SPAR After-School Program

Goal: To provide a safe haven for children to work, learn, play, and find nurturing support for improving their academic and social success.

Physical Resources: While the amenities vary with the size and budget of each of our 15 recreational centers, all of them are equipped with computers, DVD-capable large-screen TVs, board-games, toys, group games, puzzles, jump-ropes, and hula-hoops, as well as basketball, volleyball, and dodge-ball equipment. Some have fully-equipped weight rooms with modern Olympic weights, and some have fully equipped gymnasiums, pool tables, ping-pong tables, spray-grounds, and swimming pools. One center even has a community garden.

Instruction: Professional instructors rotate to each center to provide those enrolled in the After-School Program with classes in art, dance, aerobics, life-skills, computer skills, writing, and publishing, all free of charge. Tennis, gardening, nutrition, golf, softball, conflict resolution, and soccer are also occasionally offered at an introductory level free of charge, as well as at a more advanced level (along with martial arts, modeling, and etiquette classes), for a nominal fee.

Homework Help: While the City does not yet provide professional tutoring for students, the staff at each center is very practiced at assisting kids with their homework assignments, much as a parent would. Often our children find that it only takes some encouragement to make an assignment suddenly much clearer. The staff at each Community Center keeps track of their students' grades, progress reports and LEAP scores so they can focus on helping their kids be successful in school.

Play:Homework is priority number one in the After-School Program, but since our kids have just come from a full day at school, when their homework is done, we always provide opportunities for children to just be children. That includes field trips, parties, movies, guest speakers, group games, or just shooting pool or some hoops. Staff supervision is mandatory, so the kids can both play safely and play in a safe environment.

Ages: All our Recreation Centers provide After-School programming for kids 6-17. Some of the fifteen Centers, Airport Park, Lakeside Park, David Raines Park, Bill Cockrell Park and Valencia Park, have special programming as well for teens 12-17.

Time: The After-School Program runs from 3:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday, except on holidays. Children are expected to sign in and remain at the Community Center for the duration of the After-School hours so that the classes are not interrupted, but they must also be picked up by their authorized parent or guardian when the program concludes. During school holidays that are not also City holidays, the Recreational Centers remain open and conduct "camps" from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. for which parents must register their kids independent of the After-School Program. Follow the link to "Camps" for more information.

Fees: While the After-School Program is free of charge, there are additional instructional programs which allow After-School kids to participate. These programs include special field trips, advanced classes, and some sports that require fees or pay as you go. Any such offerings are presented enough ahead of time to allow parents to decide whether or not they want their kids to participate.

Registration: The link to the registration form under "Participant Application" provides information required for participation. The form fillable on-screen and can be printed taken to the staff at the SPAR Community Center you choose. Each center has a preprinted form that can be completed and turned in at the center. It is a good idea to review the form online to determine the information required.

SPAR Camps

When school is out we can't very well call what we do an "After-School" program, so SPAR conducts "camps". During Thanksgiving break we call it "Harvest Camp"; Christmas vacation is "Winter Camp"; spring break is "Spring Camp"; and summer vacation is "Summer Playground". The dates correspond exactly to the Caddo Parish School Calendar, so when your child is on vacation, we're open for camp (except during those vacation days which are also City Holidays). You must register your child for each of the camps, but the good news is that you do it on the same form used for After-School (click on the link to "Participant Application"). Advanced registration is required because the camps fill up very quickly. Check with the staff at your Community Center of choice so you can beat the rush. Those already registered for After-School are allowed to register first for camps, so it's always an advantage to have your child already enrolled in that program. Registration for this year's Spring Break Camp is already underway, and the first day of that camp, March 15th, 2010, is also the first day for Summer Playground registration.

SPAR Summer Playground is almost an entity unto itself. Over 900 children annually participate in this program and it includes trips to Safety Town, Earth Camp, LSU-Ag Center sites, museums, Tinseltown, Law and Youth Camp, spray grounds, swimming pools, and other special trips the Center Staffs arrange. In addition there are parties, guest speakers, and special instruction in Musical Theater, physical fitness, art, golf, tennis, and dance. The programming varies with age group and site, but everybody has a good time and the kids are thoroughly worn out by the time each day is over. But, as with other SPAR Camps, enrollment is limited and you must register your child for Summer Playground early. As with the After-School Program, there is no fee for SPAR Camps.

Additional Information: The best resource for the activities available at any given Recreational Center is the staff at that Center. The phone numbers and addresses of each are listed under the "SHORTCUTS" column link to "Community Centers". Once the summary of Community Centers pops up, then click on the blue name of the center you want to explore and it will give you both the phone number and a more detailed description of the Center's offerings.