Top city, school, and nonprofit officials announced on Friday the upcoming launch of the “New Haven Afterschool Initiative” — which will provide free and low-cost afterschool programming for up to 2,000 K-8 students, five days a week, starting in September. Mayor Justin Elicker and New Hav en Public Schools (NHPS) Supt. Madeline Negrón unveiled that new afterschool effort at a press conference held at Truman School. Elicker said that this program will provide “high-quality afterschool programming” — both “learning enrichment” and “physical activity” — at 20 public elementary and middle schools across the city, from dismissal time through 5:30 p.m. Each school’s afterschool program will have the capacity for up to 100 students, who will be able to attend for free — or, for families that can afford it, for $25 per week. “That’s like one hour of a babysitter, nowadays,” Elicker said. This new effort will kick off on Sept. 9; registration will begin on Monday, Aug. 17 at 12 p.m.; slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Elicker said that, with the launch of this new initiative, there will now be afterschool programming at every public elementary and middle school in the district. (Six of those schools already have such offerings.) The new program builds off of the federal-pandemic-relief-funded New Haven Tutoring Initiative; instead of taking place just a couple days a week, however, this new effort will provide programming five days a week. City spokesperson Lenny Speiller told the Independent that the New Haven Afterschool Initiative will be paid for with $1 million from the city’s general fund budget, a portion of the remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and parent registration fees, which are $25 per week for families that can afford to pay. The new initiative is a partnership among the city’s Community Services Administration, the Youth Recreation Department, New Haven Public Schools, the Boys Girls Club of Greater New Haven, and New Haven Counts. Negrón urged families to act soon to register for what will likely be a highly in-demand program; “100 slots per school, first come, first served. Take action now. Don’t come later saying you didn’t know,” she said. “We want our kids in a productive place with good mentors, having fun, learning. That’s what we want, and that’s what our commitment is with this program,” Elicker said. “I want to emphasize, this is a really big deal.” Click here to watch Friday’s press conference in full. The post City Unveils New 5-Days-Per-Week Afterschool Initiative appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less