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Afterschool Program Home

Elementary Afterschool Program

 

Modeled after Leeds Elementary's decades-long Late Bird program, we're thrilled to be expanding our afterschool services to all elementary schools across the district! Our programs are open to K-5 students in the district, and we provide quality, affordable extended-day childcare on all full school days from 2:10–5:30pm.

Play

Play is at the heart of everything we do. It's how children discover the joy of movement, build socio-emotional skills, and learn to work with others.

Nurture

Through a strengths-based, restorative approach, we create a safe, nurturing space where kids feel heard and empowered.

Enrich

We craft daily experiences that blend unstructured play, enrichment clubs, creativity, and community-building.

Care

Teachers and paraeducators from your child's school work alongside part-time staff to bring consistency and high quality to the afterschool program.

About Our Programs

Our programs include a mix of unstructured play time and a variety of daily activities. All students are split into Clubs for the first portion of the afternoon. Clubs can include a variety of themes from Team Sports and Games to Newspaper, Music, Nature Exploration, Fiber Arts, Legos, Cooking, STEAM programming, etc. Clubs include snack time, free play, and an activity of the day. After Clubs end, students have ample free play time on the playground or in the Gym, Cafeteria, Library, Art Room, etc. with art projects, group games, board games, book clubs, and more!

Program Dates

First Day of Program: August 31, 2026
Last Day of Program: June 10th (TBC Pending additional days due to snow days

Hours of Operation: All full school days from 2:10-5:30pm.

Scheduling: We offer flexible scheduling with two possible pick up times:

  • 4:15pm pick up
  • 5:30pm pick up

We have rolling dismissal, so you may pick up your child any time before your scheduled pick up time. Clubs generally end around 3:30-3:45, so it’s best if you can pick your child up after ~3:30 so that they can complete the daily activity.
 

  • Here is our approximate afternoon schedule. Each site may vary.

    Kindergarten
    2:15-2:30 Check-In and Story
    2:30-3:15 Free Play on Playground
    3:15-3:30 Snack
    3:30-4 Centers / Activity of the Day
    4-4:15 Clean Up and Pack Up

    1st-5th Grade
    2:15-2:30 Program Check-In, Bathrooms, Water Bottles, Snack
    (Group Leaders pick up Clubs between 2:15-2:30)
    2:30-3:45 Clubs* meet
    3:45-4:15 Free Play

    Extended Day
    4:15-5:30 Free Play All grades K-5 with a variety of activity choices*

    *Note: Every day is different! On outdoor days, we frequently organize group games or activities outside, such as hula hoops, sidewalk chalk, kickball, capture the flag, obstacle courses, art projects, scavenger hunts, Yoga, etc. We occasionally bring groups inside for special activities.

    On Rainy/Cold Days, we may have groups in the Cafeteria, Gym, Library, Music Room, STEM Room, and/or Art Room, where we set up various centers or special activities for the kids to explore - drawing and coloring, art projects, building, legos, gross motor games, dramatic play, sensory materials, quiet reading, STEM activities, etc.

  • Our club offerings change 3 times per year. Registration for Clubs will be sent out approximately one month prior to the session start date. See below for dates of our fall, winter, and spring sessions.

    Fall: August 31st - December 22nd, 2026
    Winter: January 4th - March 26th, 2027
    Spring: March 29th - Last Full Day of School
     

  • Registration Dates
    Open Application Window for September Start: July 1st-15th, 2026
    Deadline to complete Registration Packet for September Start: August 10th, 2026
    (Rolling applications accepted throughout the year to be added to waitlist)


    Registration Instructions
    Interested families should submit an Initial Application by clicking on your child’s school link below. You will first be prompted to create an account on Brightwheel and then fill out the form. If a spot opens up, we'll notify you and send you the full registration packet via Brightwheel. Students will be admitted to the program once a spot opens up and all forms are completed.

    If you are unable to complete the application and registrations online, you may:

    • Complete a Paper Registration: send a completed form to the main office of your child’s school, addressed to ‘Afterschool Director’
    • Register In Person or Over the Phone: email ghollender@northampton-k12.us or call 413-326-5348 to schedule an appointment


    Pricing

    • Full Rate: $7/hour (must be enrolled in a consistent weekly schedule)
    • Reduced Rate: $5/hour
    • Free Rate: $0/hour
    • Additional Sibling Discount: $6/hour
    • Drop-In Rate: $8/hour (for any hours outside of consistent weekly scheduled hours)
    • Day-Of Drop-In Rate: $10/hour
    • Optional Voluntary Rate: $8-$15/hour

    Families who sign up for a consistent weekly schedule through the full school year have the option of signing up for a monthly payment amount, split evenly across 10 months of the school year. Click here to view our 2026-27 Rate Sheet.

    Sliding Scale: We offer our after school programs at a free or reduced rate for those who directly qualify for our district's Free/Reduced Lunch program. Families who qualify will receive a letter from Freshampton at the beginning of each school year. Families who qualified last year will carry over for the month of September this year. You can find more information about the Free/Reduced Lunch program on the Food Services website.


    Late Pick Up Fee: All children must be picked up by 5:30pm at the latest and will be charged $1/minute for late pick ups past 5:30pm.


    Payments
    You will receive a bill through Brightwheel. Monthly bills for the upcoming month go out on the 13th of each month, and are due for payment by the 20th. Any drop-in charges will be billed as a one time charge on top of your monthly charge for consistent schedules. Families will have the option of enrolling in autopay, which would automatically charge your monthly bill to your saved payment method.

