-1767 or email Becky@rootslearningcenter.com.