An after-school program can be a much-needed ministry for churches interested in serving families, especially single-parent and dual-income families with school-age children kindergarten through sixth grade.

Cindy Morris, director, Childhood Ministry Group, SCBC, said after-school programs are not large in number, but represent essential ministry opportunities for local churches.

“If a church has space, time, and resources, an after-school program can provide a great service to families,” she said. “Helping a child with homework, release some after-school energy, learn a Bible story, or be introduced to music can actually improve family time later that day.”

“First, the church must discover if there is a need for after-school care,” she said. “Leadership should survey the church and community and determine the need. A part of the planning must be to see after-school care as long-term ministry. If a church begins an after-school program, it should be able to operate a full-day when school is not in session. That includes summer months and days off from school. Remember, those parents sending their children don’t get a day off from work just because the child is not at school.”

Space and staffing considerations are certainly important. Beyond a registration fee, some after-school programs utilize volunteers and then operate without a fee to participants. Others will charge a weekly fee to offset paid staff and resources. “Either method,” Morris said, “is appropriate and can work well.”

And, while the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) does not regulate after-school programs involving school-age children, Morris said churches must still do background checks on both paid staff and volunteers.

“A consideration between paid staff and volunteers might be that paid staff can be held more accountable than volunteers,” Morris said. “You can’t have a day when adults don’t, or can’t, show up.”

Kelly Zytynski, childcare ministry director, Ridgeland Church, Ridgeland, said their church offered an after-school program up until spring 2008, but then stopped for a year before deciding to restart the program for the 2009-2010 school year.

“After we stopped, we realized there wasn’t really a place for children to go,” she said. “And our program was such a ministry to parents. I began to pray about our ability to do it well, and the more I prayed the more I felt God leading me.”

For after-school to be successful, it must fit into the church’s programming and ministries, she said, adding, “We have a very successful weekday program already. I want our after-school program to be just as successful. The year off was good for us. It gave us time to set things up. After-school care is not something a church can start in just two weeks of planning.”
At Ridgeland, the after-school program is for kindergarten students through third-graders. They arrive after school (2-2:30 p.m.) and final pick-ups should be made by 6 p.m. After a “substantial snack,” like a sandwich, children work through times of free play, homework time, and centers that involve computers and game systems.

“We set aside about 35-40 minutes for homework,” Zytynski said. “We can’t promise that all the homework gets done, but I believe a bulk of it is finished.

“I don’t really hire staff based on ability to help a child with homework,” she said. “Most of us with a high school education can help smaller children with homework. I look for adults who are childcare-minded; I look for caring people. I look for the whole person rather than just someone with a background in education.” Ridgeland works to maintain a 1:10 staff-to-child ratio.

Zytynski concurred with Morris of the SCBC, that “while after-school is not DSS regulated, it’s a good idea to operate the ministry as if it is regulated. We do all the background checks as if we are guided by DSS. In preparing for children, I think you always have to be cautious. Volunteers must of good character when it comes to working with children.”

At Ridgeland, the ministry isn’t a revenue stream for the church.

“Our church pays for what it needs to pay for,” Zytynski said. “Our ultimate goal is to have children who grow up well, allowing us to look at those lives and see how we helped shape them.”

After-school is a ministry.

Morris said, “Churches should see after-school as real ministry. People realize their children are coming to a church setting. Having a daily or weekly Bible story and Bible-based activities are very appropriate.”

“Ridgeland is not unique in South Carolina in its need for after-school ministry,” Zytynski said. “Most of our after-school children are not members of this church. Every community has children who need to be cared for after school rather than being at home by themselves.”

Churches interested in learning more about weekday education, including after-school programming, can contact Cindy Morris at 803.765.0030 or 800.723.7242 or by e-mail to cindymorris@scbaptist.org. Also, the Childhood Ministry Group, SCBC, is having its annual Church Weekday Education Workshop, Friday-Saturday, July 30-31 at White Oak Conference Center near Winnsboro, SC. Visit www.scbaptist.org/childhood for information and online registration. There will be learning tracks for ministries to school-age children.

Zytynski said, “Before coming to Ridgeland, I was a children’s minister at another church. I called Cindy Morris when I came to Ridgeland and said, ‘I’m going to need guidance.’ Cindy’s first words to me were, ‘You are exactly where God wants you and I know you can do (the ministry) there.’ That encouraging word was all I needed to hear.”

“Cindy is always in the corner of those who advocate for children and spend time with them,” Zytynski said. “Cindy’s love for children and their growth in the kingdom of God is so much a part of her life. No matter what your role with children - weekday, after-school, or Sunday School - she is in your corner and a great supporter. I encourage those who work with children to get to know Cindy and her ministry.”