    • Online (preferred): Pay via Brightwheel. Enroll in autopay for automatic monthly charges, or pay manually by logging into your Brightwheel account.
    • By Check: Made out to "City of Northampton" sent in a sealed envelope in your child's home/school folder or dropped off at your school's main office.
       

  • Link to Program Handbook

  • Visit our FAQ page

Our Teams

Click on your student’s school above to learn more about their afterschool staff!

Afterschool Program Director: Gabrielle Hollender

ghollender@northampton-k12.us

Site Coordinator: Myrna Devillier

A woman with glasses smiles gently while holding a fluffy gray cat in her lap.

Hi families! My name is Myrna, and I’m thrilled to be stepping into my role as the After School Site Coordinator at Bridge Street School. For the past two years, I’ve had the joy of working at BSS as both a 1:1 Paraeducator and BASE instructor. My favorite part of the day is cheering students on, helping them feel confident, and celebrating all the big and little wins along the way. When I’m not at school, you can usually find me gardening, laughing at my cats’ silly adventures, or searching for my next favorite show. Fun fact: when I was young and living in Puerto Rico, I had a pet chicken named Guillermina! I can’t wait for a year full of learning, laughter, creativity, and fun with your child. Let the adventure begin!


 

Site Coordinator: Tiffany James

A black and white close-up portrait of a woman smiling.

I have a passion for working with children and have over 12 years of experience helping them learn and grow. As a proud mom of three, I understand the importance of creating a fun, supportive, and engaging environment. I am excited to begin this new journey as Site Coordinator and can't wait to see what this year has in store. I'm looking forward to creating fun-filled, exciting, engaging, and curiosity-driven experiences with everyone! Here's to a wonderful year ahead!

 

Site Coordinator: Gus Longo (they/them)

Gus Longo, Leeds Afterschool Site coordinator wearing a brown jacket and a green hat smiles at the camera, with a snowy path and trees in the background.
Gus is excited to be rejoining the NPS community in this role at Leeds Elementary School. They are originally from Maine, and have enjoyed living in the valley for four years. After graduating Middlebury College in 2016, they have worked primarily in environmental education, working with schools and camps to facilitate hands-on learning. Gus has taught and, most recently managed, programs like Nature's Classroom and is looking forward to bringing that energy to create a fun and engaging atmosphere for students and staff at Leeds this school year. 

Site Coordinator: Amelia Black

Amelia Black, RK Finn Ryan Road Afterschool Site Coordinator smiles at the camera.

I’m Miss Amelia. I’ve been working in Northampton district for almost 6 years. I love this community and its dedication to creativity and personal expression. I enjoy fiber arts (crochet!), Dungeons & Dragons, and creative writing, as well as reading and traveling. 
 

We are always looking for qualified staff to work with our after school programs. If you are interested in working with our programs, please send your resume and a brief description of your experiences working with elementary aged kids to ghollender@northampton-k12.us.

  • Click on your student’s school above to learn more about their afterschool staff!

  • Afterschool Program Director: Gabrielle Hollender

    ghollender@northampton-k12.us

  • Site Coordinator: Myrna Devillier

    A woman with glasses smiles gently while holding a fluffy gray cat in her lap.

    Hi families! My name is Myrna, and I’m thrilled to be stepping into my role as the After School Site Coordinator at Bridge Street School. For the past two years, I’ve had the joy of working at BSS as both a 1:1 Paraeducator and BASE instructor. My favorite part of the day is cheering students on, helping them feel confident, and celebrating all the big and little wins along the way. When I’m not at school, you can usually find me gardening, laughing at my cats’ silly adventures, or searching for my next favorite show. Fun fact: when I was young and living in Puerto Rico, I had a pet chicken named Guillermina! I can’t wait for a year full of learning, laughter, creativity, and fun with your child. Let the adventure begin!


     

  • Site Coordinator: Tiffany James

    A black and white close-up portrait of a woman smiling.

    I have a passion for working with children and have over 12 years of experience helping them learn and grow. As a proud mom of three, I understand the importance of creating a fun, supportive, and engaging environment. I am excited to begin this new journey as Site Coordinator and can't wait to see what this year has in store. I'm looking forward to creating fun-filled, exciting, engaging, and curiosity-driven experiences with everyone! Here's to a wonderful year ahead!

     

  • Site Coordinator: Gus Longo (they/them)

    Gus Longo, Leeds Afterschool Site coordinator wearing a brown jacket and a green hat smiles at the camera, with a snowy path and trees in the background.
    Gus is excited to be rejoining the NPS community in this role at Leeds Elementary School. They are originally from Maine, and have enjoyed living in the valley for four years. After graduating Middlebury College in 2016, they have worked primarily in environmental education, working with schools and camps to facilitate hands-on learning. Gus has taught and, most recently managed, programs like Nature's Classroom and is looking forward to bringing that energy to create a fun and engaging atmosphere for students and staff at Leeds this school year. 

  • Site Coordinator: Amelia Black

    Amelia Black, RK Finn Ryan Road Afterschool Site Coordinator smiles at the camera.

    I’m Miss Amelia. I’ve been working in Northampton district for almost 6 years. I love this community and its dedication to creativity and personal expression. I enjoy fiber arts (crochet!), Dungeons & Dragons, and creative writing, as well as reading and traveling. 
     

  • We are always looking for qualified staff to work with our after school programs. If you are interested in working with our programs, please send your resume and a brief description of your experiences working with elementary aged kids to ghollender@northampton-k12.us.