Licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

Now enrolling for the 2010-11 school year!
The first day of the 1st-5th Afterschool Program will be Wednesday, September 8th, 2010. Scholarship assistance is currently available for the 2010-11 school year and vouchers are accepted.  Call (617) 349-6287 x11 for more information.

Fall Open House:
Please join us for our 1st-5th Grade Afterschool Open House on Tuesday, September 7th from 3:30-5:30pm in the basement level of the Baldwin School. Come meet the afterschool staff, tour the space and hear about this fall’s specialist offerings. Registration forms will be available, and enrollment is on a first come, first served basis.

Check out our new back yard
Our new play space is finished and includes an the Maud Morgan Arts Center, sandbox with water component, playhouse, children’s garden, basketball and bocce court. Click here to download the plans.

Maud Morgan Arts Classes
New this year, each child enrolled in the afterschool will be able to chose one class from the Maud Morgan Arts Center per year. We are just rolling this out, so please check back for more information or call 617-349-6287 x11. For the full fall class schedule, please click here.

Our Program
Our 1st-5th Grade afterschool program offers engaging and highly organized arts-based programming for students from all Cambridge and Somerville schools as well as all local communities. Students choose from a variety of activities, including visual and performing arts, games, sports, homework assistance, and outside time.

Play and physical activities are part of every afternoon at Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool, allowing children to have fun and develop social skills at a safe neighborhood location. The combination of comfortable facilities, a community-oriented atmosphere, and opportunities for creative self-expression through art make Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool a great choice for your child.

Our Staff
While there are numerous opportunities for creative self-expression, perhaps the most important feature of our afterschool program is teaching staff who are caring and attentive, competent, and creative. Agassiz Baldwin 1st-5th Afterschool staff is led by our 1st-5th Site-Director, Alice Vogler. The program staff consists of a talented group of six afterschool teachers comprising a diverse range of musicians, dancers, and art educators.

All staff are certified in first aid and CPR and exceed the qualifications of an EEC verified teacher.

Our Space
The 1st-5th grade program is located on the ground level of the Maria L. Baldwin School and has use of the community room, gym, music and Spanish rooms, and cafeteria. When weather allows, we also use the Alden Playground (tot lot) as well as Sacramento Field. Students from Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) arrive by school bus to our location and are met by an afterschool staff member.

Choice-based Activities
The afternoon begins with a healthy snack and a meeting where the afternoon activities are discussed. Children are offered two activity choices per day in addition to outside play or gym games. The teaching staff create choices informed by the children’s interests as well as activities based on monthly and project-based curriculum themes. Teachers design developmentally appropriate activities for students grouped in 1st-3rd grades and 4th/5th grades. Past themes have included: media, environmental issues, music, and food.

Schedule:
Baldwin arrival/CPS bus drop-off: 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
Pick-up: 5:30 pm
CPS early release days: 12:00 pm-5:30 pm

Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool follows the Cambridge Public School calendar.  We are also open for vacation programming over the December, February, and April vacation weeks. Vacation programming consists of daily themes, field trips, and visiting specialists.

Project Based Learning
Each season, Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool devises a long-term project planned and developed by teachers and students.  Staff and children work together in teams across curriculum areas that include math, science, social studies, and literacy, with strong emphasis on the arts.

To help extend the learning, these long-term projects include neighborhood trips and workshops led by visiting guests. Projects culminate in an event that invites participation from families and friends to create an authentic community experience. Past projects have included a student-run restaurant called “The Flying Zucchini Café,” a drama performance, and a student-curated art show. During “The Flying Zucchini Café” project students take on the roles of chefs, waitstaff, interior designers, and hosts to create an authentic restaurant environment. Children may choose to take a minor or substantial role in each project.

Special Offerings
Our program has many features that make us unique as an afterschool. In addition to a variety of daily choices, students can explore specific subjects and art forms on a deeper level. Specialists, who are professionals in their fields, will guide students in furthering their appreciation and skill level in dance, drama, and visual arts.  The following are just some of the offerings throughout the school year:

Clubs
•    Spanish
•    Knitting
•    Cooking
•    Science
•    Book club

2010-11 Specialists
Modays: Taekwondo* (K-2 grade class)
Tuesdays: Dance with Sunny Hitt
Wednesdays: Sports Specialist & Cooking with Kids
Thursdays: Drama Club
Fridays: Taekwondo* (K-2 class and 3-5th class)

*Taekwondo classes are $5 per class ($50 for the 10 week fall session), plus a $15 uniform fee.

Piano or Cello Lessons (Mondays – Wednesdays)
Individual cello or piano lessons with Sarvi Moshfegh are available for $33 per lesson (The cost for the 12 week fall semester will be $396). Scholarships are available. Lessons take place in the Maria L. Baldwin school music room. Please download the piano sign up form from the downloads section of this page. Lessons are first come, first served and spaces do fill.

As part of our Introducing Art Performance Series, Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool hosts a professional performance during each Early Release day.  These programs are presented under the umbrella of Maud Morgan Arts Programming.

The Introducing Arts 2010-11 Schedule:
October 20, 2010: Kinobe
November 18, 2010: Leland Faulker’s World of Wonder
February 24th, 2011: Our 15th Annual ABC Hip Hop Festival
March 8, 2011: Pan Loco Steel Drums

Program Cost
Monthly Tuition Fees
$474        5 Days per week (all vacation weeks included in tuition)
$268       3 Days per week
$196        2 Days per week
$100        1 Day per week

The fee for vacation week for part-time families is $180.

Scholarship assistance is available for the 2010-11 school year and vouchers are accepted.  Call (617) 349-6287 x11 for more information.

Register Now
Our program is a safe, fun, and enriching environment for students to spend their afternoons! To register, download an Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool Registration 2010-11.

Contact the 1st-5th Afterschool Program
Questions?  Contact Jacy Edelman, Director of Children’s Programs at (617) 349-6287 x11 or jedelman@agassiz.org.

Downloads:

Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool Registration 2010-11
AS Fact Sheet 2010-11
Agassiz AS Parent Handbook 2010-11
Taekwondo Sign Up Fall 2010
Agassiz Piano Signup Fall 2010
Agassiz Baldwin Community Calendar 2010-2011